A method for ultrasonic harmonic imaging is disclosed, which uses microbubbles particularly selected for their properties of reradiating ultrasound energy at frequencies other than the exciting frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method for harmonic ultrasound imaging using a contrast agent specially designed to return harmonic frequencies.
2. Background of the Art
Ultrasound technology provides an important and more economical alternative to imaging techniques which use ionizing radiation. While numerous conventional imaging technologies are available, e.g., magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, computerized tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET), each of these techniques use extremely expensive equipment. Moreover, CT and PET utilize ionizing radiation. Unlike these other technologies, ultrasound imaging equipment is relatively inexpensive. Moreover, ultrasound imaging does not use ionizing radiation.
In using the ultrasound technique, sound waves are transmitted into an object or patient via a transducer. As the sound waves propagate through the object or body, they are either reflected or absorbed by tissues and fluids. Reflected sound waves are detected by a receiver and processed to form an image. The acoustic properties of the tissues and fluids determine the contrast which appears in the resulting image.
Ultrasound imaging therefore makes use of differences in tissue density and composition that affect the reflection of sound waves by those tissues. Images are especially sharp where there are distinct variations in tissue density or compressibility, such as at tissue interfaces. Interfaces between solid tissues, the skeletal system, and various organs and/or tumors are readily imaged with ultrasound.
Accordingly, in many imaging applications ultrasound performs suitably without use of contrast enhancement agents; however, for other applications, such as visualization of flowing blood in tissues, there have been ongoing efforts to develop agents to provide contrast enhancement. One particularly significant application for such contrast agents is in the area of vascular imaging. Such ultrasound contrast agents could improve imaging of flowing blood in the heart, kidneys, lungs, and other tissues. This, in turn, would facilitate research, diagnosis, surgery, and therapy related to the imaged tissues. A blood pool contrast agent would also allow imaging on the basis of blood content (e.g., tumors and inflamed tissues) and would aid in the visualization of the placenta and fetus by enhancing only the maternal circulation.
A variety of ultrasound contrast enhancement agents have been proposed. The most successful agents have generally consisted of microbubbles that can be injected intravenously. In their simplest embodiment, microbubbles are miniature bubbles containing a gas, such as air, and are formed through the use of foaming agents, surfactants, or encapsulating agents. The microbubbles then provide a physical object in the flowing blood that is of a different density and a much higher compressibility than the surrounding fluid tissue and blood. As a result, these microbubbles can easily be imaged with ultrasound.
However, contrast agents developed thus far for use in ultrasound imaging have various problems. Contrast agents containing aqueous protein solutions require use of a foreign protein which may be antigenic and potentially toxic. Liposomal contrast agents, consisting of liposomes having gas encapsulated therein, present problems due to uneven size distribution and poor stability. Many of the existing contrast agents have failed to provide improved imaging, and furthermore, many of the methods used to prepare the contrast agents are inefficient, expensive, and otherwise unsatisfactory.
Conventional ultrasound systems work by transmitting pulses of ultrasound of a given frequency and measuring the time interval between this transmission and the detection of the reflected echoes from within the object or body being imaged. Large numbers of microbubbles behave collectively as a large reflector. The system relies on measurement of reflected sound waves of the same frequency as that transmitted to produce the image.
It has been found to be advantageous, especially in biological applications, to detect or image an ultrasound contrast agent while suppressing the ultrasound signal reflected by other objects such as tissue and bone (see Williams et al., WO 91/15999). The ability to image ultrasound contrast agent bubbles in the blood by detecting harmonic frequencies in the echo when they are excited by an ultrasound beam at a different frequency (the fundamental) greatly increases the sensitivity of contrast agent detection by ignoring the background fundamental frequency signal scattered by other non-bubble objects in the organism, much like the detection of fluorescent dyes by their frequency-shifted light is inherently more sensitive than the detection of light-absorbing dyes by their modulation of the illuminating light intensity. Unlike microbubbles, animal tissues return very little harmonic frequencies. Thus, background imaging is substantially eliminated through harmonic imaging.
As existing contrast enhancing agents and methods for ultrasound imaging have not been found to be entirely satisfactory, there is a substantial need for providing an improved ultrasound contrast agent and method of ultrasound imaging which results in the production of improved ultrasound images.

Harmonic ultrasound imaging with microbubbles


The invention relates to a multi-sensor camera (1) including at least one housing (2) extending along a camera longitudinal axis (KLA) and having a flat housing base (3) running at least in portions perpendicularly to the camera longitudinal axis (KLA), and including a plurality of image sensor units (6, 6′, 6.1-6.6), wherein one image sensor unit (6, 6′, 6.1-6.6) includes a lens (6a, 6a′) and an image sensor (6b, 6b′) adjoining said lens along a sensor longitudinal axis (SLA). The image sensor units (6, 6′, 6.1-6.6) are distributed concentrically around the camera longitudinal axis (KLA) and are arranged within the housing (2) and above the housing base (3) in such a way that the lenses (6a, 6a′) of the image sensor units (6, 6′, 6a-6.6) are oriented towards the camera longitudinal axis (KLA).

The invention relates to a multi-sensor camera. In the field of professional video surveillance of larger-size surveillance areas, high demands are placed on the resolution of details of the recorded video data. The video systems used for this purpose comprise a multiplicity of cameras or video cameras, which are designed specifically for the video surveillance of diverse surveillance areas.
DIN EN 62676-4 in particular establishes a global standard for planning and agreement on the purposes of such video systems for surveillance. In particular, this standard contains a general classification of the required resolution based on the distance of the object to be imaged from the camera, expressed in the unit "pixel/meter". The specific categories of this classification are:                "Observation" (<125 pixel/meter),        "Recognition of known persons" (>125 pixel/meter) and        "Identification of an unknown person (>250 pixel/meter).
For a given distance of the objects to be imaged from the camera, according to the laws of geometrical optics, the resolution of details can be increased by increasing the pixel density of the image sensor, specifically the number of pixels per square millimeter, or by increasing the lens focal distance. However, an alternative option lies in constructing cameras with an increased detail resolution capacity by using a plurality of camera sensors and a plurality of lenses, which leads to the design of so-called multi-sensor cameras.
The camera head of such a multi-sensor camera comprises a multiplicity of image sensor units, wherein each image sensor unit comprises a lens and an associated image sensor, which preferably form a structural unit. With its image sensor units, the camera head of a multi-sensor camera scans different, generally slightly overlapping solid angle fields of a surveillance area. By virtue of the totality of the image content of all image sensor units, such multi-sensor cameras offer the advantage of being able to record larger solid angles with a relatively high resolution in relation to the location of the surveillance area (unit: pixel/meter in the distance x). Such multi-sensor cameras, which generate their image content with a plurality of image sensor units, are available from diverse manufacturers.
For example, German Patent No. DE 10 2011 103 378 B3 discloses a surveillance device having a plurality of cameras, in which the cameras are configured as multi-sensor camera units. The multi-sensor camera units are realized by so-called "multifocal camera technology". To this end, the image sensor units of the multi-sensor camera units, which record a scene to be monitored in which the distances of the objects vary substantially, are equipped with lenses with different focal distances. With the underlying and in some cases very different imaging scales of the individual image sensor units and very different pixel densities in relation to the different solid angles based on the solid angle in "pixel/angle" units, it is possible to guarantee a minimum resolution in relation to the distance of the object to the camera in "pixel/meter" units. With this property, it is possible to plan the video surveillance in a manner compliant with the resolution specified in DIN EN 62676-4 and to guarantee the recognizability of persons at a specified distance. German Patent No. DE 10 2011 103 378 B3 discloses in particular a method for representing the image content of image sensor units arising from imaging scales (lens focal distances), which can vary greatly depending on the sensor arrangement, and from the pixel densities resulting therefrom, which vary greatly in relation to the solid angles. With this method an overall image and any number of detailed views for the live mode and the synchronized playback mode can be generated and displayed on the monitor.
It is also desirable to be able to monitor interior spaces with only a limited number of cameras. To this end, use is often made of cameras mounted on the ceiling of the interior space to be monitored, which can record a horizontal field of view of 360° about the projection axis of the ceiling-mounted camera, which axis is perpendicular to the floor. Such 360° cameras may also already have a plurality of image sensor units, by means of which a plurality of image sections or room areas can be captured, which collectively give rise to a 360° image.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0191813 A1 discloses an example of a multi-sensor camera comprising a plurality of image sensor units, which is designed for ceiling mounting. The camera comprises four image sensor units, which are received in a dome-like glass housing, wherein the glass housing adjoins to an annular base housing in which the further components of the camera are received and which is designed for ceiling mounting. In the mounted state, the dome-like glass housing receiving the image sensor units is arranged beneath the base housing and therefore at a distance from the room ceiling. Owing to this distance from the room ceiling, the four image sensor units of the camera specified in the illustrated exemplary embodiment are arranged relative to one another in such a way that their lenses point away from one another and their image detection zones are thus oriented outwards from the center or longitudinal axis of the camera, without crossing one another. A surveillance of the room in a 360° horizontal field of view is possible by means of the four image sensor units, wherein a 90° horizontal field of view can be captured by each image sensor. However, a disadvantage in this case is the fact that the floor area directly beneath the camera can only be partially captured by these image sensor units with their respective longitudinal axes oriented diagonally outwards. In order to capture the 360° horizontal field of view, the image sensor units (or rather their lenses) in a ceiling-mounted camera or ceiling camera are each mounted lower than and at a distance from the ceiling in a dome-like glass housing, in order to ensure an unobstructed view, from the camera longitudinal axis outwards, of the room areas to be captured. A disadvantage lies in the fact that such a multi-sensor camera cannot be flush-mounted in a ceiling.
Examples of cameras configured similarly to ceiling-mounted cameras and comprising a plurality of image sensor units are known from Chinese Patent No. CN203069959U or Chinese Patent No. CN201639666U, which cameras in particular have additional image sensor units with which the room area directly under the ceiling-mounted camera can also be captured. In this case also, the image sensor units are arranged inside the camera housing beneath the ceiling in such a way that their detection zones extend radially outwards from the camera longitudinal axis, i.e., do not cross one another in the area of the camera housing. In this case also, a disadvantage lies in the fact that such a camera cannot be flush-mounted in a ceiling.


Photosensitive compounds for use in a method of treating a disease or condition are described. The photosensitive compounds have the formula R—Y, wherein R is a ruthenium complex and Y is at least one sulphur-containing photoreleasable group, and the compounds comprise at least one ruthenium-sulphur bond; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, ester or amide, such that upon influence of visible or near infra-red light (400-1400 nm) in vivo, said at least one ruthenium-sulphur bond is broken, thereby generating a pharmacologically active compound.

Since the discovery of the cytotoxic activity of cisplatin in 1964, decades have been spent investigating the antitumor activity of platinum complexes. At the moment, cisplatin and its derivatives carboplatin and oxaliplatin belong to the most famous metal-based anticancer agents.1
Although very efficient, these cytostatic platinum complexes have severe drawbacks. First, resistance can occur, which is either intrinsic or acquired. Second, its antitumor activity is limited to only several tumor types. Third, the platinum complexes have a high general toxicity leading to negative side effects, including but not limited to kidney damage.
Although platinum anticancer agents are still the most commonly used metal-based anticancer drugs, their drawbacks have led scientists to investigate complexes of other platinum group metals, such as ruthenium. Ruthenium complexes with high cytotoxic activity can be divided into three classes. The first class contains the NAMI-based compounds.
The second class are the organometallic half-sandwich compounds with the formula [Ru(η6-arene)(diamine)(Cl)]. The third class of compounds, which will be discussed in more detail, are ruthenium compounds with polypyridyl ligands.
Ruthenium complexes are thought to interact with biological ligands, and notably DNA. Since the ruthenium complexes have an octahedral instead of a square planar geometry, the binding modes to DNA probably differ from those of cytostatic platinum complexes. Furthermore, it has been shown that DNA is not the only target of several cytostatic ruthenium complexes, but that plasma proteins also bind to the metal centre.
One of the mechanisms of action of ruthenium-based anticancer compounds is thermal formation of an aqua ruthenium complex, which binds to DNA and proteins. Like for cisplatin DNA is one target of antitumor-active ruthenium complexes, but ruthenium-protein interactions play a significant role as well. (Messori, L.; Orioli, P.; Vullo, D., Eur. J. Biochem. 2000, 267, 1206; Ho, M.-Y.; Chiou, M.-L.; Du, W.-S.; Chang, F. Y.; Chen, Y.-H.; Weng, Y.-J.; Cheng, C.-C., J. Inorg. Biochem. 2011, 105, 902). Whatever the final target might be, the main mechanism of action of ruthenium-based anticancer drugs containing chloride ligands bound to the ruthenium center, [Ru—Cl], comprises: 1) hydrolysis of the metal-chloride bond, to give the aqua complex [Ru—OH2], followed by 2) binding of the aqua complex to a biological target, to give a DNA- or protein-bound species; and finally 3) apoptosis triggered by these ruthenium adducts. Although hydrolysis of the Ru—Cl bond occurs faster inside the cells due to the lower cytoplasmic chloride concentration, it is a thermal process that can occur anywhere, which is one of the reasons for the general toxicity of ruthenium-based drugs.
Two examples of polypyridyl ruthenium compounds which show high cytostatic activity are mer-[Ru(terpy)(Cl)3]2 and α-[Ru(azpy)2(Cl)2]3 Another known and interesting anticancer agent is [Ru(terpy)(apy)(Cl)](Cl).4 It is believed that this compound is converted into the cationic active form [Ru(terpy)(apy)(H2O)]2+ in the body by thermal cleavage of the coordination bond between the ruthenium and the chlorine atoms. The structure of the biologically active form of this complex is shown below

Since human body temperature is 37° C., the anticancer agent [Ru(terpy)(apy)(H2O)]2+ might be released anywhere in the body when [Ru(terpy)(apy)(Cl)](Cl) is used as a drug. This affects both healthy and tumor cells. Naturally an effect on healthy cells by a cytostatic agent causes unwanted side effects.
In addition, some of the biologically active polypyridyl ruthenium compounds, such as mer-[Ru(terpy)(Cl)3] or α-[Ru(azpy)2(Cl)2], are poorly soluble in water, which limits their pharmaceutical use.
Tumor irradiation in vivo is clinically employed during photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT consists in the administration of a photosensitizer (generally a porphyrin or phthalocyanine compound), followed by the non-invasive irradiation of the tumor(s) with light (Brown, S. B.; Brown, E. A.; Walker, I., Lancet Oncol. 2004, 5, 497). The photosensitizer is non-toxic in the dark, but in presence of oxygen and light it produces a significant amount of highly toxic, short-lived radical species, culminating in cell death via irreversible damage to cellular components such as proteins, lipids, and DNA.
Overall, using light to activate anticancer prodrugs is attractive in anticancer therapy as it is poorly invasive, spatially accurate, and as it can reach places where surgery is impossible. Of course drug activation by light is particularly suited for skin, lung, or digestive track cancers, for which a source of light can easily be directed onto the tumor. However, it is also possible to shine light on internal organs using endoscopy, to cure prostate, head and neck, bile duct, or bladder cancers for example. Several photosensitizers for PDT have been clinically approved, so that light irradiation techniques are now available within hospitals.
PDT is selective and highly effective in certain cancers. However, there are PDT-resistant tumors as well. The selectivity of PDT is high because: 1) the photosensitizer accumulates in tumor tissues; 2) the photochemically generated radical species are highly reactive, which limits oxidative damage to the vicinity of the photosensitizer; and 3) only the tumor is irradiated, which physically confines the photodynamic action to tumor tissues. Due to its selectivity, toxicity and patient discomfort are kept to a minimum, while PDT has proven to be highly efficacious in the treatment of various cancer types. However, several cancers, including recurrent superficial bladder cancer, non-resectable cholangiocarcinomas, and certain head-and-neck and esophageal cancers, respond poorly to PDT (Nseyo, U. O.; DeHaven, J.; Dougherty, T. J.; Potter, W. R.; Merrill, D. L.; Lundahl, S. L.; Lamm, D. L., J. Clin. Laser Med. Surg. 1998, 16, 61).
One of the reasons of such recalcitrance is the poor oxygenation of tumor tissues (Coleman, C. N., J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 1988, 80, 310; Mellor, H.; Snelling, S.; Hall, M.; Mdok, S.; Jaffar, M.; Hambley, T.; Callaghan, R., Biochem. Pharmacol. 2005, 70, 1137) which is a consequence of their poor vasculature and high demand in energy.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate and/or mitigate one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages.
It is an object of the present invention to provide ruthenium-based compounds, which are initially biologically inactive (or biologically inactive to a limited extent only) and that can be activated in due course through the influence of light to become biologically active or more biologically active.


The present invention provides a nerve regeneration-inducing tube in which collagen having excellent adhesive property, cell growth property and differentiation inducing property to nerve cells is used as a scaffold for the nerve regeneration. The nerve regeneration-inducing tube is characterized in using the collagen which is made the concentration of sodium chloride contained therein not more than 2.0% by weight or, preferably, 0.1 to 1.5% by weight in a dry state. Purification of collagen is carried out by means of an isoelectric precipitation where the pH is 6.0 or higher and is lower than 10.0.

There are many examples where damage of peripheral nerve caused by accident or the like cannot be completely restored. There are also many clinical examples where peripheral nerve must be excised as a result of surgical operations in general. In the damage of peripheral nerves, autologous nerve grafting has been an only means besides a direct anastomosis. However, the result thereof is not always satisfactory but recovery of sensory perception and capacity for locomotion are bad and the aftereffect due to erroneous governing is noted as well. In addition, there are many patients complaining not only the aftereffect such as pain and deficiency in sensory perception but also the abnormal sensory perception of the diseased area or, particularly, pain.
An attempt for the regeneration of nerve by connection of gaps of peripheral nerve using a connecting tube made of artificial materials has been briskly carried out since early 1980's. However, all of the studies of connecting channels using non-absorptive synthetic artificial materials have resulted in failure. In order to solve the above, it is necessary to consider in the followings such as that invasion of connective tissues from outside is prevented during the regeneration of nerve bundles, that substance interchange inside and outside the channels or neogenesis of capillary blood vessels in channel walls is necessary, that a substance acting as a scaffold suitable for the growth of Schwann cells and axon in the channel is necessary and that, after the regeneration, the used material is degraded and absorbed. Taking those conditions into consideration, studies for artificial nerve connecting tube by a biodegradable and bioabsorbable material have been carried out thereafter.
With regard to the regeneration of peripheral nerve, attempts for extending the distance between the stumps which can be regenerated using a silicone tube have been conducted since a silicone tube model was reported in 1982. However, since nutrients cannot permeate through the wall of silicone tube, there is a problem such as that the nutrients are not sufficiently provided to nerve axon whereby capillary blood vessel cannot be produced in silicone and no satisfactory nerve regeneration has been available even when a silicone tube is used. Further, even if the nerve can be regenerated, there is a problem that the silicone tube which is a foreign substance anyway must be removed by means of further surgical operation, etc.
On the other hand, regeneration of peripheral nerve using a tube comprising a biodegradable polymer in place of a silicone tube has been attempted. When a nerve regeneration tube comprising a biodegradable polymer is used, the nerve regeneration tube is gradually degraded and absorbed in vivo by hydrolysis or by the action of enzymes after the nerve is regenerated whereby there is no need of taking out it by a means such as further surgical operation.
With regard to a nerve regeneration tube comprising a biodegradable polymer as such, there is a disclosure in, for example the Patent Document 1, for an auxiliary material for nerve regeneration which comprises bundles of collagen fiber on which laminin and fibronectin are coated. In the Patent Document 2, there is a disclosure for a tube which comprises biodegradable and bioabsorbable materials and, in the lumen of the tube, a collagen body having gaps and penetrating the tube nearly in parallel to the axial line of said tube where the gap is filled with a matrix gel containing collagen, laminin, etc. In the Patent Document 3, there is a disclosure for an artificial nerve tube which comprises a tube comprising biodegradable and bioabsorbable materials and laminin-coated collagen fiber bundles inserted into the lumen of the tube nearly in parallel to the axial line of the tube. In the Patent Document 4, there is a disclosure for a substrate material for the reconstruction of nerves having a structure where fibers comprising a bioabsorbable material are bundled. In the Patent Document 5, there is a disclosure for a support such as sponge, tube or coil comprising collagen. In the Patent Document 6, there is a disclosure for a support which is composed of a spongy fine matrix comprising a biodegradable material or a bioabsorbable material and a linear biotissue induction path or a linear organ induction path. In the Patent Document 7, there is a disclosure for a nerve regeneration tube containing a sponge comprising a biodegradable polymer material and a reinforcing material comprising a biodegradable polymer having longer period for degradation and absorption than that of said sponge wherein the inner side thereof comprises sponge.
All of those nerve regeneration tubes use collagen as a scaffold for nerve regeneration but their adhesive property, cell growth property and differentiation inducing property of collagen to nerve cells are not satisfactory.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 237139/93    Patent Document 2: WO 98/22155    Patent Document 3: WO 99/63908    Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2000-325463    Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-70436    Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-320630    Patent Document 7: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2003-19196


An liquid crystal display device having an electrostatic prevention circuit by using a diffraction exposure, and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed in the present invention. The liquid crystal display includes a substrate having a display area and a non-display area; a data line disposed along a first direction on the substrate and having a metal layer and a semiconductor layer; a gate line disposed along a second direction crossing the data line, defining a pixel region; a common voltage line on the non-display area; pixel electrodes at each pixel region; a first electrostatic prevention pattern electrically connected between the gate line and the common voltage line; and a second electrostatic prevention pattern electrically connected between the data line and the common voltage line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to an LCD device having an electrostatic prevention circuit and a method for fabricating the same by using a diffraction exposure process.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Demands for various display devices have increased with the development of information society. Accordingly, many efforts have been made to research and develop various types of flat display devices, such as liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display panel (PDP), electroluminescent display (ELD), and vacuum fluorescent display (VFD). Some types of flat display devices have already been used as displays in various applications.
Among the types of flat display devices, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices have been most widely used due to advantageous characteristics of thin profile, lightness in weight, and low power consumption, whereby the LCD devices provide a substitute for a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). In addition to mobile type LCD devices such as a display for a notebook computer, LCD devices have been developed for computer monitors and televisions to receive and display broadcasting signals.
Despite various technical developments in the LCD technology having applications in different fields, research in enhancing the picture quality of the LCD device has been, in some respects, lacking as compared to other features and advantages of the LCD device. In order to use LCD devices in various fields as a general display, the key to developing LCD devices depends on whether LCD devices can realize a high quality picture, such as high resolution and high luminance with a large-sized screen, while still maintaining lightness in weight, thin profile, and low power consumption.
In general, the LCD device includes an LCD panel for displaying an image and a driver for supplying a driving signal to the LCD panel. In addition, the LCD panel includes first and second substrates bonded to each other. A liquid crystal layer is positioned in a cell gap between the first and second substrates. The first substrate (referred to as a TFT array substrate) includes a plurality of gate lines arranged along a first direction at fixed intervals, a plurality of data lines arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction at fixed intervals, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix-type configuration within pixel regions defined by the gate and data lines, and a plurality of thin film transistors transmit signals from the data lines to the pixel electrodes in accordance with signals supplied to the gate lines. The second substrate (referred to as a color filter array substrate) includes a black matrix layer that prevents a light leakage from portions of the first substrate except at the pixel regions, an R/G/B color filter layer for displaying various colors, and a common electrode for producing an image. Alignment layers are respectively formed on opposing surfaces of the first and second substrates, wherein the alignment layers are rubbed to align the liquid crystal layer. Then, the first and second substrates are bonded together by a sealant, and liquid crystal is injected between the first and second substrates.
In the fabrication process of the aforementioned LCD device, the LCD device may be damaged due to static electricity. That is, since the static electricity applies high energy to the LCD device in a short time (in several tens nanoseconds), the LCD device may be damaged. Static electricity has different characteristics depending on the generation source of the electricity. There are different static electricity generations including HBM (human body model), MM (machine model), and CDM (charged device model). Based on these models, electrostatic prevention circuits have been actively developed.
The HBM is modeled on the case of the static electricity induced by the human body. The MM is modeled on the static electricity generated when electric charges of a transport machine or a box are discharged to the LCD panel. The CDM is modeled on the case of static electricity being charged to the LCD panel by electricity generated by friction during the transport or when the LCD panel is touched to a socket or a conductor during the fabrication. Specific portions of the substrate of the LCD panel, used as paths of electricity discharge, are damaged due to such static electricity discharges.
Accordingly, it is prudent to provide an electrostatic prevention circuit inside the LCD device such that internal components of the LCD device are protected from the static electricity. That is, the electrostatic prevention circuit protects the LCD device from static electricity. Also, while driving the LCD device under normal circumstances, the electrostatic prevention circuit should not interfere with or disturb driving signals. Accordingly, the electrostatic prevention circuit should have low impedance in a high voltage state and high impedance in a low voltage state.
Hereinafter, an LCD device having an electrostatic prevention circuit according to the related art will be described with reference FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a substrate for an LCD device having an electrostatic prevention circuit according to the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, a substrate 40 (TFT array substrate) includes a plurality of gate G and data D lines crossing each other, a plurality of pixel regions P defined by the gate and data lines G and D formed in a display area 21 of the substrate 40, a plurality of pixel electrodes formed in the pixel regions P, a thin film transistor (not shown) formed in a crossing portion of the gate line G and the data line D, a common voltage line CL formed in a non-display area 22 surrounding the display area 21, and an electrostatic prevention circuit 24 electrically connected between the gate line G (or the data line D) and the common voltage line CL. That is, the common voltage line CL serves as a transmission line for transmitting common voltage to a common electrode. For that, the common voltage line CL is electrically connected with the common electrode (not shown) formed on another substrate (color filter substrate) by the medium of Ag dot. Also, liquid crystal is formed between the substrate 40 (TFT array substrate) and another substrate (color filter substrate).
During the state of a normal driving voltage, the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 serves as a sufficiently large resistance so as to have no effect on the internal driving of the thin film transistor of the substrate 40. During the state of an overvoltage generated by static electricity applied to the substrate 40, that is, to the gate lines G or data lines D, the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 functions as a discharge path. This will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 2 is an expanded view of portion 'A' of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an equivalent circuit view of FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 is comprised of first to third transistors T1 to T3. That is, the first transistor Ti has a gate terminal and a source terminal connected to the gate line G. The second transistor T2 has a gate terminal and a drain terminal connected to the common voltage line CL, and a source terminal connected to a drain terminal of the first transistor T1. The third transistor T3 has a gate terminal connected to a common terminal formed by connecting the drain terminal of the first transistor T1 and the source terminal of the second transistor T2, a source terminal connected to the gate line G, and a drain terminal connected to the common voltage line CL.
On driving the LCD device under the normal circumstances, the driving voltage applied to the thin film transistor through the common voltage line CL and the gate line G is lower than the driving voltage of the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 comprised of the first to third transistors (T1 to T3), so that the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 is turned off. As a result, the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 has no effect on driving the thin film transistor. However, if the static electricity of the high voltage above the driving voltage of the thin film transistor is applied to the gate line G, the static electricity is discharged to the common voltage line CL through the electrostatic prevention circuit 24. Accordingly, an equipotential generates between the gate line G and the common voltage line CL. Meanwhile, the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 connected between the data line D and the common voltage line CL has the same structure as that of the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 connected between the gate line G and the common voltage line CL. As described above, the static electricity of the data line D is discharged to the common voltage line CL according to the same method.
At this time, the thin film transistor and the first to third transistors (T1 to T3) of the electrostatic prevention circuit 24 are formed by photolithography using a plurality of masks. Recently, a 4-mask or 3-mask process using a diffraction exposure method and a lift-off method is generally used to improve yield of the thin film transistor, which substitutes for the conventional 5-mask process. As described above, in case of using the 4-mask process or 3-mask process, it is possible to decrease the usage number of the masks. However, in the 4-mask process or 3-mask process, it has the problem in deterioration of the uniformity, after ashing a photoresist, when performing an etching process for removing a metal layer and a doped semiconductor layer for channel region of the exposed thin film transistor by using the ashed photoresist as a mask.
This will be described in detail by the process (4-mask process using the diffraction exposure) of the thin film transistor.
FIG. 4A to FIG. 4G are cross sectional views of explaining the fabrication process steps of the thin film transistor using the diffraction exposure method according to the related art.
First, as shown in FIG. 4A, a metal layer is deposited on an entire surface of the substrate 40, and selectively patterned by photolithography, thereby forming a gate electrode GE, a first storage electrode ST1, and the common voltage line CL (not shown), at the same time (a first mask).
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4B, a gate insulating layer GI of an insulating material such as silicon oxide SiOx or silicon nitride SiNx, a semiconductor material 41 of genuine amorphous silicon, a doped semiconductor material 42 of amorphous silicon with dopants, and a metal layer 43 of chrome (Cr) or molybdenum (Mo) are sequentially deposited on the entire surface of the substrate 40 including the gate electrode GE, the first storage electrode ST1, and the common voltage line CL.
Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, a photoresist PR is coated on the entire surface of the metal layer 43, and then the coated photoresist PR is patterned by selective exposure through a diffraction mask M and development. At this time, the diffraction mask M includes an open part ml penetrating light, a closed part m2 cutting off the light, and a diffraction part m3 comprised of a slit allowing to pass a part of the light and cutting off a part of the light. The diffraction part m3 corresponds to the channel region of the thin film transistor.
When performing the exposure and development process to the photoresist PR by irradiating ultraviolet ray through the diffraction mask M, the photoresist PR corresponding to the open part m1 is removed, the photoresist PR corresponding to the closed part m2 remains as it is, and the photoresist PR corresponding to the diffraction part m3 is removed at a predetermined thickness.
Generally, the photoresist PR corresponding to the diffraction part m3 is formed to have a half of the initial thickness.
After that, the exposed metal layer 43, the doped semiconductor material of amorphous silicon with dopants 42, and the semiconductor material of intrinsic amorphous silicon 41 are removed by the etching process using the patterned photoresist PR as the mask. As a result, a first semiconductor layer 41a, a first ohmic contact layer 42a, and a source/drain metal layer 44 are formed on the gate insulating layer GI above the gate electrode GE. At this time, a second semiconductor layer 41b, a second ohmic contact layer 42b, and a second storage electrode ST2 are formed on the gate insulating layer GI above the first storage electrode ST1 (a second mask).
Then, as shown in FIG. 4D, the patterned photoresist PR is ashed by a plasma process.
The entire surface of the patterned photoresist PR is ashed at the same level by the ashing step. At this time, the photoresist PR corresponding to the diffraction part m3 is removed because the photoresist PR corresponding to the diffraction part m3 has less thickness for the other parts of the photoresist PR. Accordingly, the source/drain metal layer 44 corresponding to the diffraction part m3 is exposed.
Subsequently, the exposed source/drain metal layer 44, and the ohmic contact layer formed under the source/drain metal layer 44 are simultaneously etched by using the photoresist PR remaining after the ashing step as the mask. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4E, a channel region is formed by exposure of the first semiconductor layer 41a, and then the photoresist PR is removed. At this time, a source electrode SE overlapping one edge of the first semiconductor layer 41a, and a drain electrode DE overlapping the other edge of the first semiconductor layer 41a are formed as the source/drain metal layer 44 separates.
Referring to FIG. 4F, a passivation layer 45 of an organic insulating material is deposited on the entire surface of the substrate 40 including the source electrode SE, the drain electrode DE, the second storage electrode ST2, and the gate insulating layer GI, and then selectively patterned by photolithography, thereby forming a drain contact hole C1, and a storage contact hole C2. At this time, the drain contact hole C1 exposes some of the drain electrode DE, and the storage contact hole C2 exposes some of the second storage electrode ST2.
Then, as shown in FIG. 4G, a transparent conductive layer is deposited on the entire of the substrate 40 including the passivation layer 45, and then selectively patterned by photolithography, thereby forming a pixel electrode 46 in the pixel region P, wherein the pixel electrode 46 connects the drain electrode DE with the second storage electrode ST2 through the drain contact hole C1 and the storage contact hole C2.
Meanwhile, although not shown, the first to third transistors T1 to T3 of the electrostatic prevention circuit are manufactured by the same process as that of the thin film transistor of the display area 21. By the ashing step shown in FIG. 4C and FIG. 4E, when removing the photoresist PR formed in the channel region of the first to third transistors T1 to T3, it has a problem in that the thickness of the photoresist PR is not uniform. Accordingly, it causes deterioration in the uniformity in the etching process for removing the source/drain metal layer 44 of the channel region and the first ohmic contact layer 42a, whereby it may generate an under-etch or over-etch problems. In case of the under-etch, the channel region is not less etched, so that the first ohmic contact layer 42a of the channel region is not removed. Meanwhile, in case of the over-etch, the channel region is etched excessively, whereby the first semiconductor layer 41a positioned under the first ohmic contact layer 42a is etched. Accordingly, due to the under-etch and the over-etch problems, the thin film transistor loses the function of a switching device. As a result, even though the voltage above the driving voltage is applied to each gate line G and data line D according as static electricity generates in the inside of the LCD device, it is impossible to discharge the static electricity by using the related art electrostatic prevention circuit.

Liquid crystal display device and method for fabricating the same


A charger system and method is disclosed for providing wireless and wired charging. The charger may include a wire-charging circuit operable to receive and process a first electrical energy from a wired power source directly connected to the vehicle. The charger may also include a receiving coil operable to receive a second electrical energy received from a wireless power source external that is not directly connected to the vehicle. The charger may include a resonant circuit having a receiving coil and a DC-DC converter. The receiving coil may provide impedance matching when the charger is receiving the first electrical energy from the wired power source. The receiving coil may also be energized by a wireless power source to receive a second electrical energy. The charger may further include a rectifier circuit operable to charge the battery using the first electrical energy or the second electrical energy.

Vehicles such as battery-electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and fully hybrid-electric vehicles (FHEVs) contain a high-voltage traction battery assembly to act as an energy source for one or more electric machines. The traction battery includes components and systems to assist in managing vehicle performance and operations. Generally, EVs or PHEVs may be configured to receive a charge through both a wired power supply and a wireless power supply. Various dual-source charging systems can provide wired and wireless power either alternately or simultaneously to an electric vehicle. Dual-source charging systems generally require separate electrical circuitry to provide wired and wireless charging capabilities. The additional circuitry increases packaging space and increases the cost of the charging system.

System and method for multi-source wireless and conductive charging


A multiple speaker loudspeaker system wherein an internal baffle extends the full length of the interior volume dividing the interior volume into two unequal portions. The baffle has folded portions, which is not parallel to the walls of the enclosure. Loudspeakers are mounted onto the folded portions within a first volume. The loudspeakers radiate sound into a second volume. One of the first and second volume is ported in a bandpass configuration, to the outside of the enclosure. Thus, the non-parallel portions of the baffle reduce unwanted peaks and/or cancellations in the sound emanating from the enclosure. Additionally, the baffle is secured along its width to top and bottom walls of the enclosure, thus also providing extra rigidity to the enclosure.

The present invention relates to a sound system and more particularly to a sound system for use with a television receiver.
In loudspeaker systems, and particularly speaker systems for reproducing bass, there is a substantial problem with unwanted resonances and with the undesirable vibrations of cabinet structures in response to signals at various frequencies. These vibrations are particularly a problem for large enclosure walls which have no intermediate support between their secured edges. In order to prevent such vibrations, enclosure components have to be more sturdy and/or heavy enough to either resist such vibrations, or to bring the natural resonant frequencies of the various cabinet structures below that of the signal frequencies. If vibration can be reduced without resort to more sturdy or heavy parts, the parts can be cost reduced, and the cost of shipping due to a reduced weight can be realized.
It is desirable in a loudspeaker enclosure that parallel surfaces be reduced to a minimum since parallel surfaces can set up resonant/anti-resonant frequencies within the cabinet (acoustic standing waves) and cause unwanted peaks and/or cancellations in the idealized flat frequency response. Additionally, such resonant frequencies set up vibration modes as discussed above, which can cause extraneous sounds, such as buzz.
Recently, music systems have been designed that are known as bandpass low frequency enclosures. These enclosures acoustically filter out much of the harmonic distortion sound components produced by woofer loudspeakers at high sound levels. These arrangements use a subchamber which has a port tube coupling the subchamber to the outside of the enclosure. Such arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,549,631 of Bose, 5,033,577 of Veranth, and 5,092,424 of Schreiber et al.


Provided are systems and methods for adaptive payload extraction and retransmission in wireless data communications. An example method commences with transmitting a network packet to a receiver via a communication channel. The method further includes receiving a further network packet including a further payload. The method continues with determining, based on the payload and the further payload, an error vector. The method includes generating, based on the error vector, a plurality of indices. An index of the plurality of indices corresponds to a portion of a plurality of non-overlapping portions of the payload. The method further continues with selecting, based on the error vector, at least one index from the plurality of indices. The method includes sending, to the receiver via the communication channel, a further network packet. The further network packet includes the selected index and a portion of the payload corresponding to the selected index.

Wireless data transmission of data is widely used in many applications. However, data transmission can be corrupted due to interference and signal attenuation. Conventional methods for sending network packets include resending entire network packet from a transmitter to a receiver if the network packet is corrupted during the initial transmission. The conventional methods, however, are not efficient and stable due to the insufficient bandwidth or signal strength of wireless communication channels.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Adaptive payload extraction and retransmission in wireless data communications with error aggregations


A powder bed-based laser melting (“PBLM”) system comprising a process chamber having a chamber floor forming a working plane, and a powder application unit arranged in a working position in the process chamber and above the chamber floor during ongoing operation. The powder application unit is movably attached to a support structure such that the powder application unit can be moved at least partially between the working position and a rest position. The chamber floor is easily accessible with at least one component of the powder application unit arranged immovably in the working position during operation. In a particular embodiment a rail-shaped linear drive and/or a guide of the powder application unit configured as guide rails is positioned further away from the chamber floor in the rest position, and/or between the rest position and the working position, than in the working position in the ongoing operation of the PBLM system.

The invention relates to a PBLM system having a process chamber which has a chamber floor which forms a working plane of the PBLM system, and comprising a powder application unit having an application medium movable in parallel with the working plane, wherein the powder application unit is movably attached to a support structure of the PBLM system such that the powder application unit can be moved at least partially between a working position, in which during ongoing operation of the PBLM system the powder application unit is arranged in the process chamber and above the chamber floor and wherein at least one component of the powder application unit is arranged in a positionally fixed manner, and a non-operative position.
Powder bed-based laser melting (PBLM), for which the term of selective laser fusion is also used, belongs to the group of generative manufacturing methods which are also referred to as additive manufacturing (AM) methods. PBLM is known e.g. from the German patent document DE 196 49 865 C1.
As a powder bed-based method, PBLM is to be distinguished in particular from selective laser sintering and from laser deposition welding. In the case of PBLM, components are produced in layers from a material which initially is in powder form, in particular in the form of synthetic materials or metals which—unlike in the case of laser deposition welding—is provided in layers as a resting powder bed and—unlike in the case of selective laser sintering—is completely melted and solidifies without the addition of binding agents.
In the case of the PBLM method which can be performed on a corresponding PBLM system, a movable application medium which can be designed e.g. as a brush can be used to apply a first thin powder layer of the material to be processed at a uniform layer thickness of typically 10 to 100 μm onto a substrate plate which is also defined as a base plate. The application medium is typically attached to a slide which is correspondingly movably mounted for moving the application medium as required. The substrate plate is supported by a support plate and is releasably attached, e.g. screwed, thereto. In this case, the support plate and thus also the substrate plate are arranged initially in a starting position in which the substrate plate with its surface is located below a horizontally extending working plane by the amount of the desired layer thickness. Typically, the support plate forms the movable floor of a reservoir (component reservoir) which, together with an upper opening opposite the floor, adjoins the working plane below the working plane. In this case, the floor is fitted in the manner of a piston inside the side wall of the reservoir extending at a right angle to the floor and is movable in order to be able to be lowered together with the substrate plate in steps in relation to the working plane. The application medium is movable above and in parallel with the working plane via the slide in order to push or apply the powder, starting from the working plane, onto the support plate or the substrate plate arranged thereon. When travelling over the reservoir, the application medium completely spans the opening of the reservoir in order to be able to generate, between the support plate and the working plane, a uniform powder layer with a surface which is as flat as possible.
Subsequently, the powder of the applied layer is selectively or locally completely melted by means of a laser beam, i.e. only in regions selected according to a 3D CAD model of the component to be manufactured. For this purpose, the 3D CAD model is divided by software into individual layers (slicing), from which strips are determined in the manner of contour lines of the component as selected regions, along which the laser beam is guided for selectively or locally melting the respective powder layer. The complete melting and subsequent solidification of the respective powder layer causes the material to be compacted in layers to form the component to be manufactured.
Starting from the starting position, the support plate, which accordingly serves as a construction platform, or the floor of the reservoir, after corresponding scanning of the selected regions of first powder layer, is lowered by the amount of a further desired layer thickness and a further powder layer is applied to the respectively previous layer, is melted and hereby compacted and joined to the previous layer. In this case, at least one of the previous layers is melted again at least partially in order to ensure an integrally joined connection to the following layer. This cycle is repeated with a plurality of powder layers until the component is completed. By means of the selective melting of selected regions in each powder layer, a powder bed which consists of non-fused powder of all applied layers and surrounds the component is also built up in the reservoir between the support plate and the working plane. In order to remove the component from the powder bed, the floor of the reservoir formed by the support plate is raised in the direction of the working plane and thus in the direction of an upper opening of the reservoir opposite the floor and the substrate plate, to which the component is integrally joined via the first layer, is released from the support plate and removed from the PBLM system. The component is subsequently separated, e.g. sawn off, from the substrate plate. In this manner, PBLM can be used to produce three-dimensional components in a mouldless manner, i.e. without tools or moulds, and almost without restrictions in relation to the geometric component complexity.
In order to provide the application medium of a PBLM system with the powder on the working plane, powder conveying mechanisms according to the bottom-up principle and according to the top-down principle are essentially known and are used to convey the powder to the working plane. In the case of a bottom-up mechanism, the powder is conveyed from below the working plane upwards onto the working plane and in the case of a top-down mechanism the powder is conveyed from above the working plane downwards onto the working plane.
For example, PBLM systems are known which have a bottom-up mechanism which comprises a reservoir (powder reservoir) which is designed similarly to the above-described reservoir for the component. Accordingly, this reservoir likewise comprises a floor which is movable in the manner of a piston. An upper opening in the reservoir opposite the floor is arranged in the working plane, from where the reservoir adjoins the working plane below the working plane. The powder stored in the reservoir of the bottom-up powder conveying mechanism is moved by raising the support plate, which forms the floor, inside the reservoir and, in association therewith, reducing the available volume of the reservoir in the direction of the upper opening or through the upper opening of the reservoir at that location and is thus conveyed to the working plane where it is provided to the application medium. By inversely lowering the floor, the available volume of the reservoir is increased in order to be able to receive and store a corresponding quantity of powder therein.
Unlike in the case of top-down mechanisms, the powder in a bottom-up mechanism does not fall in a gravity-driven manner into the region of the working plane. As a result, dust formation resulting in optical and movable components of the PBLM system becoming undesirably contaminated is minimised and as a result good process quality and stability are ensured. Furthermore, bottom-up mechanisms comprising a reservoir with a floor which can be moved like a piston can be cleaned particularly easily if the powder has to be replaced as far as possible without residue e.g. for a change of material. This is associated with greater outlay in the case of other bottom-up mechanisms which convey the powder to the working plane e.g. by means of a screw conveyor.
Moreover, it is known to provide a PBLM system not only with the component reservoir but also with a so-called powder overflow, into which excess powder still located upstream of the slide can be pushed, after the slide has travelled over the component reservoir for the purpose of building-up a new powder layer. For this purpose, the working plane has, in addition to the component reservoir, an aperture which is formed by the opening of a collecting reservoir which forms the powder overflow and adjoins the aperture via the opening below the working plane and into which the excess powder can fall. Such a powder overflow means that the process chamber can be kept as free as possible of excess powder to ensure good process stability.
In order to prevent oxidation-induced contamination of the material during the melting process, PBLM is performed in a protective gas atmosphere. As a result, relative component densities of more than 99% can be achieved by means PBLM. In contrast, the relative density of the powder which is referred to as bulk density is about 50% and thus about half the relative density of the component produced. The relative density thus serves as a measurement of the porosity of the material in its respective current form, i.e. as a finished component or as a powder, in relation to the corresponding material in a pore-free form. Also, the components manufactured by PBLM have mechanical properties which largely correspond to those of the base material or to those of the components which are produced from the base material by means of conventional methods.
For this purpose, PBLM systems have a gas-tight process chamber in which a corresponding protective gas atmosphere, in particular an inert gas atmosphere including argon or nitrogen, is maintained. Typically, at least the working plane and the application medium are arranged directly inside the process chamber. A protective gas atmosphere also prevails in the component reservoir comprising the construction platform and the substrate plate, the powder reservoir of the bottom-up powder conveying mechanism and the powder overflow so that they are connected accordingly in a gas-tight manner to the process chamber for this purpose.
In the case of known PBLM systems, the powder application unit is arranged in the process chamber in a fixed working position above a chamber floor of the process chamber, whereby the process chamber and in particular the chamber floor in the region of the powder application unit is not accessible or can only be accessed with difficulty and therefore is complex to clean e.g. for a change of material.
DE 199 52 998 A1 discloses a PBLM system, whose powder application unit comprises a doctor blade which is arranged on a cover in the process chamber and can be moved in a horizontal direction in order to apply a powder layer on a working plane. Moreover, the doctor blade can be moved, together with the cover like drawer, in a translational manner in a horizontal direction. Therefore, during ongoing operation the powder application unit remains in a working position when the cover is closed in the same way as it remains in a non-operative position when not in ongoing operation when the cover is open with all of its components and in particular including the doctor blade spaced at the same distance apart from the chamber floor within the process chamber.
DE 20 2009 010 489 U1 discloses a PBLM system, whose powder application unit, during ongoing operation, is mounted so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis in order to apply a powder layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,636 B1 relates to a stereolithography system comprising an application medium for producing a layer of viscous liquid synthetic material, in particular resin. The application medium can be moved and pivoted in a reciprocating manner in a horizontal direction.
EP 2 399 695 relates to a laser sintering device comprising a powder application device, whose powder chamber and smoothing slide can be pivoted together about a horizontal axis during the application of a powder layer during ongoing operation so that the powder layer is applied along a circular path segment. In this case, the powder application device is suspended from a fork and can be displaced therewith in a vertical direction.
EP 2 732 889 A2 relates to a laser sintering device comprising a powder application unit, whose application medium can be moved in a reciprocating manner in two opposite directions in parallel with the horizontal working plane during ongoing operation. In conjunction with its change in direction, the application medium is pivoted about a horizontal axis so that on the return path the application medium assumes a position which is pivoted with respect to the forward path. For this purpose, the application medium is pivotably mounted on a guide block which can be moved in a reciprocating manner along a positionally fixed guide in parallel with the horizontal working plane.
A cover which can be moved like a hinge between an open position and a closed position is known from DE 11 2004 000301 T5 in relation to a system for selective laser sintering.
PBLM systems whose process chamber can be closed and opened via a cover are already known from DE 20 2012 007 238 U1, DE 199 52 998 A1, DE 103 42 883 A1.


A machine learning model predicts the hardness of unsolved properties. For example, the machine learning model may predict the relative hardness of pairs of properties—i.e., which property in the pair is harder to solve. These hardness predictions may then be used to formulate a priority order for a formal verification process to attempt to solve the unsolved properties. As the formal verification process progresses, it generates results. For example, certain properties may be solved. These results are used to update a training set, which is used to further train the machine learning model. The machine learning model is trained at runtime with incremental fine-tuning as the formal verification process progresses.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to formal property verification and, more particularly, to predicting hardness of properties in verification.
2. Description of Related Art
In formal verification, a formal verification tool attempts to solve a set of properties, such as System Verilog assertions (SVAs). These properties are either automatically generated by the tool, manually specified by the tool user, or provided in some other way. Given a fixed computational resource budget (e.g., CPU time, memory, number of available machines), the formal verification tool's performance may be measured by the number of properties solved within the resource budget. Properties not solved at the end of the execution will have a timed out status.
To maximize the tool's throughput, it is advantageous to schedule the properties such that easier properties are solved first and harder properties are solved later. However, the "hardness" of each property is not known with certainty until the tool actually solves the property. It is a challenging problem to estimate the hardness of properties without actually solving the property.
One method of estimating the hardness of properties is to calculate the theoretical upper bound of the formal property, which gives an estimate of the hardness of the property. If there are m variables in the cone-of-influence (COI) logic of the property, the upper bound approach estimates the CPU time to solve the property is in O(2{circumflex over ( )}m), using big-O notation. In a standard test case, a typical property can have 50,000 variables or more. The value of O(2{circumflex over ( )}50000) is a huge number. However, modern formal tools can often solve many properties within minutes or hours. The theoretical upper bound often is not useful in practice.
Another method of estimating hardness uses ad-hoc heuristics. These are typically in the form of handcrafted formula based on a few feature variables, e.g., the number of input variables, the number of sequential state variables in the COI of the property. In these approaches, the hardness of the property is modeled by some linear or non-linear function, often created by a domain expert. Parameters in these functions are fitted to the given data set using regression techniques. Essentially, these approaches use linear regression techniques to approximate the hardness of a property.
There are at least two major drawbacks with these ad-hoc heuristics. The first drawback is caused by "the limited feature set." These formulas are hand-crafted by a domain expert and typically only involve just a small number (<10) of feature variables, since formal properties with a large number of variables are difficult for a human being to comprehend. The second drawback is caused by "the absolute objective function." These approaches try to estimate the hardness of a property directly. That is, they try to predict the actual CPU time required to solve a property. This is a highly non-linear objective function and difficult to model with standard regression techniques. In practice, these heuristics often give low prediction accuracy on new examples.
Another approach uses machine learning to estimate the hardness of properties. A machine learning model is trained on a training set of other properties from designs of other integrated circuits. The trained model then predicts the hardness of solving properties in new designs. However, if the training set is not representative of the new design or if the new design presents new scenarios, the predicted hardness may also have low accuracy.

Estimating hardness of formal properties using on-the-fly machine learning


A computer controlled hydraulic resistance device for apparatus such as a prosthetic knee for above knee amputees, includes a solenoid actuated valve connected to control the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from a hydraulic actuator which applies resistance to the prosthetic knee or other apparatus through a coupling. Hydraulic pressure is sensed on the high and low side of the actuator and is used by a micro-controller in a closed-loop manner to compensate automatically for variations in the device and in the hydraulic fluid viscosity. The device also senses the position of the apparatus and feedsback to the micro-controller for applying a predetermined resistance profile to the apparatus.

The present invention is ideally suited for use with an artificial leg or prosthesis worn by an above knee amputee, but also has other applications and uses. Normally this type of prosthesis involves an artificial knee joint including a socket for receiving and engaging the stump of the user, a knee bracket rigidly connected to the socket, and a frame which extends downwardly from the bracket and is pivotally connected to the bracket by a horizontal shaft. A pylon and artificial foot are connected to the base of the frame, and a control unit is connected for locking the knee joint to prevent it from buckling under load in the stance phase of a step, and for freeing the knee joint in the swing phase of the step. Preferably, the prosthesis controls the knee joint in such a way that the amputee will walk with a normal or natural appearing gait. This gait is characterized by almost identical movements performed by both lower limbs at varying walking speeds.
The biological or natural knee joint is powered by the actions of muscles. Each muscle develops an active force by contraction and also provides variable stiffness or resistance. It has not been feasible to duplicate muscle contraction in leg prostheses because of the weight and bulk that would be required to duplicate this function. Research has focused on implementing stiffness or resistance to rotation of the knee joint. Usually this involves switching the knee joint between one of two modes, locked or free to rotate. The locked mode occurs during the stance phase of the gait cycle, and the free to rotate mode occurs during the swing phase of the gait cycle. The stance phase is when the foot of the prosthesis is on the ground, and the swing phase is during the time when the foot of the prosthesis is off the ground.
Much of the research in recent years has sought improvements in controlling an artificial knee joint as a way to improve gait and enable the amputee to deal with situations such as descending stairs or ramps, or lowering into a sitting position. If a knee joint is considered a simple hinge, there are two separate actions which occur. During flexion, the upper and lower segments move closer together during rotation of the knee joint. During extension, the leg straightens and the segments move apart. For a prosthetic knee joint to duplicate a biological knee, it is necessary to control the resistance to rotation in each direction independently and variably. This resistance to rotation during swing phase can be accomplished with a mechanical damper or friction device, a pneumatic damper, or a hydraulic damper. It is generally accepted in prosthetics that a hydraulic damper provides the smoothest action over a wider range of walking speeds.
Stance phase control must provide a very high resistance to flexion or lock completely any rotation to flexion. Stance control is usually provided by a weight activated mechanical locking brake mechanism, or a position activated polycentric linkage systems, or a position activated hydraulic damper. Mechanical braking mechanisms can be difficult to keep adjusted properly and can cause the amputee to walk with a slightly unnatural gait. Position activated polycentric mechanisms require more concentration and can be difficult for amputees to use in some situations. Hydraulic dampers, while providing a more natural gait, require more concentration and training for the amputee.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,409 and No. 5,443,521, which issued to the assignee of the present invention, disclose a linear type hydraulic damper for controlling an above knee prosthesis. This hydraulic damper has independently adjustable and variable resistance in flexion and extension during the swing phase of the gait cycle. Because of the turbulent flow of the hydraulic fluid during the swing phase, this damper can accommodate a wide variation of gait speeds. The control damper has a single damping rate in stance phase that can be manually adjusted for each amputee's need. When the knee joint is fully extended, the damper assumes a non-stance resistance mode. This position activated stance phase can initially require extra gait training and concentration on the part of the amputee to receive full benefit of the damper.
Electronics have recently been introduced into lower extremity prosthetics in an attempt to making walking easier for the amputee. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,856 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,939 and No. 5,571,205 disclose two systems which use a microprocessor control to adjust the resistance in a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder during swing phase in an attempt to provide control of rotation of the knee joint over a wider range of walking speeds than is available with standard pneumatic or friction dampers.
Further improvement in amputee gaits could come from a mechanism that in the beginning of the stance phase would allow for a small amount of knee flexion and then lock against further flexion while simultaneously allowing for knee extension as the leg straightens due to body action, such a mechanism as described by Siegmar et al in "Design Principles, Biomechanical Data and Clinical Experience with a Polycentric Knee Offering Controlled Stance Phase Knee Flexion: A Preliminary Report", Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Vol. 9,, No. 1, pp. 18.24, Winter 1997, and by Popvic et al in "Optimal Control for an Above-knee Prosthesis with Two Degrees of Freedom", J. Biomechanics, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 89-98, 1995.
An amputee needs different resistance to knee flexion during stair descent than is needed while sitting down in a chair. Accordingly, it is desirable for a control mechanism to be capable of providing these different resistance to knee flexion automatically. The control mechanism should also provide for swing resistance over a wide range of gait speeds. All of this should happen automatically so that the amputee can walk without having to think about his prosthesis.
The same type of computer controlled hydraulic damper system that can be used with amputees can also be used on other applications such as robotics, braking systems, and exercise equipment. These applications only vary in the size of the actuator to control the maximum resistance applied. They all may use common sensors, microprocessor controlled electronics, and valve technology. Computer controlled exercise equipment are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,676, No. 4,711,450, No. 4,919,418, No. 5,230,672, and No. 5,397,287. However, in any such equipment, it is desirable to be able to maintain accurate applied resistance over a wide range of temperature and manufacturing tolerances. It is also desirable to have proper feedback control and a hydraulic valve and controller designed for relatively slow speeds of operation.

Computer controlled hydraulic resistance device for a prosthesis and other apparatus


Esterified alkoxylated mono- and diglycerides suitable for use as reduced calorie fat substitutes in food products may be produced by alkoxylating a tertiary alkyl partial ether of glycerin with an epoxide and then reacting the alkoxylated glycerin tertiary alkyl partial ether thereby obtained with a fatty acid under acid-catalyzed conditions. Separate deprotection and esterification steps are not required, resulting in a considerably streamlined process as compared to alternative methods of synthesizing alkoxylated fat substitutes having one or two fatty acid acyl groups attached directly to glycerin.

Esterified alkoxylated glycerin and other esterified alkoxylated polyols have recently been identified as useful reduced calorie fat substitutes. Compounds of this type, which are described more fully in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,613, are substantially resistant to hydrolysis upon ingestion owing to the high proportion of linkages in which the carbons adjacent to oxygen in the fatty acid ester groups are secondary or tertiary in structure. In a preferred embodiment of such substances, the structure may be represented as follows: ##STR1## wherein G is a glyceryl radical, n is from about 1 to 5 on average, and R is a long chain paraffinic or olefinic hydrocarbon radical derived from a fatty acid.
However, the ability to use esterified alkoxylated polyols of this type at relatively high concentrations in food compositions is somewhat limited by the pronounced resistance of such substances to digestion. Since the esterified alkoxylated polyols are hydrolyzed and absorbed to only a very limited degree, the liquid versions of such substances tend to retain their oil-like physical characteristics after ingestion. Consumption of large amounts of these fat substitutes can result in leakage of the fat substitutes through the anal sphincter and separation of the fat substitute as an oil from the excreted fecal matter.
To enhance the acceptability of fat substitutes of this type, modified esterified alkoxylated glycerins have been developed which are somewhat less resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis than previously known esterified alkoxylated glycerins and yet still have significantly reduced calorie availability as compared to a conventional fully digestible triglyceride lipid. These modified esterified alkoxylated glycerins have at least one fatty acid acyl group attached directly to the glyceryl radical. These directly-attached acyl groups are readily hydrolyzed upon ingestion, rendering the compound less fat-like in character owing to the loss of one or two long-chain fatty acid acyl groups.
The other acyl groups in the esterified alkoxylated glycerin are attached to the glyceryl radical through oxyalkylene segments and thus are resistant towards enzymatic hydrolysis. Esterified alkoxylated monoglycerides and diglycerides of this type and their utility as reduced calorie fat mimetics are described more fully in European Patent Publication No. 481,523, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The selective synthesis of esterified alkoxylated mono- and diglycerides is not straightforward. While procedures for obtaining such substances using ketal or benzyl protecting groups to selectively direct the addition of epoxide to the glycerin prior to esterification have been described, most notably in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,118,448 and 5,135,683 (incorporated herein by reference in their entirety), such methods are not ideally suited for commercial purposes since in each instance separate steps are required for removal of the protective groups and esterification. For a fat substitute to penetrate the potential market for such food ingredients to the greatest extent, it must be capable of being produced at a minimum premium in cost over fully digestible vegetable and animal lipids. It is well-known that additional processing steps can significantly increase the expense of manufacturing food additives. Thus, a great need still exists for improved processes whereby an esterified alkoxylated glycerin having at least one acyl group attached directly to the glyceryl residue may be readily and economically prepared.

Process for producing esterified alkoxylated monoglycerides and diglycerides


IC tags are installed in rechargeable batteries and then information required for manufacturing control of the rechargeable batteries or information required to produce battery packs which use rechargeable batteries is recorded onto the IC tags. Allowing the information recorded onto the IC tags to be rewritten makes it possible to search for the causes of occurring problems as well as make the best use of improvements to the rechargeable batteries when information during use of the rechargeable batteries is recorded after the rechargeable batteries are manufactured and shipped.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing control method for a rechargeable battery that records information required for manufacturing and/or during use of a rechargeable battery onto an IC tag installed in a rechargeable battery and then use this information for manufacturing a battery pack consisting of a combination of a plurality of rechargeable batteries. In addition, the manufacturing control method for a rechargeable battery also supplies history information of used rechargeable batteries to the analysis of problems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Even with the same type of battery there are variations in the characteristics of the manufactured batteries due to the condition of the manufacturing equipment, variations in the materials used, and environmental changes such as temperature and humidity. In particular, variations in battery characteristics become greater due to a charge/discharge process since rechargeable batteries are charged and discharged during the manufacturing process. Variations in battery characteristics become especially noticeable when using a plurality of rechargeable batteries to produce a battery power source device such as a battery pack. In other words, if there are variations in the characteristics of a combination of a plurality of rechargeable batteries, the charge quantity will be regulated to the level of a low performance rechargeable battery and the utilization rate of the battery capacity will decrease due to a plurality of rechargeable batteries. Therefore, when using a combination of a plurality of rechargeable batteries such as a battery pack, the battery characteristics must be completely identical.
After the assembly process completes in the manufacturing process of a rechargeable battery, the battery is discharged until reaching the final discharge voltage after being fully charged in the charge and discharge process. The battery capacity is calculated using the sustained discharge time at that moment. Batteries with a battery capacity at a specified value are partially charged to a specified charge quantity and then manufactured and shipped as conforming batteries. There are still variations in the battery characteristics of the rechargeable batteries due to variations in the charge quantity during the partial charge as well as variations in the environmental temperature during the charge. If a battery pack is produced using a combination of a plurality of rechargeable batteries that have this type of variation in the battery characteristics, a battery pack with the uniform performance as described above cannot be obtained.
Thereupon, a measurement device (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-015178) is known that individually evaluates manufactured and shipped rechargeable batteries, selects batteries with closely analogous battery characteristics, and then supplies these to the manufacture of battery packs that use a plurality of rechargeable batteries. This conventional technology measures the open circuit voltage of a plurality of the partially charged rechargeable batteries, selects the batteries whose open circuit voltage differences are within a specified range as batteries with almost equal partially charged quantities, and then produces battery packs using these rechargeable batteries.
However, the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-015178 presumes a partial charge quantity from the open circuit voltage of the rechargeable battery. Because of this, when the open circuit voltage has changed due to factors other than the partial charge quantity, it is not possible to know the fact. This results in the risk of the characteristics of a plurality of rechargeable batteries constituting a battery pack not being identical. The manufacture of a battery pack is not always performed by a battery manufacturer and much effort is required for battery pack manufacturers who receive supplies of manufactured and shipped rechargeable batteries to inspect the battery characteristics for a large number of rechargeable batteries using test equipment and then select and sort the battery characteristics into identical rechargeable batteries.
In addition, since the performance of the batteries largely depends on the operating conditions, analyzing the usage history of the batteries and extracting problem points is important for battery development and applications to new battery fields. It is not possible to find detailed usage history from rechargeable batteries that have been recycled.

Manufacturing control method for rechargeable battery


A film-forming method and an apparatus for a X-ray mask and a film-forming apparatus which are able to diminish stress unevenness in the X-ray mask to zero when a X-ray absorber is formed on a mask substrate by sputtering a target 3 during rotation of the mask substrate. Firstly, a dummy mask substrate is prepared instead of a mask substrate. A dummy X-ray absorber 6 is formed on this dummy X-ray substrate 5 within a sputtering range. Secondly, a stress distribution is measured at every position along a straight line passing through a center of the dummy X-ray absorber 6 and then a desirable stress distribution range X is selected at such a location so as to have a good linear characteristic in a portion of a compressive stress curve which decreases toward an outer periphery of the dummy X-ray absorber 6 in the stress distribution. A center of the desirable stress distribution range X is selected as a rotation center, the mask substrate is placed within the desirable stress distribution range X, and the X-ray absorber is formed by this film-forming technology.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film-forming method for an X-ray mask and an apparatus for carrying out the film-forming method in which a film-forming can be accomplished such that a stress in an X-ray absorber of an X-ray mask for use in X-ray lithography is decreased everywhere to zero or to a negligible degree.
(2) Description of the Related Art
FIG. 30 is a sectional view showing a construction of a conventional film-forming apparatus for a X-ray mask with a stress distribution attained thereby. In FIG. 30, a X-ray absorber 2 is formed on a mask substrate 1. A target 3 is attached to a front surface of a magnet 4 for stabilizing an electric discharge and arranged opposite to the mask substrate 1.
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 30, the X-ray absorber 2 is formed as a film on the mask substrate 1 by means of sputtering of the target 3. Using this method, a stress distribution in the X-ray absorber 2 will have a compressive stress which is high at a mid portion and reduced toward opposite ends, because the intensity of plasma gets stronger toward the mid portion of the target 3.
In the conventional stress distribution, a desirable stress distributing range is defined by a range represented by "a" in which a stress variation is included within a position range of "b" and which is located at the mid portion having less stress variation. Thus the X-ray absorber 2 is formed with a film formed only in the "a" range. Therefore, there is a problem that a film-forming range is limited due to the increase in an ineffective area and corresponding low productivity.
For solving such a problem, in the Japanese Patent Application No. 8-154322, we have already proposed a method for having a uniform a stress distribution in the X-ray absorber by means of annealing. One example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 31. First, a hot-plate 60 having a plurality of heaters 61a, 61b, 61c embedded therein is provided for controlling a temperature distribution of its working surface. FIG. 32A shows a measured stress distribution in the X-ray absorber 2. Annealing in an X-ray absorber 2 distributes the stress at the rate of about 1 MPa per 1.degree. C. toward a tensile stress side, so that the annealing is carried out according to a temperature distribution on the hot-plate 60 as shown in FIG. 32B based on calculation of the stress distribution where all of the stress become zero.
In such an annealing method, even if the X-ray absorber 2 is formed in a range wider than the "a" range shown in FIG. 30, when the temperature distribution in the hot-plate 60 is adequately set, it becomes possible to eliminate the stress unevenness and to make the stress zero. Therefore, this annealing method provides such a superior feature that the stress and its unevenness can be made zero even if a film-forming apparatus or a film-forming method would be not optimized.
However, there are still remains the following problems;
1) Such a forming method is not suitable for mass production because a stress measurement, a temperature setting and so on are required for every absorber 2 at the time of annealing. PA1 2) When the mask substrate 1 to be formed has an increased thickness, it becomes difficult to provide an adequate temperature distribution to make the stress unevenness zero because the mask substrate 1 itself has good thermal conduction which make it difficult to have proper temperature distribution. PA1 1) at least one third gear is interposed between a first gear having its axis coincident with the revolving center of the mask substrate and a second gear having its axis coincident with the rotating center thereof so that a distance between a center of the first gear and a center of the second gear can be changed through the third gear. PA1 2) a first gear having its axis coincident with the revolving center of the mask substrate, a second gear having its axis coincident with the rotating center thereof, a third gear meshing with the first gear and a belt for connecting the third gear and the second gear are arranged in a manner that a distance between a center of the first gear and a center of the second gear can be changed through the third gear and the belt. PA1 3) a first gear having its axis coincident with the revolving center of the mask substrate and a second gear having its axis coincident with the rotating center thereof are connected by at least one belt in a manner that a distance between a center of the first gear and a center of the second gear can be changed by extending and contracting the belt.


For use in underground individual prop support, an individual prop valve is provided whose case integrates a return valve for setting, a non-return valve for drawing, and a pressure-limiting valve for securing the prop against overload. The valve case of the pressure-limiting valve is moved hydraulically if the case is also equipped on the drawing side with a coupling piece which has a gripping groove and locking shoulder. A push bolt which is loaded correspondingly by the pressure fluid acts on the valve case and moves it by a predefined length, so that the non-return valve is hereby opened and the pressure fluid is able to flow from the prop interior through the suction pump connection located on the setting side. Here the channels or spaces are proportioned in such a way that an increased amount of pressure fluid may be discharged, whereby this process is supported by a pump connected to the suction pump connection.

The invention relates to a hydraulic prop for individual prop support in underground mining and tunnel construction, with a filling and drawing valve integrated in the prop head, whereby said filling and drawing valve has on the end side of its case a coupling piece for the setting gun with a gripping groove and locking shoulder and on the inside a return valve for setting, a non-return valve for drawing, and a pressure-limiting valve for securing the prop against overload, whereby the valve case of the pressure-limiting valve at the same time represents the piston for the non-return valve which has a seal shoulder which is formed in a corresponding manner with the seal seat at the inside case wall and whereby the pressure medium is removed in an environmentally harmless manner via a hose connection which may be clamped to the coupling piece.
Individual hydraulic props are used strategically in underground mining and in tunnel construction in order to secure cavities which were created by mining. For this purpose they are clamped between top wall and footwall or between floor and head. In addition, they are also used in the longwall in the transition area, where due to the daily progress in the mining they must then be moved one or several times a day. Their use is also mandatory in situations where due to rock conditions a shield-type support or a similar support cannot be used or can only be used with great difficulties. This applies also for semi-steep positioning. Especially if the hydraulic props must be moved daily, the pressure fluid, which consists of a water-oil mixture, in the past was sprayed into the environment during the drawing, thus causing the retraction of the hydraulic prop. Although the water-oil mixture contains only small amounts of oil, it cannot be avoided that the sprayed pressure fluid reaches the shaft bottom and is pumped from there to the surface, where it then automatically and inevitably causes environmental burdens. In addition, this process only permits a one-time use of the water-oil emulsion, i.e., it must be supplemented and replaced continuously with newly prepared pressure fluid.
Because of these problems, the water-in-oil emulsion released during the retraction of the hydraulic prop for some time has been collected, removed, and then reused in the pump. German DE-GM 89 12 529 describes for instance that the escape of the oil-containing fluid into the mine chamber can be prevented by pressing the pressure fluid via a hydraulically unlocked non-return valve from the same valve case end into the individual prop, and removing it again during the drawing. Thus the pressure medium flows into the return duct during drawing, whereby the drain process may be accelerated with a Venturi tube or similar devices, whereby the pressure fluid is then again used to set the prop. The disadvantage in these known hydraulic props and corresponding valves is the very complex construction of this multipurpose valve which otherwise is known from DE-OS 35 04 878. In order to be able to open the non-return valve, this already complex valve body has a bore which guides the pressure fluid to the rear of the valve case of the pressure-limiting valve, so that the latter is lifted from the valve seat when the non-return valve is loaded correspondingly. Either the pressure fluid must be added via a separate setting gun, or it must have been ensured or must be ensured in a different manner that the pressure fluid cannot flow off through this valve into the prop interior.

Individual hydraulic prop with filling/drawing valve and pressure fluid return