A method and apparatus is proposed for judging the friction behavior between two counter-running partners, each of which has a contact surface, with the one contact surface moving along the other contact surface in the operating state. One of the contact surfaces is charged with ultrasonic signals (UI; UW), ultrasonic signals which are reflected by the contact surface are received as echo signals (ES), the echo signals (ES) are supplied to an evaluation unit as received signals, the Doppler shift of the received signals is determined by means of the evaluation unit, and the friction behavior between the counter-running partners is judged by means of the Doppler shift.

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for judging the friction behavior between two counter-running partners, each of which has a contact surface, with the one contact surface moving along the other contact surface in the operating state.
There are numerous machines and systems in which two counter-running partners which are moved relative to one another for journalling, guiding or sealing off are provided which slide along one another during operation in order to perform the journalling, guiding or sealing function.
In internal combustion engines with reciprocating pistons for example the piston rings which are provided at the piston move along the working surface of the cylinder, which represents their counter-running partner. Furthermore, for sealing off, journalling and guiding the piston rod in reciprocating piston combustion engines, e.g. compressors, packings are usually used which are fixed with respect to the housing and which have a plurality of rings which slide on the piston rod as counter-running partner. Also, in bearings or slide ring sealings for journalling and sealing off rotating shafts, e.g. in pumps, two counter-running partners also move frictionally along one another. In this, one of the counter-running partners is rotationally fixedly connected to the rotating shaft and the other is rotationally fixed relative to the stationary part of the machine.
Common to all these examples is that the cooperation between the counter-running partners, which are moved relative to one another, is based on the friction between the counter-running partners. The counter-running partners can form either a dry-operated or a lubricated frictional system. In dry-operated systems, for example dry-operated piston compressors, no external lubrication is provided and a solid lubricant is usually embedded in at least one of the counter-running partners. In lubricated frictional systems, for example internal combustion engines, a fluid external lubricant, for example an oil or another liquid, is typically provided which forms a lubricating film between the counter-running partners.
The determination and monitoring by measurement of the friction between two counter-running partners during operation is as a rule possible only indirectly, for example via the arising wear. For large diesel engines, like the one used for example as drive aggregates for ships or in stationary plants for generating electricity, for example in EP-A-706 039 an inductive measurement principle is proposed by means of which the wear state of a specially manufactured piston ring can be determined by measurement. With measurements of this kind however only wear which has already arisen can be determined. It is however desirable to be able to judge the friction behavior between the counter-running partners during operation, since abnormalities or changes in the running behavior of the counter-running partners can be detected significantly earlier on the basis of changes in the friction behavior than on the basis of the wear which has already arisen. Severe and expensive damages, for example piston binding or abnormally high wear values, can thereby be avoided substantially more effectively.
An object of the invention is therefore to propose a method and an arrangement by means of which the friction behavior between two counter-running partners can be judged during operation and as rapidly as possible. The method and the arrangement should in particular be suitable for judging the friction behavior between the piston rings and the cylinder barrel in an internal combustion engine, especially in a large diesel engine. Furthermore, the method and the arrangement should also be suitable for counter-running partners which rotate relative to one another during operation, for example slide ring sealings.
The subjects of the invention satisfying these objects in regard to method and apparatus are characterized by the features of the independent claim of the respective category.
Thus in accordance with the invention a method and an arrangement are proposed for judging the friction behavior between two counter-running partners, each of which has a contact surface, with the one contact surface moving along the other contact surface in the operating state. The method in accordance with the invention comprises the following steps: one of the contact surfaces is charged by ultrasonic signals; ultrasonic signals which are reflected by the contact surface are received as echo signals; the echo signals are supplied to an evaluation unit as received signals; the Doppler shift of the received signals is determined by means of the evaluation unit; and the friction behavior between the counter-running partners is judged by means of the Doppler shift.
The arrangement in accordance with the invention comprises an ultrasonic converter and an evaluation unit, with the ultrasonic converter charging one of the contact surfaces with ultrasonic signals, receiving ultrasonic signals which are reflected from the contact surface as echo signals and supplying the latter to the evaluation unit as received signals, and with the evaluation unit comprising evaluation means which determines the Doppler shift of the received signals and determines a characteristic value for judging the friction behavior between the counter-running partners by means of the Doppler shift.
The invention is based on the observation that the friction between two counter-running partners causes a Doppler shift in ultrasonic signals with which the contact surface of a counter-running partner is charged which is sufficiently strongly pronounced in order to enable a judging of the friction behavior. Changes in the friction in particular lead to significant changes in the spectrum of the Doppler shift. Thus if an increase in the friction between the counter-running partners arises during operation, for example as a result of a faulty lubrication, or a reduction of the friction, for example through a damaged or worn piston ring, then this can be detected on the basis of the Doppler shift and corresponding countermeasures can be taken in time in order to avoid severe resultant damages.
Since the ultrasonic converter must have no direct physical contact with the contact surface the method in accordance with the invention and the arrangement in accordance with the invention are also suitable for judging the friction behavior at locations which are inaccessible or are difficult of access, e.g. for judging the friction behavior between a piston ring and the cylinder barrel in an internal combustion engine. In addition the method and the arrangement respectively can be used without problem during the normal operating state of a machine, so that a judging and thus a monitoring of the momentary friction behavior between the counter-running partners are possible as if it were on-line.
It turned out that an increase in the friction between the counter-running partners leads in particular to an amplification or to an increase respectively of those components of the Doppler shift which lie at high frequencies. Therefore, preferably only those frequencies in the frequency spectrum for the Doppler shift which are greater than a predetermined threshold value are taken into account for the judging of the friction behavior.
For reasons of as simple an evaluation as possible it is preferred when contact surface is charged with the ultrasonic signals substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the relative movement of the two counter-running partners.
In accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the invention the contact surface is charged with ultrasonic pulses, which means that the ultrasonic converter emits wave packets as ultrasonic pulses at regular intervals.
In accordance with a second exemplary embodiment the contact surface is charged by a continuous ultrasonic wave, which means that in this method, which is usually called the CW (continuous wave) method, the ultrasonic converter does not emit the ultrasonic signals in the form of individual discrete pulses, but rather permanently as a continuous wave. In the CW method the ultrasonic converter preferably comprises two converter elements, one of which serves for emitting the ultrasonic signal and the other for receiving the echo signals. The two converter elements are arranged in such a manner that the emitter field of the first converter element and the reception field of the second converter element at least partly overlap. This can be realized for example in that the two converter elements are arranged adjacently and where appropriate with a slight inclination with respect to one another, so that their axes intersect at the contact surface. The two converter elements can however also be arranged concentrically.
A preferred use of the method in accordance with the invention or of the arrangement in accordance with the invention is the use for judging the friction behavior between a piston ring and its counter-running partner in an internal combustion engine, in particular in a large diesel engine, e.g. in the main engine of a ship.
Further advantageous measures and preferred embodiments of the invention result from the subordinate claims.

Method and arrangement for judging the friction behavior between two counter-running partners


An input apparatus includes a detection section, a change section, and a transmission section. The detection section detects a movement amount of a user operation in an arbitrary direction. The change section changes a ratio of a first movement amount as a movement amount in a first operation direction corresponding to a first direction on a screen to a second movement amount as a movement amount in a second operation direction corresponding to a second direction on the screen different from the first direction, the first movement amount and the second movement amount corresponding to a detection value detected by the detection section. The transmission section transmits the first movement amount and the second movement amount whose ratio has been changed as scroll information of an image displayed on the screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input apparatus for operating a GUI (Graphical User Interface), a control apparatus for controlling the GUI in accordance with information transmitted from the input apparatus, a control system including those apparatuses, an electronic apparatus, and a control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pointing devices, particularly a mouse and a touchpad, are used as controllers for GUIs widely used in PCs (Personal Computers). Not just as HIs (Human Interfaces) of PCs of the related art, the GUIs are now starting to be used as interfaces for AV equipment and game machines used in living rooms etc. with, for example, televisions as image media. Various pointing devices that a user is capable of operating 3-dimensionally are proposed as controllers for the GUIs of this type (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-56743 (paragraphs (0030) and (0031), FIG. 3; hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1) and Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 6-7371 (P. 3, 11.18-20 on left-hand column; hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 2)).
Patent Document 1 discloses an input apparatus including angular velocity gyroscopes of two axes, that is, two angular velocity sensors. When a user holds the input apparatus in hand and swings it vertically and laterally, for example, the angular velocity sensors detect angular velocities about two orthogonal axes, and a signal as positional information of a cursor or the like displayed by a display means is generated in accordance with the angular velocities. The signal is transmitted to a control apparatus, and the control apparatus controls display so that the cursor moves on a screen in response to the signal.
Patent Document 2 discloses an input apparatus (space mouse) including three acceleration sensors (of three axes) and three angular velocity sensors (of three axes) (gyro).

Input apparatus, control apparatus, control system, electronic apparatus, and control method


An approach is provided in which a user selection is received with the selection being a number data elements with each of the selected data elements being displayed in a Web browser software application. A first set of functions that apply to the selected data elements is identified and the identified first set of functions is applied to the selected data elements. The result is a set of resulting values which are displayed a window that appears on the display screen. If the user has selected numeric data then numeric functions are applied to the data, however if the user has selected date-type data then date functions are applied to the data.

Web browsers are versatile software applications that are often used to display data from Web sites or other network sources, such as those found on the Internet. Examples of numeric data displayed as textual data in a Web browser include sports scores, stock data, Internet banking data and reports, and the like. Because the data displayed on the Web page is textual, rather than numeric, a user has to copy and paste the data into another application, such as a spreadsheet, in order to perform numeric calculations on the data. This causes additional time and effort on the part of the user and also requires use of a secondary program in order to process the data.

Supplementary calculation of numeric data in a web browser

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to a method for treating a mammal suffering from mental illness induced by propagation of stress, said method comprising the step of removing or diminishing the tone of the endogenous alpha-2C-adrenoceptors in the central nervous system of said mammal. The invention relates further to pharmaceutical compositions useful for said treatment.

The publications and other materials used herein to illuminate the background of the invention, and in particular, cases to provide additional details respecting the practice, are incorporated by reference.
Conventionally antagonists of alpha-2-adrenoceptors, such as yohimbine, have been found to be anxiogenic (1). Three subtypes, namely alpha-2A-, alpha-2B- and alpha-2C-adrenoceptors have been discovered in human. A fourth subtype, an alpha-2D-adrenoceptor, is known in rat and bovine. According to literature, most of the known alpha-2-adrenoceptor antagonists are not specific to any certain subtype (alpha-2A to alpha-2D). As examples of such nonspecific alpha-2-adrenoceptor antagonists can be mentioned rauwolscine, yohimbine, idazoxan, atipamezole and RX821002 (reference 6, Marjamaki et al.).
However, because alpha-2-adrenoceptor subtypes have a discrete pattern of distribution in the brain (2) so that the alpha-2C-adrenoceptor appears to be distributed along the limbic system (a complex brain area related to affections and other mental functions), we made a hypothesis that a behavioural response of a subtype C selective alpha-2-adrenoceptor antagonist would be different from that of a non-subtype selective.

Method for the treatment of mental illness in mammals and a composition therefor


A method for a protocol in digital asset trading includes step as follow. Trading information is exchanged between the first and the second nodes, in which a first digital currency belonging to the first node and a second digital currency belonging to the second node are expected to be exchanged, and prices of the first and second digital currencies are time-dependent. An atomic swap script and a smart contract are generated. A compensation fee to be paid to the second node by the first node is computed. A redeeming or refunding event is performed in response to the atomic swap script and the smart contract with paying the compensation fee to the second node, in which the compensation fee is dependent on the prices of the first and second digital currencies such that is time-dependent.

A blockchain is a peer-to-peer (P2P) electronic ledger which is implemented as a computer-based decentralized and distributed system. In general, a ledger is made up of blocks, which in turn are made up of transactions. Each transaction is a data structure that encodes the transfer of a digital asset or resource between participants in the blockchain system and includes at least one input and output. Each block contains the hash of the previous block, and all of the blocks are chained together to create a permanent blockchain. For a permanent blockchain, from the time of its inception, the transaction records, which have been written to the blockchain, are unalterable.
Blockchains form the bedrock for cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether, XRP, and the likes. For example, one of the features of the BTC blockchain system is the Proof-of-Work (PoW) design. In the PoW design, users have to prove that they have performed work by solving a computational-complex mathematic problem, including verification of a transaction to be added to the blockchain. If the problem is solved, a block is allowed to be added to the blockchain and the verified transaction becomes public record. Correspondingly, the first user who successfully solved the PoW problem is rewarded for the effort with cryptocurrency. This is also referred to as "mining."
Most cryptocurrencies operate without the need for a central authority, which not only reduces the risks of single point of failure, control, and security vulnerability, but also eliminates many of the processing and transaction costs.
Recently, the concept of atomic swap has gained much attentions in the cryptocurrency community. An exchange between the parties is "atomic" in the sense that all parties receive their desired resource (i.e., cryptocurrency token or coin) or no one does. An atomic swap is a proposed feature in cryptocurrencies that allows for exchange of one cryptocurrency for another cryptocurrency (i.e., exchanging between BTC and ETH) without the need for a trusted third party. This is also known as cross chain transaction. In traditional cryptocurrencies, a trusted third party such as a cryptocurrency exchange is necessary to perform a swap of cryptocurrencies of different types in order to prevent one party from sending a currency without receiving a currency in return. An atomic swap system uses a hash time-locked smart contract so that a party must deliver the currency to be swapped within a specified time, or else the transaction will be cancelled.
Since the currency will be swapped within a specific time, there is always a fairness issue that the buyer has the advantage to proceed or abort the swap before the time limit and this is unfair to the seller. Accordingly, there is a need in the art of a new approach for cryptocurrencies exchange that can address this fairness deficiency.

Apparatus and method for providing protocol for digital asset trading

Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited


Optical servo systems and magnetic data storage tape for use with magnetic data storage drives. The servo system utilizes a head mechanism that includes an optical head and a magnetic head. The optical head is adapted to detect a series of optical indicator marks located on a servo track on the tape. The magnetic head is adapted to detect one or a series of magnetic reference indicator marks located on a corresponding data track. The magnetic reference indicator marks are, in one embodiment, spaced periodically along the length of the tape. The magnetic reference indicator marks allow recalibration of the optical servo system by permitting the determination of any dimensional offset between the optical head and the magnetic head attributable to manufacturing tolerances or environmental factors. In one embodiment, a separate temperature sensor may be used to determine thermal changes in and around the head mechanism. Based on the temperature change measured, a special calibration algorithm may be invoked to recalibrate the distance between the optical head and the magnetic head.

The present invention relates to magnetic data storage tape systems. More particularly, the present invention pertains to methods and systems for positioning read/write heads on magnetic data storage tape using magnetic reference indicator marks in connection with optical servo positioning.
Magnetic data storage systems (e.g., disk, tape) which utilize media having magnetic servo tracks are generally known in the art. These systems utilize a magnetic pattern having a fixed relationship to one or more data tracks to servo position a transducing or read/write head over the data track(s). An example of this sort of system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,384 to Albrecht et al., issued Nov. 18, 1997.
Optical servo systems utilizing optical servo tracks provide an alternative to magnetic servo systems. Optical servo systems utilize a series of optical features located relative to the data storage tracks to servo position a magnetic read/write head over the desired data track. Optical servo systems are advantageous over magnetic servo systems in that they can potentially free-up a greater portion of the media surface for magnetic data recording. Examples of optical servo systems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,958,245 issued to Roth et al., and 5,563,864 issued to Kobayashi et al.
Some disk drive systems utilize a magnetic reference on the disk to adjust the position of an optically-servoed read/write head. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,835 to Godwin et al. However, these systems are directed to disk drives.
To provide an optical servo system for use with data storage tape that overcomes these problems, optical servo systems are provided where the tape includes magnetic reference indicator marks. In one embodiment, a method of positioning a magnetic read/write head on a magnetic data storage tape is provided. The method includes a magnetic data storage tape having at least one magnetic data storage track extending along a length of the tape, at least one optical servo pattern distributed along the length of the tape, and at least one magnetic reference indicator mark located along the magnetic data storage track. A head mechanism is also provided where the head mechanism has a magnetic head and an optical head. The method includes moving the magnetic data storage tape relative to the head mechanism in a transducing direction and positioning the magnetic head in a translating direction over a selected magnetic data storage track by detecting a selected optical servo pattern with the optical head. The method further includes detecting a first magnetic reference indicator mark and adjusting the position of the magnetic head over the selected magnetic data storage track based on the first magnetic reference indicator mark.
In another embodiment, a magnetic data storage tape is provided. The tape includes at least one magnetic data storage track extending along a length of the tape, at least one optical servo pattern distributed along the length of the tape; and at least one magnetic reference indicator mark located along the magnetic data storage track.
In still another embodiment, an information handling system is provided having a tape drive with an optical servo system. The optical servo system includes a head mechanism having a magnetic head and an optical head wherein the optical head is adapted to maintain the position of the magnetic head over a data track on a magnetic tape as the magnetic tape moves relative thereto. The magnetic head is adapted to calibrate the head mechanism by reading one or more magnetic reference indicator marks located along the tape. The system also includes an information processing device operatively coupled to the tape drive.
Advantageously, the present invention provides an optical servo system for use with a magnetic tape drive wherein the optical servo system may be recalibrated to correct for dimensional fluctuations of the tape drive components to maintain consistent, accurate positioning of the read/write heads relative to the tape.

Optical servo system for use with magnetic data storage tape having magnetic reference indicators


A security scheme provides security to one or more self-contained operating environment instances executing on a computer. The security scheme may include implementing a set of security applications that may be controlled by a supervisory process, or the like. Both the set of security applications and the supervisory process may operate on a host system of the computer, which may also provide a platform for execution of the one or more self-contained operating environments. The security scheme protects processes running in the one or more self-contained operating environment and processes running on the computer outside of the self-contained operating environments.

When software that has been designed specifically to damage or disrupt a system (e.g., malicious software or "malware") invades a computer system, the integrity of the computer's operating system, and hence the entire computer system, is greatly compromised. While the security concerns and requirements of computer users range widely, given the rise of virus, worm, and Trojan threats, most computer users are concerned with the integrity of their computers' critical infrastructure components such as operating system processes, memory processes, etc.
Some types of malware use the operating system's privileged operations to attack the computer. Such privileged operations typically consist of instructions or sets of instructions that are accessible only by a privileged user or process. For example, when malware is somehow able to access one or more of these privileged operations, this may result in the deletion or corruption of operating system files, the attack of in-memory operating system components, the deletion of user files, and many other harmful possibilities. In some cases, even non-malicious processes may damage a computer system through inadvertent behavior that accesses privileged operations. More generally, almost any process may be able to obtain access to privileged operations by simply assuming the identity of a privileged user.
Normally, operating systems provide an infrastructure for hosting processes and providing system services to those processes. Operating systems typically provide basic security protections—such as enforcing access control and ownership rights over system resources. For example, in normal operating system environments, protective security services such as host firewall, vulnerability assessment, patch detection, behavioral blocking, host or network intrusion detection, and antivirus technologies are all run as native applications in the operating system. Despite these measures, the operating system is sometimes unable to accurately determine whether it has been attacked. Specifically, once a piece of malicious code or other malware attacks a computer system and gains sufficient control (e.g., administrator-level access), all further attempts by the operating system to determine whether it is under attack are no longer trustworthy because the mechanisms for such attempts may also be corrupted. This is because the malicious code could effectively modify any of the in-memory or on-disk structures used by the operating system or the applications used to protect it.
One approach to protecting a computer system and its operating system involves installing a set of security applications such as antivirus software, personal firewalls, and intrusion detection systems. In systems with multiple computer systems, such as a computer network or a cluster of computer systems deployed in an array, each individual computer system runs its own set of security applications. This is because each computer system in the network or array is a physically separate entity with its own network attachment, its own central processing unit(s), its own instance of an operating system, etc. While such security applications may be installed on each computer system to prevent the computer system and its operating system from being compromised, such security applications may too fail to protect the computer system because, just like any of the other applications running on the computer system, they are also vulnerable to attack.
In another approach to protecting a computer system and its operating system, aspects of the computer system, such as the memory, are protected by isolating aspects of the computer system.

Computer security management, such as in a virtual machine or hardened operating system


Methods and apparatuses are presented for conducting communications over a shared communication medium, involving (a) sending a request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include (i) a request signal space including request segments each having a different location within the request signal space and (ii) a scheduled transmission signal space including scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment, (b) obtaining an assignment, in a first tier of assignments, associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment, (c) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request, and (d) the plurality of scheduled transmission segments including at least one default use segment available for use by a default entity if the at least one default use segment is not assigned in the first tier of assignments.

In many applications, a communication medium is shared among a number of nodes. The nodes compete with one another for access to the shared communication medium. At any given moment, there may be more than one of the nodes that wish to transmit data over the shared communication medium. A system is typically put in place to facilitate access to the shared communication medium by the various nodes. Various categories of such multiple access systems have been developed.
One category of multiple access systems utilizes contention protocols. Examples of these contention protocols include the ALOHA protocol and the slotted ALOHA protocol, which are known in the art. Here, each node is allowed to freely transmit its data over the shared communication medium at any time or any slotted time. In a system employing a hub, each node sends its transmission to the hub, which then broadcasts the transmission to all nodes. In a system without a hub, each node directly broadcasts its transmission to all nodes. In either case, every node listens to the channel for its own transmission and attempts to receive it. If a node is unsuccessful in receiving its own transmission, the node can assume that its transmission was involved in a collision with another transmission, and the node simply re-transmits its data after waiting a random amount of time. In this manner, collisions are allowed to occur but are resolved by the nodes.
Another category of multiple access systems utilizes carrier sense protocols. Examples include persistent carrier sense multiple access (persistent CSMA) and non-persistent carrier sense multiple access (non-persistent CSMA) protocols, which are known in the art. Generally speaking, these protocols require each node to listen to the shared communication medium before transmitting. Only if the shared communication medium is available is the node allowed to transmit its data. In persistent CSMA, when a node senses that the shared communication medium is not available, the node continually listens to the shared communication medium and attempts to transmit as soon as the medium becomes available. In non-persistent CSMA, when a node senses that the shared communication medium is not available, the node waits an amount of time before attempting to listen to the shared communication channel for an opportunity to transmit. Even though a node listens first before transmitting, there still exists a probability for collisions. This is because when the medium is available, two or more nodes can detect the availability and decide that they are going to transmit data. Various techniques have been developed to handle such collisions.
Yet another category of multiple access systems utilizes contention free protocols. Here, each node can reserve the shared communication medium in order to transmit data. The node can transmit data without colliding with transmissions from other nodes. This is because the shared communication medium is reserved, for a particular time duration for example, for the node's transmission and not for any other transmission. A significant advantage of contention free protocols is that the communication medium is not taken up by unsuccessful transmissions that collide with one another and resulting re-transmission attempts. This can lead to a more efficient use of the shared communication medium, especially as the number of nodes and number of data transmissions increase.
However, contention free protocols require a reservation process that allows nodes to reserve use of the shared communication medium. Making such reservations also requires communications. If the reservation process itself occupies too much of the shared communication medium, performance of the system can be negatively impacted. Thus, to take full advantage of the benefits of contention free multiple access, more efficient systems for reservation of the shared communication medium are needed.

Default assignment of scheduled transmissions


In a virtual network computing (VNC) system wherein multiple users, or viewers, at different locations share a common desktop computer for the purpose of sharing control of software applications, the VNCSESSION owner exercises dynamic Internet protocol (IP)-based control over access of the viewers to the server associated with the shared desktop. The VNCSESSION owner is defined as the user who initiates the server and the first viewer to connect to the desktop. The session owner is given full access to the desktop, i.e., active access permitting the viewer to exercise control over the application. For the remaining connected viewers, only VNCVIEWERS having their IP address present in a VNC security file containing authorized IP addresses can initiate activity on the desktop, or exercise control over the application. All other connected viewers may only review desktop activity initiated by other viewers, but cannot initiate such activity themselves, i.e., cannot exercise control over the application. The session owner can dynamically specify, on a per viewer basis as well as on a per session basis, the level of access, passive or active, of each subsequent viewer. The status of each viewer, the number of viewers connected to the desktop from a given IP address, and active/passive selectors for all connected viewers are presented on a video display for review by the session owner.

Virtual network computing (VNC) enables multiple users at different locations to share a common desktop computer for the purpose of sharing control of software applications. VNC allows two users at different locations to view the same desktop and exercise control over the software applications that were started in the shared desktop. Within the shared desktop, each user is able to observe the mouse and keyboard actions of all other participating users as changes are made to the software application. VNC has proven to be a useful tool during design/debug sessions where each participant brings his or her own expertise to the debug process. For example, one participant may bring to the session hardware simulation expertise, while another participant may contribute software expertise in debugging a software application. VNC is also useful in updating documentation created by multiple authors. Each author, while at his or her own work station, can update the same document, while reviewing the updates of other contributing authors. The ability to share a desktop at remote locations is thus extremely useful and efficient in the development of software applications in terms of saving time, money and travel, as the participating users do not have to be physically present at one location to share the desktop computer.
In general, VNC employs two components: a server and a viewer. The server runs on a host machine which includes a desktop and is started by a user located at the host machine. A viewer uses a remote machine, with a viewer session started by a user at the remote machine. The user that initially starts the server is the server owner. All activity in the desktop is done using the computer ID of the server owner. Viewers that subsequently connect into the session are provided active access. All active viewers have the same control over applications within a given server and are run under the computer ID of the server owner.
A server owner must be alert to the activities of the other viewers participating in the shared desktop. Because all active viewers can start, stop and control software applications as if these inputs originated with the server owner, it is highly desirable to exercise security measures to protect the applications from unauthorized operations of other viewers. While current VNC versions allow multiple users to share a desktop, none protect a server owner from unauthorized users exploiting the desktop's server when their activities are not being observed by the server owner.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by allowing the server owner of a VNC arrangement to dynamically assign each VNC viewer either passive status wherein the viewer may only observe the desktop activities of other viewers or active status wherein the viewer may exercise control over a software application.

Method of controlling access for software development via a virtual common desktop with plural viewers


A leveling tool configured to be releasably attached to a pipe includes a level carried by a main body and a pair of first and second articulating arms extending from the main body. One or more magnets are carried by the arms. Each of the first and second arms is configured articulate so as wrap at least part way around a pipe. The first and second magnets are configured to releasably attach the first and second arms to the pipe.

Pipes, such as conduit for electrical wiring, often need to be bent in multiple locations. Sometimes, when the pipe is bent, all the sections of the pipe must be co-planar. For example, electrical conduit may need to be bent at two or more locations to form an offset, saddle, or other shape, and still be able to lay flat against a wall or ceiling. However, pipe bending machines used to make these pipe bends typically do not have a guide that would help the operator ensure that all of the bends are oriented such that the pipe sections are co-planar. In order to accomplish this, a leveling tool can be used to help the operator ensure that the pipe sections are co-planar. FIG. 1 shows a known conduit offset leveling tool 10 that is designed to be attached to a conduit to help the operator ensure that bends in the conduit are oriented so that the conduit sections are co-planar after being bent. The leveling tool 10 includes a bubble level 12 and a pair of spaced apart arms 14 that can receive the end of a conduit sidewall. A clamp screw 16 through one of the arms is used to secure the leveling tool 10 to the conduit sidewall by clamping the conduit between the set screw and the opposing arm.


An abrasive composition which can realize chemical-mechanical polishing superior in polishing speed and polishing uniformity.. The abrasive composition comprises abrasive grains, isopropyl alcohol, and water. Grain sizes of the abrasive grains are preferably 30 to 250 nm, and the abrasive grains are preferably SiO.sub.2. Further, it is preferable that contents of the abrasive grains and isopropyl alcohol are 5 to 30 wt % and 1 to 15 wt %, respectively. The abrasive composition of the present invention is characterized in that it is deaerated.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to an abrasive composition, and in particular to an abrasive composition used in chemical-mechanical polishing for a semiconductor surface in a semiconductor manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Related Art.
Recently, semiconductor devices have been improved very rapidly in their level of integration and structural fineness. To obtain high resolution in a photolithography process, demagnification optical exposure is employed in the main stream of the art, its resolution limit r and depth of focus DOF being shown in the following equations (1) and (2). EQU r=k.sub.1 -.lambda./NA (1) EQU DOF=K.sub.2 .multidot..lambda./NA.sup.2 ( 2)
As seen from the equations, when an optical system having a larger numerical aperture NA is used to increase a resolution limit r, depth of focus DOC becomes decreased, thus lowering the focus margin of the process.
On the other hand, structures of semiconductor devices became more complicated, accompanying advancement of multilayered wiring techniques. When wiring is multilayered, irregularity is increased more in a pattern in an upper layer of a semiconductor device, and/or defect such as disconnection of the wire is liable to occur because of deficiency of step coverage. Further, an optical system with large NA has difficulty in forming an entire image of a pattern.
Accordingly, planarization of inter layer insulating film has been studied, and in particular, chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) has been noted because it can planarize wider areas and is researched vigorously.
In conventional chemical-mechanical polishing, planarization polishing of inter layer insulating film is performed with an abrasive composition consisting of silica dispersed in water, and employing an apparatus such as shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, 601 refers to a wafer, which is mounted on a wafer support 602 which turns on its axis, revolves, and swings left, right, back and forth, with the wafer's surface to be polished being directed downward. A reference number 603 refers to an abrasive composition supply pipe for dropping an abrasive composition. By 604, is referred to a polishing pad mounted on a rotating pad support 605.
The abrasive composition is dropped onto the polishing pad 604 through the supply pipe 603. Relative movement between the wafer 601 and the pad 604 makes the dropped abrasive composition enter between the wafer 601 and the pad 604, thus the inter layer insulating film of the wafer 601 is polished by sliding on and being rubbed by the pad 604.
According to this conventional polishing method, however, it is difficult to supply the abrasive on a wafer surface entirely and uniformly, and its polishing uniformity is poor.
As a method to solve the problem, there has been studied a method in which holes are provided in a polishing pad and an abrasive composition is supplied through those holes, which increased uniformity in supplying an abrasive composition onto a wafer surface. However, the obtained uniformity in polishing is not sufficient, and its reproducibility is poor.
The present inventor has studied the cause of low polishing uniformity from both the viewpoint of polishing methods and abrasive compositions, to find that polishing uniformity is greatly affected by composition of an abrasive composition and static electrification properties of a polishing pad and the abrasive composition. The present invention has been completed, based on those findings.

Kabushiki Kaisha Ultraclean Technology Research Institute


A laser processing apparatus is provided including: a laser generator generating a light beam; a branching means for branching out the light beam to a plurality of beams arranged at equal intervals; a shifting means for shifting the plurality of beams at a pitch equal to a multiple of natural number of the arranged intervals relatively over a target; and a control means for controlling the intensity of the beam synchronously with the shifting pitch of the plurality of beams.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to laser processing technology, and particularly to laser processing technology which excels in mass production.
2. Related Art
As processing techniques of removing a film formed on a substrate or perforating a substrate, there is employed a method of applying a plurality of beams on one point with a target in a stationary condition. However, in such a method, since processing is performed to each point, in a case where there are a great number of points to be processed, shifting and stopping (acceleration and reduction of speed) of the target is repeated per point to be processed, an enormous period of time is required for processing.
On the other hand, there is a method whereby a light beam emitted from a laser generator is branched out to a plurality of light beams to shorten the processing time. Yet, there is a limit to the number of points branched toward due to an output limit of the laser generator. Hence, in the case of a substantial number of points to be processed, no appreciable effect is obtained. There is also a case of scattering due to branching.
To solve such output problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-263876 employs two units of the laser generator in an overlapping manner for increasing laser intensity. Nevertheless, when using a plurality of laser generators in this manner, it is difficult to carry out adjustments to correct slippage of optical axes of the laser generators.
Further, it is conceivable to use a plurality of units of laser generators, without branching the light beam, such that one beam may be generated per laser generator. In this case, it is difficult to carry out adjustments and maintenance of pitch accuracy among the beams.
Still further, use of a plurality of laser generators increases equipment cost, thus leading to a rise in the processing cost of a product.
On the other hand, in the case of using the photolithographic process through mask projection, the time for processing is long and cost is high, hence, it is not suitable for processing large-sized substrates.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide laser-processing technology which excels in mass production.

Laser processing apparatus and laser processing method


Disclosed is a method for the injection molding of a resin to produce a shaped resin article having a thick portion biasedly, wherein an excess filling of the cavity of a mold is effected to form a molten resin mass having opposite, first and second surfaces respectively facing opposite, first and second inner walls of the mold cavity, the mold having a specific structure in which a gas-release passage is formed in association with the mold cavity and with a mating surface of the mold, which gas-release passage has an inner opening in an inner wall surface of the mold cavity and communicates with the outside of the mold, and a pressurized gas is introduced into the mold cavity on a side of the first surface of the molten resin mass, thereby forming a closed space which is filled with the pressurized gas and separated from the gas-release passage through the molten resin mass, so that the pressurized gas filled in the closed space urges the second surface of the molten resin mass to be pressed against the second inner wall of the mold cavity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the injection molding of a resin. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a method for the injection molding of a resin to produce a shaped resin article having a thick portion biasedly and having an improved surface finish. In the method of the present invention, an excess filling of the cavity of a mold is effected to form a molten resin mass having opposite, first and second surfaces respectively facing opposite, first and second inner walls of the mold cavity, the mold having a specific structure in which a gas-release passage is formed in association with the mold cavity and with a mating surface of the mold, wherein the gas-release passage has an inner opening in an inner wall surface of the mold cavity and communicates with the outside of the mold, and a pressurized gas is introduced into the mold cavity on a side of the first surface of the molten resin mass, thereby forming a closed space which is filled with the pressurized gas and separated from the gas-release passage through the molten resin mass, so that the pressurized gas filled in the closed space urges the second surface of the molten resin mass to be pressed against the second inner wall of the mold cavity. The injection molding method of the present invention is advantageous not only in that the occurrence of a sink mark on a front surface of a shaped resin article can be prevented without causing the problem of the occurrence of burrs (flashes) thereon, but also in that there is no need for use of a completely gas-tightly sealed mold which requires a high equipment cost and a high maintenance cost, and that an injection molding can be performed with a relatively low excess-filling ratio, as compared to the conventional excess-filling injection molding method.
2. Prior Art
It is widely known that when a shaped resin article which has a relatively large thickness or has a locally protruded portion on a back surface thereof is produced by injection molding a molten resin, a dent, i.e., the so-called "sink mark", is likely to occur on a front surface of the shaped resin article in accordance with the volume shrinkage of the molten resin during the cooling thereof. For preventing the occurrence of a sink mark on a front surface of a shaped resin article, a method has conventionally been known, wherein when an injection pressure is applied, an increased level of pressure is used, and, after the injection, the application of pressure is continued while cooling the injected molten resin (this method is hereinafter referred to as "resin pressure method".). In this resin pressure method, the applied injection pressure is generally in the range from 50 to 200 MPa in terms of the maximum resin pressure in the mold cavity.
However, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 50-75247, the above-mentioned resin pressure method has problems. For example, it is difficult to appropriately apply pressures in two stages so as to achieve the effects aimed at by the resin pressure method, so that the molding operation tends to become cumbersome and time-consuming. Furthermore, in the resin pressure method, the shaped resin articles produced are likely to have burrs formed along a parting line of the mold. Therefore, the removal of the burrs is necessary, thereby inevitably causing a problem such that additional work or steps are necessary in a molding operation. On the other hand, when a relatively low pressure is employed in the resin pressure method in order to prevent the occurrence of burrs, sink marks are likely to occur at a portion of a shaped resin article, which is positioned away from a gate in a mold cavity, that is, at a portion on which a satisfactory resin pressure cannot be obtained.
For solving the problems of the resin pressure method, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 50-75247 proposes a gas-assisted injection molding method in which a mold is used which comprises a fixed mold half and a movable mold half with its inner wall having a core protruding therefrom toward the inner wall of the fixed mold half, so that a concave mold cavity defined by the fixed mold half and the movable mold half having the core portion is provided. The core has a hole extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof, and the hole has a poppet valve disposed at the top thereof. In this method, after a molten resin has been injected into a mold cavity, the poppet valve is operated to push up the molten resin mass, so that a space is produced between the core and the inner surface of the concave molten resin mass formed in the concave mold cavity, and then a pressurized gas is injected through the poppet valve into the above-mentioned space, thereby pressing the outer surface of the molten resin mass against the cavity inner wall remote from the core. This gas-assisted injection molding method is intended to prevent the occurrence of sink marks by using a pressurized gas, instead of using the two-stage application of pressure as in the above-mentioned resin pressure method which, as described above, is likely to be unfavorably accompanied by the occurrence of burrs along a parting line of a mold cavity. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 50-75247, there is no description about the amount of molten resin to be injected.
International Patent Application Publication No. WO 90/06220 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,707 and EP No. 400135 ) discloses a gas-assisted injection molding method in which a molten resin is injected into the mold cavity in a volume smaller than the volume of the mold cavity, specifically in a volume of 90% to 95% of the volume of the mold cavity, and then a pressurized gas is introduced into the remaining space in the cavity. However, a gap is likely to be formed between the inner wall (remote from the side of the gas introduction) of the mold cavity and the molten resin injected into the mold cavity. Hence, the gas intrudes into the gap, causing the occurrence of sink marks.
Further, the gas which had intruded into the gap is likely to escape from the mold cavity through a parting line of the mold cavity, so that the effect of the pressurized gas becomes insufficient to prevent the occurrence of sink marks.
As is apparent from the above, in the conventional gas-assisted injection molding methods, for preventing the occurrence of burrs and for assuring a space in a mold cavity into which a pressurized gas is to be introduced, a molten resin is injected into a mold cavity in a volume equal to or smaller than the volume of the mold cavity.
International Patent Application Publication No. WO 93/14918 discloses the use of a mold having a sealed construction in which not only a parting line between a movable mold half and a fixed mold half, but also a space between an ejector pin and an inner wall of an ejector pin slide hole provided in the movable mold half, is sealed. In addition, this patent document teaches that a weir formed of a protrusion (such as a protrusion having a triangular cross-section) is provided around a portion of the inner wall of a mold cavity on which it is intended to receive a gas pressure, so that a gas pressure can be effectively applied to a desired portion of an injected molten resin for preventing the occurrence of a sink mark.
However, with the use of the mold having a sealed construction, it is impossible to prevent an unfavorable intrusion of a pressurized gas into a portion of the mold cavity on a side of the surface of an injected molten resin mass which surface should be pressed against a cavity inner wall facing it. Therefore, close contact between the above-mentioned surface of the molten resin mass and the cavity inner wall facing it cannot be achieved, resulting in an unsatisfactory surface finish of the resultant shaped resin article. In addition, since a weir is provided on the inner wall of the mold cavity, the freedom of design of a shaped article to be produced is inevitably limited. Further, it is noted that in International Patent Application Publication No. WO 93/14918, it is described that the mold cavity is filled or nearly filled with a molten resin.
International Patent Application Publication No. WO 96/02379 discloses a method for the non-resin fluid-assisted injection molding of a resin to produce a shaped resin article, wherein an excess filling of a mold cavity of a sealed mold with a molten resin is effected in a specific excess filling ratio [corresponding to an excess ratio of a resin by an amount corresponding to 30 to 90% of a difference between the volume of the mold cavity and a volume exhibited by the resin in accordance with a shrinkage thereof when the molten resin filled in the mold cavity is cooled to room temperature], to thereby form a molten resin mass having opposite, first and second surfaces respectively facing opposite inner walls of the mold cavity, and a pressurized non-resin fluid is subsequently introduced into the mold cavity on a side of the first surface of the molten resin mass to thereby press the second surface of the molten resin mass against the cavity inner wall remote from the side of the introduction of the non-resin fluid. However, in this technique, it is requisite to use a mold having a tightly sealed construction, so that it becomes necessary to provide a sealed chamber in the mold to thereby seal a space between an ejector pin and an inner wall of an ejector pin slide hole provided in a movable mold half. Therefore, this technique has problems such that a mold having a complicated structure is required, and that for expelling the air or the gas out of the mold to transfer the air or the gas into the sealed chamber, it is necessary to inject a resin into the mold cavity in a relatively large excess amount or to inject a resin under high pressure.
With respect to the above-mentioned conventional molding methods using a pressurized gas (or non-resin fluid), there have been a tendency that the amount of the gas introduced into the mold cavity is controlled to be as small as possible, so as to render efficient the operation of the introduction of the gas, and a tendency that a mold having a tightly sealed construction is used, so as to prevent the escape of the gas from the mold cavity.
Recently, large-size shaped articles, such as automobile parts and casings of home electric appliances, have been in increasing demand. In order that the production cost may be reduced by rendering it unnecessary to conduct finishing works, such as painting and plating, it has been desired to produce a shaped resin article having an excellent surface finish, in which a sink mark is suppressed to a visually unnoticeable level and which exhibits excellent and uniform gloss and luster.
However, as described hereinabove, in the conventional injection molding methods, when a shaped resin article to be produced has a locally protruded portion on a back surface thereof at which the article has an increased thickness, the occurrence of a sink mark defect on a front surface thereof at a portion corresponding to the locally protruded portion cannot be satisfactorily suppressed without causing the problem of the occurrence of burrs.

Method for the injection molding of a resin


A flat panel display apparatus including a transparent bezel including a floor part and a sidewall part protruding from the floor part and being capable of transmitting ultraviolet (UV) light, a display panel including a first substrate located on the bezel and having a display unit on one surface thereof and a second substrate facing the first substrate, a transparent window on the bezel, and a resin layer between the second substrate and the transparent window and between the first substrate and the bezel.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a flat panel display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, flat panel display devices may be classified into an emissive type and a non-emissive type. The emissive type display devices may include, for example, flat cathode ray tubes, plasma display panels (PDPs), and electroluminescent devices. The non-emissive type display devices may include liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Here, the electroluminescent devices have wide viewing angles, excellent contrast, and rapid response speed, and have thus been recently in the spotlight as a next generation display device. Such an electroluminescent device may be an inorganic electroluminescent device or an organic electroluminescent device as determined by materials used for forming an emission layer.
The organic electroluminescent device is a self-luminous display that electrically excites fluorescent organic compounds, emits light, and has been highlighted as a next generation display device that may be driven with low voltage, may be easily made relatively thin, has a wide viewing angle, and has rapid response speed.
The organic electroluminescent device includes an emission layer that is formed of an organic material and is interposed between an anode and a cathode. As an anode voltage and a cathode voltage are respectively applied to the anode and the cathode, holes injected from the anode move to the emission layer through a hole transport layer, and electrons move from the cathode to the emission layer through an electron transport layer, so that the holes and the electrons recombine in the emission layer to form excitons. The exciton in an excited state transition a ground state so that fluorescent molecules of the emission layer radiate, thereby forming an image (e.g., emitting light). In a full-color type organic electroluminescent device, pixels that emit red R, green G, and blue B color are included to realize full color.
An organic light emitting display apparatus generally includes a display panel including an organic electroluminescent device, a housing in which the display panel is accommodated, and a printed circuit board (PCB) electrically coupled to the display panel through a flexible printed circuit (FPC).
The related art described above has been provided to introduce the present invention or has been learned during the introduction of the present invention, and is not necessarily well-known art that was published prior to the filing of the present application.


Techniques for automatically prompting a calling user to send a message to a called user, the calling user using a calling device and the called user using a called device, the method including receiving, at a processor in the calling device, an indication that a call from the calling device to the called device has disconnected, determining, at the processor in the calling device, whether the call connected before receiving the indication that the call has disconnected, and in response to determining that the call did not connect before receiving the indication that the call has disconnected, determining that the call was a missed call.

Many people today make and receive phone calls on mobile devices that also have messaging capabilities. Often, when a first person calls a second person, the second person will not answer the phone because the second user is busy and/or wants to ignore the caller. While a caller or callee can send a follow up written message such as a text or e-mail to the other party, doing so can be time consuming because it requires multiple steps including creating a new message, typing the message, and sending the message.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A portable evaporative cooling system includes a fan for generating a path of air, a water pump for dispersing water in the path of air generated by the fan, and a water cooler for storing the water. The water cooler has an opening to permit the water pump to draw water therefrom. Support structure supports the fan and water pump and is sized and dimensioned to cooperatively engage the water cooler. The pump pumps the liquid from the cooler in a substantially non-pulsating manner, thereby providing a substantially continuous misting.

Evaporative coolers are used in a variety of settings including factories, warehouses, workshops and agricultural structures, as well as automobiles, homes, offices, trailers and at the sidelines of sporting events. Evaporative cooling improves workplace productivity by keeping workers cool in the workplace which, in turn, reduces heat-related illness and employee turn-over, particularly in the summer months and/or in hotter climates. It also improves performance of sports players by keeping players cool or preventing heat exhaustion in sports that demand extended periods of physical exertion.
Evaporative coolers require minimal parts and are relatively simple to manufacture and maintain, making them an attractive alternative to conventional air conditioning and mechanical refrigeration systems. Because of their simple construction, the cost of acquiring and operating evaporative coolers is considerably lower than that of conventional air conditioning systems. Moreover, evaporative coolers are especially useful in outside environments, whether open, such as an athletic field, or enclosed, for example, a factory or the like, whereas refrigeration systems in such environments are comparatively inefficient, if not impractical. Evaporative coolers are also economical since they use minimal amounts of energy and environmentally safe since they have no CFCs or HCFCs.
The versatility and other advantages of evaporative coolers have caused manufacturers to explore ways of making them more attractive to a wider range of consumers. One way of doing this is by making evaporative coolers more portable. Heretofore, attempts at improving portability have included, for example, reducing the size of and combining the components of the evaporative cooler into a smaller and more compact system. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,620, which is illustrative of a typical portable evaporative cooler. Other attempts have included self-containing certain portions of the evaporative cooler, for example, by providing a water source that is remote from, or a separate component of, the evaporative cooler.
Yet another attempt to provide a portable evaporative cooling system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,371 entitled, "Method and Apparatus for Misting Vehicle Occupants." The '371 patent integrates an evaporative cooling system into a golf cart having the fluid reservoir and other components integrated within the golf cart body. A disadvantage of the system disclosed in the '371 patent is the use of an accumulator system and accompanying solenoid valve. The accumulator is a device which traps air to store energy for supplying water under a substantially constant pressure. The accumulator therefore is implemented to reduce the pulsing of fluid to the mist nozzles caused by the pump. The inclusion of an accumulator and accompanying solenoid further increases the cost and complexity of the system and provides a potential reliability problem since the accumulator reservoir is often an inflatable diaphragm which may puncture or leak during the rugged operation of the golf cart. Alternatively, the accumulator reservoir is a rigid tank which disadvantageously increases the size of the system, making it difficult to incorporate the system into various types or vehicles or applications.


Methods of identifying potential ligands for macromolecular targets are disclosed herein. The methods comprise providing models of three dimensional structural information for ligands or a ligand:macromolecule complex, mapping spatial relationships between the models, and identifying one or more pairs of matching bonds. Databases and apparatuses are also provided.

Our understanding of the relationship between the molecular structure of macromolecules and their biological function is constantly increasing. Advances in molecular biology have made the processes of isolating and characterizing macromolecules more routine. These advances have been accompanied by advances in techniques to solve, analyze, and predict the three-dimensional structures of macromolecules using X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, cryoelectron microscopy, and computational means (Drenth, J., Principles of Protein X-ray Crystallography 1999, Wiley, New York; Siegal et al., Curr Opin Chem Biol. 3(5):530-6, 1999; Kuhlbrandt and Williams, Curr Opin Chem Biol. 3(5):537-43, 1999; Burley et al., Nat Genet. 23(2):151-7, 1999; Uson and Sheldrick, Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2(5):643-8, 1999; Skolnick and Fetrow, Trends Biotechnol. 18(1):34-9, 2000; Gohlke and Klebe, Angew Chem Int Ed. 41:2644-2676, 2002). Also, the massive amounts of information produced by genome-sequencing projects is adding to the pool of molecules available for structural comparison.
This abundance of data can be applied to the design of ligands, provided that efficient methods of manipulating the data are developed and refined.


A device for reducing the emission of carbon particles from combustion of hydrocarbons, more particularly in exhaust emission of vehicles, includes a duality of electrically conducting rotating members with opposite polarities, charged with high voltage to create a corona discharge and agglomerate the ionized carbon particles. The carbon particles are cleaned using a plurality of wipers. The agglomerated carbon particles are then separated in a removable collection box or are optionally fed to a cyclone filter to be disposed. Various embodiments may be installed in existing vehicles as well as in open source pollution locations to helps control air pollution.

It is well known that pollution caused by particulate carbon, (also referred to as soot), has reached alarming levels in India. It is extremely dangerous when inhaled and is a health hazard since the extent of damage depends on the size of the particulate matter. While particles of size 10 microns or more are typically captured in the lung tissue and result in respiratory diseases such as asthma, very small particles (those in the nanometer size range) are capable of passing through the lungs and into the blood and cell membranes, where they are said to cause diseases such as atherosclerosis, heart disease. Several organic compounds when adsorbed onto the surface of particulate carbon are also carcinogenic. A 2015 report by the Greenpeace said the official data showed that pollution levels in many Indian cities, including Delhi, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Patna, Agra and Kanpur exceed famously toxic levels as compared to global counterparts such as Beijing and other Chinese cities.
Most Tier 1 and Tier 2 Indian cities have Particulate Matter (particles with a diameter<10 μm) or PM10 μg/m3 and Particulate Matter (particles with a diameter<2.5 μm) or PM2.5 μg/m3 levels that far exceed the prescribed norms as per WHO guidelines. The recent rule regarding odd-even vehicles on alternate days in Delhi was an attempt to address this unmet need of controlling air pollution by exhaust from vehicles.
Sometimes two-stroke scooters and mopeds are a significant source of vehicular pollution and many a times they emit more air contaminants than cars and trucks, in many cities. Apart from vehicular gaseous emissions, there are other sources of air pollution as well such as Diesel Generation sets, industries, open burning of wastes and dried harvest remains, and other sources of combustion of hydrocarbons. All these contribute to high levels of carbonaceous particulate matter in the atmosphere which is a health hazard.
One of the commonly used prior art methods involves installation of particle filters into the exhaust gas duct. However due to depositing process, the filter tends to become increasingly clogged over time which leads to a significant increase of the exhaust back pressure (filter backpressure).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,555 titled "Process for reducing carbon particles in exhaust gas flows" teaches a plasma process for continuous removal of carbon particles in exhaust gases flows. The invention consists of the direct oxidative conversion of carbon particles in the oxygenous medium of a free exhaust gas flow in a high-frequency induced stationary plasma zone. With respect to the technical applicability of the process for exhaust gas systems, typical high-pressure plasmas are required. This invention is costly and not practically feasible since it cannot be directly coupled to the vehicle as an add-on device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,147 discloses a method and system for removing particulates from internal combustion exhaust gases. The system includes a first gas conduit which connects with an engine exhaust pipe and which communicates with a series of trap chambers containing means for filtering or trapping particulate matter present in the exhaust gas with means for heating gas passing through various conduits so as to oxidize the carbon particles. This method also is not easy to implement practically since it involves additional changes in design and increases the operating costs for heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,771,600 titled "Electrostatic filter and non-thermal plasma system for air pollution control of hydrocarbon combustion engines" discloses an air pollution control apparatus for cleaning exhaust gases from motor vehicles using both electrostatic precipitation and a non-thermal plasma gases. The air pollution control apparatus is configured as two pass system whereas each pass is designed as multistage horizontal plate type electrostatic precipitator and uses a direct current, consistent voltage followed by a spiked voltage, non-thermal plasma generation for the production of free radicals to oxidize toxic gases, and with the addition of a diesel oxidation catalyst to transform harmful molecular compounds in the exhaust gas into safe gases. This invention is also associated with high capital and operating costs and is not easy to implement.
Another known method in prior art uses chemical scrubbing to eliminate carbon particles in the gaseous emission.
Known prior art is associated with the problems of higher operating costs and involve high voltage power supply, consumables, chemicals and spares. Also they require to be either cleaned or replaced at regular intervals. The present invention overcomes these drawbacks.


Disclosed herein is a display device, including: a display unit configured to display images each corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of shutter mechanisms that carry out opening and closing operation at timings different from each other, in such a manner as to switch the images in a time-division manner; and a shutter controller configured to set a respective one of the shutter mechanisms to an opened state in a display period of the image corresponding to the respective one of the shutter mechanisms, and variably control at least one of start time and length of an opened-state period of the shutter mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display system employing shutter eyeglasses and a display device suitable to be used in such a system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an active-matrix liquid crystal display (LCD) device in which a thin film transistor (TFT) is provided for each pixel is frequently used as the display of flat-screen televisions and portable terminal devices. In such a liquid crystal display device, generally the respective pixels are driven by line-sequential writing of the video signal in the direction from the screen upper part toward the lower part.
In the liquid crystal display device, depending on the use purpose thereof, driving in which the one-frame period is multiple-divided and a different image is displayed on each divided time basis (hereinafter, referred to as the time-division driving) is carried out. Examples of the liquid crystal display device based on such a time-division driving system include a liquid crystal display device based on the field sequential system and a stereoscopic display system employing shutter eyeglasses (refer to e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-4451 (hereinafter, Patent Document 1)).
In the stereoscopic display system employing shutter eyeglasses, the one-frame period is divided into two periods, and two images having parallax therebetween are displayed as a left-eye image and a right-eye image in such a manner as to be alternately switched. Furthermore, shutter eyeglasses that carry out opening and closing operation in synchronization with this display switching are used. The shutter eyeglasses are so controlled that the left eye side is opened (the right eye side is closed) during the display period of the left-eye image whereas the right eye side is opened (the left eye side is closed) during the display period of the right-eye image. The viewer wearing such shutter eyeglasses views the displayed images, which realizes stereoscopic vision.


An automatic vehicle cleaning system in which a spray bar is mounted on a trolley which moves on an overhead track around a vehicle stopped at a cleaning location. Rotating spray nozzles are mounted on the spray bar to spray the top and sides of the vehicle as the trolley advances around the vehicle. An indexing mechanism is provided for adjusting the spacing between the sides of the vehicle and the nozzles which spray the sides for accommodating different size vehicles with optimal cleaning efficiency. The spray bar may be indexed to any of four positions using two different length pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders connected end to end.

Self serve car wash systems may be designed either for manual operation by manually moving a wand to first direct a high pressure spray of a detergent solution over the vehicle and then to direct a rinse spray of water over the vehicle, or the systems may be designed to automatically spray the vehicle with detergent and rinse water. Attention is directed to the automatic car wash system shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,908 to Bernardi, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein. In that system, a vehicle is positioned under a generally rectangular overhead track which is larger than the plan dimensions of the vehicle. A motor drives a trolley along the track to move the trolley around the vehicle. As the trolley moves around the vehicle, a plurality of arms mounted on the trolley are rotated above the vehicle about a vertical axis. Nozzles on the rotating arms direct a high pressure spray at the top surfaces of the vehicle. A Second plurality of arms mounted on the trolley are rotated next to the side of the vehicle about a horizontal axis. Nozzles on the rotating second arms direct a high pressure spray at the sides of the vehicle. The trolley may be advanced around the vehicle four times during a cleaning cycle. During the first pass around the vehicle, a pre-soak detergent is applied to the vehicle at a relatively low pressure. During the second pass around the vehicle, detergent is directed at the vehicle surfaces at a high pressure. The revolving nozzles and the high fluid pressure produce a maximum impact to loosen dirt and film. During the third pass around the vehicle, a foamed wax may be applied to help break down the detergent and suspended soil on the vehicle. During the fourth pass around the vehicle, a high pressure clear water rinse is directed at the vehicle to remove all of the emulsified soils suspended during the previous steps. In areas which produce high dissolved solids, an optional fifth pass may be used to provide a spot free rinse for the vehicle.
Systems of the above described type provide a high quality cleaning. However, the quality of the cleaning will decrease as the spacing from the high pressure rotating nozzles to the vehicle surfaces increases. In particular, the cleaning efficiency on the sides of the vehicle will diminish with increase in the nozzle to vehicle surface spacing. A channel or track is formed at the floor on the drivers side of the vehicle under the overhead track. This channel guides the drivers side vehicle wheels to position the vehicle under the overhead track. A detector is mounted on the floor track for indicating when the drivers side front wheel is properly positioned with the vehicle under the overhead track. The width of the overhead track must be sized to accept the largest sized vehicles to be cleaned by the system. Consequently, for smaller vehicles, the rotating side cleaning nozzles can have an undesirably large spacing from the vehicle side and rear furthest from the wheel which is used to position the vehicle in the cleaning station.


The film scanner of the present invention basically comprises an image capture module, a media holder, and a screw drive. The image capture module comprises a pressure guide, a reflector, a lens, and an image sensor. A pressure guide with a window through which an image of the media is captured by the image sensor, and the reflector, lens, and the image sensor are all mounted in the same housing to remain in a fixed position relative to each other. In order to maintain good contact between the media holder and the pressure guide, an arm tension scheme is utilized. Since a force pushes the pressure guide down onto the media holder, the resultant scanned image is of high quality. In one embodiment, the media holder is a removable magazine allowing for a wide variety of media to be scanned.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanner. More specifically, the present invention discloses a film scanner with integrated image sensor module for scanning images from film, negatives, or filmstrips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Scanners are widely used in the field of graphic design, image processing, and photography. The convention flatbed scanner uses a scanning bed which is typically a piece of glass upon which the image or document to be scanned is placed. This type of scanner, while useful for some applications, can typically only offer a resolution of about 300 dpi. Obviously, for fine detail or professional results, a higher resolution is required.
In addition, conventional scanners require very precise dimensions for all component parts. This is due to the fact that the internal mounting components are used to control the positioning of the various image processing elements of the scanner. If any dimensions of the components used are out of tolerance, the setup or calibration of the unit will be hindered and the scan quality will be adversely affected. Therefore, the overall quality of the scanned image will suffer. Because of the precision required, the various mounting components are relatively expensive thus driving up the unit cost of the conventional scanner.
Furthermore, the image processing components of conventional scanners use multiple components that are not fixed in an relative position to each other. Therefore, these types of scanners can easily get out of alignment and require frequent calibration. Any time the position between the image processing components varies, the image quality of the scanned image will be degraded.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved scanner with an integrated image sensor and capture module that provides a high resolution and high quality scanned image while being relatively inexpensive to produce and easy to maintain.


A multi-beam scanning optical system is provided with a plurality of light sources that emit a plurality of laser beams having different wavelengths, respectively, a single deflector which deflects the plurality of laser beams simultaneously, an imaging optical system that converges the plurality of laser beams deflected by the single deflector on the surface to be scanned, lateral chromatic aberration of the imaging optical system being compensated, and a beam detector that receives the plurality of laser beams directed to outside the predetermined imaging area, a synchronizing signal being generated upon detection of each of the plurality of light beams by the beam detector. Further, the scanning optical system includes a dispersion element inserted in optical paths of the laser beams directed to the beam detector, the dispersion element being configured such that the laser beams directed to the beam detector are shifted in the scanning direction.

The present invention relates to a scanning optical system for a laser beam printer or the like, and particularly to a multi-beam scanning optical system using a plurality of beams.
Conventionally, a multi-beam scanning optical system has been widely employed. The multi-beam scanning optical system is advantageous in that a plurality of scanning lines can be formed simultaneously. The multi-beam scanning optical system typically includes a plurality of laser sources respectively emitting a plurality of laser beams. The plurality of laser beams are simultaneously deflected by a polygonal mirror. The deflected laser beams passes through an fxcex8 lens, which converges the plurality of laser beams on a surface, such as a photoconductive surface of a photoconductive drum, to be scanned to form a plurality of beam spots. As the polygonal mirror rotates, the beam spots formed on the photoconductive drum move to form a plurality of scanning lines thereon. The direction in which the beam spots move is parallel with the rotational axis of the photoconductive drum. Further, the photoconductive drum is rotated so that the photoconductive surface thereof is two-dimensionally exposed to the plurality of beams.
In this specification, a direction in which the beam spots move (i.e., a direction in which the scanning lines extend) will be referred to as a main scanning direction. Further, a direction in which the surface to be scanned moves with respect to the scanning lines, i.e., the rotation direction of the photoconductive drum will be referred to as an auxiliary scanning direction. In the following description, the shape of optical elements, directions of powers of the optical elements and the like are described with reference to the main and auxiliary scanning directions on the surface to be scanned. That is, if an optical element is described to have a refractive power in the main scanning direction, the power affects the beam in the main scanning direction on the surface to be scanned regardless of the orientation of the element.
In the multi-beam scanning optical system, all the beam spots should move within (i.e., traverse) a width of an imaging area so that the imaging area can be exposed to the beams. If the plurality of beam spots are arranged to align obliquely with respect to the main scanning direction, the scanning lines formed by the plurality of beam spots are shifted with each other in the main scanning direction. In such a case, it becomes necessary to elongate a width of each scanning line so that each beam traverses the imaging area. In order to elongate the scanning lines, it becomes necessary to use a larger polygonal mirror to broaden a deflection angle at which each beam scans. In view of a recent trend of downsizing of the imaging apparatus, it is not preferable to have such a configuration, and the plurality of beams are preferably aligned along a line which is perpendicular to the main scanning direction.
Generally, a scanning optical system is provided with a synchronizing signal detecting optical system for detecting a scanning position of each beam, which is used for controlling an imaging start point of each scanning line.
A typical synchronizing signal detecting optical system includes a photo sensor which detects a laser beam before it enters the imaging area. A predetermined period after the photo sensor detects the laser beam, modulation of the laser beam is started so that the image is formed from the imaging start position (i.e., the upstream end of the imaging area). If all of the plurality of beams are located at the same position in the main scanning direction, all the laser beams are incident on the photo sensor at the same time. Then, a single pulse signal is output by the photo sensor as the synchronizing signal. In such a case, all of the plurality of beams are started to be modulated after the same predetermined period has passed after the output of the pulse signal.
Practically, it is difficult to arrange the plurality of scanning lines at the same positions in the main scanning direction. It is because, all the beam spots are difficult to be aligned at an initial setting stage, and/or due to an external reason such as an oscillation at use, the relative positions of the plurality of beams may be changed to shift from each other in the main scanning direction. If two beam spots are slightly shifted in the main scanning direction, two pulse signals are output by the photo sensor within a very short period of time. In such a case, whichever pulse signal is used as the synchronizing signal, one of the two beam spots is not started to be modulated accurately, and therefore, the imaging start point of one of the two scanning lines is shifted from the predetermined position.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved multi-beam scanning optical system in which a plurality of scanning lines formed by a plurality of beams are aligned in the main scanning direction, and further, an imaging start point of each scanning line can be adjusted accurately.
For the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a scanning optical system used for exposing a predetermined imaging area on a surface to be scanned to a plurality of laser beams. The scanning optical system is provided with a plurality of light sources that emit a plurality of laser beams having different wavelengths, respectively, a single deflector which deflects the plurality of laser beams simultaneously, an imaging optical system that converges the plurality of laser beams deflected by the single deflector on the surface to be scanned, lateral chromatic aberration of the imaging optical system being compensated, and a beam detector that receives the plurality of laser beams directed to outside the predetermined imaging area, a synchronizing signal being generated upon detection of each of the plurality of light beams by the beam detector. Further, the scanning optical system includes a dispersion element inserted in optical paths of the laser beams directed to the beam detector, the dispersion element being configured such that the laser beams directed to the beam detector are shifted in the scanning direction.
According to the optical scanning systems configured as above, beam spots formed on the surface to be scanned is aligned in the scanning direction within the imaging area, while the timings at which the beams traverse the light receiving element are differentiated so that synchronizing signals for respective beams can be generated. Therefore, the imaging start position can be accurately adjusted. Further, the imaging start points for the two laser beams can be adjusted in the main scanning direction even if the relative positions of the beam spots are shifted due to the error in the initial settings or some external disturbance.
Optionally, the beam detector detects the laser beams passed through at least a part of the imaging optical system. That is, the imaging optical system may include a plurality of lens elements, and the beams directed to the light receiving element may not pass through all of the lens elements.
In a particular case, the beam detector may include a single light receiving element, each of the plurality of laser beams being incident on the single light receiving element.
In this case, the plurality of laser beams incident on the imaging area are aligned in the scanning direction, and wherein the plurality of laser beams are incident on the single light receiving element at different timings.
Further optionally, the dispersion element may include a prism. Alternatively, the dispersion element may include an optical element formed with a diffraction surface which separates the plurality of laser beams in the scanning direction.
In the above case, the dispersion element may include a reflection type optical element that bends optical paths of the plurality of laser beams. By appropriately bending the optical paths of the beams which are used for generating the synchronizing signals, a space required for accommodating the entire scanning optical system can be reduced.


Disclosed are apparatus and methods for providing location information for a current location of a portable device, such as a camera-phone. In general, a current, generic location, e.g., cell ID, of the portable device is mapped to a more specific location description, e.g., the name of a specific city, that is defined by one or more users. In a specific implementation, one or more users of portable devices may be encouraged to contribute specific location descriptions with respect to media objects or the like that are managed on their portable devices. When a particular user ties a specific location to a media object or the like, the media object serves to also tie the particular user's current generic location or cell ID to the media object. Thus, a plurality of media objects and their associated specific and generic location descriptions can be analyzed to determine a most relevant specific location description for a particular generic location or cell ID. The specific location that is tied to a generic location may be used in any number of applications, such as automatically associating such specific location with any media objects that are captured in the corresponding generic location, e.g., cell ID.

The field of the present invention relates generally to providing location information for a portable device application, such as a camera-phone application.
The proliferation and use of web- or email-enabled camera-phones has rapidly increased in recent years. Additionally, an increasing number of applications that utilize the web and/or camera feature of the camera-phone are being implemented and used by consumers. By way of example, the ZoneTag application by Yahoo! Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. allows a user to tag his/her photos that are captured by the camera-phone and then upload the tagged photos to a photo sharing or organization application such as Flickr, which is also available from Yahoo! Inc.
In some cases, it would be beneficial to associate a location with such media objects, for example, that are captured with camera-phones. For instance, one may wish to organize photos by the locations in which the photos were captured. Although camera-phones are continuously updated with a cellular tower identity (cell ID), a cell ID does not provide an adequate location description that is useful or meaningful to the user for organizational or sharing purposes. Additionally, although a user can tag a photo with a location identity, this manual tagging process can be burdensome to users and, accordingly, users are often discouraged from providing location tagging for their photos.
In sum, it would be beneficial to provide location information for a portable device application, such as a camera-phone application, that corresponds to a current position, such as cell ID, of the portable device.

Intelligent location-to-cell mapping using annotated media