The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for distributing fault information among hierarchical management nodes. Specifically, the method involves distributing fault information from a lower level network management node to a higher level network management node in a network management architecture comprising modules logically representing network nodes and network links under management. The higher level network management node subscribes to at least some detailed fault information. And, a notification comprising a summary of fault information sent by the lower level network management node is received by the higher level network management node. Then, the higher level network management node retrieves the subscribed detailed fault information from said received notification.

A system and method for counting events of plurality of managed network elements (NEs) in a large communication network may be summarized as below.
Network events are collected by event collectors (ECs) from event reporters (ERs). An EC then partitions the events into clusters based on partition criteria. The EC counts the number of events in each cluster and reports the outcome based on a so called report notification trigger criteria. Receivers of the reports may query the EC for the details of the events, if it is in their interest to do so.
A communication network consists of nodes and links. These are subject to network management and are called network elements (NEs) in this context. A large communication network consists of thousands of such NEs for the purpose of transporting information among users/subscribers of the network. These NEs may have faults and the faults are reported as alarms. In the context of this application, these NEs having alarm condition are termed event reporters (ERs).
An alarm notification carries many information parameters. For example, it carries the identity of the NE in alarmed state, the severity of the alarm, the probable cause of the alarm, the time of the alarm condition, the suggested remedy action, etc. In 3GPP/3GPP2, the alarm notification contains some 20 parameters.
In a communication network, there are nodes or systems that are not responsible for transporting information for user/subscribers of the network. These nodes or systems, e.g. an element manager (EM) and DM of FIG. 2, manage the network. They install, configure and supervise the nodes and links. They monitor the network and if the network performance falls below some planned threshold, the network managers then initiate a recovery plan involving, for example, reconfiguring the nodes, reconfigure user call routes, deactivate faulty nodes and activate backup nodes etc. In the context of this paper, these nodes are termed event collectors (ECs).
The network management architecture, i.e. organization of the DMs and NEs, and the distribution of network management functionalities among them, protocols and network management services, e.g. fault management services, configuration management services such as the FCAPS network management services defined by ITU-T, are subject of various international standardization bodies and organizations such as ITU-T, 3GPP, 3GPP2 and IETF. All these network management architectures have one basic principle in that the entities are organized in a hierarchy as shown in FIG. 2.
With reference to FIG. 2, the network elements (NEs) generate alarms and these are collected by their respective domain managers (DMs). The network managers (NMs) collect the alarms from several DMs. Each DM may collect alarms from several thousands of NEs. Given that each NE may generate hundreds or thousands of alarms per day, there is a large propagation of data from NE upwards. The information contained in the alarms at NE level is used to identify the faulty equipment or function, and to identify the appropriate remedial actions to be taken by an operator to correct the fault condition. This information is used by systems or operators at the NE and DM level, and occasionally at the NM level.
Today, there exists an operation in the 3GPP Alarm IRP to request summary information for all or part of the network being managed by an Alarm IRP Agent, namely the operation getAlarmCount( ) 3GPP2 has defined a similar function.
There also exists an operation in the 3GPP Alarm IRP to request all the current detailed alarm information for all or part of the network being managed by an Alarm IRP Agent, namely getAlarmList( ). 3GPP2 has defined a similar function.
There further exists an operation in the 3GPP Notification IRP to request all new and changed alarm information for all or part of the network being managed by an Alarm IRP Agent, namely subscribe( ). 3GPP2 has defined a similar function. Similar notification exists in ITU-T Recommendation, ITU-T X.734 Recommendation on Event Report Management Function.
This prior-art paradigm of today of transporting alarm information has limitations and problems.
The prior-art paradigm uses the "publish-subscribe" paradigm. ER "publishes" the detail information regardless whether there are subscribers wanting it or not. Subscribers subscribe for reception of the information. The transfer of detailed information always happens, filling up the channel, regardless if there are any subscribers wanting it or not. Two problems exist. Firstly, the channel capacity may be used up for no reason, i.e. no subscribers wanting the information. Secondly, in the case a subscriber does not want the information, the subscriber process needs to filter/discard the information or the ER, reporting to the subject subscriber, needs to filter/discard the information. Thus, subscriber CPU or ER CPU cycles are wasted.
At each aggregation point, additional network load is incurred to send the detailed alarm information to the next level in the information-flow chain or hierarchy. For example, the communication channel capacity between the "higher level" and "lower level" is used for transporting alarms in competition with other needs such as transporting configuration management related data and performance management related data. Detailed alarm information is not always required, and summary information is often sufficient.
At each aggregation point, for example at DM, additional database/memory load is incurred to store the detailed alarm information. Large database/memory means longer time, for example, for the user of DM to search and retrieve relevant alarm data when wanted. Detailed alarm information is not always required, and summary information is often sufficient.
There is today no method to subscribe to summary alarm information from all or part of the network being managed by a DM.
With growing networks sizes and network and network element complexity, it is increasingly difficult to maintain detailed network alarm information at one level so that it is in sync and in real time with alarm information at a lower level.
Even if one has solved the synchronization problem mentioned above with acceptable level of reliability and performance, to maintain detailed network alarm information at DM in real time for the purpose of "just in case a DM user needs the information" is an expensive proposition, and is contrary to "just-in-time-inventory concept". Its implementation will use up critical DM-NE channel capacity that is shared for transportation of other types of information such as configuration management and performance management information.
Some NE's are actively carrying traffic in the network, while others are in the process of being commissioned or de-commissioned. For the NE's whose role is less critical in the network, and which may not be fully configured, it may not be relevant for the DM to receive and store all detailed alarm information. However, a summary of the alarm situation may be required, such that if a large change in the alarm volume occurs, or if some alarms of high severity occur, management intervention by the DM may still be required.
The communication facilities used between a) NMs and DMs and b) DMs and NEs may be shared, not dedicated resources. It is uneconomical to dimension a communication facility that can handle alarm storms, or peak alarm rate, since such facilities will not be filled to capacity at all times. A summary of alarm situation would reduce the potentially large volume of alarm notification emissions so that network operator needs not dimension its communication facility to handle peak alarm rate.
The communication facilities used between a) NMs and DMs and b) DMs and NEs may be provided by Internet, i.e. a public facility and one that is not dedicated for use by the operators of NMs, DMs and NEs. This is the case of when the NEs are home devices such as 3GPP Home eNB, TV set-top boxes, etc. It is virtually impossible to dimension that communication facility to handle alarm storms, or peak alarm rate. A summary of alarm situation would reduce the potentially large volume of alarm notification emissions so that network operator may avoid this dimensioning problem.
Also, equal priority is given to major and minor alarm raising, and also equal priority between alarm ceasing and raising, such that in a period of high alarm volume, the true nature of the alarm status may take some time to report, receive, and process the aforementioned 20 parameters of an alarm. Summary information can describe in one notification what might otherwise take hundreds of notifications.
Thus, there is a need for an improved method and arrangement for conveying network event information such as network alarm management information, of a large communication network, which overcome at least some of the problems and drawbacks mentioned above.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system to distribute fault information in a large scale communication network system comprising hierarchical management nodes


A noise-cancelling headphone is provided that prevents degradation in the sound quality of the sound output from the driver unit caused by the sounds leaking through the vent hole for adjusting the sound quality. The noise-cancelling headphone includes a housing unit having an interior and an exterior, a driver unit attached to the housing unit, and a microphone collecting sound at the exterior of the housing unit. The housing unit includes an accommodating portion accommodating the microphone and a vent hole establishing communication between an air chamber behind the driver unit and the exterior of the housing unit. The housing unit is constructed such that emitted sounds from the vent hole are prevented from being collected by the microphone.

A headphone having a noise-cancelling function (noise-cancelling headphone) includes a microphone and a noise-cancelling circuit (hereinafter referred to as "NC circuit"). The microphone collects external sounds (hereinafter referred to as "noises") around the headphone. The NC circuit generates cancelling signals corresponding to the noises collected by the microphone. The headphone combines sound waves corresponding to the cancelling signals generated by the NC circuit and sound waves corresponding to the reproduced signals from a sound source such as a music player connected to the headphone, and then outputs the combined sound waves from a driver unit. That is, the headphone outputs musical sounds (hereinafter referred to as "reproduced sounds") derived from the reproduced signals from the sound source with cancelling (muting) the noises.
Examples of the scheme for generating cancelling signals include a feedback scheme (hereinafter referred to as FB) and a feedforward scheme (hereinafter referred to as FF).
A built-in microphone of the FB headphone is disposed in the interior of a housing unit (ear piece) of the headphone and near the ear of the user. The NC circuit analyses in real-time the signals of the noises collected by the microphone and generates cancelling signals minimizing the noises at the position of the eardrum of the user. The FB headphone collects the noises at the position near the ear of the user. Thus, the noise-cancelling effect of the FB headphone is higher than that of the FF headphone. In addition, the FB headphone can respond to variable noise components.
However, when the built-in microphone of the FB headphone collects the reproduced sounds in addition to the noises and then generates cancelling signals, the sound quality of the reproduced sounds output from the headphone is degraded. In addition, the ear piece of the FB headphone should be sealed in the state which the headphone is worn on the head of the user, to enhance the noise-cancelling effect. When the ear piece is sealed, the reproduced sounds output from the headphone may be muffled. Thus, the sound quality of the reproduced sounds is degraded. To address the problem, a FB headphone generally includes a filter to correct the sound quality of the reproduced sounds.
On the other hand, a built-in microphone of the FF headphone is disposed at the exterior of the housing unit of the headphone. The NC circuit analyses the signals of the noises collected by the microphone and predicts the variation of the noises that will reach the eardrum of the user wearing the headphone. The NC circuit generates cancelling signals based on the result of the prediction. The FF headphone does not need the placement of the microphone on a limited space near the ear of the user. Thus, the FF headphone is suitable for downsizing headphones. In addition, the built-in microphone of the FF headphone is disposed at a position remote from the driver unit. Thus, the sound quality of the reproduced sounds output from the FF headphone is less susceptible to the noise than the sound quality of the reproduced sounds output from the FB headphone.
However, the FF headphone readily indicates directionality of the noise-cancelling effect depending on the position of the built-in microphone, and is susceptible to the influence by the blowing of the wind, for example. As a result, the FF headphone can cause a feeling of strangeness or discomfort to the user, when the noise-cancelling function is activated.
Regardless of the presence of the noise-cancelling function, the sound quality of the sound wave (sound) output from the driver unit of the headphone is affected by the air pressure in an air chamber disposed behind the driver unit. Thus, many headphones have vent holes to adjust the air pressure in the air chamber disposed behind the driver unit. The vent holes for adjusting the sound quality establish the communication between the air chamber disposed behind the driver unit and the exterior of the housing unit of the headphone.
Schemes have been proposed to provide vent holes for adjusting the sound quality to noise-cancelling headphones (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,316). The noise-cancelling headphone disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,316 is the FB noise-cancelling headphone.


Provided is a semiconductor memory device. The semiconductor memory includes a main area and a redundancy area. The main area includes a plurality of memory blocks sharing a write bit line and a read bit line. The redundancy area includes a plurality of redundancy memory blocks sharing a redundancy write bit line and a redundancy read bit line. The redundancy area is provided to replace a component in the main area having a defect.

1. Field
The example embodiments relate to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device having a repair means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor memory devices are used to store data. The semiconductor memory devices are roughly divided into volatile memory devices and nonvolatile memory devices. Data stored in volatile memory devices is deleted when power supply is removed. On the other hand, data stored in nonvolatile memory devices is not deleted even when power supply is removed.
Because nonvolatile memory devices store data with low power, the nonvolatile memory devices are widely used as storage media for mobile devices. There is a variable resistance memory device as one of the nonvolatile memory devices. Hereinafter, the variable resistance memory device will be described as one example, but the scope of example embodiments of the inventive concepts will not be limited thereto. For example, other memory devices (e.g., FRAMs, MRAMs, DRAMs, and flash memories) may be applied.
Examples of the variable resistance memory devices include ferroelectric RAMs (FRAMs) using ferroelectric capacitors, magnetic RAMs (MRAMs) using Tunneling Magneto-Resistive (TMR) films, and phase change memory devices using chalcogenide alloys. Particularly, the phase change memory devices can be manufactured through a relatively simple process, and can implement a large-capacity memory at a low cost.
A typical variable resistance memory device includes a plurality of memory banks, each of which includes a write circuit and a detect circuit. As each of memory banks includes a write circuit and a detect circuit, the integration degree of the variable resistance memory device is reduced, and the complexity of the variable resistance memory device is increased.

Semiconductor memory device having a redundancy area


There is provided encoding and decoding methods for encoding and decoding of object based audio. An exemplary encoding method includes inter alia calculating M downmix signals by forming combinations of N audio objects, wherein M≤N, and calculating parameters which allow reconstruction of a set of audio objects formed on basis of the N audio objects from the M downmix signals. The calculation of the M downmix signals is made according to a criterion which is independent of any loudspeaker configuration.

An audio scene may generally comprise audio objects and audio channels. An audio object is an audio signal which has an associated spatial position which may vary with time. An audio channel is an audio signal which corresponds directly to a channel of a multichannel speaker configuration, such as a so-called 5.1 speaker configuration with three front speakers, two surround speakers, and a low frequency effects speaker.
Since the number of audio objects typically may be very large, for instance in the order of hundreds of audio objects, there is a need for coding methods which allow the audio objects to be efficiently reconstructed at the decoder side. There have been suggestions to combine the audio objects into a multichannel downmix (i.e. into a plurality of audio channels which corresponds to the channels of a certain multichannel speaker configuration such as a 5.1 configuration) on an encoder side, and to reconstruct the audio objects parametrically from the multichannel downmix on a decoder side.
An advantage of such an approach is that a legacy decoder which does not support audio object reconstruction may use the multichannel downmix directly for playback on the multichannel speaker configuration. By way of example, a 5.1 downmix may directly be played on the loudspeakers of a 5.1 configuration.
A disadvantage with this approach is however that the multichannel downmix may not give a sufficiently good reconstruction of the audio objects at the decoder side. For example, consider two audio objects that have the same horizontal position as the left front speaker of a 5.1. configuration but a different vertical position. These audio objects would typically be combined into the same channel of a 5.1 downmix. This would constitute a challenging situation for the audio object reconstruction at the decoder side which would have to reconstruct approximations of the two audio objects from the same downmix channel, a process that cannot ensure perfect reconstruction and that sometimes even lead to audible artifacts.
There is thus a need for encoding/decoding methods which provide an efficient and improved reconstruction of audio objects.
Side information or metadata is often employed during reconstruction of audio objects from e.g. a downmix. The form and content of such side information may for example affect the fidelity of the reconstructed audio objects and/or the computational complexity of performing the reconstruction. It would therefore be desirable to provide encoding/decoding methods with a new and alternative side information format which allows for increasing the fidelity of reconstructed audio objects, and/or which allows for reducing the computational complexity of the reconstruction.
All the figures are schematic and generally only show parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the disclosure, whereas other parts may be omitted or merely suggested. Unless otherwise indicated, like reference numerals refer to like parts in different figures.

Efficient coding of audio scenes comprising audio objects


In various embodiments, a method for processing a Single-Edge Nibble Transmission Signal is provided. The method includes determining of at least one drop in a signal level of the time-variable Single-Edge Nibble Transmission Signal and at least one next rise in the signal level after the drop in the signal level, determining a time interval between the drop and the next rise in the signal level, and determining a quality of the Single-Edge Nibble Transmission Signal by using the time interval.

The "Single-Edge Nibble Transmission" signal (SENT signal) is understood to be a signal which, for example, is used in the automobile field and in which only one type of edge, typically a falling edge, of the signal is considered. By means of a time interval between two falling edges, an information item is then transmitted.
When using SENT, it is normally necessary that many errors are detected by a receiver of the signal, for example data errors, which can be determined by means of a check code, e.g. by means of a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), frequency shifts, departure from a predetermined frequency range, dropping below a minimum distance or exceeding a maximum distance between two falling edges, exceeding or dropping below an expected number of falling edges, etc.
Usually, signal quality is not considered when an SENT signal is used. This can be based on an assumption that the signal is good (enough) if falling edges are detected at all. And between two falling edges, the signal would also have to have risen again.
If a signal quality is so poor that the falling edges are no longer present, a data error can be detected in a conventional manner.
However, a period between a falling edge and a subsequent rising edge can also be greatly shortened in the case of an SENT signal (also called low-signal period), for example almost negligibly short.
One cause of this can be that parameters of a data transmission device (which can have a transmitter and the receiver) become worse, e.g. contacts can corrode or become detached, or the like. A further cause can be that the system (e.g. deliberately) can be set in this way. In addition, the signal can pass through a low-pass filter in the receiver, which can additionally shorten the low-signal period. Furthermore, the signal can be subjected to further signal processing processes which can have an influence on a steepness of the edges and can thus shorten the low-signal duration.
Although the data transmission device, which can continue to develop a signal having a shortened period of time easily so that the signal no longer has any usable falling edges and thus becomes faulty, a classification of the signal and/or prediction and/or suppression of the error is currently not possible.
An examination of the signal with regard to a susceptibility to errors is not carried out, nor is it provided for.
When the error occurs (i.e. when the falling edges are missing), the signal receiver would find that falling edges are missing in data frames and discard the data frames.
A cause of the error would not be obvious during this event. As a result, difficult and/or expensive repairs in a workshop could appear to be necessary but after the repair the data transmission device overall can still be operated within a threshold range (for example, the contact can still be corroded) so that with only a slight deterioration of the signal-influencing parameters (which can still be within normal tolerances, for example), the data transmission can fail again.

Method for processing a single-edge nibble transmission signal, data receiving device and data transmission device


This invention relates to novel azabicyclic aryl derivatives which are found to be cholinergic ligands at the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Due to their pharmacological profile the compounds of the invention may be useful for the treatment of diseases or disorders as diverse as those related to the cholinergic system of the central nervous system (CNS), the peripheral nervous system (PNS), diseases or disorders related to smooth muscle contraction, endocrine diseases or disorders, diseases or disorders related to neuro-degeneration, diseases or disorders related to inflammation, pain, and withdrawal symptoms caused by the termination of abuse of chemical substances.

The endogenous cholinergic neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, exert its biological effect via two types of cholinergic receptors, the muscarinic Acetyl Choline Receptors (mAChR) and the nicotinic Acetyl Choline Receptors (nAChR).
As it is well established that muscarinic acetylcholine receptors dominate quantitatively over nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain area important to memory and cognition, and much research aimed at the development of agents for the treatment of memory related disorders have focused on the synthesis of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor modulators.
Recently, however, an interest in the development of nAChR modulators has emerged. Several diseases are associated with degeneration of the cholinergic system i.e. senile dementia of the Alzheimer type, vascular dementia and cognitive impairment due to the organic brain damage disease related directly to alcoholism.
WO 2002/15662, WO 2002/16355, WO 2002/17358 and WO 2003/040147 (Pharmacia & Upjohn) describe azabicyclo arylamides useful as nicotinic acetyicholine receptor agonists. However, the azabicyclic aryl derivatives of the present invention are not described.


An array substrate of a display panel is provided with a new layout design. The array substrate includes a plurality of sub-pixel groups, a plurality of switching devices, a pair of first data lines, and a plurality of scan lines. Each of the sub-pixel group comprises a first sub-pixel group and a second sub-pixel group. Each of the first sub-pixel group and the second sub-pixel group comprises a first, a second, a third sub-pixel, and is disposed in a first column. The first, the second, and the third sub-pixels are having different voltages while the array substrate of a display panel is displaying in a two-dimensional (2D) mode.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a substrate, and more particularly, to an active array substrate of a display panel.
2. Description of Related Art
Liquid crystal display (LCD) panel has become the mainstream of display device for its advantages of like low radiation, low power consumption, and thinness. As such, various techniques corresponding to various demands have been developed. In particular, technique of three-dimensional (3D) image displaying is one of the devoted topics. The 3D image displaying utilizes the visual characteristic of human eyes. When two images with the same content but different parallax are separately seen by the left eye and right eye, a 3D image is sensed (viewed). In current technique of 3D image, when a display panel displays a image for left eye and image for right eye simultaneously, it is possible to let left eye (or right eye) receives both kinds of images, and it means the cross-talk phenomenon. Besides, color washout is also a general issue of a display panel in its 3D display mode, the issue would decrease the display quality of the display panel. Therefore, extra masks for forming corresponding layers, such as a mask of pixel electrode and that of black matrix, are often adopted to overcome aforementioned issues. However, it causes high cost of manufacturing a display panel.

Array substrate of a display panel and the driving method thereof


A pneumatic tire comprising a pair of beads, and a carcass ply consisting of a main body located axially inside the beads and outer ply portions extending along the main body of the carcass ply axially outside each of the beads. A number of circumferentially spaced recesses are provided in the outer surface of the tire between a radially outer end of each of the outer ply portions and a location corresponding to a maximum width of the tire, and the recesses has a depth equal to 1/10 time to 1/2 time as large as a thickness of those portions of the tire which are provided with the recesses. The inclined angle of a base portion of each of the beads is about 15.degree. relative to the rotary axis of the tire. In the tire, 0.4P.ltoreq.W.ltoreq.0.8P and B.ltoreq.0.06D in which P, B, W and D are a circumferential pitch of the recesses, a minimum distance between the adjacent recesses, a circumferential width of each of the recesses which is obtained by deducting the minimum distance B from the pitch P, and a diameter of a rim base, respectively.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pneumatic tires in which durability of bead portions is improved.
(2) Related Art Statement
As pneumatic tires in which durability of bead portions are improved, tires described in GB 1210935have been conventionally known. In each of those tires, a carcass ply has a main portion located axially inside beads and outer ply portions extending along the main portion and axially outside the beads, respectively. In the tire, recesses are formed in an outer surface of the tire and are spaced radially outwardly from a radially outer end of each of the outer ply portions by 10-50 mm and that the depth of the recesses is 1/10 times to 1/2 times as large as the thickness of those portions of the tire which are provided with the recesses. The recesses may circumferentially continue to one another or a number of recesses may be provided while being circumferentially spaced from one another.
The above-mentioned recess or recesses can improve durability of the bead without any problem in the case of the pneumatic tire described in GB 1210935 in which an inclined angle of a base portion of the bead is about 5.degree. relative to a rotary axis of the tire. However, if such a recess or recesses are formed, without paying any consideration thereto, in the case of a pneumatic tire in which an inclined angle of a base portion of a bead is about 15.degree. relative to a rotary axis of the tire and of which practical use conspicuously increases, the following problems occur. That is, since the pneumatic tire having the above inclined angle of about 5.degree. is fitted to a rim having a considerably high rim flange being about 0.038 times to about 0.055 times as high as the diameter of a base portion of the rim, great forces occur between the bead portion of the tire and the rim flange to assuredly join the tire and the rim. Consequently, it is unnecessary to particularly increase the thickness of the bead portion in order to prevent slipping between the tire and the rim. However, since a rim flange of a fitting rim is low (about 0.020 times to about 0.029 times as high as the diameter of the base portion of the rim) in the case of the pneumatic tire having the above inclined angle of about 15.degree., tire-rim joining forces occurring between the bead portion of the tire and the rim flange are small. Therefore, in order that slipping between the tire and the rim as well as failure of the bead portion resulting from the slipping may be prevented by generating sufficient tire-rim joining forces between the base portion of the bead of the tire and a bead seat portion of the rim, the thickness of the base portion of the bead is increased. Further, in order that the bead portion may not be damaged owing to concentration of deformation in a rotational direction of the tire during rotating under load through rapid changes in rigidity in circumferential direction of the bead portion, the thickness of the bead portion is gradually decreased from near the base portion of the bead to a location corresponding to the maximum width of the tire. Although every portion constituting the bead portion shares the function to improve durability of the bead portion, problems as mentioned below occur if recesses described in the prior art are formed, without any particular consideration, in the tire having the inclined angle of the base portion of the rim being about 15.degree. relative to the rotary axis of the tire. For example, if a recess is continuously formed in the circumferential direction, rigidity of the bead greatly decreases and deformation concentrates upon the tire during rolling under load in the rotating direction of the tire because the bead portion has the structure in which the thickness is inherently great and the rigidity in the circumferential direction is great. As a result, cracks (diagonal cracks) occur in the bottom of the recess in directions oblique to the circumferential direction of the tire, and these cracks progress into the interior of the tire to lower durability of the bead portion. Further, if a number of recesses are formed such that they are spaced from one another in the circumferential direction, the recesses cannot exhibit the effect of lowering the compression strain at the radially outer end of the outer ply portion depending upon the dimension of the recesses, with the result that durability of the bead portion cannot be improved, or the above diagonal cracks occur due to reduction in rigidity of the bead portion in the circumferential direction to lower the durability of the bead portion.


A liquid crystal display module includes a liquid crystal display panel (LCDP), a lamp supplying light to the LCDP; an inverter including master and slave portions connected with opposing sides of the lamp and supplying a drive voltage to the lamp; a flexible flat cable (FFC) connecting the master and slave portions; an optical sheet provided between the LCDP and the lamp that enhances efficiency of light supplied to the LCDP; a main support on which the LCDP, the lamp and the optical sheet are mounted; a top case pressing the entire upper edge of the LCDP to fix the LCDP to the main support; and a lower cover coupled with the top case to support the LCDP, the lamp and the optical sheet. The lower cover has a mounting part provided at an inner side thereof, on which the FFC is mounted.

In general, an LCD device includes a liquid crystal display panel consisting of a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate and a color filter substrate which are attached with a certain interval therebetween so as to face each other and a liquid crystal layer provided between the TFT and color filter substrates, a driving unit for driving the liquid crystal display panel, and a backlight unit for supplying light to the liquid crystal display panel.
The TFT array substrate includes a plurality of data lines vertically arranged with a certain interval therebetween, a plurality of gate lines horizontally arranged with a certain interval therebetween, and a pixel defined at each crossing of the data line and the gate line and formed in a matrix form.
The color filter substrate includes a red, green and blue color filter layer formed at positions corresponding to the pixels and a black matrix for preventing leakage of light between the color filters and color interference of light passing through the pixels.
A common electrode and a pixel electrode face inner surfaces of the color filter substrate and the TFT array substrate, respectively, and apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer. In this case, the pixel electrode is formed on the TFT array substrate according to each pixel and the common electrode is integrally formed on the entire surface of the color filter substrate. Accordingly, by changing an arrangement state of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer by controlling a voltage applied to the pixel electrode in a state that a voltage is applied to the common electrode, light transmittance of pixels can be individually controlled.
The backlight unit supplies light to the LCD device, which cannot emit light by itself. When light emitted from the backlight unit passes through the liquid crystal layer, light transmittance is determined according to the arrangement state of liquid crystals, and accordingly, an image is displayed.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a general LCD module.
As shown, the LCD device includes a liquid crystal display panel 10 having pixels arranged in a matrix form; a gate driving unit 20 and a data driving unit 30 connected at the sides of the liquid crystal display panel 10; and a backlight unit 40 disposed on a rear surface of the liquid crystal display panel 10.
The liquid crystal display panel 10 includes a TFT array substrate and a color substrate attached so as to face each other with a uniform cell gap maintained therebetween, and a liquid crystal layer formed at the isolated space between the color filter substrate and the TFT array substrate.
A common electrode and a pixel electrode are formed on the liquid crystal display panel formed as the TFT array substrate and the color filter substrate are attached, and apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer.
When a voltage of a data signal applied to the pixel electrode is controlled in a state that a voltage is applied to the common electrode, liquid crystals of the liquid crystal layer rotate due to dielectric anisotropy according to the electric field between the common electrode and the pixel electrode to transmit or shield light for each pixel to thereby display a character or an image. In order to control a voltage of the data signal applied to the pixel electrode, a switching device such as a TFT is provided at each pixel.
The gate driving unit 20 and the data driving unit 30 are coupled with the liquid crystal display panel 10 in various ways to supply a scan signal and image information to the gate lines and data lines formed on the liquid crystal display panel 10 to drive the pixels of the liquid crystal display panel 10.
The backlight unit 40 includes a light guide plate 41 disposed on a lower surface of the liquid crystal display panel 10, a lamp 42 and a lamp housing 43 disposed at both sides of the light guide plate 41, and a reflection plate 44 disposed on a lower surface of the light guide plate 41. An optical sheet 45 is disposed between the liquid crystal display panel 10 and the light guide plate 41.
As mentioned above, the liquid crystal display panel 10 and the backlight unit 40 are mounted on a main support 50 and an upper edge of the liquid crystal display panel 10 is pressed by a top case 51. The top case 51 is coupled with the main support 50 and a lower cover 22 disposed on the rear surface of the backlight unit 40.
An inverter (not shown) for supplying a drive voltage to the lamp 42 is separately provided to drive the backlight unit 40. The inverter can be provided at one side of the lamp 42 or at both sides of the lamp 42. If the inverter is provided at both sides of the lamp 42, a high voltage is applied to one inverter and a low voltage is applied to the other inverter. The inverters are protected by a metal cover 58 provided at a lower surface of the lower cover 52. The inverters provided at both sides of the lamp are connected by the FFC by circuitry, and the FCC connects both inverters after passing through the lower surface of the lower cover 52.
FIG. 2 illustrates the lower surface of the lower cover. As shown, metal covers 58a and 58b for protecting the inverters are provided at both sides of the lower cover 52, and the FFC 55 connecting the inverter connects a master portion applying a high voltage to one side of the lamp by traversing the lower cover 52 and a slave portion applying a low voltage to the other side of the lamp. In order to fix the FFC 55 to the lower cover 52, a piece of tape 60 is attached on the regions where the FFC 55 passes through. In this case, if the tape 60 is attached on the entire region where the FFC 55 passes through, operability is degraded, so the tape 60 is partially attached at certain intervals. However, portions of the FFC that do not have the tape 60 may become separated (i.e., get loose or bulge away) from the lower cover 52, and since the FFC 55 is exposed, it can be easily damaged.

LCD module having inverter power supply with master/slave portions interconnected by flexible flat cable mounted on inner surface of lower cover and where master/slave portions and corresponding sides of power supply line are exposed on outer surface of lower cover


An electromagnetic coupling comprises a stator, a first rotor in which a first polar tooth and a second polar tooth are provided along a circumferential direction in an alternating manner, and a second rotor. The first rotor comprises a first polar tooth ring in which a plurality of the first polar teeth are provided along a circumferential direction with a gap therebetween, and a second polar tooth ring in which a plurality of the second polar teeth are provided along a circumferential direction with a gap therebetween, and which is placed opposing the first polar tooth ring such that the second polar teeth are placed in respective gaps between adjacent ones of the first polar teeth.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic coupling which transmits rotation from a drive shaft to a driven shaft.
2. Related Art
As a coupling (shaft coupler) for transmitting rotation from a drive shaft to a driven shaft, there is known an electromagnetic coupling which transmits the rotation from the drive shaft to the driven shaft by means of an electromagnetic action.
For example, JP 2008-245484 A discloses an electromagnetic coupling 100 as shown in FIG. 16. The electromagnetic coupling 100 comprises a first rotor 101 and a second rotor 102. The first rotor 101 has a circular column shape, and a permanent magnet is provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The second rotor 102 has an approximate circular cylindrical shape, and the first rotor 101 is inserted into a hollow portion of the second rotor 102. In the second rotor 102, a magnetic path 106 made of a material with a high magnetic permeability is provided on a structure 104 having a low magnetic permeability. As shown in FIG. 17, two (a pair of) magnetic paths 106 are provided in a circumferential direction of the second rotor 102, and three such pairs are provided along a rotational shaft direction of the second rotor 102.
The first rotor 101 and the second rotor 102 are housed in a housing 107. In a part of the housing 107 facing the second rotor 102, there is provided a core 110 around which a coil 108 is wound. When a current is applied to the coil, a magnetic flux is generated at the periphery of the coil 108. When the magnetic flux passes through the magnetic path 106 of the second rotor 102, the magnetic path 106 is magnetized.
When the first rotor 101 is rotated in this state, the permanent magnet provided on the first rotor 101 and the magnetized second rotor 102 are attracted to each other, causing the second rotor 102 to also rotate. In this manner, the rotation of the first rotor 101 is transmitted to the second rotor 102.
In addition, when an AC current is supplied to the coil 108, a rotational magnetic field is generated at the periphery of the coil 108. By applying the rotational magnetic field to the second rotor 102, it becomes possible to rotate the second rotor 102 at a rotation rate different from that of the first rotor 101. For example, when the rotational magnetic field is applied to the second rotor 102 along the rotational direction of the first rotor 101, the rotation rate of the second rotor 102 becomes greater than the rotation rate of the first rotor 101.
A reference, Toshie TAKEUCHI, "Analysis of EV/HEV Components, Vol. 10," Nikkei Automotive Technology, Nikkei Business Publications, Jan. 1, 2011, No. 22, p. 102-105, discloses a motor which uses an electromagnet in place of a permanent magnet.
With regard to the rotor to which the rotational magnetic field is applied, if the ratio occupied by the magnetic path is small, there is a possibility that the magnetic coupling force with the other rotor becomes weak. An advantage of the present invention lies in provision of an electromagnetic coupling which can strengthen the magnetic coupling force between rotors as compared with the related art.


A fluid separation apparatus comprising a fluid separation membrane is provided. The fluid separation apparatus comprises a fluid separation membrane extending in one direction and having a cross-section with a closed curve shape, wherein the fluid separation membrane has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, and an outer diameter of 60 mm to 360 mm when the cross-section is adjusted to be circular.

The greenhouse effect due to carbon dioxide, methane gas, etc. plays a great role in global warming which is currently the subject of global interest. Global warming not only disturbs the ecosystem but also has a great influence on the social life of human beings. Therefore, efforts are being made in various ways to reduce the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide has recently become one of the most noteworthy greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide can be generated from the combustion of waste in sewage treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, and landfill sites. Also, carbon dioxide can be generated in large amounts in thermal power plants or steel mills. Therefore, a technology for separating and removing only carbon dioxide from waste gas is being studied. In addition to carbon dioxide, a technology for separating hydrogen gas is also attracting a lot of attention as the interest in hydrogen fuel increases. Furthermore, since purely separated oxygen or nitrogen can be utilized in various fields, research on a method of separating oxygen or nitrogen is continuing. In the future, as technologies for utilizing specific gases or liquids develop, it is expected that technologies for separating more various fluids will be required.
Separation of a specific fluid cannot be used in industry simply by establishing a separation theory. For example, carbon dioxide separation technologies such as an absorption method, an adsorption method, a cryogenic method and a membrane separation method have been proposed for a long time. However, few of the above methods have been commercialized for practical reasons such as the necessity of enormous energy, the presence of side effects, and the difficulty of achieving a large size.
Nonetheless, since the membrane separation method uses relatively low energy compared to other methods, it has been evaluated to be suitable for commercialization. Until now, the membrane separation method has been studied mainly in a direction to improve the separation efficiency of a membrane. The primary goal of the membrane separation method is to develop a small-sized (e.g., 1 inch×1 inch) separation membrane that can exhibit a separation efficiency of 90% or more in the laboratory. Thus, enlargement and commercialization are considered as a next challenge.
To obtain a separation efficiency of 90% or more in the laboratory, many researchers have attempted to make a membrane thinner and to set the pressure difference inside and outside the membrane higher. However, as the thickness is smaller and the pressure is higher, the durability of the separation membrane becomes weaker. Therefore, some researchers are also studying the materials of membranes that are durable even under the above conditions.
However, even if a high-efficiency membrane is developed at the laboratory level, commercializing the high-efficiency membrane is a separate problem. First of all, it is very difficult to produce a thin separation membrane in large quantities. In addition, since expensive raw materials must be used, the production cost is greatly increased. Moreover, applying a thin separation membrane to large-sized equipment requires assembling a large number of separation membranes, resulting in increased assembly time and assembly cost. Also, the use of high pressure for high efficiency increases the processing cost. Even though separation is theoretically possible, realistic commercialization is impossible if the production and processing costs are excessive.
Hence, it is necessary to develop fluid separation technology that requires a low processing cost, has cost-effective separation efficiency, and is applicable on a commercial scale.

Fluid separation apparatus comprising fluid separation membrane, and fluid separation membrane module


The present disclosure provides systems and methods for enabling fast charging of an electric vehicle at a charging station. In one embodiment, an electric vehicle in positioned in a given location for charging and/or discharging. A charging arm comprising a plurality of charging brushes is then positioned relative to the position of the electric vehicle. The plurality of charging brushes on the charging arm is positioned to contact a charging interface of the electric vehicle. The charging brushes are moved relative to the charging interface such that a portion of the charging brushes is removed as a result of the movement.

Heavy duty battery electric vehicles can require relatively frequent charging to operate in normal service. Frequent charging at predetermined charging station locations enables energy storage systems to be sized with more certainty leading to reduce size, mass, and cost of systems. That required frequency of charging means that manual connection, such as physically plugging the vehicle in, to a charger is not acceptable. Traditionally, manually connecting the vehicle requires the driver to park and then carry high voltage cables to plug in the vehicle. In a transit center distances to charging station equipment could be quite far from the bus leading to long lengths of heavy gauge high voltage cable to reach the vehicle. Not only is this a distraction, it is not typical job task for drivers.
In addition, the speed of charging at the charging station can be very pertinent for a heavy-duty vehicle, such as a bus, that may need to be regularly recharged within small time frames to complete its suggested route. In one example, an electric vehicle may need to complete a charge in less than ten minutes that is sufficient to enable it to complete its normal route of nine to twelve miles in an hour before having to recharge.
Therefore, a need exists for improved systems and methods for connecting an electric vehicle to a charging station. A further need exists for systems and methods that enable fast charging of electric vehicles at a charging station to enable the electric vehicle to be charged in a minimal amount of time, while charging the electric vehicle to a sufficient level to enable it to complete its suggested route.


A combined letter and return card system is disclosed. A sheet of letterhead stock is provided with an opening near the upper left of the sheet in the position where the recipient's inside address is normally typed. A preprinted return card is affixed to the reverse side of the sheet in position to rearwardly overfit the window opening. A space for applying the recipient's address on the return card is exposed through the opening. The return card includes a perforated tear strip which is secured to the reverse side of the letterhead sheet by employing a continuous stripe of adhesive. Additionally, upper portions of the return card are adhered by a plurality of transversely spaced, small adhesive dots. The recipient's address is printed through the opening onto the card simultaneously with imprinting an individualized salutation on the front face of the letter. The message may also be printed at the same time as the salutation and address, or the message may be pre-printed. The letter and card may then be folded and placed in a window envelope, the recipient's address being visible through the envelope window.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer printed letters and return cards, and more particularly relates to a letter blank having an address window therein combined with a return card secured to the reverse side of the blank and placed to be visible through the window and imprinted simultaneously with the letter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many businesses rely on making customer contact through the mails and employ vast automatic addressing and mailing systems for this purpose. Conventionally, a computer-generated letter is imprinted with a message, which message can be generalized or personalized by using known computer printing techniques. If personalized, the inside address and salutation vary according to the addressee, but the message remains constant. In order to provide a convenient follow-up on the letter, a return card with the business address and pre-paid postage imprinted on one side is usually enclosed. Often the message side of the return card includes check lists or some other means for the recipient to indicate that he would like some follow-up information not provided in the letter message. The recipient's name and address can also be included on the message side and the card is used for addressing the follow-up reply by the initiating business. Thus, it is often necessary to imprint the prospective customer's name and address three times in each mailing: on the letter, on the return card, and on the envelope in which the letter is mailed. The many printings involved in such mailing are time consuming and costly.
More recently, improved return card and mailing systems have been developed wherein the return card was affixed to the reverse side of the computer letter directly behind an open address window. The card was affixed on the reverse side of the letter through an adhesively attached tear strip. The tear strip was usually secured to the letter by a plurality of rather widely spaced dots of glue. It has been found that the spaced glue dots sometimes could not tightly bind the tear strip to the letter and therefore, when the recipient would attempt to remove only the return card, the tear strip also became separated. Additionally, the glue dots created a bumpy interconnection wherein when the computerized letter was printed, the printed message would break up when the computer printer passed over the bumps or dots.


An arrangement of color elements for a color filter. Each of color element groups comprises a first color element, a second color element, a third color element and a fourth color element arranged in sequence. The first color element, the second color element, and the third color element comprising three colors. The second color element and the fourth color element are identical in color and width. An active width W1 of the first color element and an active width W2 of the second color element satisfy the formula: W1=Axc3x97W2, A=1.7xcx9c2.3. An active width W3 of the third color element and the active width W2 of the second color element satisfy the formula; W3=Bxc3x97W2, B=1.7xcx9c2.3.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a color filter (CF), and more particularly to an arrangement of color elements for a color filter. Specifically, the arrangement of color elements is applicable to a color filter that fulfills requests for high resolution and high aperture ratio.
2. Description of the Related Art
As scientific and information technologies have advanced, a color filter (CF) has been popularly used in video products, such as color liquid crystal displays, charge coupled devices, and scanners, to obtain color information. With regard to a liquid crystal display (LCD) with light, thin, power-saving and full color features, including super-twisted-nematic (STN), thin-film-transistor (TFT) and metal-insulator-metal (MIN) types, a color filter with three primary colors including red (R), green (G) and blue (B) elements is needed to divide a pixel into R, G, and B subpixels. The three primary colors are blended with each other in proportion to create various colors, thus enabling bright, realistic, and vivid picture quality, enhancing functionality of the LCD.
The LCD mainly constitutes a TFT array substrate, a CF substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. In a conventional CF process, thin-film color layers including R, G, and B layers are successively coated on a glass substrate to serve as R, G, and B elements, after which the R, G, and B elements must be precisely aligned to pixel areas on the TFT array substrate. In view of manufacturing costs and quality requirements, dyeing, pigment dispersion, printing and electroplating are commonly used to form the R, G and B elements of the color filter. Particularly, pigment dispersion that provides the color filter with high precision and superior light- and heat-resistance has become a major CF process. In addition, a black matrix (BM) is disposed between the R, G, and B elements, shielding TFTs on the TFT array substrate from stray light, and preventing light leakage between pixels. Recently, the BM pattern has been omitted from the CF substrate to decrease process costs, and the light-blocking area is replaced by an overlapping portion of adjacent color elements on the CF substrate.
FIG. 1A is a top view of a strip-type RGB arrangement. FIG. 1B is a top view of a mosaic-type RGB arrangement. FIG. 1C is a top view of a delta-type RGB arrangement. The delta-type RGB arrangement provides simplified driving and optimum blend-mode effect, and is thus popularly applied to audio/video products.
FIG. 2A is a top view of a conventional strip RGB arrangement type with an overlapping portion between two adjacent color elements, and FIG. 2B is a cross-section along line 1xe2x80x941 of FIG. 2A illustrating an overlapping portion of two adjacent color elements. A conventional color filter 10 comprises a plurality of red elements 12R, green elements 12G and blue elements 12B in a strip RGB arrangement type. The red element 12R, green element 12G and blue element 12B have an identical width. Also, an overlapping portion 14 is formed by two adjacent color elements to serve as a light-blocking area. The overlapping portion 14, however, comprises a stack of two color coatings, and causes non-uniform distribution in pigment (or dye) thickness on a glass substrate. This protrusion damages uniformity of strength of electric fields and rotation of liquid crystal molecules within pixels, resulting in light leakage, decreased contrast ratio, poor color purity, and improperly mixed color. Moreover, with regard to a misalignment effect, the protrusion area of the overlapping portion 14 may increase, sacrificing aperture ratio, which is problematic in attaining a high-resolution LCD.
The present invention is an arrangement of color elements for a color filter. The arrangement of color elements is applicable to a color filter that fulfills requests for high resolution and high aperture ratio.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a color filter which comprises a plurality of color element groups. Each of the color element groups comprises a first color element, a second color element, a third color element and a fourth color element arranged in sequence. The first color element, the second color element, and the third color element comprising three colors. The second color element and the fourth color element are identical in color and width. An active width W1 of the first color element and an active width W2 of the second color element satisfy the formula: W1=Axc3x97W2, A=1.7xcx9c2.3. An active width W3 of the third color element and the active width W2 of the second color element satisfy the formula: W3=Bxc3x97W2, B=1.7xcx9c2.3.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides a color filter which comprises a plurality of color element groups. Each of the color element groups comprises a first color element, a second color element, a third color element, a fourth color element and a fifth color element arranged in sequence. The first color element, the second color element, and the third color element comprising three colors. The second color element and the fourth color element are identical in color and width. The third color element and the fifth color element are identical in color and width. An active width W1 of the first color element and an active width W2 of the second color element satisfy the formula: W1=Axc3x97W2, A=1.7xcx9c2.3. AN Active width W1 of the first color element and an active width W3 of the third color element satisfy the formula: W1=Bxc3x97W3, B=1.7xcx9c2.3.

Arrangement of color elements for a color filter


Systems and methods for providing a line-scanning laser ophthalmoscope (LSLO) are disclosed. The LSLO uses a substantially point source of light, such as an infrared laser or a super-luminescent diode. The point source is expanded to a line. The LSLO scans the line of light in a direction perpendicular to the line across a region of an eye having an undilated pupil The reflected light is received confocally, using monostatic beam geometry. A beam separator, such as a turning prism or mirror, diverts one of the incoming light and the reflected light to separate the light. An optical stop prevents non-confocally received light from reaching a one-dimensional detector, such as a linear CCD array. An electrical signal responsive to the output light at each of a plurality of locations along the line of output light is processed to provide images of the scanned portion of the eye.

This invention relates generally to systems and methods for examining eyes. More particularly, the invention relates to systems and methods that employ scanned lines of light for examining eyes.
Fundus imaging is the essential diagnostic procedure in ophthalmology. Instruments of the prior art that are useful for examining the fundus of the eye include direct and indirect ophthalmoscopes, the slit-lamp biomicroscope and the fundus camera. Complementary tools have been developed that broaden diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities, such as the Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (SLO). The SLO is a superior tool for rapidly and continuously acquiring high-contrast images of the ocular fundus and its structures, including the distribution of choroidal blood, melanin, and retinal pigments. Because it accommodates a variety of visible and NIR wavelengths, the SLO is especially useful for the study and early diagnosis of diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy. These are the leading causes of blindness in the elderly. The SLO is a powerful diagnostic tool for characterizing retinal pathologies, as well as for angiography, tomography, perimetry, and general psychophysics. Confocal SLO imaging is very effective in patients suffering from mild cataract, or from pathologies causing clouding of the vitreous. Another device for examining the fundus of the eye is the instrument described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,477, issued on Jul. 31, 2001 to Karpol et al. The Karpol instrument is described as operating on the principle of slit lamp bimicroscopy performed on an eye having a dilated pupil. The Karpol instrument uses a defined angle between a beam going to the retina and a beam returning from the retina, and there is a distance at the area of the pupil between the incident beam and the measured scattered beams. The Karpol instrument uses a two dimensional CCD camera as one of three cameras used to record images.
However, although they have become valuable diagnostic tools in the research community, scanning laser devices have not yet emerged into widespread clinical usage, due in part to their size, cost, and complexity. As a result, they are usually found only at specialized facilities, are used almost exclusively by ophthalmologists, and are often unavailable when needed. In particular, elderly and emergency patients are often unwilling or unable to travel to a specialized clinic for testing. But even the ubiquity of slit-lamps, fundus cameras and indirect ophthalmoscopes does not necessarily allow their use in many circumstances in which they may be indicated, such as emergency care. These devices may not be immediately accessible, and in many circumstances, the primary care physician may not choose to use instruments like Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscopes (BIO""s) which are more difficult to master, and may be unpleasant for the patient. The fallback device is the direct ophthalmoscope. The availability of hand-held and tele-ophthalmoscopic fundus imaging systems of the standard types are increasing, but their cost remains high, and they continue to have the limitations discussed. A portable, convenient, and less expensive system that provides high quality images of the fundus has been lacking.
The line-scanning laser ophthalmoscope (LSLO) of the invention has a significant confocal advantage in image clarity and contrast, and depth of penetration at the ocular fundus compared with conventional digital fundus photography. The LSLO has features not currently available in commercial SLOs, and is less expensive. The hand-held digital LSLO has proven that high quality, non-mydriatic (e.g., undilated pupil), line-confocal retinal images and stereo pairs can be obtained with a simple, compact design with fewer moving parts and components than current SLO systems. In one embodiment, the system and method involves a monostatic beam geometry, e.g., the light incoming to the thing to be observed, and the light collected in reflection from the thing, pass through the same location in space between the thing and the optical component nearest the thing. As a result of the monostatic beam geometry, the instrument can be operated with a small, undilated pupil. The instrument remains operative even if the pupil is dilated, however.
There are many benefits that accrue if the pupil of an eye is not required to be dilated for the systems and methods of the invention to function correctly. Dilation is generally performed by applying chemicals topically and waiting for the dilation to occur. The waiting period can be some minutes, typically twenty minutes. Absence of a dilation requirement means that an instrument embodying principles of the invention can be used immediately, rather than only after a delay necessitated by the dilation of the pupil. This allows use in settings such as emergency or field use, where other instruments become useful only after the dilation of the pupil is complete. Dilation of the pupil causes the patient to have reduced visual acuity for periods of up to hours, until the effect of the dilation chemicals wears off. Dilation of the pupil can require a patient to use protective eyewear or to avoid light of ordinary intensity. Dilation of the pupil can cause a patient discomfort. The use of an instrument embodying principles of the invention can eliminate all of the above negative features of dilation of the pupil.
The inventive technology provides an affordable clinical instrument that gives the clinician the power and resolution of the SLO, with some operational features of the most familiar ophthalmic diagnostic instruments, in an untethered package that is comparable in size and weight to commercial hand-held digital video cameras.
The LSLO can provide stereo fundus images. A binocular LSLO, with low-cost wearable display technology and more deeply penetrating near-infrared (NIR) light, can provide real time 3-D morphometric information that is usually the domain of slit-lamp biomicroscopes, binocular indirect ophthalmoscopes (BIOs), and stereo fundus photography at shorter wavelengths. NIR operation increases patient comfort and reduces the risk of phototoxicity during extended exams or procedures. By incorporating additional laser wavelengths as additional channels for particular wavelength combinations, color information can be captured and fused with NIR images. The digital LSLO allows the operator to switch views between live-motion and captured still images with the touch of a button. Synchronous modulation of laser illumination with line-by-line image acquisition and variable scans allows stereo images, dual-color images, or fluorescence images to be multiplexed and recorded. The LSLO can be quickly reconfigured for anterior segment imaging, pupil size and light response. The compact and lightweight LSLO offers the potential for use as a hand-held emergency care aid, particularly with blood in the vitreous from eye or head trauma. A portable digital LSLO which performs some of these functions at a cost approaching indirect ophthalmoscopes, while retaining much of the confocal and NIR advantages of the SLO, becomes more clinically versatile and commercially attractive.
In one aspect, the invention relates to a line-scanning laser ophthalmoscope (LSLO). The LSLO comprises a light source providing a substantially point source of light; an optical apparatus and a one-dimensional detector. The optical apparatus comprises an optical component that accepts the light from the laser and provides a line of incoming light, at least one optical component that (i) scans a portion of an eye with the incoming line of light in a direction perpendicular to the line, (ii) confocally receives reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye, and (iii) provides output light in a line focus configuration; and a turning mirror that redirects a selected one of the incoming light and the reflected light. The one-dimensional detector detects the output light and provides an electrical signal responsive to the output light at each of a plurality of locations along the line of output light.
The light source providing a substantially point source of light comprises a laser. Alternatively, the light source providing a substantially point source of light comprises a super-luminescent diode. The optical component that accepts the light from the light source and provides a line of light comprises one or more lenses. Alternatively, the optical component that accepts the light from the light source and provides a line of light comprises a holographic optical element.
In one embodiment, the LSLO further comprises a signal analysis module that decodes electrical signals from the one-dimensional detector and that generates an array of data representative of reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye.
In one embodiment, the LSLO further comprises a display module that displays information representative of the array of data generated by the signal analysis module. The one-dimensional detector is a linear CCD array or a linear CMOS array in some embodiments. In a preferred embodiment, the laser is an infrared laser. In a more preferred embodiment, the infrared laser operates at a wavelength in the range of 700 nm to 950 nm. In a still more preferred embodiment, the infrared laser operates at a wavelength of substantially 830 nm.
In some embodiments, the optical apparatus of he LSLO further comprises a scanning mirror that provides a scanned line of light having a scan direction perpendicular to the line of light, one or more lenses that focus the scanned line of light on a portion of an eye, one or more lenses that confocally receive reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye and provide a line of reflected light, a scanning mirror that redirects the line of reflected light, a pupil stop that prevents unwanted light from proceeding through the optical apparatus, and an objective lens that focuses the redirected line of reflected light onto the one-dimensional detector.
In a preferred embodiment, the scanning mirror that intercepts the redirected line of light and provides a scanned line of light and the scanning mirror that redirects the line of reflected light are the same scanning mirror. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more lenses that focus the scanned line of light on a portion of an eye and the one or more lenses that confocally receive reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye are the same one or more lenses. In some embodiments, the pupil stop prevents non-confocally received light from proceeding through the optical apparatus.
In still another aspect the invention features a line-scanning ophthalmoscope. The line-scanning ophthalmoscope comprises a light source providing a substantially point source of light, an optical apparatus and a one-dimensional detector. The optical apparatus (i) receives light from the light source, (ii) scans a portion of an eye with the line of light in a direction perpendicular to the line, (iii) confocally receives reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye, and (iv) provides output light in a line focus configuration. The one-dimensional detector detects the output light and provides an electrical signal responsive to the output light at each of a plurality of locations along the line of output light.
In yet a further aspect, the invention relates to a line-scanning laser ophthalmoscope (LSLO). The LSLO comprises a light source providing a substantially point source of light; an optical apparatus and a one-dimensional detector. The optical apparatus comprises an optical component that accepts the light from the laser and provides a line of incoming light, at least one optical component that (i) scans a portion of an eye having an undilated pupil with the incoming line of light in a direction perpendicular to the line, (ii) confocally receives reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye, and (iii) provides output light in a line focus configuration, and a turning mirror that redirects a selected one of the incoming light and the reflected light. The one-dimensional detector detects the output light and provides an electrical signal responsive to the output light at each of a plurality of locations along the line of output light.
In a further aspect, the invention relates to a line-scanning laser ophthalmoscope (LSLO). The LSLO comprises a light source providing a substantially point source of light; an optical apparatus and a one-dimensional detector. The optical apparatus comprises an optical component that accepts the light from the laser and provides a line of incoming light, at least one optical component that (i) scans a portion of an eye with the incoming line of light in a direction perpendicular to the line, (ii) confocally receives reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye, the incoming line of light and the reflected light having monostatic beam geometry, and (iii) provides output light in a line focus configuration, and a turning mirror that redirects a selected one of the incoming light and the reflected light. The one-dimensional detector detects the output light and provides an electrical signal responsive to the output light at each of a plurality of locations along the line of output light.
In a further aspect the invention relates to a method of making a optical measurement of an object. The method includes the steps of providing an incoming line of light, scanning a portion of an object with the incoming line of light in a direction perpendicular to the line, confocally receiving reflected light from the illuminated portion of the object, providing output light in a line focus configuration from the received reflected light, separating the incoming light and the output light, detecting the output light, and providing an electrical signal responsive to the output light at each of a plurality of locations along the line of output light. In one embodiment, the object is an eye. In one embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of decoding the electrical signal, and generating an array of data representative of reflected light from the illuminated portion of the object.
In still a further aspect, the invention includes a method of making an ophthalmoscopic measurement. The method includes the steps of providing an incoming line of light, scanning a portion of an eye having an undilated pupil with the incoming line of light in a direction perpendicular to the line, confocally receiving reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye, providing output light in a line focus configuration from the received reflected light, separating the incoming light and the output light, detecting the output light, and providing an electrical signal responsive to the output light at each of a plurality of locations along the line of output light.
In yet an additional aspect, the invention relates to a method of making an ophthalmoscopic measurement. The method includes the steps of providing an incoming line of light, scanning a portion of an eye with the incoming line of light in a direction perpendicular to the line, and confocally receiving reflected light from the illuminated portion of the eye, using a monostatic beam geometry for the incoming line of light and the reflected light. The method also includes the steps of providing output light in a line focus configuration from the received reflected light, separating the incoming light and the output light, detecting the output light, and providing an electrical signal responsive to the output light at each of a plurality of locations along the line of output light.
The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and from the claims.


Provided are a viscosity stabilizer comprising carbon black and/or silica and further blended with at least one selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a processing aid, a softening agent and a dispersant, a viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition blended with the viscosity stabilizer described above in an amount of 5 to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of natural rubber, a process for producing a viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition, which comprises adding the viscosity stabilizer described above to natural rubber in producing a natural rubber master batch, and a method of controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber, which comprises adding the viscosity stabilizer described above to natural rubber in producing a natural rubber master batch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a viscosity stabilizer for natural rubber, a viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition blended with said viscosity stabilizer and a process for producing the same, and a method of controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber in which said viscosity stabilizer is used for controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, natural rubber is produced in tropical countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Natural rubber is used much and widely in the rubber industry and the tire industry because of excellent physical properties thereof.
Natural rubber has as low Mooney viscosity (JIS K6300) as 60 to 70 immediately after production, but the viscosity rises close to 90 to 100 with the passage of time during storage and transportation to Japan.
This phenomenon is called gelation (storage hardening), and it is generally noted that an aldehyde group contained in an isoprene chain of natural rubber reacts with protein and amino acids to cause the gelation. However, the mechanism thereof has not yet distinctly been clarified.
Gelation of natural rubber caused in production sites deteriorates the processability in producing rubber products and therefore has to be prevented.
In order to prevent this gelation, natural rubber latex is processed with 0.08 to 0.30% of hydroxylamine sulfate [(NH2OH)2xc2x7H2SO4] to prepare a viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition in Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia (RRIM). Further, a type of composition (SMR-GP) obtained by blending dried natural rubber with a solution of hydroxylamine sulfate described above has been developed as well.
However, the viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition obtained by using hydroxylamine sulfate has the following problems:
(1) Hydroxylamine sulfate is designated as a poison in Japan and therefore hardly used.
(2) A rise in the viscosity is observed at the beginning of storage.
(3) A viscosity-stabilizing effect is low under a severe condition (in an oven of about 60xc2x0 C.).
(4) Compatibility with rubber is inferior, and therefore there is a fear of bad dispersibility.
(5) The decomposition temperature is low, and therefore a sufficiently high effect can not be obtained in kneading at high temperatures.
On the other hand, semicarbazide (NH2NHCONH2) is described in a literature [B. C. Sekhar, J. Polymer Science, Vol. XLVIII, 133 (1960)] in which the results of screening of additives having a viscosity-stabilizing effect on natural rubber are shown. Further, hydroxylamine, semicarbazide and dimedone (1,1-dimethylcyclohexane-3,5-dione) are disclosed as additives for natural rubber which are likely to have a viscosity-stabilizing effect.
However, the respective compounds are expensive, and it has been confirmed that if an amount used is so small though it is scattered, the viscosity-stabilizing effect is basically low from the beginning or the viscosity rises after some period while the viscosity-stabilizing effect is observed at the beginning.
The following two matters can be considered as the cause thereof.
a) Sufficiently high dispersion can not be obtained because of addition in a small amount.
b) An amount of some level is required in order to block an aldehyde group which is considered to cause gelation.
On the other hand, it is well known that carbon black and silica are added as reinforcing fillers for rubber.
However, it is not known at all that carbon black and silica prevent gelation (storage hardening) of natural rubber, that is, have a viscosity-stabilizing effect.
An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems described above and to provide a low-cost viscosity stabilizer for natural rubber having a viscosity-stabilizing effect continuing over an extended period of time, a viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition blended with said viscosity stabilizer and a production process for the same, and a method of controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber in which said viscosity stabilizer is used for controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber.
Intensive investigations made by the present inventors in order to solve the conventional problems described above have resulted in finding that the specific rubber compounding agents already used as compounding agents for rubber have a viscosity-stabilizing effect. Further researches have resulted in successfully obtaining a viscosity stabilizer for natural rubber, a viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition and a production process for the same, and a method of controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber, and thus coming to complete the present invention.
That is, the viscosity stabilizer for natural rubber according to the present invention is characterized by comprising carbon black and/or silica. In addition, at least one selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a processing aid, a softening agent and a dispersant (hereinafter referred to as rubber chemicals) may be added to them.
The viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition of the present invention is prepared by blending natural rubber with the viscosity stabilizer described above.
In the process for producing the viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition of the present invention, the viscosity stabilizer described above is added to natural rubber latex in producing a natural rubber master batch to produce the viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition.
In the method of controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber according to the present invention, the viscosity stabilizer described above is added to natural rubber latex in producing a natural rubber master batch to control a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber. The viscosity stabilizer is added preferably in an amount of 5 to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of natural rubber.
The reason why the viscosity stabilizer for natural rubber according to the present invention has a viscosity-stabilizing property is presumed as follows. That is, it is considered that carbon black and silica used for natural rubber reacts with an aldehyde group contained in an isoprene chain to block the aldehyde group, thereby preventing a gelation reaction with protein and the like contained in natural rubber to control a rise in the viscosity due to gelation, and that as a result, natural rubber is provided with a viscosity-stabilizing property.
Since the viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition of the present invention is blended with carbon black and/or silica which provide natural rubber with a viscosity-stabilizing property, gelation of natural rubber is prevented, and a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber is controlled over a long period of time.
The viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition of the present invention exhibits an excellent viscosity-stabilizing effect over an extended period of time, and therefore treatment such as mastication is not required in using. This can improve the production efficiency to a large extent at a kneading stage after mastication and can reduce the addition of carbon black and silica as reinforcing fillers. Accordingly, the kneading efficiency is elevated, and the processability can be improved as well to a large extent. Further, bale deformation (cold flow) is not caused. In addition, materials which have so far been used in the rubber industry are blended as a viscosity stabilizer, and therefore no any influences are exerted on the physical properties of rubber after vulcanization.
In the process for producing the viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition of the present invention, carbon black and/or silica having the viscosity-stabilizing property described above are merely added to natural rubber latex in producing a natural rubber master batch, whereby the viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition preventing the gelation of natural rubber and controlling a rise in the viscosity over a long period of time can be produced. Accordingly, no specific modifications are required for conventional natural rubber production steps.
Further, in the method of controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber according to the present invention, carbon black and/or silica having the viscosity-stabilizing property described above are merely added to natural rubber latex in producing a natural rubber master batch, whereby the gelation of natural rubber is prevented, and therefore a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber can be controlled. In addition, the method described above is safe in terms of handling.
The embodiment of the present invention shall be explained in detail.
The viscosity stabilizer of the present invention comprises carbon black and/or silica, and at least one selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a processing aid, a softening agent and a dispersant may further be added thereto.
As explained in the paragraph of Description of the Related Art, these carbon black and silica are known materials and used as reinforcing fillers for rubber, and the production processes for the same are known as well. However, it has not so far been known at all that they exhibit a viscosity-stabilizing effect on natural rubber, and such new properties have been found by the present inventors. They can be handled safely and are available at low costs. As apparent from the examples described later, when they are used for natural rubber, a viscosity-stabilizing effect is displayed from the time of addition and maintained over an extended period of time.
A range of applying carbon black and silica as the viscosity stabilizers can distinctly be distinguished from a range of using them as conventional reinforcing fillers.
That is, carbon black and silica used as conventional reinforcing fillers are added at a step of preparing compounded rubber before vulcanizing and molding in producing rubber products, while carbon black used as the viscosity stabilizer of the present invention is added when natural rubber latex is processed to produce a master batch of natural rubber used as a raw material of the rubber products. Accordingly, the applying scopes such as an applying step and an applying timing in both uses can clearly be distinguished, and the particularly marked effect described above is displayed in the scope of using them as the viscosity-stabilizing agent.
The viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition of the present invention is produced by adding carbon black and/or silica and the rubber chemicals described previously to natural rubber latex and/or dried natural rubber, for example, TSR (natural rubber obtained after drying by hot air) and RSS (natural rubber obtained after drying by smoking) and kneading them by means of a mixer or an extruder in producing a natural rubber master batch, or at a step of manufacturing the natural rubber master batch produced in the process of tapping-natural rubber latex-coagulation-cleaning (washing by water)-dehydration-drying-packing, and can be molded into sheet-shaped and bale-shaped articles.
The kneading conditions are varied depending on the kind and grade of natural rubber used (produced), and the kneading is carried out preferably for 45 seconds or more, preferably 60 seconds or more to come to a discharging temperature of 130xc2x0 C. or higher.
Further, in the method of controlling a rise in the viscosity of natural rubber according to the present invention, carbon black and/or silica and the rubber chemicals described previously are added to natural rubber in producing the natural rubber master batch described above, whereby a rise in the viscosity of natural is controlled.
When they are added to natural rubber after drying, they have to be added to natural rubber subjected to drying treatment as early as possible since gelation (storage hardening) goes on even when left for standing at room temperature.
The viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition of the present invention controls a rise in the viscosity caused by the gelation of the polymer of natural rubber by compounding carbon black and/or silica, thereby producing a viscosity-stabilizing effect. This viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition has a higher viscosity than that of natural rubber itself because of compounding of carbon black and/or silica, but a subsequent rise in the viscosity is limited, that is, a rise in the viscosity attributable to the gelation of the polymer is not found and thus the viscosity-stabilizing effect is exerted.
A viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition obtained by adding a conventional viscosity stabilizer has large bale deformation (cold flow) because of a low viscosity level and therefore has a little defect that handling is difficult. However, in the viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition of the present invention, the viscosity is maintained, as described above, at a high level as compared with those obtained by adding conventional viscosity stabilizers, and therefore bale deformation (cold flow) is not found, which in turn elevates the workability.
Carbon black usually used in the rubber industry can be used in the present invention.
Carbon black of various grades such as SAF and HAF can be used alone or in combination in the present invention. As for silica, silicic acid anhydrous of fine powder usually used as a white reinforcing filler for rubber is used.
As the rubber chemicals, stearic acid and zinc oxide are used.
In the present invention, carbon black or silica can be used alone and in addition thereto, there can be used carbon black in combination with silica, carbon black in combination with the rubber chemicals, silica in combination with the rubber chemicals, and carbon black and silica in combination with the rubber chemicals.
The viscosity stabilizer is added in total in an amount of 5 to 80 parts by weight, preferably 40 to 70 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of natural rubber.
The amount of this viscosity stabilizer of less than 5 parts by weight makes it impossible to provide a viscosity-stabilizing effect, and the amount exceeding 80 parts by weight deteriorates the properties of rubber as well as the workability. That is, the sheet becomes ragged and breaks, so that a continuous operation of producing a natural rubber master batch undersirably stops each time.
The amounts of carbon black and silica added later as reinforcing fillers for rubber can be reduced or set at zero in case that they are used in the above-mentioned range of 40 to 70 parts by weight. Thus, the workability of an after-kneading step is improved, and the properties of the rubber obtained after the addition are not deteriorated.
The addition amount described above is varied to some extent in the range described above depending on the kind and the grade of natural rubber used (produced) and the kind of the viscosity stabilizer used.

Viscosity stabilizer for natural rubber, viscosity-stabilized natural rubber composition and process for producing the same, and method of controlling rise in viscosity of natural rubber


A multi-standard indoor mobile radio access network having a centralized device is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, a centralized device is configured to transmit a wake-up signal to a wireless device once the wireless device has entered a service area, wherein the wake-up signal triggers the downloading and/or opening of an application on the wireless device configured to determine whether a 911 call has been made. If a 911 call has been made, the application transmits a notification signal to the centralized device. In response thereto, the centralized device transmit location information of the wireless device to an emergency responder. The centralized device also transmits a “ping” to the wireless device during predetermined periods of time in order to keep the application open and/or installed on the wireless device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to indoor mobile radio access networks, and more particularly to an indoor mobile radio access network configured to detect a wireless device, communicate with an application operating on the wireless device, and, based on a notification signal received from the application, provide location information to an emergency responder, where the location information includes at least Z-axis location information of the wireless device.
2. Description of Related Art
Mobile services providers use several techniques known in the art to provide licensed spectrum service in areas of dense population and areas with large signal degradation due to the presence of physical structures such as large buildings. These techniques include the use of femtocells, picocells, or Distributed Antenna Systems ("DAS") to extend licensed spectrum networks in these environments. While such techniques can be used to provide basic services, they are not ideal and make it difficult for service providers to comply with various government regulations.
For example, the U.S. Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) has several requirements applicable to wireless telephones. In 1996, the FCC issued an order requiring service providers to determine and transmit location information for 911 calls. The FCC set up a two-phase program, where phase 1 involved sending the location of the receiving antenna for 911 calls, and phase 2 involved sending location information for wireless devices making 911 calls. Service providers were allowed to choose either a handset-based location method (e.g., using a Global Positioning System, or GPS) or a network-based location method (e.g., using triangulation between cell towers). The order set accuracy requirements that required the location information to be within 50 meters for 67% of calls, and within 150 meters for 90% of calls if the handset-based location method was used, and within 100 meters for 67% of calls, and within 300 meters for 90% of calls if the network-based location method was used. And to complicate matters further, in July 2011, the FCC announced a proposed rule requiring that after an eight-year implementation period (i.e., in 2019), service providers will be required to meet even more stringent location accuracy requirements.
While current techniques can be used to provide general location information (e.g., the location of a particular building), they cannot be used to provide detailed location information (e.g., the location of a caller within a particular building), and they certainly cannot be used to provide Z-axis location information (e.g., the floor that the call is on), which can be of particular importance if the caller is within a very tall building, such as the new Freedom Tower in New York, which has over 100 floors.
Thus, not only would it be useful to have a radio access network solution for high population density areas with closely situated large structures that offers improved service to users, removes load from existing macro-networks, requires minimal additional infrastructure to deploy, and does not interfere with the existing macro-network, but it would also be beneficial to have a solution that allows service providers to provide detailed location information (e.g., X, Y and/or Z-axis information) for wireless devices used to make emergency "911" calls. Such a solution could also be used to provide location information to a service provider and/or advertisements to a wireless device based on a request for certain information and/or the performance of other functionalities.

Multi-standard in building mobile radio access network