The present invention provides 1,7,8-trifluoro-2-naphthol and a derivative thereof as intermediates for efficiently producing a trifluoronaphthalene liquid crystal material. A method for efficiently producing a trifluoronaphthalene liquid crystal material using such intermediates is also disclosed. A naphthol derivative having the following general formula (I) is disclosed. A method for producing a trifluoronaphthalene compound having the following general formula (IV), (VI) or (VIII) using the naphthol derivative as a raw material is also disclosed

TN and STN systems having a twisted structure have mainly been used in liquid crystal display elements. Many liquid crystal compounds and compositions with positive dielectric constant anisotropy, which have significant roles in these TN and STN systems, have been developed. On the other hand, for the purpose of improving the narrowness of view angle which is one of the drawbacks of the above display systems having twisted structure, the display systems such as (1) the system of vertically aligning liquid crystal molecules (VA system; Vertical Alignment system) (for example, there is Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 2-176625) or (2) the system of rotating liquid crystal molecules in plane horizontal to a substrate by applying voltage (IPS system; In-Plane Switching system) (for example, there is published Japanese translation No. Hei 5-505247 of PCT International Publication) are proposed. In these display systems, the liquid crystal compounds and compositions with negative dielectric anisotropy have a significant role, instead of the liquid crystal compounds and compositions with positive dielectric constant anisotropy which are referred to as indispensable compounds for the display systems having twisted structure. For example, the proposal of the liquid crystal compounds and compositions with negative dielectric constant anisotropy was made in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 2-4725.
For the above purpose, the development of the liquid crystal compounds having a 1,7,8-trifluoronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group has been performed. For example, several compounds are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2001-31597 and German Patent Application, Publication No. 19522195.
However, the methods for producing these compounds were not necessarily efficient. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2001-31597, a trifluoronaphthalene derivative described below is produced as an intermediate,
wherein R represents alkyl groups.
On the other hand, in the design of a composition for a liquid crystal composition, a low-volume multiproduct is obligatory since several compounds called homologues, wherein backbones of liquid crystal compounds are the same and side chains are different, are used so as to avoid the deposition of the compounds. For an efficient production, it is preferable to increase the amount to be produced once. To this end, it is of advantage to produce the compound of a common backbone and to introduce different parts at the final stage of the production. In the case of producing two sorts of homologue described below, wherein only R is different, with the method using the intermediate,
the efficiency was deteriorated since the trifluoronaphthalene backbone should be reproduced from the beginning and many intermediates are necessary. In addition, since the production, whose yield is relatively low, is performed at the final stage of the production, the loss of the high-cost intermediate is large, thereby deteriorating the efficiency badly.
On the other hand, in German Patent Application, Publication No. 19522195, the trifluoronaphthalene derivative is produced by the following pathway,
wherein Rx represents alkyl groups.
In this method, it is necessary to prepare many intermediates for the production of the above homologue. Furthermore, since Rx cannot connect the naphthalene backbone through an oxygen atom, the liquid crystal compounds, which the invention of the present application aims at, cannot be produced.
Therefore, it is desired to develop the trifluoronaphthalene derivatives, wherein it is possible to previously form the trifluoronaphthalene backbone and to introduce the other backbone later, and an efficient method for producing trifluoronaphthalene using these intermediates.

1,7,8-Trifluoronaphthalene-2-naphthol, and method for producing liquid crystal compound using same


Luggage of the pull-along type comprises a container, a sleeve fixed to the container, and a telescopic tube mounted in a sliding fashion in the sleeve between a retracted position, and a deployed position. The luggage further includes a resilient element interposed between the tube and the sleeve, designed to allow the tube to be pushed into the sleeve beyond the retracted position against a restoring force exerted on the tube by the resilient member.

Such a luggage generally comprises a container which forms the useful part of the luggage, a sleeve fixed to the container, as well as a tube generally provided with a projecting hand grip mounted in a sliding fashion in the sleeve between a retracted position in which the tube is received in the sleeve for carrying the luggage or for storage, and a deployed position in which the tube extends beyond the sleeve in order to facilitate pulling the luggage along.
Pull-along luggage provided with telescopic tubes have been known for a long time. Whilst the telescopic tube improves the ergonomics of the luggage, it still poses some practical problems.
Firstly, such a tube proves to be relatively bulky. It has been proposed to make it disappear into the container (see for example US Patent Application 2002/0096410), but it then cuts down the useful volume of the luggage.
Secondly, repeated use leads to the appearance of clearance in the mechanism of the tube which has a tendency, when handled roughly (for example in an airport environment), to come out of the sleeve at the wrong moment, which can lead to it breaking in the case of impact.
It has therefore been proposed to make the tube so that it can be locked in the retracted position and integrated, as well as its hand grip, in the volume of the container: the tube is provided with a lock with two positions, namely a locking position in which the lock blocks the tube in the retracted position, and an unlocking position in which it releases it. A spring catch, which can be actuated manually, causes the lock to be positioned in its unlocked position, thus releasing the tube which can be deployed in order to allow the luggage to be pulled along. A release device connected to springs optionally makes it possible to make the tube spring out of its housing in order to make it easy to grasp for pulling along. By way of illustration of these aims, reference can be made to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,702, U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,319, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,266 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,214.
These mechanisms appear, at first sight, to mark progress in terms of the ability of the luggage to resist impacts. In practice, it has been noted that certain tubes have a tendency to split, or even break, under certain impacts resulting in particular from the luggage being dropped vertically. It even happens, as a consequence, that the container itself is damaged by the movement of the tube. In fact, the tube and its hand grip remain exposed to certain impacts, in particular those transmitted from the hand grip to the tube, even in the retracted position.
This is even more applicable when the luggage is semi-rigid or flexible, as the container is deformed to a greater or lesser extent under the action of mechanical stresses which expose the tube and particularly its hand grip even more, in the event of impacts.
Thus, the tube and its hand grip remain exposed to certain impacts, which are all the more likely to lead to malfunctioning of the tube or in the worst case, irreparably damage the luggage.

Hand luggage of the pull-along type equipped with a damped telescopic hand grip


A method for manufacturing ULSI semiconductor memory devices is disclosed which uses an insulating film to form a side wall spacer of the gate electrodes of transistors formed in the peripheral circuit section of a memory device. This scheme prevents surface deterioration of the underlying structure during an etching process for manufacturing of a cell capacitor of a memory cell device cell array portion. The insulating film includes a laminated film composed of a thin oxide film and an etch blocking film formed on the oxide film. Due to the etch blocking film, the oxide film can be made thin, resulting in the formation of side wall spacers that are appropriately narrow. Thus, the function and operating speed of the peripheral circuit transistors is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an ultra-large-scale integrated (ULSI) semiconductor memory device, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing a ULSI semiconductor memory device which can improve the performance of transistors of the peripheral circuit section.
2. Description of Related Art
As VLSI has become more integrated, 16 Mbit DRAMs have been mass-produced and new products related to 64 Mbit DRAMs have been presented. Such ULSI semiconductor memory devices require junctions which are as thin as possible and must take into consideration short-channel and hot-carrier effects, punch-through, the increase in breakdown voltage, etc., of a MOS transistor. If, on the other hand, the spacers formed on the side walls of the gate electrodes are wide, these thin junctions diffuse a short distance laterally, reducing the extent to which they are overlapped by the gate electrode, and therefore noticeably reducing the transistor's saturation drain current.
Accordingly, to control the width of a side wall spacer as desired, the thickness of a high temperature oxide (HTO) film which forms the side wall spacer should be controlled. However, since the HTO film is also used as a buffer layer for preventing silicon pitting during cell array capacitor formation, the thickness cannot be too thin.
That is, since the HTO film of the cell array is used to form side wall spacers for the transistors of the peripheral circuit section, the reduction of the width of the HTO-film side wall spacers is limited. This deteriorates the current driving capability of peripheral circuit transistors.
Referring to FIG. 1, in a NMOS transistor of lightly doped drain (LDD) structure, as length L1 of side wall spacer 1 increases, and in so doing, increasing length L2 of n.sup.- impurity-doped region 2, the resistance of region 2 increases. Accordingly, the drain saturation current is reduced. At the same time, increasing the dosage of the n.sup.- impurity to increase the drain saturation current does not sufficiently utilize the advantages of shallow junction xj1 since this would deteriorate punch-through tolerance.
Referring to FIG. 2, in a PMOS transistor of single drain structure, as length L1 of side wall spacer 3 increases, length L3 (with respect to p.sup.+ impurity-doped region 4 and gate electrode layer 5) increases. This also reduces drain saturation current. To increase the drain saturation current requires a complicated structure, such as an LDD structure, even in a PMOS transistor, the process becomes complex.

Method for manufacturing a narrowed sidewall spacer in a peripheral circuit of a ULSI semiconductor memory device


There is herein provided a method for measuring the GOSNR that can be implemented using commercial-grade transceivers and which accounts for linear optical impairments (e.g. PMD, PDL and CD) and transceiver intrinsic impairments. The method may be implemented using an Optical Spectrum Analyzer (OSA) and either the system transceivers or other commercial-grade transceivers. The proposed measurement method is based on mixed optical and electronic technologies, using an OSA and a transceiver pair. By measuring a signal quality metric Qm and the OSNR under varied power and ASE noise conditions, a constant value RBW that relates the GOSNR to the signal quality metric Qm is derived. The GOSNR is then obtained from these results.

Network operators increasingly adopt practices of network function disaggregation, including sourcing the terminal equipment (transceivers) and the optical transmission link (including amplifiers and ROADMs) from different vendors. It has thus become increasingly important to characterize the optical link performance. Increased use of coherent receivers operating without optical dispersion compensation has led to the definition of the concept of a Generalized Optical Signal to Noise Ratio (GOSNR) which combines in a single metric (i.e., the GOSNR), both the traditional OSNRASE due to ASE noise from optical amplifiers, and the "nonlinear" OSNRNL due to nonlinear distortions. The GOSNR quantifies the linear and nonlinear noise accrued by a signal while passing through an optical link consisting of fiber spans and amplifiers. The GOSNR metric is particularly useful in disaggregated systems, where it is desirable to quantify the optical link performance independently of the terminal equipment.
There exist known methods in art for deriving the GOSNR using a pair of coherent transmitter and receiver (see P. Pecci et al., "Experimental Characterization of Submarine "Open Cable" using Gaussian-noise Model and OSNRWET Parameter," Proc. OFC 2017, M2E.4). In the method described in Pecci, the coherent transmitter/receiver pair is first characterized in a back-to-back (B2B) measurement, i.e., when the transmitter and receiver are directly connected to one another without optical fiber link impairments. In the back-to-back measurement, a signal quality metric QTRx of the transmitter/receiver pair is measured as a function of the OSNR. This signal quality metric is referred to as QTRx-B2B and can be either the Q-factor (obtained from a BER measurement at the receiver) or the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) (electronically obtained directly from the receiver). Second, an end-to-end measurement is conducted with the optical transmission link connected. In the end-to-end measurement, the signal quality metric QTRx is measured, as well as the corresponding OSNR. This signal quality metric is referred to as QTRx-E2E. As shown in FIG. 1, the GOSNR of the optical transmission link is determined by finding, on the back-to-back measurement curve (BTB), the OSNR value that corresponds to the measured signal quality metric QTRx.
Such GOSNR measurement methods have a dependence on performance metrics of the transceiver optics, electronics and digital signal processing. For repeatable and reproducible measurements, the procedure requires "golden" transceivers (as opposed to "commercial-grade" transceivers) for both back-to-back and the end-to-end measurements, i.e., transceivers having intrinsic Q that is one or two orders of magnitude higher than measured Q. Relying on rare and expensive golden transceivers is not very practical.
There is therefore a need for a transceiver-independent GOSNR measurement method that can use commercial-grade transceivers to perform the measurement.


A system for generating user interface code is provided. The system includes a user interface class system generating a user interface class that has two or more user interface features that can be assembled into a user interface by an operator, such as field entry prompts and data display fields. The system also includes a handler class system generating one or more states for each user interface feature of the user interface class, such as to navigate through the field entry prompts and data display fields. The user interface class system, in conjunction with the handler class system, generates the user interface code that causes the selected user interface features and associated states for the user interface features to be generated.

Systems for generating computer code are known in the art. For example, it is known to use "components" in object oriented software programming for generating server-based software that generates graphic user interfaces, performs server-based functions for processing of data, or that performs other suitable functions. The impetus behind these systems has been to simplify the creation of computer code and to make such computer code easy to modify and update.
Nevertheless, many problems continue to be encountered with such computer code. One problem is that server-based generation of graphic user interfaces consumes a significant amount of server resources, which can result in slow processing of all server applications. Another problem is that an initial release of code must often be modified for user-specific applications, such as at the enterprise level, at site-specific locations, by developers for use with their clients, or in other manners. When such releases are then replaced by an updated version, any such modifications made must be implemented again, resulting in duplicated efforts or in the reluctance to use the new release because of the associated cost of making the modifications. Thus, systems for generating software have not resolved these and other problems.

System and method for generating user interface code


The present invention relates to the use of INHIB in the detection and inhibition of inflammation. INHIB is structurally identical to the C3 .beta.-chain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the identification and substantial purification of a factor (INHIB) that inhibits the immunologic activity of cytokine-stimulated leukocytes. This factor is shown to be the free .beta. chain of complement C3.
The invention additionally relates to processes for preparing the INHIB molecule, methods of purifying the molecule, screening assays for the molecule, compositions containing INHIB, and uses for the molecule.
2. Description of the Related Art
Levels of circulating eosinophils and other types of leukocytes are elevated in conditions such as allergy, asthma, parasitic diseases, autoimmune disorders such as connective tissue disease, in certain types of cancer, and in patients undergoing therapy with interleukin-2 (IL-2) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Leukocytes, in particular eosinophils, persist in the circulation with a half-life of several hours to two days and then either enter the marginated (blood vessel wall) pool or infiltrate tissues. At the site of inflammation in tissue, eosinophils and neutrophils, for example, secrete toxic substances that may kill infectious organisms but also may damage host (patient) tissues. For example, in the condition known as idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome, eosinophil cytotoxins cause ultrastructural damage and progressive fibrosis in the major organ systems, and ultimately lead to death due to cardiac or respiratory arrest, or liver failure.
Current treatment of leukocyte-mediated inflammatory disease consists of administering a variety of anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, or cytotoxic drugs including prednisone, vincristine, and hydroxyurea. The efficacy of these drugs varies, depending on the disease state but there is no good treatment for idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome, for example. All of the drugs currently used therapeutically can have severe side effects on the subject. Similarly, there is an absence of effective drug treatments for many types of inflammatory diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis) which involve inflammatory cells other than eosinophils.
Several research groups have identified substances from biological sources that have inhibitory activity in vitro in assays that may correlate with processes in inflammation (processes that do not involve eosinophil function). These purified substances presumably may have some efficacy in the treatment of inflammatory disease; for example, uromodulin (Muchmore et al., Science 229:479 (1985), J. Biol. Chem. 259:13404 (1984), and 263:5418 (1988)), and undefined activities that protect L929 tumor cells from the toxic effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (Seckinger et al., J. Exp. Med. 167:1511 (1988) and Lin et al., Immunology 63:663 (1988)). Uromodulin, for example, binds with high affinity to interleukin-1 (IL-1) and to TNF, suggesting that its activity is specific for cellular events mediated by these two factors.
It is also possible that the processing of biological fluids may produce substances with apparent anti-inflammatory activities (Justement et. al., J. Nat. Cancer Inst. 73:469). This group showed that chromatography of low density and very low density lipoproteins can oxidize the lipid moieties of these molecules, producing a molecule that inhibits monocyte cytotoxic function.
Abundant evidence demonstrates that eosinophil cytotoxic function can be enhanced by a number of immunological mediators, but there was no previous evidence of an immunological mechanism to suppress this function.
Current treatment modalities for inflammatory disease are very unsatisfactory. Any means capable of attenuating or inhibiting cellular mechanisms of inflammation would, therefore, be highly desirable for subjects suffering from certain inflammatory disease processes.

Use of INHIB (the C3 .beta.-chain) in the detection and inhibition of inflammation


A solid state cooler device is disclosed that includes a first superconductor shunt, a first normal metal pad disposed on the first superconductor shunt, and a first insulator layer and a second insulator layer disposed on the normal metal pad and separated from one another by a gap. The solid state cooler device also includes a first superconductor pad disposed on the first insulator layer and a second superconductor pad disposed on the second insulator layer, a first conductive pad coupled to the first superconductor pad, and a second conductive pad coupled to the second superconductor pad. Hot electrons are removed from the first normal metal pad when a bias voltage is applied between the first conductive pad and the second conductive pad, wherein the first superconductor shunt facilitates even current distribution through the device.

Solid-state electron cooling by the tunneling of "hot" electrons across a normal metal-insulator-superconductor (NIS) junction, using a bias voltage, has been proven to work below 1 K, substantially operating like the more familiar near room-temperature Peltier thermo-electric refrigerator. These NIS cryo-coolers are built from the same materials as Josephson junctions used in the superconducting circuitry and by the same lithography fabrication foundry tools, and are fundamentally completely compatible with the Josephson junction components. They could be integrated alongside the Josephson junctions themselves, fabricated concurrently. However, currently NIS coolers have a very limited temperature throw, with a maximum temperature difference between hot and cold sides of ˜150 mK.
One of the main limitations to NIS coolers' full performance is the presence in the superconducting leads of non-equilibrium quasi-particles arising from the high current running through the device. The low quasi-particle relaxation rate and thermal conductivity in a superconductor bind these hot particles in the vicinity of the junction and lead to severe overheating in the superconducting electrodes. There are several methods for reducing the accumulation of quasi-particles in a superconductor. The most common method is to use a normal metal coupled to the superconductor referred to as a quasiparticle trap, such that quasi-particles migrate to the normal metal and relax their energy there through electron-electron and electron-phonon interaction. This device is referred to as a normal metal-insulator-superconductor-normal metal (NISN) junction.

Cooler device with superconductor shunts


This invention provides a novel nucleic acid molecule encoding PTX1, which has been mapped to human chromosome 12. The PTX1-encoding nucleic acid molecule, along with its encoded protein and antibodies thereto may be used to advantage to facilitate the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer.

The present invention relates to the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, and more specifically, to novel nucleic acid molecules, proteins and antibodies immunologically specific therefore which may be used to advantage for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Several publications are referenced in this application by author name and year of publication in parentheses in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. The disclosure of each of these publications is incorporated by reference herein.
The molecular basis of cancer has been the subject of a massive research effort over the past several years. Through this effort, it has been discovered that abnormal cellular proliferation results not only from activation of oncogenes, but from disruption of certain genes whose function appears to be important in maintaining normal cell division. As a well-known example, mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are common in human cancer and have been detected in tumor types from many different tissue sources.
This year prostate cancer is expected to be diagnosed in approximately 200,000 men in the U.S. and to result in the loss of 38,000 lives. Such numbers make prostate cancer the most frequently diagnosed malignancy (other than that of the skin) in American males and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in that group. Physicians usually detect cancers by finding a lump in the prostate gland, which is a walnut shaped structure that helps to maintain the viability of sperm. Such lumps may be discovered during a routine checkup or during examinations prompted by a patient""s complaint of sudden urinary discomfort or occasional impotence.
In some instances, prostate cancer is detected in the course of treatment for a disorder called benign prostatic hyperplasia. This condition, an aging-related enlargement of the prostate, affects more than half of all men older than 45 and gives rise (albeit more gradually) to the same urinary troubles caused by a prostate tumor. If the symptoms become too troublesome, a transurethral resection of the prostate, a process whereby parts of the gland are scraped away, may be performed. Whenever resection is done, the excised tissue is analyzed under a microscope for evidence of malignancy, which is occasionally found.
A simple blood test for prostate specific antigen (PSA) constitutes a third means of detecting prostate cancer. Increased PSA levels can signal the presence of cancer in individuals who display no symptoms of prostate abnormalities.
Prostate cancer is a disease with marked heterogeneity. Although many genes have been identified which are associated with the carcinogenesis of the prostate (Lara et al., 1999; Sciavolino and Abate-Shen, 1998), the mechanism underlying the development of prostate cancer is still poorly understood. However, it is believed to be a multi-step process that involves genetic alterations of genes controlling cellular proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death. Deletion or down-regulation of these tumor suppressor genes often leads to the development of cancer.
To further understand the biological processes underlying the development of prostate cancer, the present inventors have identified a tumor suppressor gene which is expressed in normal but not malignant prostate tissue. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, novel biological molecules useful for identification, detection, and/or molecular characterization of components involved in the regulation of cellular differentiation and tumorigenesis are provided.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an isolated nucleic acid molecule is provided which encodes the human PTX1 protein. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the human PTX1 protein has an amino acid sequence comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:2. An exemplary PTX1 nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an isolated nucleic acid molecule is provided, which has a sequence selected from the group consisting of: (1) SEQ ID NO: 1; (2) a sequence specifically hybridizing with preselected portions or all of the complementary strand of SEQ ID NO: 1; (3) a sequence comprising preselected portions of SEQ ID NO:1, (4) a complement of SEQ ID NO: 1, and (5) a sequence encoding part or all of a polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2. Such partial sequences are useful as probes to identify and isolate homologues of the PTX1 gene of the invention. Accordingly, isolated nucleic acid sequences encoding natural allelic variants of the nucleic acids of SEQ ID NO: 1 are also contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention. The term natural allelic variants will be defined hereinbelow.
Host cells comprising the PTX1-encoding nucleic acids of the invention are also contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention. Such host cells include but are not limited to bacterial cells, fungal cells, yeast cells, plant cells, insect cells and other animal cells. The PTX1-encoding nucleic acids may be conveniently cloned into a plasmid or retroviral vector for introduction into host cells. Such cells are useful in screening methods to identify compounds which modulate PTX1 expression. Compounds so identified may have therapeutic value in the treatment of prostate cancer.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an isolated human PTX1 protein is provided. The loss of expression of this PTX1 protein correlates with the deregulated growth of prostate carcinomas.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the protein is of human origin, and comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2. In a further embodiment, the protein may be encoded by natural allelic variants of SEQ ID NO: 1. Inasmuch as certain amino acid variations may be present in human PTX1 protein encoded by natural allelic variants, such proteins are also contemplated to be within the scope of the invention. Antibodies immunologically specific for the human PTX1 protein described hereinabove are also provided.
In yet another aspect of the invention, methods are provided for genetic screening and diagnostic evaluation of patients at risk for, or currently suffering from, cancer of the prostate. The hybridization specificity of the nucleic acids of the invention may be used to advantage for differential evaluation of patients presenting with phenotypic characteristics common to prostate cancer. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a method for identifying a mutation in a nucleic acid sequence in a patient sample is provided. This method comprises isolating a nucleic acid sample from a patient, contacting the nucleic acid sample with a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 under low stringency hybridization conditions to allow DNA duplexes to form between sequences of sufficient complementarity, isolating the DNA duplexes and assessing the duplexes for mismatched base pairing.
In another embodiment, the nucleic acid molecules of the invention may be used as diagnostic hybridization probes or as primers for diagnostic PCR analysis for PTX1 or mutations thereof. Antisense molecules are also provided herein and may be useful in the regulation of PTX1 expression. Other methods encompassed by the present invention include immunodetection methods for assessing biological samples for the presence of PTX1 proteins.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for identifying agents which modulate PTX1 activity. This method comprises contacting cells expressing PTX1 with an agent suspected of being able to modulate PTX1 activity, measuring proliferation of the cells expressing PTX1 in both the presence and absence of the agent and comparing the proliferation of cells expressing PTX1 in the absence of the agent and in the presence of the agent. An alteration in cell proliferation in the presence of the agent is indicative of the agent""s ability to modulate PTX1 activity.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, kits are provided for detecting PTX1 expression associated with a susceptibility to cancer. Such kits may be used to advantage to diagnose human prostate cancer.

Tumor suppressor encoding nucleic acid, PTX1, and methods of use thereof


The present invention relates to an electronic braked-integrated in-wheel motor driving device. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an apparently complicated driving device structure, which is formed due to the installation of a brake, can be avoided, and a product appearance of a wheel-chair, to which the in-wheel motor driving device is applied, can be simplified, whereby the driving device improves the visual appearance as well as the brake function and can thus enhance production competitiveness.

In-wheel motors are a system used for transportation means powered by electricity. In the system, power output from a motor disposed in a rim is directly delivered to a wheel.
In case the in-wheel motor is applied to a transportation device, devices for driving and delivering power such as an engine, a transmission, a gear and the like can be omitted. Accordingly, the transportation device may become lightweight and loss of energy during a process of delivering power can be reduced.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view briefly illustrating an in-wheel motor driving device 10 of the related art.
The in-wheel motor driving device 10 of the related art, as illustrated, comprises a tire 11, a rim 13, a stator 17, a rotor 15 and a shaft 19.
The tire 11 surrounds and wraps an outer wheel of the rim 13 and is coupled to the rim 13, and a motor assembly comprising the stator 17 and the rotor 15 is coupled into the rim 13. The shaft 19 is fixed towards a center of a hub of the stator 17. When electric power is supplied to the stator 17, an electromagnetic force is generated, and the rotor 15 having a permanent magnet rotates outside the stator 17 coupled to the shaft 19. The rim 13 rotates and the tire surrounding and wrapping the rim 13 rotates as the rotor 15 rotates.
The in-wheel motor driving device 10 of the related art in FIG. 1 includes no brake configuration for stopping rotation of the rim 13.
The in-wheel motor driving device of the related art 10 may be provided with a mechanical brake. For the brake of the related art, a friction disc and the like may be attached to the outside of the in-wheel motor driving device 10. In order for the friction disc and the like to be attached to the outside of the in-wheel motor driving device, mechanical components are additionally required and the brake needs repairs and maintenance on a regular basis due to wear on the disc and the like.
An in-wheel motor system is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2014-0132216 (published on Nov. 17, 2014 and referred to as "prior art document 1") as a prior art document relating to the present disclosure. For the in-wheel motor system in prior art document 1, a motor is mounted onto a rim of a wheel of a vehicle to directly drive the wheel. When it comes to the in-wheel motor system applied to a vehicle, an electronic brake is not additionally built into the vehicle. Accordingly, when an external brake is installed, the in-wheel motor system may have a complex structure. Additionally, when a wheel chair and the like stop on a slope, the wheel chair slips backwards against a user's intent. Thus, the in-wheel motor driving device is inappropriate for a wheel chair and the like for safety reasons.
An in-wheel motor for an electric vehicle is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0095721 (published on Aug. 29, 2012 and referred to as "prior art document 2") as another prior art document relating to the present disclosure. The in-wheel motor in prior art document 2 includes a motor for generating rotational power, a speed reducer for delivering rotational power of the motor, a hub installed at the front of the speed reducer, a disc assembled to the hub and a wheel. The in-wheel motor for a vehicle in prior art document 2 is not additionally provided with a brake means therein. Accordingly, an external brake needs to be installed. Thus, the in-wheel motor has a complex structure. Further, a wheel chair and the like, to which the in-wheel motor in prior art document 2 is applied, is inappropriate for preventing safety accidents.
Therefore, required are technical solutions to improve aesthetic qualities through simplification of an appearance and a structure and to prevent a safety accident caused by a backward movement on a slope and the like in case an in-wheel motor driving device is applied to a wheel chair and the like.

Electronic brake-integrated in-wheel motor driving device


A circuit and method for converting a digital number to an analog output signal, wherein the most significant bit or "sign" bit of the digital number is used for switching the accumulated currents of the other data bits to a chain of operational amplifiers employing feedback resistors for conversion into an output voltage of magnitude and sign corresponding to the input digital number. A decoding circuit and method enables the circuit to present an output voltage corresponding to the two's--complement of the input digital number.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in methods and circuitry for converting digital numbers to analog output signals, and more particularly to improvements in methods and circuitry for converting a signed digital number to an analog output signal while maintaining an output offset voltage typically equal to the input offset voltage of only one operational amplifier to produce a precise linear output for both positive and negative digital input values.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention pertains to digital to analog (D/A) conversion in which an input number is a binary-coded or two's--complement digital number which is considered to be "bipolar", representing either a positive or negative number with the most significant bit (MSB) of the digital word being the "sign" bit. An analog ground, or zero voltage reference signal, is usually provided by the user external to the digital to analog converter, and the internal conversion in the D/A device may be generated based on a different reference voltage level. Therefore, it is often necessary to convert the output of the D/A converter to the reference provided by the user. This unfortunately entails the generation of offset voltages created by level-shifting and amplification which are difficult to minimize, and therefore creates an undesirable error in the output voltage for a given input number. This is unsatisfactory because precision is usually important in D/A conversion.
Previously, techniques have been developed which employ the generation of positive and negative currents which are fed to a single operational amplifier connected as a current to voltage converter. However, the accuracy (symmetry across the reference voltage level for given positive and negative input codes of equal magnitude) has been unsatisfactory due to the difficulty of accurately mirroring positive into negative current. Such techniques generally require trimming, which is a complicated and expensive process, especially for integrated semiconductor devices.
Another technique which has been used is a "unipolar" conversion in which currents are not mirrored into negative currents, but rather are sent to the current to voltage converter in their original state. A gain and level shifting stage then used to convert the level to form a "bipolar" output wherein both positive and negative output voltages (with respect to the reference) may occur. However, this technique creates undesirable offsets generated by the gain stage and the common mode rejection of the level shifting stage.
What is needed is a way to minimize the output offset voltage of the operational amplifier while accurately matching the positive and negative amplification of digital numbers.

Digital to analog converter with precise linear output for both positive and negative digital input values


A device synchronizes an internal signal with respect to a reference signal, each signal comprising pulses normally occurring at a rated frequency. The device uses a phase comparator to analyze the phase of the internal signal and the reference signal and produce one logic state if the phase of the internal signal is in advance of the phase of the reference signal and a second logic state otherwise. A programmable frequency divider divides an internal clock signal by a first number if the phase comparator signal produces the first logic state or by a second number if the phase comparator produces the second logic state. A multiplexer provides the programmable divider with either the first number or the second number depending on the logic state produced the phase comparator. The device also includes a storage element for sequentially storing a predetermined number of the latest logic states of the phase comparator. The device also includes circuitry for decrementing the first number when the latest stored logic states of the phase comparator have a single occurrence of the first logic state and for incrementing the second number when the latest stored logic states of the phase comparator have a single occurrence of the second state.

A PLL is a device providing a signal synchronized with respect to a reference signal, that is, having the same phase and frequency as the reference signal. In the absence of a reference signal, the PLL provides a frequency approximately equal to the rated frequency of the reference signal. The function of the PLL is to follow the reference signal and to provide a signal similar to the reference signal in case of an accidental absence of the latter.
FIG. 1A shows a conventional simple digital PLL, intended to synchronize the pulses of an internal signal Fint with respect to the pulses of a reference signal SYNC. This PLL comprises a digital phase comparator (PHASE-COMP) 10 receiving signals Fint and SYNC and providing at its output a signal SGN. Signal SGN assumes a first logic state (1) if the phase of signal Fint is in advance to the phase of signal SYNC, i.e. if a pulse of signal Fint occurs prior to a pulse of signal SYNC, and assumes a second state (0) if signal Fint has a delayed phase. Signal Fint is obtained by dividing a clock signal CK through a divider (DIV N.sub.H -N.sub.L) 12 controlled by the signal SGN of the phase comparator. Divider 12 divides signal CK by a fixed high number N.sub.H when signal SGN is "1" and by a fixed low number N.sub.L when signal SGN is "0".
Number N.sub.H is such that the signal Fint obtained by dividing the clock signal CK by this number N.sub.H has a period higher than the rated period of the reference signal SYNC. Number N.sub.L is such that signal Fint has a period lower than the rated period of the reference signal SYNC.
FIG. 1B shows signals SYNC, Fint and SGN in an exemplary application of the PLL of Figure IA to TV signals, where signal Fint is used for generating the line scan. Signal SYNC is then generated by a receiving circuit or a magnetic tape recorder and its rated period is 64 microseconds.
Period T of signal SYNC, especially in the case of a video tape recorder where it is determined by the running speed of the tape, can vary within a substantially high range. Number N.sub.H is selected so that the corresponding signal Fint has a long period T.sub.H higher than the maximum period of signal SYNC, for example 65 microseconds. Number N.sub.L is selected so that the corresponding signal Fint has a short period T.sub.L lower than the minimum period, for example 63 microseconds.
FIG. 1B shows the signals obtained in steady state assuming that signal SYNC is at its rated period (64 microseconds).
At a time t0, a pulse from signal Fint is detected prior to a synchronization pulse from signal SYNC, which indicates that signal SYNC has a phase lag with respect to signal Fint. The signal SGN of the phase comparator goes to "1" and selects the division of the clock signal CK by the high number N.sub.H. The next period of signal Fint is therefore fixed to 65 microseconds.
At a time t1, the next synchronization pulse of signal SYNC is detected before a pulse from signal Fint. This indicates that the signal Fint has a phase lag with respect to signal SYNC. Signal SGN goes to "0" and selects the division by the low number N.sub.L and therefore a 63-microsecond period of signal Fint.
At a time t2, a pulse from signal Fint is detected prior to the next synchronization pulse from signal SYNC, indicating a phase lag. Signal SGN switches to state "1" and the process is resumed in the same way as at time t0.
In the above case where the period T of the reference signal SYNC is constant and equal to the average value of the long and short periods of signal Fint, the period of signal Fint oscillates at each period between 63 and 65 microseconds.
If the period T is slightly higher than 64 microseconds, the period of signal Fint oscillates in the same way with, however, from time to time, a few successive periods of 65 microseconds. If the period T is slightly lower than 65 microseconds, signal Fint will have a period of 65 microseconds with, from time to time, a period of 63 microseconds. In fact, the long or short periods of signal Fint successively occur so that the average frequency calculated over a large number of periods of signal Fint is equal to that of signal SYNC. It can be demonstrated that the duty cycle of signal SGN is expressed by (T-T.sub.L)/(T.sub.H -T.sub.L).
If period T is higher than 65 microseconds, the period of signal Fint is blocked at 65 microseconds and is therefore false.
Complementary cases occur when period T ranges from 63 to 64 microseconds.
Thus, this PLL is capable of following a reference signal SYNC only if its period T ranges within determined limits (here, 63 and 65 microseconds). It is therefore advantageous to separate as much as possible the extreme limits of signal Fint in order to increase the tracking range.
However, by increasing this range, the resolution of the PLL is reduced. In fact, assuming that signal SYNC is the line scan synchronization signal of a TV set, the period jumps between the extreme periods of signal Fint, from which scanning is generated, appear in the form of lines on the screen alternatively beginning forward or backward one with respect to the other. If the extreme periods of signal Fint are too high, these line differences become visible and unpleasant (a vertical line will be indented).

Method and a device for synchronizing a signal


To improve jump characteristic of BaTiO3—(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3 material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a semiconductive porcelain composition having a positive temperature coefficient of resistance (PTC), and a heater employing the semiconductive porcelain composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
BaTiO3 semiconductive porcelain composition has been known as a material showing a positive resistance temperature characteristic. When SrTiO3 or PbTiO3 is added to the BaTiO3 semiconductive porcelain composition, a Curie temperature can be shifted, but only PbTiO3 is an additive material that enables shifting in a positive direction. However, since PbTiO3 contains an element causing environmental pollution, a material using no PbTiO3 as an additive material has been desired. Consequently, a semiconductive porcelain composition in which a part of Ba in BaTiO3 is substituted with Bi—Na was proposed (see Patent Document 1).
Where a BaTiO3-based material is treated by, for example, sintering in a reducing atmosphere so as to decrease room temperature resistivity, there is a problem that a temperature coefficient of resistance (jump characteristic) is decreased. When the jump characteristic is decreased, there is a problem that switching does not occur at the objective temperature. Therefore, to improve the jump characteristic, it is proposed to conduct a heat treatment at high temperature exceeding 1,100° C. (Patent Document 2).    Patent Document 1: WO 2006/106910    Patent Document 2: JP-A-56-169301

Process for producing semiconductive porcelain composition and heater employing semiconductive porcelain composition

Abstract: There is provided a process for producing a semiconductive porcelain composition in which a part of Ba is substituted with Bi—Na, the process including a step of preparing a (BaQ)TiO3 calcined powder (in which Q is a semiconductor dopant), a step of preparing a (BiNa)TiO3 calcined powder, a step of mixing the (BaQ)TiO3 calcined powder and the (BiNa)TiO3 calcined powder, a step of molding and sintering the mixed calcined powder, and a step of heat-treating the obtained sintered body at 600° C. or lower; and a PCT heater employing the element prepared by the above steps.


An invention is provided for affording a real-time three-dimensional interactive environment using a three-dimensional camera. The invention includes obtaining two-dimensional data values for a plurality of pixels representing a physical scene, and obtaining a depth value for each pixel of the plurality of pixels using a depth sensing device. Each depth value indicates a distance from a physical object in the physical scene to the depth sensing device. At least one computer-generated virtual object is inserted into the scene, and an interaction between a physical object in the scene and the virtual object is detected based on coordinates of the virtual object and the obtained depth values.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to video image processing, and more particularly to providing a real-time interactive computer environment using a three-dimensional camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increased processing capabilities of today's computer technology, new creative methods for interacting with computer systems have become available. For example, new on-line keyboards allow individuals to enter information without the need for a physical keyboard, and new game controllers with a plurality of joysticks and directional keys enhance the user's ability to interact with the computer system. In addition to hand held input devices, input devices employing video images are currently available that allow user control of objects on a graphical display such as a video monitor.
Such video input devices often are responsive to the movement or position of a user in the field of view of a video capture device. More recently, video image processing has been used to translate the movement of the user that has been captured as a sequence of video images into signals for game control. Prior art input systems include a video capture device that scans a field of view in which a system user stands. The captured video image is applied to a video digitizer that provides digital output to a processor that analyzes and processes the digital information received from the digitizer.
Based upon the position or movement of the participant in the field of view, the processor produces signals that are used by the graphics generating system to move objects on the display. Although the operation or output of the devices or graphical displays can thereby be affected by the position or movement of the participant, the computer processing time required is frequently very extensive and complex, tending to require substantial computer and/or time resources.
In addition, known devices and methods employing user video image data that are used to affect the movement of an object on a graphical display are typically characterized by significant encumbrances upon the participant within the video camera field of view. Such systems may include additional equipment that the participant is required to wear, such as arm coverings or gloves with integral, more easily detectable portions or colors, and/or visible light sources such as light emitting diodes. Unfortunately, such systems do not allow for the ease-of-use, quick response, and simplicity needed to provide a user input device capable of meeting marketability requirements for consumer items such as might be required of video game controllers.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for enhanced systems and methods that allow interaction in a three-dimensional environment. The methods should allow user interaction without requiring additional equipment, such as arm coverings or gloves. In addition, the method should not require overly burdensome processing ability and should have the ability to function in real-time, thus providing the user with a natural computer interaction experience.

System and method for providing a real-time three-dimensional interactive environment


A stacker crane has an upper frame, which connects upper portions of front and rear support rods standing from both front and rear end portions of a lower frame, respectively, is connected to the front and rear support rods by bolts. The upper frame includes a main part comprising a first plate following along a vertical direction and having front and rear extensions being extended in the front and rear directions of the crane and mast connecting portions being extended downward from both the front and rear ends of the front and rear extensions. The upper frame has a reinforcing part comprising a second plate following along a horizontal direction projecting from the main part in a width direction and being extended in the front and rear directions. The mast connecting portions of the main part are urged against the side surfaces of the front and rear support rods, respectively.

A conventional stacker crane is disclosed in Japanese Patent Preliminarily Publication No. 2003-212308, where an upper frame comprises a pair of left and right frame portions. These frame portions are constituted of a pair of front and rear connecting plates, which are connected to the front and rear support rods, respectively, by bolts, and an elongated upper frame portion extended in the front and rear direction of the crane and being connected to the pair of front and rear connecting plates at both ends thereof. The pair of left and right frame portions are connected to the front and rear support rods, respectively, such that the rods are positioned between the left and right frame portions.
Each connecting plate is protruded in an upward direction more than the rods, and the protruded portion of the connecting plate has an engagement portion having a reversed C-shape viewed from the front and rear direction of the crane. The upper frame portion comprises a frame member having a reversed C-shaped cross section and is connected to the connecting plates by bolts in a condition in which the end portions of the upper frame portion in the front and rear direction of the crane are engaged to the engagement portions of the connecting plates, respectively. That is to say, an engagement portion is formed with the connecting plate, to which the upper frame portion is connected by bolts in a condition that the upper frame portion is engaged into the engagement portion of the connecting plate, so that the up-and-down fluctuation of the upper frame portion against the connecting plate can be suitably controlled. Thereby, the pair of front and rear support rods are appropriately connected to the upper and lower frames in a condition that the lower frame, the front and rear support rods, and the upper frame are assembled together forming a frame body having a rectangular shape viewed from side. As such, for instance, a deformation from the rectangular-shaped assembling condition caused by the fluctuation of the parallel-arranged front and rear support rods in the back and forth direction against the lower frame is suitably prevented.
According to the conventional stacker crane disclosed in Japanese Patent Preliminarily Publication No. 2003-212308, the upper frames of the left and right frame portions are connected to each other via the connecting plate, to which the upper frame portions are fit at many points in the back and forth direction of the crane, by bolts, so that the upper frame is constituted as a ladder-shaped frame, which is hard to be deformed as a whole. In the conventional stacker crane disclosed in Japanese Patent Preliminarily Publication No. 2003-212308, a pair of front and rear attachment plates for supporting front and rear guide rollers, respectively (which are being urged against the side surface of a guide rail provided on the ceiling side), are connected to the connecting plate by bolts in a condition that the attachment plates are mounted on the left and right connecting plates, between which the front support rod is held, or mounted on the left and right connecting plates, between which the rear support rod is held.
The upper frame of the conventional stacker crane is constructed so that an engagement portion, which engages the upper frame portion, is formed in the pair of front and rear connecting plates, which are connected to the front and rear support rods by bolts, respectively, and the connecting plate and the upper frame portion are connected to each other by bolts in a condition that the upper frame portion is being engaged into the engagement portion. This, therefore, shows the tendency for the steps for the upper frame production to become complex due to the facts that the shape of the connecting plates is complex. An improvement to this has been long awaited.
Furthermore, the conventional stacker crane is constituted such that the relative movement of the connecting plate and the upper frame portion in the front and rear direction of the crane is restricted due to friction caused by the bolt connection therebetween and, therefore, the connecting strength between the connecting plate and the upper frame in the front and rear direction of the crane is insufficient. As a result, the connecting strength for connecting the front and rear support rods in the front and rear direction of the crane, such as the strength for restricting the movement of the front and rear support rods to the direction that the rods are spaced from each other, becomes insufficient. An improvement from this point of view has also been awaited.
In fact, the production of the upper frame of the conventional stacker crane tends to be cumbersome, and the strength for connecting the front and rear support rods in the front and rear direction of the crane is apt to be insufficient, so that an improvement is awaited.
Incidentally, the upper frame of the conventional stacker crane is constituted such that the pair of front and rear attachment plate for supporting the front and rear guide rollers, which are being urged to the side surface of the guide rail on the ceiling side, are connected to the left and right connecting plates, between which the front support rod is held, or to the left and right connecting plates, between which the rear support rod is held. Thus, a force acting on the guide rollers is caused when the guide rollers are guided by the guide rail; it acts on the connecting plates being connected to the support rods. Therefore, it is necessary to make the strength of the connecting plate and the strength for attaching the connecting plates to the support rods sufficiently high.


A light control sheet for receiving a light incident on one surface thereof and for emitting the received light from the other surface thereof, includes plural prisms which is provided at least one of surfaces of the sheet. Each of the prisms has a generatrix in parallel to each other, and has two side surfaces formed on both sides with respect to a plane surface which includes the generatrix and is perpendicular to the light control sheet. The two side surfaces have asymmetrical shapes each other with respect to the plane surface, and at least one of the two side surfaces is nonplanar.

The present invention relates to a light control sheet wherein a plurality of prisms are formed on at least one side of the sheet in a manner that generatrices forming the prisms are in parallel each other so that an incident light entering the light control sheet through the prism-formation side of the light control sheet emerges out of the other side thereof, and it relates also to a surface light source unit and a liquid crystal display device both employing the light control sheet.
Next, an example of a conventional light control sheet will be explained as follows, referring to drawings. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing how a liquid crystal display device employing a conventional light control sheet is structured, and FIG. 20 is an enlarged section of the light control sheet shown in FIG. 19.
In the drawing, the numeral 1 represents a cold-cathode tube, and 2 represents a light-guiding plate wherein prism projection 2b is formed on transmission surface 2a so that light emitted from the cold-cathode tube may emerge obliquely to light control sheet 3.
The light control sheet 3 makes light emerged from the transmission surface 2a to be emerged almost perpendicular to the surface of the light control sheet, to illuminate liquid crystal display element 4.
With regard to the light control sheet 3, in this case, a plurality of prisms of the same shape 3a are formed on surface (incident surface) 3d which faces the light-guiding plate 2 in a manner that generatrices are in parallel each other as shown in FIG. 20. Further, a shape on the section of each prism 3a viewed in the direction that is in parallel with its generatrix is an equilateral triangle.
Namely, in prism 3a, a length of boundary surface at light source side 3b through which light coming from light-guiding plate 2 enters is the same as a length of boundary surface on the side opposite to a light source 3c totally reflecting light toward liquid crystal display element 4.
In a liquid crystal display device structured in the aforesaid manner, light emitted from light source 1 enters light-guiding plate 2, then, is guided through the light-guiding plate 2, and emerges out of the light-guiding plate through its transmission surface 2a. Then, the light enters through boundary surface at the light source side 3b of prism 3a on light-converging sheet 3, and a part of the light directly emerges out of emergent surface 3e and the other part thereof is reflected on boundary surface on the side opposite to a light source 3c and both of them emerge out of emergent surface 3e, to illuminate liquid crystal display element 4.
FIG. 22 shows an example of light distribution on emergent surface 3e indicated when light having characteristics shown in FIG. 21 enters an incident surface of the light control sheet 3. Incidentally, specifications of the light control sheet 3 used for the present conventional example are as follows.
Material . . . Polycarbonate (refractive index n=1.59) PA1 Vertical angle (.theta.1) of boundary surface at light source side 3b of prism 3a=34.degree. PA1 Vertical angle (.theta.2) of boundary surface on the side opposite to a light source 3c of prism 3a=34.degree.
Both boundary surface at light source side 3b and boundary surface on the side opposite to a light source 3c are shown on the expression wherein coordinate axes are established so that an origin of the coordinate passes through a vertex of the prism 3a and generatrices of the prism 3a are perpendicular to X-Y plane, as shown in FIG. 20.
Boundary surface at light source side 3b . . . Y=-1.540X (-0.649 mm.ltoreq.X.ltoreq.0 mm)
Boundary surface on the side opposite to a light source 3c . . . Y=1.540X (0.ltoreq.X.ltoreq.0.649 mm)
On the light control sheet 3 of the present conventional example, the maximum luminance was 2278 (cd/m.sup.2) and a half-value degree (angular range having the luminance that is more than a half of the maximum luminance) was 25.63.degree..
An optical system of the light control sheet 3 mentioned above will be explained as follows, referring to FIGS. 23(a) and 23(b). FIG. 23(a) is a diagram explaining an optical system wherein light shown in FIG. 21 enters light control sheet 3 shown in FIG. 20, while FIG. 23(b) is a diagram on which the optical system shown in FIG. 23(a) is developed.
FIG. 23(b) shows an optical system wherein light enters a slanted transparent plate and then emerges from it. In the case of this type of optical system, when an inclination angle is changed, an angle of emergence from emergent surface 3e only changes. Namely, a graphical shape of light distribution characteristics as shown in FIG. 22 is only subjected to parallel displacement in the direction of an axis of the angle of emergence, and the shape itself can not be controlled.
On the other hand, FIG. 23(a) is equivalent to FIG. 23(b) wherein light enters a slanted transparent plate and emerges from it. Therefore, even when vertical angles (.theta.1, .theta.2) of prism 3a corresponding to a slanted angle are changed, a graphical shape itself can not be controlled though an angle of emergence only changes. Namely, neither the maximum luminance nor the half-value degree can be controlled, and further, side lobe light (undesired light that usually does not enter an eye of a liquid crystal observer) can not be controlled either, which is a problem.
When light emerging from light control sheet 3 is highly directive under the condition that an amount of light emerging from light control sheet 3 is constant independently of a distance from a light source, especially when the emergence luminance in the +10.degree. direction falls rapidly under the condition that light which emerges in the direction to the front (0.degree. direction) is intense, there is a possibility that a liquid crystal observer observes an occurrence of luminance unevenness.
For example, when a liquid crystal image plane in A4 size is observed from the point which is away from the image plane by about 500 mm and is perpendicular to the image plane at its center, an edge of the image plane is inclined by about 10.degree..
FIG. 24 is a diagram showing light distribution characteristics of a light control sheet and luminance unevenness that is caused by the change of an apparent angle to a liquid crystal observer.
Therefore, it is efficient when a peak of emergence is directed to a liquid crystal observer at various points on an image plane instead of directing the peak of emergence to the 0.degree. direction all together on the entire image plane.

Light control sheet, surface light source unit and liquid crystal display device


A liftplate for use in a window mounting assembly includes a first plate member, a second plate member and a third plate member. The first plate member has two spaced apart apertures and is secured to a window regulator. The apertures in the first plate member each have a sleeve molded therein. Each sleeve is attached to the first plate member through a frangible connection which is broken upon insertion of a fastener in an associated one of the apertures of the first plate member. The second plate member has an aperture which receives one of the fasteners. The third plate member has an aperture which receives the other of the fasteners. The second and third plate members are disposed opposite the first plate member and are joined to the first plate member to define a channel for receiving a sheet of window glass.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to door glass sheet mountings for vehicles, and more particularly, to an improved mounting arrangement for attaching the glass sheet to a liftplate movable within a car door.
2. Discussion
Examples of vehicle glass movement arrangements are addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,032 (Ballor et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,926 (Grace et al.), incorporated by reference herein. FIG. 3 illustrates one example of a prior art embodiment. A liftplate A secures a glass sheet B in place using a fastener C, and a retention nut D with a retainer E disposed therebetween. The retainer E is an additional part in the assembly. It is an object of the present invention to improve vehicle glass mounting assemblies, and particularly to reduce assembly installation procedures and to further reduce costs of such assemblies by the elimination of certain separate parts, such as the retainer E.

Vehicle door glass liftplate assembly with frangible sleeve


A reamer for reaming a uniform opening in an intramedullary canal of a bone. The reamer has an impeller rigidly attached to the shaft of the reamer proximal to the reamer head. The impeller blades have a pitch higher than the pitch of the reamer head flutes. The increased pitch between the impeller blades and the reamer head flutes produces a partial vacuum while the unit is turning, pulling debris up and out of the bony canal and reducing pressure in the intramedullary canal.

The intramedullary canal of a long bone, such as a femur, is filled with fat and marrow elements. It is necessary to produce uniform passages in long bones in order to admit fracture fixation devices such as intramedullary nails. Reaming is accomplished with a power unit attached to the reamer. The reamer produces bone chips during reaming. The fat, marrow elements and bone chips are pushed forward by the prior art reamers during reaming, thereby increasing the intramedullary pressure. Prior art reamers have reamer shafts that are similar in diameter to the reamer heads. The combination of diameters and the viscosity of the fat, marrow elements, and bone chips effectively plugs the intramedullary canal.


The rotary body driving apparatus for rotating a rotary body comprises: a rotor shaft, to which the rotary body and a rotor are attached, being rotatably held by a bearing section; a rotor magnet being attached to the rotor and partially exposed as a position detecting magnet; a first positioning section being formed in the rotor, the first positioning section corresponding to the position detecting magnet; and a second positioning section corresponding to a reference surface of the rotary body. The rotary body is attached to the rotor in a state where the first positioning section and the second positioning section are aligned so as to make circumferential positions of the reference surface and the position detecting magnet correspond to each other.

In case of an outer rotor, a cup-shaped rotor yoke is attached to one end part of a rotor shaft, and the rotor shaft is rotatably held by a stator housing. A circular rotor magnet is provided inside of the rotor yoke, and the rotor magnet is set to face pole teeth of a stator core assembled in the stator housing.
To detect rotational positions of the rotor, a position detecting magnet, which is separated from the rotor magnet, is provided to a part of an outer periphery of the rotor yoke. A position of a magnetic pole of the position detecting magnet is detected by a magnetic pole detecting sensor, e.g., Hall element, which is provided on a motor substrate, so that the rotational position of the rotor can be detected (see Patent Document 1).


A time shared arrangement for delivering spa water and pool water to a water heater is disclosed in which check valves respond to the presence of spa water and pool water pressure. Water drawn from the pool is diverted into two streams, one passes through a check valve to a water heater and the other passes through a check valve to a return line. The flow of pool water to the heater is isolated by a further check valve forced to a close position by the pressure of the pool water. Water drawn from the spa is diverted into two streams, one passes through a check valve to a water heater and the other passes through a check valve to a return line. The flow of spa water to the heater is isolated by a check valve forced is closed by the pressure of spa water. Separate check valves are used for the diverted flows of each water stream to reduce pressure loss and provide a uniquely located site where a signal can be derived indicated by operation of the spa water pump or in the absence thereof a control parameter indicative of operation of the pool water pump.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic isolation manifold for an automatic temperature and valving control system to supply heated water from a heater to a swimming pool and to a spa which may be interconnected by a spill way. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a system wherein a header assembly embodies a unique arrangement of hydraulically operated valves to control directed flows of water from a swimming pool and a spa without incurring adverse effects to the water pressure because of the valving.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current pool heating systems accomplish specific needs for the routing of pool or spa water through a heater on a time shared basis. Three-way valves and "T" fittings allow closing of any branch to isolate the pool water, direct it through the heater and return it to the pool or to the spa when water flow via the spa spill-over is desired. In a contrary position, the valves operate to isolate the spa water from the pool and direct the water pumped from the spa through the heater and back to the spa. Motorized actuators can be fitted to such valves for automated operation. Common valves of gate, globe, ball or butterfly varieties are used to isolate pool or spa water to share the same heater. Normally, four common valves are necessary, namely: one to prevent spa water from entering the heater during pool heating; one to prevent pool water from entering the spa during spa heating; one to direct pool water to enter the heater, and one to return water to the pool.
The present invention is an improvement to the known time sharing heater techniques and particularly as disclosed in Service Bulletins Volume II, Issue IX, dated September, 1985, and Volume V, Issued VII, dated July, 1988, by Horner Equipment of Florida, Inc. According to this body of known heating pool technology, hydraulic isolation valving for combined spa and pool structures is devised for the pool water and spa water. All the water pumped from the spa was required to pass through a single check valve imposing a detrimental water pressure drop before a part of the spa water entered the heater and a diverted part passed through another check valve in a return line where heated water from the heater was introduced to form a combined flow for return to the spa. Such a system suffered from pressure drops imposed by a check valve to the entire spa water flow before division to form the partial flow to the heater; thus downgrading the much desired turbulent water condition in body of water in the spa. Also, the piping in such hydraulic isolating systems was of a random nature whereby the valving was not centralized and pipe sizes were often wrongly chosen, thus degrading the effectiveness of the system. The diverse nature of hydraulic isolation systems imposed severe restraints to the temperature control system because there was ordinarily required an interlock between a time clock or pool pump with the heater thermostat controls. Such interlock was job site dependent and required interlocking of a flow switch or an external relay in a time clock, or pump with heater thermostats for the switching operations.
Current pool and water heating technologies also offer devices to accomplish temperature setting functions for control of pool or spa water through a shared heater. Manual electrical switches can be used to designate one of two thermostats or potentiometers for controlling water heater operations for pool water and spa water. No centrally derived signal could be generated to select which of the two thermostats or potentiometers would be used for heater operation because flow detection was always a site specific circumstance. The water pressure detecting switches had to be situated in the piping before the flow of water was diverted and selected for the water heating operation. Because of this, the chosen site along the piping was likely remote to the water heater and independent of the usual sensor in the water heater that would assure identification of pool or spa water flow therein as a fail safe measure. Electronic pool/spa controllers are also available to the industry for remote operation, thermostat setting, time sequencing, and valve activation, but these devices do not relate or utilize the hydraulic principles of this invention and therefore unduly complicate the entire control system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a manifold for combining functions into an integral central system using hydraulic isolation principles for water circulating controls.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a water flow control system in which a unitary header structure embodies a construction to allow preassembly and inclusion within the cabinet structure of a water heater for a pool and spa so as to centralize the servicing and control of structures essential to the time sharing heating operation of water by the water heater.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a chamber unique in the operation of a hydraulic isolation manifold to allow reliable detection of spa water pump and pool water pump operations for a basis to initiate thermostatic controls.


An acoustic blanket is disclosed for an industrial machine including a plurality of flexible panels, wherein each panel includes at least one layer of a fiber glass material, an outer casing of a chemically resistant material and an attachment for connecting the panel to an adjacent panel, and the plurality of flexible panels are each assigned a position in said blanket corresponding to a location on the industrial machine.

This invention relates to sound attenuation, and specifically to the reduction of machinery noise levels through use of acoustic blankets.
Growing environmental sound concerns and recognition that lengthy, unprotected exposure to high industrial noise levels can be detrimental to people have resulted in increased attention to reducing industrial noise. In many countries, particularly those in Europe, the allowable maximum noise levels that workers should be exposed to is regulated by law, through government promulgation of noise level criteria.
Recent years have seen the enactment of stringent regulatory requirements for acceptable noise levels for industrial machinery such that increasingly lower noise levels are being required. Because of the increased awareness of the harmful effects from high industrial noise levels and government regulations that establish acceptable noise levels in the work place, noise reduction has become an integral part of machinery safety. Noise abatement is a concern with, for example, generator-steam and gas turbine power plants. As demands for electricity increase, the power industry faces increasing challenges to build and operate efficient and quiet power generators, e.g. steam turbines, gas turbines, and electrical generators.
In an industrial environment, the types of equipment used often emits noise levels that register at high and potentially harmful decibel levels. In a power plant, noise may come from a variety of machine sources, such as generators, gas or steam turbines, fans, pumps, coolers, and other mechanical and electrical equipment, many of which may be in operation simultaneously. Individuals working in such an environment are often faced with the need to reduce the near and far field machinery noise levels. In an environment where individuals work in close proximity to the source(s) of machine noise, near field sound levels must be controlled in order to comply with noise regulating and avoid hearing damage to the workers. Where machine noise can reach areas that are near an industrial plant, it may be prudent to abate far field machine noise to acceptable levels and to avoid broadcasting neighboring communities.
There are several conventional methods available to reduce generator noise levels. These methods are handicapped by one shortcoming or another. Generally, all are overly costly. In one technique, a noise control housing enclosure covers the generator in its entirety. The cost for this enclosure is excessive. In another technique, barrier walls around a power generator constructed from steel are used to reduce generator noise. Such walls are built around the generator, leaving the top open. The cost for this type of noise reduction treatment is also expensive.
In a first embodiment, the invention is an acoustic blanket for an industrial machine comprising: a plurality of flexible panels, wherein each panel includes at least one layer of a fiber glass material, an outer casing of a chemically resistant material and an attachment for connecting the panel to an adjacent panel, and said plurality of flexible panels are each assigned a position in said blanket corresponding to a location on the industrial machine.
In a second embodiment, the invention is a system for reducing the sound in an industrial machine comprising: an acoustic blanket further comprising a quilt of interconnected flexible panels, wherein each panel includes at least one layer of a sound adsorbing material, an outer casing of a chemically resistant material and an attachment for connecting the panel to at least one adjacent panel, wherein each of said panels bears an indicia indicating a position of the panel in said blanket, and a securing device extending over said blanket to hold the blanket onto said machine.
In a third embodiment, the invention is a method for installing an industrial acoustic blanket on an industrial machine comprising: (a) forming flexible panels wherein each panel includes at least one layer of a sound adsorbing material, an outer casing of a chemically resistant material, and an attachment for connecting the panel to at least one adjacent panel; (b) marking each of said panel with an indicia indicating a position of the panel in said blanket corresponding to a location on the industrial machine; (c) positioning each of said panels the corresponding location of said industrial machine using the indicia to determine the proper location of the panel on the machine; (d) attaching the panels to adjacent panels of the blanket, and (e) securing the blanket to the machine.

Acoustic blanket for machinery and method for attenuating sound


An inflatable child containment assembly generally in the form of a play pen type structure capable of multiple uses including a contained play area, a resting or sleeping space, a splash pool, a wash basin, and a support platform for changing a child. A wall assembly has sufficient structural integrity when inflated to assume either a first operative or upright position or a second operative, inverted position, depending on the intended use. A plurality of interconnected wall sections define the wall assembly and are collectively disposed in a closed, continuous configuration to form an interior child containment area having a closure assembly covering one end thereof. An inflatable base may serve as a cushion when removably disposed within the containment area. When in the deflated and collapsed orientation, the containment assembly may be easily carried by an individual utilizing an appropriate pouch or bag.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a child containment assembly having an inflatable construction capable of being selectively disposable into an expanded or collapsed position for use or storage, respectively. A wall assembly and additional operative components associated therewith are cooperatively structured to allow for multiple uses including, but not limited to, an indoor/outdoor contained play area, a resting or sleeping area, a splash pool or wash basin, as well as a support platform usable as a changing or dressing area for a child. Dependent on an intended use of the containment assembly, it is disposable in either a first or second operative position.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, there have been numerous types of inflatable objects, such as balloons, simulated furniture, sporting equipment, and flotation devices. More recently, inflatable structures and features have been incorporated into play pens for children. However, current inflatable play pen structures have limited utility in that they serve the narrow purpose of providing a confining area for a child to play or possibly sleep. It would therefore be beneficial to provide an inflatable child containment assembly that is structured for additional uses. For instance, it would be a benefit for such a containment assembly to readily provide for a structurally sound changing area, which would be extremely convenient given that makeshift changing areas are often unsafe or uncomfortable. It would also be advantageous for an inflatable child containment assembly to be structured for use as a splash pool, which would eliminate the need for a consumer to separately purchase both a play pen and a splash pool, while providing the added convenience of portability. Likewise, it would be beneficial for such a child containment assembly to be further structured for use as a wash basin.
It would also be an advantage for such an assembly to include structural features that provide for additional child comfort. For example, it would be an advantage to provide an inflatable structure for supporting the child's head in any one of the aforementioned uses. It would be a further advantage to provide a cushioning structure that supports the child's entire body and that also serves to keep the child dry. It would also be beneficial to control the temperature of the assembly for additional child comfort.
It would be a further benefit to include various safety features in such an inflatable child containment assembly. For example, it would be advantageous for such an assembly to maintain sufficient structural integrity even when partially deflated so as to avoid collapsing onto the children contained therein.


An amplifying apparatus for a mobile station receiver is disclosed. A low-noise amplifier amplifies a received signal to a preset level. A controller detects a level of a signal corresponding to a first frame of the received signal output from the low-noise amplifier, and generates a control voltage according to the detected level. An attenuation determining resistor determines an attenuation of the received signal. A first switching element is connected in series to the attenuation determining resistor, and is turned ON according to the control voltage so as to attenuate the received signal through the attenuation determining resistor. An impedance compensation resistor is connected in parallel to the attenuation determining resistor, and compensates for a decrease in an impedance due to turn-ON of the first switching element. Further, a second switching element is connected in parallel to the impedance compensation resistor and the first switching element. The second switching element is turned ON according to the control voltage so as to provide the received signal to the low-noise amplifier without attenuation.

This application claims priority to an application entitled xe2x80x9cAmplifying Apparatus for a Mobile Station Receiver and Method for Controlling the Samexe2x80x9d filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Dec. 29, 1999 and assigned Serial No. 99-65240, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile station, and in particular, to an amplifying apparatus for securing a good impedance match of a mobile station receiver and a method for controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a conventional amplifying apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1, a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) mobile station receives a radio signal through an antenna 110 and provides the received signal to a receiver through a duplexer 109. In the receiver, the received signal is provided to a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 108 through capacitors 107 and 108. The low-noise amplifier 108 amplifies the received signal and provides the amplified signal to a controller (not shown). When the signal output from the low-noise amplifier 108 is higher than or equal to a predetermined level, the controller generates a control voltage Vcont of a first level (e.g., 3V) to attenuate (or decrease) the level of the received signal.
The control voltage Vcont generated by the controller is provided to a base of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) 111. The BJT 111 is turned ON in response to the control voltage Vcont at the first level. Then, the power supply voltage VCC is provided to a diode 101 in the receiver through resistors 102 and 103. As a result, the diode 101 becomes conductive (or is turned ON), so that the received signal being provided from the duplexer 109 to the receiver is attenuated by the circuit comprised of the resistor 102, the capacitor 105 and the resistor 103.
However, as the diode 101 is turned ON, an impedance of the amplifying apparatus is decreased as compared with the case where the diode 101 is turned OFF. As a result, the impedance of the amplifying apparatus is not matched with an output impedance of the low-noise amplifier 108. Hence, the filtering characteristics of a filter in the receiver is degraded due to the signal output from the low-noise amplifier 108. Further, because of the impedance mismatch, abnormal oscillation occurs and the output signal includes ripple components, so that the demodulated signal may have errors.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an amplifying apparatus for securing a good impedance match of a mobile station receiver and a method for controlling the same.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an amplifying apparatus for removing ripple components from the output signal.
To achieve the above and other objects, there is provided an amplifying apparatus for a mobile station receiver. In the amplifying apparatus, a low-noise amplifier amplifies a received signal to a preset level. A controller detects a level of a signal corresponding to a first frame of the received signal output from the low-noise amplifier, and generates a control voltage according to the detected level. An attenuation determining resistor determines an attenuation of the received signal. A first switching element is connected in series to the attenuation determining resistor, and is turned ON according to the control voltage so as to attenuate the received signal through the attenuation determining resistor. An impedance compensation resistor is connected in parallel to the attenuation determining resistor, and compensates for a decrease in an impedance due to turn-ON of the first switching element.
Further, a second switching element is connected in parallel to the impedance compensation resistor and the first switching element. The second switching element is turned ON according to the control voltage so as to provide the received signal to the low-noise amplifier without attenuation.
Preferably, the control voltage is at a first level when the level of the signal corresponding to the first frame of the received signal output through the low-noise amplifier is higher than or equal to a threshold level. The control voltage is at a second level when the level of the signal corresponding to the first frame is lower than the threshold level.
Preferably, when the control voltage is at the first level, the first switching element is turned ON and the second switching element is turned OFF. When the control voltage is at the second level, the first switching element is turned OFF and the second switching element is turned ON.

Amplifying apparatus for a mobile station receiver and method for controlling the same


An administered authentication system can authenticate an artificial reality device using an authorization record between a user account and an artificial reality device. In some implementations, the authorization record is created in response to activation of a user account-specific key sent to a user-supplied contact, where an artificial reality device identifier was provided with the user-supplied contact. In other implementations, the authorization record is created in response to activation of a user account-specific key provided to the artificial reality device as a code, where activation of the key includes adding an artificial reality device identifier to a key activation message. In yet other implementations, the authorization record is created in response to an application associated with a user account activating an artificial reality device-specific key, with an artificial reality device identifier, that is provided via the artificial reality device.

Artificial reality devices provide users the ability to experience different worlds, learn in new ways, and make better connections with others. With these artificial reality systems come new interaction flows and opportunities to integrate with other systems. For example, an artificial reality system can allow users to interact with other devices while integrating simultaneous display of real-world and virtual objects. Despite these abilities, artificial reality systems have generally implemented traditional authentication flows, such as requiring users to painstakingly enter credentials and verification codes.
The techniques introduced here may be better understood by referring to the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

Administered authentication in artificial reality systems