Onset of coagulation of blood in a blood vessel irradiated by electromagnetic radiation is detected by directing light at the blood vessel and monitoring the intensity of a portion of the light remitted from the blood vessel. An increase or decrease in the monitored light intensity indicates the onset of coagulation. The increase or decrease results from the formation of methemoglobin in the blood which accompanies the onset of coagulation. The methemoglobin is formed by photo conversion or thermal conversion of normal blood oxyhemoglobin. The wavelength of the monitoring light is selected to be different from that of the electromagnetic radiation and is preferably a wavelength for which the ratio of its absorptivity in hemoglobin and its absorptivity in normal blood is less than about one-half or greater than about two.

The present invention relates in general to laser treatment of biological tissues and structures including blood vessels. The invention relates in particular to methods of detecting onset of coagulation in the blood vessels.
In recent years, use of lasers for treatment of dermatological conditions and other conditions involving blood vessels has rapidly gained acceptance by the medical community. By way of example, lasers delivering light in the green and yellow regions of the visible spectrum are now effectively used to treat vascular disorders. The green and yellow wavelengths between about 530 and 590 nanometers (nm) are particularly favored because absorption of these wavelengths in blood hemoglobin is significantly higher than in the skin pigment melanin. This allows the hemoglobin to be selectively targeted by the radiation in a treatment often referred to as selective photothermolysis. In such a treatment, blood in targeted vessels is coagulated by heat generated when the green or yellow light is absorbed in the blood hemoglobin. This results in necrosis of the vessels in the treated area. The coagulated or necrotized vessels are eventually reabsorbed by the body and replaced with scar tissue.
One problem encountered in applying laser treatment is determining a light dosage sufficient to effect the required coagulation. This can vary from patient to patient depending on factors such as melanin content of the skin (skin color), the size (diameter) of blood vessels being treated and the depth of the blood vessels in the skin. Extending dosage beyond that required to effect coagulation can lead to complications including scarring, scabbing, edema and epidermal damage or extravasation of red blood cells from a vessel being treated. Extravasation can lead to formation of progressive purpura which will eventually disappear, but which are generally cosmetically unacceptable to patients under most circumstances.
An increase in reflection and scatter of treatment radiation has been observed in connection with lesion formation in retinal photocoagulation. Skin, however, is highly scattering of yellow/green radiation. Accordingly any increase in reflection or scatter resulting from coagulation of blood in a blood vessel in or under the skin will be difficult to discriminate from background scatter and reflection. Accordingly there is need for a method of detecting the onset of coagulation which effectively discriminates against background scatter and reflection of treatment radiation.
The present invention is directed to a method of detecting onset of coagulation of blood in a blood vessel irradiated by electromagnetic radiation having a selected treatment wavelength. The method comprises directing electromagnetic radiation having a selected monitoring wavelength to the blood vessel, the monitoring wavelength being different from the treatment wavelength. A portion of the monitoring radiation remitted from the blood vessel is detected. One of an increase and decrease in the detected remitted monitoring radiation is interpreted as an indication of the onset of coagulation of blood in the blood vessel.
The method of the present invention is based on detecting a change in absorptivity of blood irradiated by the treatment wavelength characteristic of conversion of oxyhemoglobin and de-oxyhemoglobin in the normal blood to methemoglobin. Depending on the wavelength the absorptivity of methemoglobin can be higher or lower than the absorptivity of normal blood. By way of example, in a wavelength range between about 525 and 580, methemoglobin has a lower absorptivity than normal blood. In wavelength ranges between about 610 and 660 nm and between about 800 and 1000 nm, methemoglobin has a higher absorptivity than normal blood.
In one preferred embodiment of the inventive method, the monitoring wavelength is selected such that the absorptivity thereof in normal blood is greater than or equal to about two times the absorptivity thereof in methemoglobin, and an increase in the detected remitted monitoring radiation is interpreted as an indication of the onset of coagulation of blood in the blood vessel. In another preferred embodiment of the inventive method, the monitoring wavelength is selected such that the absorptivity thereof in normal blood is less than or equal to about one-half the absorptivity thereof in methemoglobin, and a decrease in the detected remitted monitoring radiation is interpreted as an indication of the onset of coagulation of blood in the blood vessel.
One application of the method of the present invention is in dermal treatments wherein the wavelength of treatment radiation is in a range between about 510 and 585 nm, for example, the 532 nm radiation of a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser. Here, a preferred monitoring wavelength is selected in a range between about 610 and 660 nm.

Method for detecting coagulation in laser treatment of blood vessels


A method for treating or preventing depression is disclosed. The method, in preferred embodiments includes therapy apparatus for treating a patient's brain is provided. The method, in a preferred embodiment, includes irradiating at least a portion of a patient's brain with light energy having an efficacious power density and wavelength. The light energy should be sufficient to cause regulation of neurotransmitters in the brain and/or an upregulation of endogenous compounds in the brain, including neurotrophic factors, that result in neural growth, neurogenesis, and/or plasticity of neural function which leads to a diminishment or elimination of depression and its symptoms, and/or delays, reduces, or eliminates the onset of depression or depressive symptoms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to treatment of depression and depressive symptoms, and more particularly, to of treatment using phototherapy of brain tissue.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the U.S., it is believed that approximately 10% of people suffer from depression at any one time, and 20%-25% suffer an episode of depression at some point during their lifetimes. The disease affects people of all ages, including children, adults, and the elderly, and disproportionally affects women, with about twice as many women as men suffering from depression at some point in their lives. Additionally, persons who suffer one episode of major depression are much more likely to have additional episodes than those who have not experienced serious depression.
There are several types of depression which vary in severity and average episode length. Two of the most common types are major depression and chronic depression or Dysthmia. Chronic depression is generally a less severe form of depression, having milder but longer lasting symptoms than major depression. The symptoms of both types of depression are essentially the same, and include sadness, loss of energy, feelings of hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and irritability. Individuals suffering depression are also more likely to engage in drug or alcohol abuse, and if untreated, depression can lead to violence, including suicide.
All types of depression, including major and chronic depression, are commonly treated by one or both of antidepressant medication and psychotherapy. Other forms of treatment, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are also used, albeit less frequently. There are several types of antidepressant medications presently available, including tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs). Although the widely prescribed SSRIs cause fewer severe side effects than the older TCA and MAOI drugs, they are not without their own unpleasant effects, including dizziness, insomnia, and reduced sexual desire and performance. Despite their widespread use, antidepressant medications are only moderately successful, helping only about 70% of the people who take them.
Against this background, a high level of interest remains in finding new and improved methods for the treatment of depression that exhibit higher rates of effectiveness and fewer side effects of available drug therapy.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate. The first substrate includes a first common electrode and a dielectric layer. The second substrate includes a second common electrode and a pixel electrode. The dielectric layer includes at least two dielectric sub-layers in a region corresponding to each pixel unit. Dielectric constants of the at least two dielectric sub-layer are different from each other.

A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display most widely used currently, which has features such as a low power consumption, a small size, a low weight and a low driving voltage.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of electrodes and a liquid crystal layer in a liquid crystal display panel in the related art. The liquid crystal display panel includes a first common electrode 21 disposed at a side of a liquid crystal layer 30, a plurality of pixel electrodes 11 disposed at another side of the liquid crystal layer 30, and a plurality of second common electrodes 12 arranged alternately with the pixel electrodes. When no driving voltage is applied, liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 30 are vertical; and when a driving voltage is applied, an electric field 40 is generated between the pixel electrodes 11 and the first common electrode 21 and the second common electrodes 12, the liquid crystal molecules are rotated under action of the electric field 40 so as to achieve a display. It can be seen from FIG. 1 that when the driving voltage is applied, the liquid crystal molecules at two sides of one pixel electrode 11 are arranged at two angles, which is referred to as a two-domain structure. In a display panel having a two-domain structure, a low contrast degree and a color shift exist. Especially in case of being at an oblique viewing angle, a quality of the display image observed by a user is poor.
Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another structure of electrodes and a liquid crystal layer in a liquid crystal display panel in the related art. Compared with the liquid crystal display panel in FIG. 1, in this liquid crystal display panel, a dielectric layer (OC) 22 is added on the side of the second common electrode 21. The dielectric layer 22 can make horizontal equipotential lines in the electric field 40 be distributed in the dielectric layer 22 as far as possible, which can increase a proportion of vertical equipotential lines in the liquid crystal layer 30, i.e., a proportion of the horizontal electric field, thereby increasing tilt angles of the liquid crystal molecules and improving the contrast degree of the liquid crystal display panel. Compared with the liquid crystal display panel in FIG. 1, although the liquid crystal display panel in FIG. 2 has a higher contrast degree, it is still a two-domain structure, and the problem also exists that in case of being at an oblique viewing angle, the viewing angle is not ideal. It is still difficult to solve this problem in the existing technology.

Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control modular assembly (130) for a switch, wherein the control modular assembly comprises: a driving mechanism comprising an output shaft (122); a control unit coupled to the driving mechanism and configured to receive and process a signal for controlling the switch so as to control a movement of the output shaft (122) of the driving mechanism; and an operating member coupled to the output shaft (122); wherein the control modular assembly (130) is detachably coupled to an internal functional assembly (160) of the switch, so that the operating member can be driven by the output shaft (122) to move within a given movement range in response to the signal for controlling the switch, such that the operating state of the switch is controlled by controlling the internal functional assembly (160). Embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a switch (300) comprising the control modular assembly (130).

Panel switches, such as sockets and universal electric sockets with switch assemblies, are necessary for home decoration. In the panel switch assembly industry, there are thousands of products of different shapes and styles, such as large panel switches, square switches and circular switches. Moreover, there are different types of switches, such as rocker switches, push button switches, and the like. Current panel switches typically have panel assemblies and functional assemblies, both of which are generally integrated for sale and installation, and panel assemblies and functional assemblies cannot be individually removed or replaced.
Currently, there are a wide variety of switches available in the market, without any associations between various switch types. Once a switch assembly of a particular type and appearance is installed, the user must replace the original switch assembly with a brand new switch assembly if he/she wants to change the appearance or type of the switch assembly. As a result, updating a component of the switch assembly means updating the entire switch assembly. This is undoubtedly undesired for those users who only need to change the type or appearance of the switch assembly.
In addition, it is possible that users contact with high voltage components during the installing and disassembling processes of the switch. As a result, such processes must be operated by a professional or certified person, such as an electrician, to ensure safety. This can be expensive and time-consuming for the users who want to change the type or appearance of the switch.
Specifically, for electronic switches, there are two different types of panel products, namely, mechanical switches and electronic switches, for which the wirings and types of loads are very different. Therefore, these two kinds of switches very much differ from one another especially in terms of installation. Accordingly, it is now infeasible to interchange between the electronic switch panel and the mechanical switch panel.
For the reasons stated above, conventional products as mentioned above cannot meet the increasing requirements for personalization of customers and environmental protection.

Control modular assembly and switch including the same


The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software product for modulation of the optical intensity using electro-wetting (EW) diffraction gratings in the electronic devices with an electrical control signal. The EW diffraction gratings can be components of an element (e.g., a display) of the electronic device. Applications may include but are not limited to color displays, projection displays, front illuminating displays, field sequential displays, auto-stereoscopic displays, etc. Also, applications in areas other than displays are possible.

There are many techniques which can be utilized for light intensity, direction modulation, phase modulation, optical switching, optical logic, etc., which may include (but are not limited to): electro-optical methods, liquid crystals, acousto-optics, non-linear optics methods, magneto-optics, etc. There are many technologies suitable for use in display panel applications, e.g., the most typical being LCDs (liquid crystal displays). The U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,330 "Electrocapillary Color Display Sheet" by N. K. Sheridon describes another method for displays which uses electro-wetting to control the shape of dyed liquid droplets that are placed inside a capillary sheet. The display requires a large number of separate liquid droplets to be created and maintained rigidly in an array formation, which might not be possible in practical applications. Also, light modulation mechanism in the above reference (U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,330) requires the shape of the droplets to be varied macroscopically, which limits the achievable refresh rate of the display.
Another US patent application No. 2004/0109234 "Electrically Tunable Diffractive Grating Element" by T. Levola describes a deformable diffractive grating structure, where a preformed, basic surface relief of the grating is composed of dielectric and deformable viscoelastic material, which can be electrically tuned in shape to adjust the diffraction properties of the grating.

Diffraction gratings with tunable efficiency


An exposure apparatus which exposes a pattern of an original onto a substrate. The apparatus includes an optical system, including a reflective optical element, configured to conduct exposure light, a cooling mechanism configured to cool the reflective optical element included in the optical system, a detection unit configured to detect cooling information of the cooling mechanism and to produce a detection result, and a determination unit configured to determine optical characteristics of the reflective optical element, based on the detection result of the detection unit and a previously stored correlation between optical characteristics of the reflective optical element and the cooling information of the cooling mechanism.

Along with recent demands for downsizing and thickness reduction of an electronic device, requirements increase for a smaller feature size of a semiconductor element to be mounted on the electronic device. Conventionally, in lithography, to manufacture a semiconductor element, reduction projection exposure using ultraviolet rays is performed. The minimum size that can be transferred by reduction projection exposure is proportional to the wavelength of light used for the transfer, and inversely proportional to the numerical aperture of a projection optical system. Hence, in order to transfer a smaller microcircuit pattern, the wavelength of exposure light to be employed decreases, such as a mercury lamp i-line (wavelength: 365 nm), a KrF excimer laser (wavelength: 248 nm), and an ArF excimer laser (wavelength: 193 nm).
The feature size of the semiconductor device is decreasing rapidly, and lithography using ultraviolet light has limitations in dealing with the small feature size. In order to efficiently transfer a very small microcircuit pattern of as small as less than 0.1 μm, a projection exposure apparatus which uses extreme ultraviolet light (EUV light) having a wavelength of about 10 nm to 15 nm, which is much shorter than that of ultraviolet rays, has been developed.
As an EUV light source, for example, a laser plasma light source is used. The laser plasma light source irradiates a target member placed in a vacuum container with a high intensity pulse laser beam using a YAG laser, or the like, to generate a high temperature plasma, so as to utilize EUV light having a wavelength of, e.g., about 13.5 nm, which is generated by the YAG target. As the target member, a thin metal film, inert gas, droplets, or the like, is used, and is supplied into the vacuum chamber by a means such as a gas jet. To increase the average intensity of the EUV light radiated from the target, the higher the repetition frequency of the pulse laser, the better. Usually, the EUV light source is operated at a repetition frequency of several kHz.
When the target is irradiated with the high-intensity pulse laser beam, the target generates not only EUV light, but also scattering particles called debris. If the debris attaches to an optical element, it may contaminate, damage, and decrease the reflectance of the optical element. Hence, a debris removing means which prevents the debris on the target from reaching the optical element has been employed.
In order to facilitate the debris to flow into an illumination optical system, preferably, an EUV light condenser mirror is an elliptical mirror, which has one focal point at a point where a plasma is generated and focuses light on the other focal point. Preferably, the path that connects a light source portion and an illuminating portion is physically narrow.
In an exposure apparatus shown in FIG. 6, each of the substrates of a condenser mirror 508, mirrors that constitute an illumination optical system 520, a mask 521, and mirrors that constitute a projection optical system 522 have several tens of pairs of multilayered films made of Mo, Si, and the like, in order to reflect EUV light 506 efficiently. Each multilayered film must have a surface roughness on the Å order by a standard deviation in order to suppress a decrease in reflectance of the EUV light. Even so, the actually obtained reflectance is about 60% to 70% at most. Namely, the remaining 30% to 40% of the EUV light is absorbed by the mirror and converted into heat to undesirably increase the temperature of the substrate. As an example, assume that the respective mirrors uniformly have reflectances of 65% and that the EUV light is reflected thirteen times, including reflection by the illumination optical system 520, mask 521, and projection optical system 522, 0.6513=0.0037 of the light reaches the surface of a wafer 523. In other words, only 0.37% of the EUV light extracted from the light source portion reaches the surface of the wafer 523, and the remaining 99.63% of the light is absorbed by the constituent elements, i.e., the illumination optical system 520, mask 521, and projection optical system 522. As is apparent from this example, in an EUV exposure apparatus, an optical system that satisfies a desired optical performance with a smaller number of mirrors must be achieved.
In order to achieve the desired optical performance, for example, in order to suppress the decrease in reflectance, the mirrors of the projection optical system 522 must have, not only a smaller surface roughness, but also shape accuracy on the Å order by standard deviation. A very accurate optical system is thus required. Accordingly, the stability of the optical system 522 against external factors, such as the temperature, must naturally be very high. As a result, sufficient consideration must be made against heat obtained by conversion of absorbed EUV light, as described above.
In order to improve the productivity of the exposure apparatus, as much EUV light as possible must be supplied onto the surface of the wafer 523. To achieve this, the reflectances of the respective mirrors must be increased, the number of mirrors to be used must be decreased, and simultaneously, the EUV light to be output from the light source portion must be increased. In this case, the mirrors of the illumination optical system 520, which are close to the light source portion, receive a large quantity of EUV light and absorb 30% to 40% of the EUV light in the form of heat. While the illumination optical system 520 does not require a shape accuracy as high as that required by the projection optical system 522, it is exposed to the intense EUV light output from the light source portion. Thus, sufficient consideration must be made against the quantity of heat absorbed by the illumination optical system 520, which is greatly larger than that of heat absorbed by the projection optical system 522.
As the EUV light is readily absorbed by the atmosphere, the optical path space for it must be a vacuum environment, as described above. Therefore, to remove the heat absorbed by the mirrors, a cooling system employing heat exchange with a temperature-regulated gas, which is generally used in a conventional exposure apparatus cannot be employed. In the case of an EUV exposure apparatus employing a vacuum atmosphere, a temperature regulating medium must be directly brought into contact with the mirrors to remove by heat transfer the heat absorbed by the mirrors. Alternatively, heat absorbed by the mirrors must be removed by radiant heat using a vacuum. In any case, because of the vacuum environment, the optical system cannot be entirely temperature controlled by temperature regulated gas. Hence, a temperature regulating systems must be provided for the respective mirrors or each for several mirrors individually.
In the EUV exposure apparatus, the system having the individual temperature regulating systems for the respective mirrors or each of the several mirrors is a basic constituent element considering heat absorption by the mirrors, the high accuracy demand for the mirror shapes, and the vacuum environment on the optical path.
EUV exposure apparatuses are described in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 2004-193468 and No. 2001-143992.
The optical path is set in a vacuum environment in order to exclude an atmosphere, which absorbs the EUV light. The EUV light has a very short wavelength, i.e., 13.5 nm in the soft X-ray range. Even in the vacuum, the mirror surface is contaminated by a contaminant due to the mutual operation of the remaining components on the mirror and EUV light to not only degrade the reflectance, but also degrade the uniformity. Consequently, good exposure is interfered with.
Contamination is roughly divided into two types, i.e., oxidation of a multilayered mirror film caused by the presence of water and contamination due to carbon, and is caused when the remaining components of water or carbon exist. The allowable amount of the residual components is said to be about 1×10−7 Pa by partial pressure for water and about 1×10−8 Pa by partial pressure for carbon molecules having a molecular weight of forty-four or more. A very strict vacuum degree is thus required. For this reason, that member to be formed in the vacuum chamber of the exposure apparatus, which causes outgassing must have a surface area as small as possible, and must be made of such a material or be subjected to such a special process that outgassing of a gas containing a material, which generates the partial pressure, does not occur. To decrease the surface area which causes outgassing and to decrease the special material or process is very significant in apparatus design, because they are directly related to the apparatus cost.
Regarding cleaning and removal of a contaminant once attaching to the mirror, intensive studies are made on cleaning and removing carbon while maintaining the surface roughness on the Å level. Once the contaminant is oxidized, however, it cannot be cleaned or removed, and no means is available, but to exchange the mirror itself when the reflectance of the mirror decreases by a certain degree.
Regarding the decrease in reflectance, the rate of decrease of the entire optical system ranging from the illumination optical system 520 to the projection optical system 522 can be detected by mounting an exposure dose sensor (not shown) on the wafer stage and measuring the reflectance periodically. This is the same as in a conventional KrF exposure apparatus having a wavelength of 248 nm and a conventional ArF exposure apparatus having a wavelength of 193 nm.
With this sensor, however, which mirror has the problem cannot be identified, and an appropriate measure cannot be taken against the inconvenience of the decrease in reflectance, so the apparatus downtime increases. Particularly, as the EUV exposure apparatus employs a vacuum environment, if the apparatus is open to the atmosphere in order to inspect a component, or the like, in the apparatus, restoration of the apparatus takes a considerable amount of time, on the order of many days, thus adversely affecting the productivity of the apparatus.
In order to avoid this problem, a new detection system which detects a decrease in reflectance of the mirror or the contamination itself may be formed in the optical path. In this case, to achieve a clean, high vacuum degree with few residual components that cause contamination, as described above, such a new detection system, which may lead to an increase in outgassing should not be formed in the vacuum chamber, if it is possible.

Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method


The exposure of cells, tissues and organs to “stress,” such as elevated temperature, stimulates production of active heat stress transcription factors (HSF), which in turn, induce expression of genes regulated by stress promoters. Normally, the activity of stress promoters declines after cells, tissues and organs are returned to a normal condition. The present invention relates to molecular circuits that provide for sustained expression of a gene of interest subsequent to a single application of stress. Generally, the molecular circuits of the invention comprise (a) a first nucleic acid molecule that comprises a gene encoding a transcription factor and a first promoter or a combination promoter activatable by stress and by the transcription factor, wherein the first promoter or the combination promoter and the transcription factor gene are operably linked, and (b) a second nucleic acid molecule that comprises a gene of interest and a second promoter activatable by the transcription factor, wherein the second promoter and the gene of interest are operably linked.

Exposure of cells, tissues and organs to "stress," such as elevated temperature, heavy metals, oxidants, chemicals interfering with mitochondrial function, alcohols, hypoxia, hyperosmotic and hypoosmotic environments, amino acid analogues, and benzoquinone ansamycins results in the activation or enhanced activity of a group of genes known as heat shock or stress (hsp) genes. See, for example, Scharf et al., "Heat Stress Promoters and Transcription Factors," in Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation 20, Nover (Ed.), pages 125-162 (Springer-Verlag 1994). When cells, tissues and organs are returned to a normal condition, stress gene activity declines, until it reaches the low pre-stress level.
Stress genes encode a small number of heat shock or stress protein (Hsp) families. Major families of stress proteins are distinguished on the basis of molecular weight and amino acid sequence. See, for example, Nover and Scharf, Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 53:80 (1997). They include Hsp 110 (Hsp's with a subunit molecular weight of about 110 kDa), Hsp 104, Hsp90, Hsp70, Hsp60, Hsp27, Hsp10 and ubiquitin. Many of these Hsp's are molecular chaperones that participate in such basic cellular processes as protein folding, protein degradation and protein trafficking.
Promoter regions of stress genes typically include so-called heat shock element (HSE) sequences. These sequences are essential to render the genes activatable by stress. HSE provide binding sites of proteins named heat shock transcription factors (HSF). See, for example, Wu, "Heat Shock Transcription Factors: Structure and Regulation," in Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 11:441 (1995); Nover and Scharf, Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 53:80 (1997). Mammalian cells can express at least three different HSF. It is thought that the factor termed HSF1 is responsible for the regulation of hsp genes by stress. HSF1 is continuously and ubiquitously expressed in mammalian cells. In the absence of stress, the factor is present in an inactive form, unable to bind HSE sequences of stress gene promoters and to enhance their transcription. During stress, HSF1 is activated, and in the activated form, binds HSE DNA and stimulates transcription of stress genes. Subsequent to a stressful event, the factor relatively rapidly returns to its inactive form. Consequently, transcription of stress genes ceases. Mutant forms of HSF1 have been constructed that are capable of constitutively transactivating stress genes, in the absence of stress.
Promoters of stress genes have been linked to genes of interest to render the genes activatable by stress. Constructs of this kind were used to prepare cell lines, in which genes of interest could be activated by heat or some other form of stress. For example, cell lines have been prepared that contain a stress gene promoter-controlled growth hormone gene. Dreano et al., Gene 49:1 (1986). Moreover, transgenic flies and transgenic nematodes have been produced that express a β-galactosidase gene under stress control. See, for example, Voellmy and Ananthan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,812, Candido and Jones, Trends Biotechnol. 14:125 (1996), and Jones et al., Toxicology 109:119 (1996).
A major drawback of the use of stress gene promoters, also referred to herein as stress promoters, to control regulation of a gene of interest is that gene expression induced by a stress promoter can be maintained beyond the duration of the stress treatment only under conditions of extreme stress. Yet such extreme conditions are incompatible with cell survival.
Therefore, a need exists for a means to take advantage of stress-induced gene regulation under conditions that do not endanger cell viability.

Molecular regulatory circuits to achieve sustained activation of genes of interest by a single stress


A method for manufacturing a light emitting device includes the steps of: disposing a light emitting element on a base; disposing a single or plurality of light-transmissive members on the base so that the light emitting element is interposed between and spaced apart from at least one pair of opposing portions of the single or plurality of light-transmissive members; covering the base, the at least one pair of opposing portions of the single or plurality of light-transmissive members, and the light emitting element with a sealing member containing a phosphor; and cutting the base, the at least one pair of opposing portions of the single or plurality of light-transmissive members, and the sealing member, along paths on which the at least one pair of opposing portions are disposed.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to methods for manufacturing light emitting devices.
2. Description of Prior Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-49524 discloses a method for manufacturing a light emitting device that includes a light emitting element and a fluorescent material disposed around the light emitting element so as to convert a part of original light emitted from the light emitting element to light having a different wavelength than that of the original light. The method includes the steps of: forming a frame body with an opening of a predetermined size on a pedestal, which has an upper surface including a mounting region at which the light emitting element is to be mounted, so that the mounting region is located in an region of the upper surface enclosed by an inner wall of the opening; mounting the light emitting element on the upper surface of the pedestal at an approximately center portion of the region of the upper surface enclosed by the inner wall of the opening so that the light emitting element and the inner wall of the opening have an interspace therebetween having an approximately same width around the light emitting element; and filling a hardening composition containing the fluorescent material in the interspace between the light emitting element and the inner wall of the opening to cover the light emitting element with the hardening composition.

Method for manufacturing light emitting device


To provide a resin-coated carrier for an electrophotographic developer capable of providing an image with excellent image quality; and a two-component developer and a replenishing developer each of which contains the resin-coated carrier as a constituent. A resin-coated carrier for an electrophotographic developer, including: a core; and a resin coating layer containing a polyhydroxyalkanoate containing one or more units each represented by the following chemical formula (1) in a molecule, the resin coating layer being placed on the core:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to: a resin-coated carrier for an electrophotographic developer constituting a two-component developer used for developing an electrostatic latent image in electrophotography, electrostatic recording, electrostatic printing, or the like; and a two-component developer and a replenishing developer each of which contains the resin-coated carrier as a constituent.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, biodegradable polymer materials have been finding a wide variety of applications including medical materials, drug delivery systems, and environmentally compatible materials. In recent years, in addition to those applications, the biodegradable polymer materials have been requested to provide new functions, and hence various studies have been made. In particular, the introduction of a chemically modifiable functional group into a molecule of a polyhydroxyalkanoate typified by polylactic acid has been examined. For example, there has been reported a compound into which a carboxyl group or a vinyl group is introduced.
For example, polymalic acid has been known as a polyhydroxyalkanoate having a carboxyl group at a side chain thereof. An α-type represented by the chemical formula (14) and a β-type represented by the chemical formula (15) have been known as polymers of polymalic acid depending on the form of a polymer.

Of those, a polymer obtained by ring-opening polymerization of a benzyl ester of β-malolactone represented by the following chemical formula (16) is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,247 as β-type polymalic acid or a copolymer thereof.
(In the formula, R16 represents a benzyl group.)
In addition, a polymer obtained by copolymerization of a six-membered ring diester monomer and a glicolide or lactide as a cyclic diester or a lactone as an intramolecular ring closure reaction ester of ω-hydroxycarboxylic acid represented by the chemical formula (17) is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-3415 as a copolymer containing any one of other hydroxyalkanoic acids typified by α-type polymalic acid-glycolic acid copolymer and glycolic acid.
(In the formula, R17 represents a lower alkyl group such as a methyl group, an ethyl group, an n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, or a t-butyl group, or a benzyl group.)
"Macromolecules" 2000, vol. 33, No. 13, p. 4619 discloses that 7-oxo-4-oxepancarboxylate is subjected to ring-opening polymerization to produce a polymer having an ester group at a side chain thereof, and the polymer is further subjected to hydrogenolysis to produce a polymer having a carboxylic acid at a side chain thereof as a polyhydroxyalkanoate having a carboxyl group at a side chain thereof.
"Biomacromolecules" 2000, vol. 1, p. 275 discloses a polymer in which a benzyloxycarbonyl group is introduced into a methylene group at position a of a carbonyl group in the main chain of poly(ε-caprolactone), the polymer being obtained by: allowing lithium diisopropylamide to react with poly(ε-caprolactone); and allowing the resultant to react with benzyl chloroformate. "Macromolecular Bioscience" 2004, vol. 4, p. 232 discloses a polymer in which a (benzyloxycarbonyl)methyl group is introduced into a methylene group at position a of a carbonyl group in the main chain of polylactic acid, the polymer being obtained by: allowing lithium diisopropylamide to react with polylactic acid; and allowing the resultant to react with benzyl bromoacetate.
"Polymeric Materials Science & Engineering" 2002, vol. 87, p. 254 discloses, as a polyhydroxyalkanoate having a vinyl group at a side chain thereof, a polymer obtained by ring-opening polymerization of α-allyl(δ-valerolactone).
Similarly, "Polymer Preprints" 2002, vol. 43, No. 2, p. 727 discloses, as a polyhydroxyalkanoate having a vinyl group at a side chain thereof, a polymer obtained by ring-opening polymerization of 3,6-diallyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione as a six-membered ring diester monomer.
There has been reported a polymer having a new function into which a structure providing functional properties for a polyhydroxyalkanoate into which a chemically modifiable functional group is introduced as described above is introduced. "International Journal of Biological Macromolecules" 1999, vol. 25, p. 265 discloses the following. A copolymer of α-type malic acid and glycolic acid is obtained by ring-opening polymerization of a cyclic dimer of α-type malic acid and glycolic acid, and the resultant polymer is deprotected to obtain a polyester having a carboxyl group at a side chain thereof. Tripeptide is chemically modified to the carboxyl group at the side chain, and the resultant polymer is evaluated for cell adhesion. At this time, a good result is obtained.
With regard to a method of obtaining a polyhydroxyalkanoate represented by the chemical formula (21) described below involving oxidation cleavage of a carbon-carbon double bond of a side chain of a polyhydroxyalkanoate represented by the chemical formula (6) described below as a staring material with an oxidizing agent, for example, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin. Trans., 1973, vol. 1, p. 806 discloses a method involving the use of a permanganate, Org. Synth., 1963, vol. 4, p. 698 discloses a method involving the use of a dichromate, J. Org. Chem., 1981, vol. 46, p. 19 discloses a method involving the use of a periodate, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S59-190945 discloses a method involving the use of nitric acid, and J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1959, vol. 81, p. 4273 discloses a method involving the use of ozone. In addition, "Macromolecular chemistry" 2001, vol. 4, p. 289-293 has reported a method of obtaining a carboxylic acid involving subjecting a carbon-carbon double bond of a side chain terminal of a polyhydroxyalkanoate produced by using a microorganism to a reaction under an acid condition by means of potassium permanganate as an oxidizing agent.
Meanwhile, electrophotography has been conventionally known, which involves: forming an electrical latent image on the surface of a photoconductive material by means of electrostatic means; and developing the latent image to form an image. A large number of methods based on the electrophotography have been known. That is, the electrophotography generally involves: forming an electrical latent image on a photosensitive member by using a photoconductive substance and various means; allowing a finely pulverized voltage detection material called toner carried and conveyed by a developer carrier to adhere to the latent image to form a toner image corresponding to an electrostatic latent image; transferring the toner image onto the surface of an image support such as paper as required; and fixing the toner image by means of heat, pressure, or solvent vapor to provide a copied product.
Known examples of a method of visualizing an electrical latent image by means of toner include a powder cloud method, a cascade development method, a magnetic brush method, and a method involving the use of conductive magnetic toner. In addition to the above methods, a so-called J/B development method has been known, which involves applying a bias electric field composed of an AC component and a DC component to a space between a developer carrier (developing sleeve) and a photoconductive layer to perform development. A representative method for the development method is the magnetic brush method. The magnetic brush method involves the use of a two-component developer composed of toner and a magnetic carrier. When particles having magnetic properties made of steel, ferrite, and the like are used as a carrier, the developer containing the magnetic carrier is held on a developer carrier having a magnet in it. Thus, the developer is arranged in a brush fashion on the developer carrier by a magnetic field of the magnet. Then, when the magnetic brush contacts the surface of an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductive layer, only the toner in the developer is attracted from the brush to the electrostatic latent image, whereby the electrostatic latent image is developed.
Carriers constituting a two-component developer applicable to the above development method are roughly classified into a conductive carrier and an insulating carrier. Oxidized or unoxidized iron powder is generally used as the conductive carrier. However, in a developer containing the iron powder carrier as a constituent, triboelectric chargeability to toner is unstable. On the other hand, a resin-coated carrier obtained by evenly coating the surface of a carrier core material made of a ferromagnetic substance such as iron, nickel, or ferrite with an insulating resin is a representative example of the insulating carrier. A developer using such an insulating resin-coated carrier has a significantly reduced frequency of fusion of a toner particle to a carrier surface as compared to the conductive carrier described above. In addition, the developer facilitates the control of triboelectric chargeability between toner and the carrier, is excellent in durability, and has a long lifetime, so it is particularly suitable for a high-speed electronic copying machine.
Various properties are requested for an insulating carrier. Of those, examples of particularly important properties include appropriate chargeability, impact resistance, abrasion resistance, good adherence between a core material and a coating material, and uniformity of a charge distribution. In order to prevent a spent carrier such as toner adhesion, a proposal has been made, in which a resin having small surface energy is used as a coating layer material to increase the durability of a developer. That is, it is said that a carrier coated with a silicone resin, a fluorine resin, or the like is hardly spent and has a long lifetime as a developer. As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S62-121462, a resin coating layer has been improved by adding various silane coupling agents to a condensation reaction type silicone resin.
A carrier for electrophotography is also problematic in terms of durability and environmental stability. With regard to the durability, the rise of an initial charge amount is generally slow, so fogging tends to occur in an initial image or an image density tends to be high. In addition, in long-term copy duration, a charge amount reduces, so fogging tends to occur in an image or an image density tends to be high. With regard to the environmental stability, a charge amount tends to reduce in a high-humidity environment, so fogging tends to occur in an image, an image density tends to be high, or toner scattering tends to occur. In a low-humidity environment, a charge amount tends to increase, so an image density tends to reduce.

Resin-coated carrier for electrophotographic developer


A packet-filtering network appliance such as a threat intelligence gateway (TIG) protects TCP/IP networks from Internet threats by enforcing certain policies on in-transit packets that are crossing network boundaries. The policies are composed of packet filtering rules derived from cyber threat intelligence (CTI). Logs of rule-matching packets and their associated flows are sent to cyberanalysis applications located at security operations centers (SOCs) and operated by cyberanalysts. Some cyber threats/attacks, or incidents, are composed of many different flows occurring at a very high rate, which generates a flood of logs that may overwhelm computer, storage, network, and cyberanalysis resources, thereby compromising cyber defenses. The present disclosure describes incident logging, in which a single incident log efficiently incorporates the logs of the many flows that comprise the incident, thereby potentially reducing resource consumption while improving the informational/cyberanalytical value of the incident log for cyberanalysis when compared to the component flow logs. Incident logging vs. flow logging can be automatically and adaptively switched on or off depending on the combination of resource consumption and informational/cyberanalytical value.

TCP/IP network security is becoming increasingly important as the information age continues to unfold. Network threats and associated attacks may take a variety of forms (e.g., unauthorized requests or data transfers, viruses, malware, large volumes of traffic designed to overwhelm resources, and the like).
To counter these threats/attacks, various cyber defense methodologies and systems have been developed and deployed. An important component of cyber defense is packet-filtering network appliances that apply sets of packet filtering rules to in-transit Layer 3 Internet Protocol (L3/IP) packets and determine whether to allow/forward each packet toward its destination or block/drop the packet. These network appliances are often inserted inline into links located at the boundaries between a private network (such as an enterprise network) and the public Internet and are configured with a set of packet filtering rules, or a policy, that is designed to protect or otherwise secure the private network in some way. For example, early-generation network firewalls are typically configured with packet filtering rules that enforce a private network's access control policies, such as which Internet services (e.g., well-known ports associated with Internet hosts) that internal hosts are allowed to access, and conversely which internal resources can be accessed by which (unsolicited) Internet hosts. For another example, current-generation packet-filtering network appliances include threat intelligence gateways (TIGs), which may be configured with packet filtering rules with packet matching criteria that correspond to the network addresses, e.g., IP addresses, 5-tuple values, domain names, URIs, and the like, of cyber threats that have been identified by cyber threat intelligence (CTI) providers.
In addition to the block or allow action on matching packets, the packet filtering rules applied by these network appliances may also include actions such as a "log", or "packet-log", directive to log matching packets, which may be executed by the appliances' packet-filtering application logic. In the cyber security context, the resultant logs may be the basis/input for cyber analysis applications operated by cyberanalysts that may process the logs in order to determine, for example, the current cyber defense posture and current cyber threat situational awareness, as well as to determine protective, defensive, and/or remedial actions to improve defenses. A packet log may include, for example: information contained in the packet (e.g., header field values, TCP flag values, payload size, etc.); environmental information such as time-of-day and date, direction, identifier and location of the network appliance that observed/filtered the packet, ingress and egress network interfaces, etc.; matching rule information such as the block or allow action, matching criteria (which may correspond to CTI), metadata associated with the matching rule (e.g., CTI provider identifier, CTI feed identifier, etc.); and the like.
It may be the case that the size of the packet log (e.g., measured in bytes) may approach or even exceed the size of the packet. When there are many (threat) packets being logged, for example, during some port scan attacks, DDoS attacks, large file transfers (e.g. malware downloads, exfiltrations, etc.), and the like, then the computer and network resources (processing, storage, bandwidth, etc.) consumed by the packet logs may be excessive or even overwhelming. This excessive/overwhelming consumption of resources may adversely affect the performance of the network appliances, networks, cyber analysis applications and associated platforms, security operations centers (SOCs) hosting the applications, the (human and machine) cyberanalysis resources at the SOCs who may be operating the applications, etc., that may comprise a cyber defense system.
In order to reduce resource usage/consumption but without decreasing informational value for cyberanalysis applications and cyberanalysts, the packet logs for the multiple packets comprising the same bi-directional flow (which may be characterized as packets with the same combination of source and destination IP address values and port values and same protocol value, i.e., the 5-tuple) may be aggregated or synthesized into a single log for the flow. To minimize system-wide resource consumption, this aggregation/synthesis operation may be performed by the network appliance. Thus, instead of multiple packet logs, the single corresponding flow log may be the input to cyberanalysis applications. Furthermore, the packet filtering rules (and associated logic executed by the network appliance) may include a "flow-log" directive that signals the application logic executed by the network appliance to map a matching packet's log information into a corresponding flow log. A flow log may significantly reduce resource consumption by, for example, including only one copy of certain information that is common across all of the packets in the flow, such as the 5-tuple values, and aggregating/synthesizing other information, such as the packets' application-layer payload sizes, into a single value for the flow. In the cyber context, the transformation of multiple packets' logs into a single flow log may be done in a way that reduces resource consumption (e.g., by reducing log file sizes) but does not decrease—and may even increase—the flow log's informational value for cyber analysis applications compared to the informational value of the corresponding multiple packet logs.
However, given at least these factors: (a) the ever-increasing size and ever-changing characteristics of the present Internet threat; (b) the growth of CTI and increased usage of CTI and TIGs to protect networks; and (c) the trend for SOCs to increase operational efficiencies by defending more and larger networks with relatively fewer human and machine cyberanalyst resources, then even flow logging may not be sufficient to prevent cyber defense resources from being overwhelmed, thereby compromising cyber defense. For example, a single cyber threat/attack incident on a single private network may be composed of many (e.g., hundreds of thousands) different flows occurring at a high rate (e.g., hundreds or even thousands of flows per second) and may last for several minutes, which may generate a corresponding number of packet and/or flow logs at a high rate that may overwhelm resources, thereby compromising cyber defenses. Similarly, packet capture functions may overwhelm resources during such incidents. In this context, an incident that causes cyber defense resources to be overwhelmed by logs and captures may be viewed as a denial-of-service (DoS) attack on the cyber defense system.
Thus, there is a need for methods and systems that will significantly reduce resource consumption for processing logs, without necessarily reducing the logs' informational value for cyber analysis and defense applications.

Methods and systems for efficient adaptive logging of cyber threat incidents


A combiner head-up display (HUD) system includes a combiner mirror and a combiner holder supporting the combiner mirror. The combiner holder includes first and second holder arms. The HUD system also includes a combiner HUD body supporting a first knob. The combiner HUD system includes an elevation link connecting the first knob and the first holder arm. A rotation of the first knob causes the combiner mirror to move from a stowed position to a display position or from a display position to a stowed position. A second knob is supported by the combiner HUD body and is disposed substantially opposite the first knob. A threaded rod connects the second knob and the second holder arm. When the combiner mirror is in the display position, a rotation of the second knob causes the combiner mirror to adjust a display angle between the fore-aft axis and the combiner mirror.

A head-up display or heads-up display (HUD) is a display that presents data to a user without requiring the user to look away from their usual forward viewpoint(s). The HUD presents information to the user directly in the line of sight of the user, reducing driver distractions. For example, HUDs are used in a vehicle to display information, such as, but not limited to, vehicle speed, speed limit information, and/or navigation information. As such, the user may maintain his head in an upright forward looking position to view the provided information, instead of angling his/her head down and looking at lower instruments (e.g., instrument cluster or secondary display). Therefore, the user's eyes do not have to accommodate between looking inside to a position having a closer distance then looking outside at the road having a further distance. In addition, the user does not need to refocus his view from looking at the lower instruments and then looking at the road.
In some examples, the HUD projects an image onto the windshield of a vehicle. However, based on the design of the windshield and the vehicle, in some examples, it may be difficult to design a HUD that is capable of projecting images on the windshield viewable by the driver due to constraints, for example, distance between the driver and the windshield, the position of the HUD with respect to the windshield, and/or the shape of the windshield. Therefore, it is desirable to have a HUD system configured to fit in any vehicle and provide a display image viewable to the driver regardless of the shape and size of the windshield.


In an apparatus and a method for use in setting a sensing parameter of an implantable medical device (IMD) of a patient, cardiac data corresponding to a cardiac episode experienced by the patient is obtained from a sensing electrode associated with the IMD. At the time the cardiac data is obtained, the IMD is operated at a first setting of the sensing parameter. Based upon this cardiac data, a simulation is performed of cardiac event identification if the IMD were operated at a different setting of the sensing parameter. The simulated cardiac event identification performance of the IMD is then reported.

The present invention relates generally to the field of implantable medical devices, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for testing an implantable medical device, such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), following its implant into a patient and guiding the setting of its sensing parameters.
An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) provides therapies for maintaining and restoring normal cardiac rhythms by cardiac pacing or by delivering electrical shock therapy for cardioverting or defibrillating the heart. The ICD is implanted under the skin of the user, and one or more electrical leads connected to the ICD are inserted into or in proximity to the heart of the patient. The leads carry current from the ICD to the heart tissue to stimulate the heart using either low energy pacing pulses or high-energy cardioversion/defibrillation shocks. The leads are also used for sensing electrogram (EGM) signals from the heart that are used by the ICD to determine a therapy to be delivered.
Within the ICD, sense amplifiers coupled to the leads amplify the EGM signals from the electrodes. The amplified EGM signal is then filtered, rectified, and level-detected to sense intrinsic depolarizations of the atria (referred to as P-waves) and the ventricles (referred to as R-waves).
Single chamber ICDs use a single lead placed in the right ventricle to treat ventricular arrhythmia. Dual chamber ICDs treat ventricular arrhythmia (and in some cases atrial arrhythmia as well), and have one lead placed in the right ventricle and a second lead placed in the right atrium. In some cases, a third lead may be placed to stimulate the left ventricle (e.g., in the coronary sinus).
For dual chamber detection algorithms in ICDs, the ICD delivers a therapy based upon the sensed P-waves from the atrial lead and the R-waves from the ventricular lead, which can include antitachycardia pacing (ATP), cardioversion or defibrillation. The effectiveness of the ICD in treating tachyarrhythmia depends upon the ability to accurately sense P-waves and R-waves with the atrial and ventricular leads, respectively.
During the implant of an ICD into a patient, it is common to test the ICD and its respective sensor leads and electrodes. This is generally accomplished by inducing a cardiac episode, such as ventricular fibrillation (VF), in the patient and monitoring the patient and the ICD to determine if the ICD properly detects the cardiac episode. In some patients, however, spontaneous cardiac episodes are characterized by very small amplitudes, unlike those of induced cardiac episodes. Thus, it is helpful to confirm operability at a lower sensitivity setting than the ICD's default setting.
Additionally, the implanted electrodes are at their most sensitive immediately following their initial implant. This results because tissue grows over the implanted electrodes soon after their implant, which changes the frequency content and/or amplitude of the sensed EGM signal.
Thus, during the initial testing of the ICD, it is common to reprogram the ICD to have a lower sensitivity setting than its default sensitivity setting to better ensure operability in the weeks and years following implant. Unfortunately, a common user error associated with this procedure is the failure to return the sensitivity setting back to its default value. This error may result in significant undersensing of R-waves during a cardiac episode, which may in turn result in the failure or delay in detecting the episode.
Most conventional ICDs do not provide the physician with information about a safety margin for a particular sensitivity setting. Rather, the physician is left to review the large quantity of recorded EGM data when trying to select a sensitivity setting that best prevents both undersensing and oversensing.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved apparatus and method for testing the operability and sensitivity settings of an ICD.

Apparatus and method for testing an implantable medical device and sensing parameter settings


A segmented radial spatial light modulator has an active optic area comprising a plurality of radially extending active optic modulators disposed at various angular orientations with respect to a central axis. The segmented radial spatial light modulator is used in separating and isolating portions of Fourier transform optic patterns from images for characterization of images by shape for recording, storing, retrieving, searching, and comparison to other images for matches and near matches. The images can be ghosted to increase optical power in the Fourier transform optic pattern without adding new shape content and for grading comparisons to other image shape characteristics for identifying near matches in addition to matches.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to spatial light modulators and, more particularly, to a spatial light modulator with radially oriented active light modulating sectors for radial and angular analysis of beams of light, including Fourier transform optic patterns, for uses such as characterizing, searching, matching or identifying shape content of images.
2. State of the Prior Art
There are situations in which useful information can be derived from spatially dispersed portions of light beams. In particular, when an image is being carried or propagated by a light beam, it may be useful to gather and use or analyze information from a particular portion of the image, such as from a particular portion of a cross-section of a beam that is carrying an image.
For example, in my co-pending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 09/536,426, which is incorporated herein by reference, narrow, radially oriented portions of a Fourier transform of an image are captured and detected in the spatial domain and used to characterize and encode images by shape for storage, searching, and retrieval. As explained therein, such radially oriented, angularly or rationally spaced portions of light energy from a Fourier transform, i.e., Fourier domain, of an image are captured sequentially in the spatial domain by positioning a rotating, opaque mask or wheel with a radially oriented slit in the Fourier transform domain of a light beam carrying the image after passing the light beam through a Fourier transform lens and detecting the light in the spatial domain that passes through the slit at various angular orientations, i.e., degrees of rotation. The light energy detected in the spatial domain that is passed through the slit in the Fourier domain at each angular orientation is characteristic of the portions of the image content that are generally linearly aligned in the same angular orientation as the slit in the rotating mask when the light energy is detected.
That system with the rotating, radially oriented, slit does perform the task of characterizing and encoding images by shape content of the images quite well and quite efficiently. However, it still has several shortcomings. For example, resolution of spatial frequency of an image at each angular orientation of the rotating slit is not as good as some applications or uses of such a system might require. Also, the spinning mask or wheel with an associated drive mechanism, like all mechanical devices, has stability and long term reliability issues, not to mention size and weight requirements.

Method for increasing detectable light energy without changing shape content in radial and angular or rotational analysis of images for shape content and matching


An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for validating that correct data is read from a storage device. A hash generation module generates a hash value from a logical address of a read request for a data storage device. A read data module reads, from the data storage device, data identified by the read request and a stored hash value stored with the data. The stored hash value was generated from a logical address for data written to the data storage device. A hash check module verifies that the generated hash value matches the stored hash value read from the data storage device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data storage and more particularly relates to determining that correct data is returned from a data storage device in response to a read request.
2. Description of the Related Art
When data is transmitted, stored, transformed, etc., occasionally the data can become corrupted. Data corruption can be caused by transient factors such as voltage fluctuations, alpha particles, etc. or by more serious troubles such as component failures. Regardless of the cause, data corruption is a serious problem that requires protection measures to detect and correct data errors. Currently there are numerous methods to detect and correct data errors from simple parity checks to complex error correction code ("ECC") that can detect and correct multiple bit errors.
Typical storage devices, such as hard disk drives, operate using low-level block storage commands. For early data storage devices, data was read in a storage device by transmitting a physical address to the storage device. The data is then retrieved using the physical address. Since there is little processing involved, the probability of retrieving the wrong data is slim. However, as storage devices become more sophisticated, the probability of retrieving the wrong data increases. Currently, many data storage devices include some type of mapping between a received address and an actual physical address where the data is stored. From the perspective of a file system, the file system may send a physical address where the file system understands the data to be located or where the data is to be stored. The data storage device may relocate the data to avoid bad blocks, to store the data more efficiently, etc. The data storage device treats the received physical address as a logical address. More sophisticated storage devices may allow storage of files and objects in addition to block storage. Storage of objects and files typically requires some type of logical-to-physical mapping to map logical addresses to physical addresses where the data is stored and this mapping may be more complex than the mapping in a typical random access device.
While data may be protected throughout processing and storage, increased complexity involving mapping or other manipulation of storage requests increases the probability that a storage request for a particular data segment will result in retrieval of data that is different than requested. What is needed is a way to improve reliability of data retrieval by ensuring that the data requested is the data retrieved.

Apparatus, system, and method for validating that correct data is read from a storage device


Embodiments of the present invention are directed to automated-polymer-synthesis systems that include discrete reagent-solution-addition, wait-time, and reagent-solution-draining sub-systems which together significantly increase throughput and decrease sub-system idle time. The automated-polymer-synthesis systems that represent embodiments of the present invention additionally include switches at points in which carriers can be received from multiple input paths or output to multiple different output paths. The automated-polymer-synthesis systems that represent embodiments of the present invention generally include an input spur and output spur in addition to a main loop, allowing carriers containing only completed polymers to be removed and new carriers input, so that carriers traverse the automated-polymer-synthesis systems independently from one another.

Biopolymers, including deoxyribonucleic acid ("DNA"), ribonucleic acid ("RNA"), proteins, polysaccharides, and more complex biopolymers together form the chemical and structural framework for living organisms. Biopolymers serve as a repository for genetic information, catalyze myriad different chemical reactions within organisms, provide many different types of intracellular and intercellular information transmission and communication within organisms, and provide the structural components for cells, organs, and organisms.
During the past century, great strides have been made understanding and learning to manipulate the molecular and cellular biochemical machinery of living organisms. Once the chemical identities and structures of biopolymers were discovered and elaborated, researchers began to chemically synthesize biopolymers and biopolymer fragments to use as tools for research as well as for various types of manufacturing processes. For example, synthesis of oligonucleotides, short DNA and RNA biopolymers having lengths of up to approximately 200 monomer units, provides oligonucleotides of specific sequences that are used to initiate enzyme-catalyzed transcription of DNA, as probes in microarrays and other analytical instruments, for manipulating and controlling gene expression in bacteria and other organisms, and for many other purposes. Similarly, synthesis of peptides, short polymers of amino-acids subunits, provides peptide pharmaceuticals, probes, catalysts, and other useful peptide-based products.
Automated-biopolymer-synthesis systems have been commercially available for many years. Many automated-biopolymer-synthesis systems employ solid substrates, such as polystyrene beads, to which nascent biopolymers are covalently bound and grown by repeating a cycle of monomer-addition reaction steps. The solid substrate allows the reagents used during a reaction step to be easily rinsed from the nascent biopolymers and solid substrate to prepare for a subsequent reaction step.
Unfortunately, currently-available automated-polymer-synthesis systems suffer from a number of inherent inefficiencies and deficiencies, including low throughput and lengthy specialized-component idle periods. Designers and developers of automated-polymer-synthesis systems continue to seek novel designs that address these inefficiencies and deficiencies.


A current distribution system for a vehicle, wherein a high-level data bus (9xe2x80x2) and a low-level data bus (9) are consistent with different protocols and are in a data transfer communication with each other by way of an adapter (3). Intelligent nodes (19) associated with at least the low-level data bus (9) are provided with a standard kernel software and with node-specific configuration files, whereby the kernel software is adapted to represent the desired functions of a node, including the reception and transmission of control messages, as well as a controlled current supply to electrical devices (20) in a vehicle. The node configuration files are stored as a system configuration in the adapter (3), from which a proper node configuration file can be loaded into a given node (19).

The invention relates to a current distribution system for a vehicle of the type defined in the preamble of claim 1.
A similar type of current distribution system has been described in the Applicants"" international patent applications WO 99/25585 and WO 99/25586. These prior known systems comprise a standard node software, and an individually loadable node configuration which singles out functions controlled by the node software. This very principle is exploited in the present invention in order to enable the building of systems of varying functions on an automated production line, e.g. alongside a vehicle production line, from standard components.
A problem in deploying the above-mentioned prior known systems has proved to be the fact that the vehicle manufacturer may already have a pre-existing intelligent current distribution system in relation to certain system segments, such as a display and the control and diagnostics of an engine and fuel feeding, the intelligent nodes thereof communicating with each other or with a central control unit in accordance with a certain protocol, e.g. a CAN protocol. Generally, however, these systems consist of independent electronic modules, which have nothing to do with each other. In addition to this, a vehicle is usually provided with a multitude of power consuming actuators, such as all lights, motors for windshield wipers and window controls, as well as for sideview mirror controls, rear window defoggers and seat heaters, etc. The information packages used for the control and fault diagnostics of these actuators can be simpler and have a lower frequency than that of the protocol used by vehicle manufacturers, the use of simpler information packages in the system as extensively as possible for the control of power distribution reducing congestion and susceptibility to faults in communication.
Furthermore, it is necessary to reserve a possibility of changes (updates) in the control of power distribution.
It is an object of the invention to provide a power distribution system, wherein a system segment or segments used by a vehicle manufacturer can be integrated as a functional entity with such an intelligent current distribution system which, although provided with a different type of data transfer protocol, controls power distribution to vehicular actuators and which continues to maintain a flexible possibility of producing systems of varying functions.
This object is achieved by the invention on the basis of the characterizing features set forth in the annexed claim 1.
Hence, in a system of the invention, the separate system segments are provided with data transfer protocols different from each other. Thus, the information packages of a first, so-called lower-level data transfer protocol may be sufficiently simple and/or have a low frequency for a reduced susceptibility to faults, while avoiding a congestion of communications in a second, so-called higher-level system segment.
Moreover, the inventive system includes an adapter, which is used for the configuration of at least lower-level nodes and for storing and loading the configuration data. The adapter may also be utilized for the rationalization of production in a higher-level system segment by using the adapter also for the configuration of higher-level intelligent nodes and for storing and loading the node configurations, as will be specified hereinafter.

Current distribution system for a vehicle


A solenoid operated circuit breaker trip device has a base defining a guide channel and an actuator that slides in the guide channel and interacts with a contact breaking mechanism having a trip bar operable to make or break electrical contacts. A spring biases the actuator toward the trip bar. A solenoid on the base electromagnetically displaces a plunger along a linear path and is coupled to a trigger having a latching surface that holds or releases the actuator. The guide channel runs parallel to the path of the plunger, adjacent the solenoid. The trigger is L-shaped and pivoted on a pivot pin between two legs of its L-shape, on an axis transverse to the path of the plunger. One of the two trigger legs is coupled to the plunger, and the other has an engagement surface that is moved behind a complementary surface of the actuator to selectively block its displacement. The base can be a slotted frame attached to the solenoid or a molded housing having an interior cavity for receiving the solenoid. A return spring urges the trigger toward the latching position.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a solenoid operated trip for releasing an electrical contactor, and in particular to an improved miniaturized contactor having a solenoid operated trip in lieu of a flux transfer shunt associated with a permanent magnet.
2. Prior Art
Circuit breakers and similar electrical contactors provide protection against faults in electrical power systems, such as overcurrent, ground fault and short circuit protection. In a typical contactor, a spring loaded plunger is arranged for movement between an extended trip position and a retracted normal position. In the extended position of the plunger, power connections to the load are opened. In the retracted position, the plunger is held by a permanent magnet, against the force of a spring urging the plunger to extend. A coil is associated with the permanent magnet. When a fault condition occurs, the coil produces a magnetic flux in opposition to the flux generated by the permanent magnet, thus releasing the force holding the plunger in the retracted position and allowing the spring to extend the plunger and open the power connections to the load. This arrangement is known as a flux shunt in that the coil shunts the permanent magnet. An example disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,326--Shimp et al, also operates the flux shunt coil in the normal mode to assist the permanent magnet in holding the plunger in its retracted position (i.e., adding to the permanent magnet flux), thereby minimizing the incidence of nuisance trips.
Circuit breaker trip arrangements having a permanent magnet opposed by a spring rely on the balance of forces produced by the magnet and spring, respectively. The spring is set to a working compression or extension (e.g., compressed to a working height) that determines the force exerted. The extension or compression of the spring determines the force exerted, according to the spring constant of the spring. This force must be exceeded by the attractive force of the permanent magnet to hold the plunger in the normal retracted position. It is generally necessary to provide a means to adjust the spring arrangement initially to obtain the precise optimal spring force. Over time, the permanent magnet may become demagnetized, whereupon the spring is relatively more powerful than is optimal. Similarly, the spring may become relaxed such that the magnet is relatively more powerful. Application of releasing current to the flux shunt coil, which is an electromagnet, tends to demagnetize the permanent magnet due to the flux at a polarity opposite to that of the magnet. Whereas the balance of forces is sensitive to the extent of spring compression, and is affected by calibration and demagnetization of the magnet, nuisance trips may occur.
Additionally, permanent magnets have some inherent drawbacks. The coil-magnet arrangement is relatively large. The plunger-magnet assembly has a large mass, presenting a danger of tripping due to shock. The magnet also undesirably attracts magnetic debris. It would be advantageous to provide a function similar to a flux shunt arrangement that is not sensitive to calibration of the spring, is compact, and avoids the problems associated with permanent magnets.
Solenoid operated breaker mechanisms are known in some variations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,174--Seymour et al discloses a solenoid operable to release a plunger when the control voltage drops below the level necessary to withstand the force of a spring. U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,433--Castonguay et al discloses an example of a breaker mechanism having a holding solenoid that operates a toggle linkage when released.
The present invention employs a solenoid with a spring loaded actuator restrained by a latched lever forming a trigger for tripping the breaker, in a simple, compact and durable arrangement that is insensitive to spring constants, and has no permanent magnet.

Miniaturized solenoid operated trip device


A removable Flash integrated memory module card has a plastic shell and an integral Flash memory module. On the backside of the card, there are exposed contact pads. When the card is inserted into a card-hosting device, the card can communicate with the device through the exposed pads. The manufacturing method includes manufacturing of the memory module and utilizing plastic molding techniques for making the card outer body. The method involves preparing the substrate, mounting the components, testing the module, preparing the molding device, and molding the card body.

One of the conventional structures of an SD card consists of a card shell and a memory module, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,143.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,906 describes an IC card connector for electronic devices. The connector has a receptacle portion to receive an IC card, and has a built in switch that can detect the card write protection switch setting. The switch has at least two positions; a position for allowing the host to read and write normally and another position for write protection. When the switch is in the write protection position, the host can read data from the card but cannot write or erase data. The switch is a plastic piece that is inserted inside the groove on the side of the card and can slide in the groove. The switch does not make any contact with the electrical circuit on the card.
The card outside shell is typically made from two half shells and is welded together by applying ultrasonic waves to the two halves jointing locations and melting the joints. Typically the shell is made from plastic material, made by an injection molding process with the thickness in each half approximately 0.3 mm.
The shell has an edge protruding away from the shell surface along the outer periphery of the shell. On top of the edge there is pre-arranged intermittent protruding ridge and the shape is triangular in cross-section. These ridges are to be melted during ultrasonic welding.
Assembly typically consists of first inserting the lower cover into the ultrasonic machine lower die, then inserting the module on top of the lower cover, then inserting the switch and then inserting the top cover. Next, the ultrasonic machine upper die is lowered to press the upper cover against the lower cover, with the ridges are resting against the other cover peripheral edge. Next, the ultrasonic wave is turned on. Since the lower cover is being held steady by the lower die and is not moving, and the upper cover is vibrated by the ultrasonic wave, the friction between the covers generates heat to melt the protruding ridges and weld the two covers together.
There are several problems associated with the above-described manufacturing process. For example, since the ridges on the card case are small, even after the ridge is melted, it becomes a thin line of plastic holding the two halves together. The thin welding line has limited strength, and can be pulled apart.
In addition, the card case and module are two separate units, but one unit does not strengthen the other. Therefore, it is not as strong as if the two units were interfused, and is easier to be deformed due to bending or twisting when in use.
A further problem with the ultrasonic welding process is that it is labor intensive. As mentioned above regarding the card assembling process, because of the complex shapes of the covers and modules, the loading of covers, module and switch are usually handled by human hands. Also, the alignment of these parts is critical. During the ultrasonic head lowering process and making contact with the covers, one has to watch the alignment of the parts. So, it can be seen that the assembling process is difficult to be automated and implemented into "on line" production.
Another aspect of ultrasonic welding is that the welding quality has to be assured. The ultrasonic wave power has to be enough to melt the joints evenly around the peripheral edges, but overpowering may damage the electrical components on the module.
The present invention addresses these problems by utilizing plastic molding techniques of injecting plastic material to form the card outer body. As the card body plastic is bonded to the module, the plastic body and module become one unit. Also, the manufacturing process can be more automated.
The referenced patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.

Removable flash integrated memory module card and method of manufacture


A method of managing wirelessly transmitted use-data in a wireless data transmission environment, the method comprising: Receiving the wirelessly transmitted use-data by a first receiver and estimating a reception quality of the use-data received by the first receiver by applying a quality criterion. In case the reception quality meets the quality criterion, the method moreover comprises using a second receiver for background scanning the wireless data transmission environment, and in case the reception quality does not meet the quality criterion, the method moreover comprises using the second receiver additionally for reception of the use-data, thus providing both receivers for a diversity reception of the use-data.

Today's digital broadcast and cellular receivers are often using antenna diversity reception (e.g. Maximum-ratio combining) to improve the reception quality. Additionally to the signal receptions the receivers need also to do background scanning, especially for broadcast systems. In conventional receivers, there is implemented one tuner for reception of the use-data and one tuner for background scanning.

Managing wirelessly transmitted use-data in a wireless data transmission environment


A frequency reconfigurable digital filter and an equalizer using the same are disclosed. The digital filter includes a sampling kernel storage section configured to store a sampling kernel for performing upsampling of a model filter response scaled by a sampling constant and generating response of Multi images which are repeatedly formed with a constant period; a complementary conversion section configured to generate response of Multi complementary images repeatedly formed with constant period in frequency domain where the Multi images are not generated, the Multi complimentary images having the same characteristic as the Multi images; and an image response operation section configured to operate response of an image corresponding to a selected band among the Multi complementary images and the Multi images. The filter reconfigures frequency to realize various band pass characteristics only through changing very small number of parameter, and a user may change easily band of the filter.

A digital filter is integrated, miniaturized and manufactured with low cost and high reliability, and so have much advantage compared with an analog filter. Specially, application field of the digital filter has been increased according as communication velocity is realized with high speed and an amount of communication is augmented, and the digital filter has been employed in devices such as a transmitter and a receiver of a baseband module in a mobile communication system.
The digital filter is generally divided into a finite impulse response filter and an infinite impulse response filter.
The finite impulse response filter uses characteristic that impulse response has a finite length when the impulse response is inputted to the filter. This is because the finite impulse response filter does not use any feedback.
The finite impulse response filter not using the feedback does not need feedback loop, and thus stability of the filter is guaranteed. Specially, since the finite impulse response filter satisfies linear phase characteristic, the finite impulse response filter has been widely used in applications such as waveform transmission, etc. However, in case that the finite impulse response filter will realize approximately the same amplitude as the infinite impulse response filter, order of the finite impulse response filter is more increased. As a result, the finite impulse response filter is more loaded in view of hardware including an adder and a multiplier.
The finite impulse response filter may be designed through a design method in a frequency domain and a design method in a time domain, and a window function method and a frequency sampling method, etc. are mainly used when the finite impulse response filter is designed through the design method in the frequency domain.
The design of the filter in the time domain is simpler than that in the frequency domain because impulse response in the design of the filter in the time domain corresponds to coefficients of the filter. A linear programming is widely known as a method of approximating a transfer function, and an optimal solution may be calculated through finite calculation in case that the optimal solution exists.
Specially, output finitude of the finite impulse response filter allows to omit a calculation process of not generating decimated output or a calculation process of generating a predictable value in an interpolated output, and thus this is calculatedly efficient when performing interpolation or decimation so as to increase or reduce multirate application, e.g. sampling rate of a signal.
Since a number of taps and coefficients, etc. of the finite impulse response filter are fixed, it is difficult to reconfigurable pass band characteristic in case that the finite impulse response filter is designed to realize certain pass band.
FIG. 7 is a view illustrating example of a conventional filter for reconfiguring frequency through coefficient change of a filter.
Referring to FIG. 7, the conventional frequency reconfigurable filter includes a coefficient storage section 100, a multiplexer 102, a multiplier 104 and an adder 106. The coefficient storage section 100 stores coefficient information for plural pass bands.
Coefficient information is extracted in accordance with a user's band selection and the extracted coefficient information is provided to the multiplexer 102 to generate impulse response corresponding to a selected band. The generated impulse response is applied to inputted function x(n), and so an output signal y(n) is generated by filtering the inputted function x(n).
The conventional reconfiguration method has limitation of a reconfigurable band. Only coefficient of the filter is changed though the frequency is reconfigured, and thus it is difficult to reconfigure properly the frequency.
It is impossible to reconfigure frequency in frequency band except frequency corresponding to pre-stored coefficients of the filter. Accordingly, the coefficients of the filter need to be stored one by one so as to reconfigure the frequency, and thus the filter should have a memory for storing much information.
Recently, an equalizer has been generally used in a hearing aid and playing of voice source, etc., reconfiguration of a pass band in accordance with the user's favor is one of important functions of the equalizer, and the frequency reconfiguration of the filter is essentially required for provision of an improved equalizer.

Frequency reconfigurable digital filter and equalizer using the same

Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University


In a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device of this invention, a light transmittance of an overcoating layer of the liquid crystal display device is partially reduced to form a part of a light-shielding portion. Therefore, a color filter can be easily formed, and hence the device can be manufactured at high productivity and low cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device and, more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a color filter for a liquid crystal display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a liquid crystal display device has been widely utilized as a display for, e.g., a television or office automation equipment. This is because a liquid crystal display device has advantages of, e.g., low power consumption and light weight. In a liquid crystal display device having the above advantages, a demand has arisen for achieving larger size and high-quality color display. With this demand, a color filter for a liquid crystal display device is regarded as an important unit.
A conventional color filter for a liquid crystal display device has been manufactured by repeating the photolithography step. Since each pixel of the liquid crystal display device is extremely small, a high-precision color filter for the liquid crystal display device is required. In addition, the color filter must have excellent surface properties to form, e.g., an orientation film thereon. For this reason, high precision is required, and hence the manufacture by repeating the photolithography step results in poor productivity. In addition, the surface of the color filter must be flattened to form, e.g., an orientation film thereon. For this reason, cost of the liquid crystal display device is increased, and cost of an equipment including the liquid crystal display device is also extremely increased, as a matter of course.
In order to eliminate the above drawbacks, a printing method which can achieve the manufacture of a liquid crystal display device at lower cost than that of a dyeing method has been considered. In the printing method, a color filter or the like is manufactured by printing. However, foreign matters such as dust easily enter a color filter manufactured by the printing method. In addition, the surface of the color filter tends to be uneven due to the manufacturing method by printing. If the surface of the color filter is extremely uneven, it is difficult to form a transparent electrode or an orientation film on the color filter, thus easily degrading the display quality. For this reason, the conventional color filter manufactured by printing is impractical in spite of low cost.
In order to solve the above problems, a method is disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 61-3123. According to this method, since the surface of a color portion formed by printing is polished and flattened, a color filter which does not adversely affect a transparent conductive film or the like can be manufactured. More specifically, the above application discloses a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal color display element, including the steps of printing and forming opaque portions on a substrate surface at predetermined intervals, printing color portions between the adjacent opaque portions, and polishing and flattening the color portions. According to this method, even if the surfaces of the color portions are uneven after the color portions are formed, the surfaces can be flattened by polishing, thus manufacturing a color filter suitable for a liquid crystal display device.
In order to improve contrast, however, a light-shielding portion in which a plurality of straight lines are arranged in a matrix form is formed in peripheral portions of pixels of the liquid crystal display device. When this light-shielding portion is micropatterned by the above printing method, printing ink easily spreads around the intersecting portions at which the straight lines cross each other at right angles because of the printing characteristics. For this reason, the light-shielding portion undesirably spreads to enter the light-transmitting portion, resulting in a defective liquid crystal display device. Therefore, a production yield of the liquid crystal display devices is degraded. As a result, in the conventional color filter for the liquid crystal display device, all the steps cannot be performed by the printing method, but a photolithography technique is employed.

Method of manufacturing liquid crystal display device