Disclosed is a method for driving a plasma display panel that can prevent flicker and double false contour in a 50 Hz driving. The method includes: providing a plurality of 50 Hz frames which are inputted using subfield weights for constructing a 60 Hz frame; and rearranging the plurality of 50 Hz frames into a plurality of 60 Hz frames.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel, and more particularly, to a method for driving a plasma display panel that can eliminate moving picture noise in a 50 Hz driving method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a plasma display panel (PDP), which is one of flat panel displays, is in the limelight because it is expected to be easily capable of realizing a large-sized panel. The PDP displays an image by controlling a discharge period of each pixel according to digital data. The discharge period may be determined by the number of sustain pulses having subfield weight.
An alternate type PDP is a representative of such PDPs, and is provided with three electrodes and driven by an alternative voltage. The alternate type PDP is driven by an address-display separated (ADS) driving method so as to display an image. The ADS driving method can express a desired gray scale according to sequence of subfields, sub-field weight, and the number of sustain pulses.
However, the ADS driving method may cause problems due to motion artifacts, large area flicker, and variation in the number of gray scales. The motion artifacts are caused by dynamic false contour and motion blurring. The dynamic false contour is due to a non-linear method temporarily used for displaying gray scale, and the motion blurring is due to light emitting from each pixel during a time longer than an overall frame time.
FIG. 1 shows graphs illustrating a related art PDP driving method. In FIG. 1, a frame driven at a frequency of a 50 Hz is shown. A 50 Hz driving method is generally used in Europe and a 60 Hz driving method is used in Republic of Korea, USA, etc.
As shown in FIG. 1, the related art PDP driving method includes dividing a 20 ms frame driven at 50 Hz into two 10 ms frames driven at 100 Hz, and rearranging subfields included in each frame. For example, the 20 ms frame includes eight different subfields. A first frame of 10 ms consists of first, third, fifth and seventh subfields, and a second frame of 10 ms consists of second, fourth, sixth and eighth subfields. Thus, when the 20 ms frame driven at 50 Hz is modulated into two 10 ms frames driven at 100 Hz, large area flicker that is a large area screen flicker phenomenon occurring in the 50 Hz driving method can be prevented, and subfield weights accumulated on a retina by adjacent main frames in the 100 Hz driving are effectively dispersed thereby offsetting the dynamic false contour.
However, since the driving method shown in FIG. 1 allows an XGA single scan PDP panel and a HD PDP panel to have a limitation in the number of subfields, it is difficult to apply the 100 Hz driving method to the XGA single scan PDP panel and the HD PDP panel. Also, the lack of the number of the subfields causes a serious quantization in a low gray scale region Further, since one frame is divided into two frames, double false contour may be caused.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view exemplarily showing a related art PDP driving method.
As shown in FIG. 2, the related art PDP driving method divides one 50 Hz frame into two 50 Hz frames. In other words, the driving method of FIG. 1 divides one 50 Hz frame into two 100 Hz frames, whereas the driving method of FIG. 2 divides one 50 Hz frame into two 50 Hz frames. Accordingly, in the driving method of FIG. 2, though one frame is divided into two frames, the driving method is maintained in 50 Hz driving without any change. In other words, one 50 Hz frame is divided into two 100 Hz frames, but since data can be displayed only during half of each frame, the 50 Hz frame is resultantly divided into two 50 Hz frames.
Thus, when the 50 Hz frame is divided into two 50 Hz frames, the lowest brightness weight of the first frame (10 ms) is different than the lowest brightness weight of the second frame (10 ms), and the remaining brightness weights of the first frame are the same as those of the second frame. Also, the first and second frames are arranged having symmetric brightness weights. Accordingly, large area flicker occurring in the 50 Hz driving can be minimized.
However, since the related art PDP driving method of FIG. 2 divides one frame into two frames, double false contour may be caused. In other words, the division of the first and second frames functions to change 50 Hz into 50 Hz, but since real data is identically repeated in two frames to reproduce a moving picture, so that double false contour occurs, thereby lowering video resolution.


Embodiments are generally directed to indium solder metallurgy to control electro-migration. An embodiment of an electronic device includes a die; and a package substrate, wherein the die is bonded to the package substrate by an interconnection. The interconnection includes multiple interconnects, and wherein the interconnection includes a solder. The solder for the interconnection includes a combination of tin (Sn), copper (Cu), and indium (In).

In the fabrication of electronic devices and systems, solder of various compositions continues to be utilized for many interconnections, including solder bump connections and other similar structures. However, the miniaturization of electronics, with extremely fine pitch interconnections, may cause increased difficulties related to the physical and chemical properties of the solder.
Electro-migration (EM) is the transport of material caused by the gradual movement of the ions in a conductor that results from momentum transfer between conducting electrons and diffusing metal atoms. In particular, electro-migration may result in the movement of nickel or other materials in interconnections.
Electro-migration caused by excessive current stress in an interconnect can result in premature failure of the interconnect and electronic device. Electro-migration is a critical reliability requirement for first level interconnect (FLI) architecture, such architecture being the interconnect between the die and the package. This has become an increasingly difficult challenge because of the demand for finer pitch interconnections and the resulting higher current densities.

Indium solder metallurgy to control electro-migration


The invention is a photonic home area network for interfacing an external communications data network with a plurality of buildings, residential or commercial, in a neighborhood. The external communications network has a plurality of user data bandwidth segments with at least television programming data, audio programming data and telephony service data provided to the network. The photonic home area network has a photonic multiaccess channel, a head-end communications circuit, a plurality of set-top box circuits, and an executable program for demultiplexing and distributing the data segments in the set-top box circuits and acquiring user data for incorporation into a subsequent multiplexed signal.

Neighborhood individuals are periodically charged expensive fees to have television, telephone and other future communications services provided to their homes. If these individuals could be formed into a network entity, then the resulting economic leverage of these networked individuals create a better negotiation position for reducing the charges of these services. That is, an organization representing five-hundred or more service subscribers has more negotiating leverage than one subscriber.
As a result, the residential community would have the prerogative of selecting television channels that are consistent with the religious, moral and ethical standards of the community. However, if individual subscribers in the community insist on channels which would be offensive to the community, these channels can be encoded for the specific purchaser and the cost of service charged directly to the user. Products are in use which
However, available neighborhood network technology has insufficient bandwidth to accommodate all the data associated with television, telephone and other communications services, making a neighborhood network impractical and expensive. Furthermore, such network systems do not accommodate varying data formats such as synchronous transmissions typical of television transmissions, and asynchronous transmission typical of computer data transmissions. For example, present network broadcasts of video are generally limited to uni-directional distribution.
An example of a product used for wireless communication is an OmniBeam available from Laser Communications, Inc. Such products are expensive and are limited in throughput bandwidth or data transfer rates. Furthermore, such systems rely on long range point-to-point transmissions using concentrating lenses, requiring precision alignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,403 issued to Block et al., discloses a bi-directional free-space optical bus for electronics subsystems. A bi-directional optical link orients a beam with a polarizing beamsplitter such that the beam travels as a linearly polarized P-wave. The beam then travels through a quarter-wave plate which converts the polarization of the beam into a circular polarization mode. The beam travels through an amplitude beamsplitter to reflect the beam into two collinear axial beams along both directions of the axis of a single optical bus to interconnect computer subsystems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,054 issued to Patisaul et al., discloses a digital communication technique for a television communication system. The television channels are obtained and multiplexed, then transmitted through an LED to generate an encoded optical signal. The encoded signal is received by a photodetector which converts the optical signals into electrical signals. The signal is then demultiplexed into individual channels. A problem with such a device is that it is limited to distributing data and does not allow the addition of data by users. A further problem is that data is limited to synchronous transmissions.
Thus, a need exists for a neighborhood network device that has a large data rate of at least 1.5 Giga-bits-per-second for accommodating video and audio synchronous and asynchronous data transmissions, which is also has unidirectional and bi-directional data transmission capability in a digital format for data distribution within and without the neighborhood community.


A submerged panel latch having an eccentric cam rotatable in the plane of the panel near the panel outer surface and accessible to the user, a latch rotor engaged by the cam and rotatable in a plane perpendicular to that of the cam, inward facing strikers on facing edges of a pair of facing panels, at least one of which is removable at the opposite edge thereof, and concentric openings in said pair of strikers which are concentric and through which said latch rotor is extendable in the closed or locked position of the panels and from which it is withdrawn in the unlocked position.

1. Technical Field:
The invention is related to the field of flush panel closure devices and in particular to submerged or flush closure latches or locking devices on flat panel doors for repeated openings and closings with front access only, wherein the closure device does not extend beyond the plane of the panel.
2. Background of the Invention:
The present invention fulfills the need for rapidly and repeatedly opening or unlocking and closing or locking panel doors to cabinets (or, more generally, locking removable portions to base structures) with the constraint that rear access to the cabinet is prohibited. At the same time, the invention fulfills the need for locking devices on panel doors which are flush or submerged with respect to the front plane of the panel door, so as to provide a strong lock which is rapidly unlockable from the front panel surface without any protruding devices at the front panel surface.
Typical locking devices on panels which are adapted for rapid and repeated convenient locking and unlocking of panels or panel doors typically include a rotatable handle which protrudes significantly from the front surface of the panel. This presents a significant problem, particularly in those cases where the panel is the outer or aerodynamic surface of a flight vehicle or aircraft. Such protrusions, even if slight, create non-laminar airflow patterns across the surface, greatly reducing the flight performance characteristics of the flight vehicle.
If the size of the handle is limited or minimized to reduce disturbance in the airflow pattern, then the leverage is reduced and either the locking force must be reduced or the user must exert an inconvenient amount of force to open the panel. If the locking force is reduced, the panel is less securely locked in place. On the other hand, if the user is forced to exert a relatively large force to open or unlock the panel, the rapidity with which the panel may be open and closed is greatly diminished, a significant disadvantage on busy flight lines.
Accordingly, some way of providing a panel lock which is flush (non-protruding) with respect to the panel outer surface, which hold the panel locked closed with a very large force but which is readily opened by a user outside the panel with a minimum application of force is needed.
Various techniques of locking movable members (such as window sashes and doors) with respect to another member (such as a window frame or opposing sash or cabinet) are known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 559,663; 1,073,261 and 324,252 disclose window sash fasteners while U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,056 discloses a sliding door lock. In each of these references, there is a rotatable actuating member controlled by the user and a rotatable locking member actuated by the actuating member, both members rotating along parallel axes. As will be seen below, such arrangements with parallel axes of rotation have nothing to do with the solution to the problem reached by the present invention. This is because such arrangements require rotations perpendicular to the outer surface of the sash or door to be locked or unlocked, which is incompatible with any attempt to minimize protrusions of the locking device beyond the outer panel surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 199,916 and British Patent Document No. 613,589 each disclose devices similar to those discussed above, except that the actuating and locking members rotate about orthogonal axes. However, these two references merely concern braking a window sash against an adjacent surface such as the opposite sash or window frame, and have nothing to do with mechanical locking or interlocking. U.S. Pat. No. 1,531,487 also discloses a locking device in which the actuating and locking members rotate about orthogonal axes. However, this latter reference is directed to a locking device which pinches a lip protruding outwardly from a panel (a casket top). Such outward protrusions are to be avoided at all costs in the present invention.

Submerged cam actuated rotary latch for front access panels


A noble metal dental casting alloy for use in making dental restorations comprises 35-70 percent by weight palladium, 25-50 percent by weight silver, 0.5-10 percent by weight manganese, and 1-30 percent of at least one modifier element selected from (i) the group of gold, platinum, copper, tin, gallium, zinc, indium and cobalt in amounts of up to 15 percent by weight each, and (ii) the group of ruthenium, rhenium, aluminum, germanium, lithium, silicon, iridium, boron, tantalum and niobium in amounts of up to 5 percent by weight each. The alloy has a solidus temperature of at least 1100.degree. C., a liquidus temperature of not more than 1400.degree. C., tensile elongation of at least 2 percent, thermal expansion coefficient of at least 14.0.times.10.sup.-6 per .degree.C., Vickers hardness of at least 150, and offset yield strength at 0.2 percent of at least 250 MPa. A dental restoration made from this alloy has a porcelain coating fired upon a portion of the casting, and the coating is firmly bonded to the casting.

As is well known, porcelain fused to metal (PFM) dental casting alloys should provide a high degree of biocompatibility or inertness to the conditions in the mouth and good physical properties so that they will provide long lived usage. In addition, they must provide good bonding characteristics to the porcelain coatings and other characteristics which are compatible with the porcelain coatings, such as a similar coefficient of expansion and good bond strength. Lastly, the alloy should process well during casting and be usable with commercially available porcelains.
As set forth in ADA Specification No. 38 approved in May 1991 and effective 1992, PFM alloys should exhibit a desired balance of physical and mechanical properties. To withstand the stress transmitted through the restoration, the alloy must have an offset yield strength at 0.2 percent of over 250 mPa. Tensile elongation of at least 2 percent is required for proper dental manipulations.
The hardness must exceed 150 Vickers to withstand the abrasion of opposing teeth. Moreover, a dental casting alloy must be able to be soldered before the porcelain firing cycle. Since porcelain is fired at approximately 1000.degree. C., the alloy must exhibit a solidus temperature of at least 1100.degree. C. to allow the solder to flow without starting to melt the casting. However, in order to allow the alloy to be cast with standard equipment found in dental laboratories, the liquidus temperature must not be greater than 1400.degree. C.
For many years, gold/platinum and gold/palladium based alloys had been preferred for dental castings because they had a highly desirable balance of the above properties. Commercially available dental porcelains were formulated so as to be compatible with their thermal expansion coefficients.
After the cost of gold and platinum escalated, there were extensive efforts to find alternate noble metal alloy compositions which would afford acceptable properties at considerably lower cost. Base metal alloys were found to suffer from one or more limitations such as lack of sufficient biocompatibility, undesirable aesthetics, etc.
As an alternative, gold alloys containing large amounts of palladium and other metals and palladium/silver alloys were developed. The latter simulated the appearance of platinum and "white" gold alloys as a substrate for porcelain and provide a high degree of biocompatibility while still exhibiting useful casting and physical properties. Generally, the silver had a tendency to migrate at the porcelain firing temperatures and to discolor the porcelains being fired thereon. Illustrative of these alternative alloy approaches are German U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,982 granted Jun. 3, 1980 and Schaffer U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,526 granted Sep. 21, 1982.
In Schaffer U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,072, there is disclosed a novel palladium based PFM alloy which substantially eliminated the problem of discoloration in restorations. This and similar alloys have enjoyed substantial commercial success as PFM alloys.
However, the cost of the high palladium content in such alloys is relatively high as compared with the earlier palladium/silver alloys. Thus, there has remained a need for a lower cost PFM alloy having the desired nobility and producing desirable dental restorations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel palladium/silver based dental alloy which exhibits a highly desirable balance of properties, including biocompatibility, and good bonding of the porcelain coatings fired thereon.
It is also an object to provide such an alloy which is less costly than a high palladium content alloy.
Another object is to provide dental restorations comprising castings of such alloys with porcelain coatings fired thereon, wherein the porcelain coatings are essentially free from discoloration and exhibit a high degree of bonding to the casting.

Dental alloy and restoration made therewith


A feed-through apparatus for a chemical vapor deposition device including: a feed-through main body; a plurality of runner units; and a feed-through device rotatable with respect to the plurality of runner units within the feed-through main body. Each runner unit has a fluid inlet and an elongated runner for receiving the fluid from the fluid inlet wherein the elongated runner extends spirally on a surface of the runner unit. The feed-through device has a plurality of feed-through device orifices for receiving fluids from corresponding elongated runners during rotation of the feed-through device and has outlet-orifices for releasing the fluids into a reactor chamber.

Thin-film deposition techniques are used to deposit a film of material onto semiconductor substrates for manufacturing integrated circuit devices and optoelectronic devices on the semiconductor substrates.
For instance, Metal-Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition (MOCVD) is a method of depositing a material on a heated substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer. The method comprises a step of introducing precursor gases into a reactor, which has a temperature-controlled environment. The introduced precursor gases are usually directed to a direction, which is perpendicular or is parallel to a major planar surface of the heated substrate. These precursor gases are also introduced close to the major planar surface and close to each other such that the precursor gases chemically react to deposit a material on the major planar surface of the heated substrate, rather depositing on other parts of the reactor.
As an example, the precursor gases include a first precursor gas and a second precursor gas. The first precursor gas includes a Group III element, such as gallium (Ga), while the second precursor gas includes a Group V element, such as nitrogen (N). These precursor gases react to deposit a compound semiconductor, such as GaN, on a planar surface of the heated substrate.
Carrier gases, such as nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2), are also introduced into the reactor to move the precursor gases towards the heated substrate for minimising the deposition of the precursor gases on unwanted areas within the reactor. These carrier gases also act as purging gases for moving these precursor gases out of the reactor.
It is an object of this application to provide an improved apparatus for introducing gases into a reaction chamber for thin-film deposition, in particular for chemical vapour deposition (CVD).

Feed-through apparatus for a chemical vapour deposition device


To provide an insert molding method for a connector which enables terminals to be inserted easily into insertion destination places for the terminals. An insert-molding method for insert molding a connector 1 equipped with a plurality of terminals 10 integrated with a housing 40 and aligned in two rows, includes setting the plurality of terminals 10 in a housing mold 80 to uniform warping directions D of the terminals 10 so that the warping directions D are respectively directed toward outer sides of the rows of the terminals 10.

Until now, the connector into which the housing and the terminals become integrated by the insert molding is utilized. For example, in PTL 1, the connector in which accuracy of form and strength is improved has been proposed.
By the way, because of a warp of the terminals, in some cases, it is difficult to insert the terminals into insertion destination places in the connector. Therefore, the jig that is capable of aligning a plurality of terminals before these terminals are inserted into the insertion destination places has been proposed. For example, in PTL 2, the automatic assembling equipment that is capable of inserting a plurality of terminals automatically into the holes formed in the housing is set forth. This automatic assembling equipment can align the terminals by causing the comb-teeth shaped jig automatically to put on to the terminals.


A composition comprising at least 75 mol % C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid secondary C6 to C12 esters, wherein the C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid secondary C6 to C12 esters comprise at least 20 mol % of a C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid 2-hexyl ester, a C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid 2-heptyl ester, a C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid 2-octyl ester, a C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid 2-nonyl ester, a C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid 2-decyl ester, a C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid 2-undecyl ester, a C6 to C9 monocarboxylic acid 2-dodecyl ester, or combinations thereof.

Secondary esters can be used for a variety of products, such as base fluids for wellbore treatment fluids, drilling fluids, etc. The use of a particular secondary ester product in a particular application can depend on the type of physical properties displayed by the secondary ester, as well as on the toxicity of the secondary ester, and such properties can be a result of the process used for producing a particular secondary ester, e.g., reactants, ratios of reactants, catalyst, etc. Thus, there is an ongoing need to develop and improve secondary esters compositions and methods for producing these secondary esters.

Secondary esters, methods of making, and uses thereof


A user may use a financial card to make a purchase at a merchant. An institution system may receive and analyze transaction data associated with the purchase. The institution system may send a notice to the user asking if the user would like insurance coverage for the item(s) pertaining to the purchase. The notice may request the user send a photo of the item(s) or documentation pertaining to the item(s) to the institution system.

Insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss, and may be defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium. An insurer is a company that sells insurance. An insurance rate is a factor used to determine the amount, called the premium, to be charged for a certain amount of insurance coverage. Considerable delay often occurs between the time a user purchases an item that the user may want to have covered by insurance and the time when the item is covered by the insurance by the insurer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for insurance coverage

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)


According to one embodiment, a paper-sheet stacking apparatus includes a holding unit, a pushing mechanism, a backup, and a variable-force spring mechanism. The holding unit has a stacking base for holding a plurality of paper sheets in standing position and is configured to stack the paper sheets, one laid on another in a direction of a plane. The pushing mechanism is configured to push paper sheets transported, into the holding unit. The backup opposed to the pushing mechanism, is able to move in the direction the paper sheets are stacked and is configured to hold any paper sheet stacked between the backup and the pushing mechanism and to move away from the pushing mechanism as paper sheets are stacked one after another.

Paper-sheet stacking apparatuses are apparatuses that collect and stack, in a standing position, paper sheets such as mail items transported at high speed. Any apparatus of this type comprises a holding unit for holding paper sheets, a movable backup plate, a pushing roller and a supporting guide. The backup plate is arranged, touching the paper sheet that is an endmost sheet of the paper-sheet stack held in the holding unit. The backup plate moves in the direction the paper sheets are stacked, in accordance with the number of the paper sheets stacked, and therefore pushes the paper-sheet stack in the direction the paper sheets are stacked. The pushing roller is located at some distance from the backup plate and touches, in rolling contact, the other endmost paper sheet of the paper-sheet stack, cooperating with the backup plate to clamp the paper-sheet stack. The pushing roller receives the paper sheet next to the other endmost paper sheet, between it and the other endmost paper sheet, and then pushes the paper sheet next to the other endmost paper sheet into the end of the paper-sheet stack.
In recent years, paper sheets (document sheets) that can be processed in the paper-sheet processing apparatus such as a mail processing apparatus have been increasing in size. Further, these paper sheets are increasing in thickness, year by year. In the paper-sheet stacking apparatus described above, the pressure applied to the backup plate is constant, and the backup member may be flicked because of the weight of the paper-sheet stack when a thick paper sheet, for example, is fed, In this case, the thick paper sheet is pushed away, and cannot be stacked. To prevent this event, the pressured applied to the backup plate may be increased. If the pressure is increased, however, the pressure for stacking paper sheets will not be mitigated. As a result, the pressure the pushing roller applies to the paper-sheet stack rises, making it difficult to feed paper sheets onto the paper-sheet stack.


A composite ammunition magazine comprises a box with a follower slidably disposed in the box and a spring disposed between a bottom of the box and the follower and biasing the follower towards an open top. A pair of opposite lips extends from proximal ends at opposite sides of the open top in an arc to distal free ends over the open top of the box. The box and the pair of lips comprise a composite material comprising fibers in a resin matrix with the sides of the box comprising hoop fibers oriented at 0 degrees and axial fibers oriented at 90 degrees, and the pair of lips comprising lateral fibers oriented at 0 degrees and arc fibers extending in an arc and oriented at 90 degrees with respect to the lateral fibers. The pair of lips comprises more arc fibers than the axial fibers in the box.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ammunition magazine for a firearm.
2. Related Art
Shooting is a popular sport and some shooters enjoy customizing and/or improving their firearms. Some shooters actively seek to lighten the weight and/or improve the strength of their firearms and/or firearm accessories. The improvement of firearms and firearm accessories is an ongoing endeavor.

Composite ammunition magazine for firearm


A system and method is provided for automating placement of orders from a catalog that has been JumpCode enabled by inclusion of bar codes. A sequence of additive bar codes uniquely identify each item available from the catalog. A scanner is used for designating items from the catalog by scanning the identifying sequences of bar codes, which include at least a bar code element that uniquely identifies the catalog and the page of an item, and a further bar code element that uniquely identifies an item among the other items on a page, using a common reference scheme that is applicable to each page. This combination of bar code elements is a JumpCode, and JumpCodes for the items scanned are grouped into orders by affiliate and sent to the respective e-commerce sites of each affiliate, which are designed to handle orders from the catalog. The web sites generate shopping carts from the orders and appropriate URLs are returned to the user, who can use a browser to complete the order by direct communication with the respective web sites.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system and method for connecting conventional ordering materials, such as catalogs distributed in printed form or on CD-ROM, to Internet based purchasing and distribution systems.
2. Background Description
E-commerce applications where companies conduct business over the Internet have been growing in recent years. More and more businesses are developing and using Internet web sites for doing business. However, these web sites often operate in parallel with existing methods relying on faxes and the telephone. Most businesses continue to order replenishable products out of printed catalogs using faxes and the telephone to place orders. This is acceptable when the customer is ordering products infrequently or where there just a few products and a salesperson's intervention is required.
When items that need to be ordered are replenishable, and thus ordered more frequently, and there are many items to choose from, each with many potential options, it would be ideal to order them electronically. However, web sites simulating large catalogs are very difficult to navigate and are generally too tedious to use.
Businesses ordering items over the phone and via faxes find the task equally tedious and at best error prone. End-users or salespeople must manually write down part numbers, quantities and the like. While this approach has long been used, businesses are seeking ways of making this process more efficient, because initial entry of orders, and correction because of human error in manually writing down information, is costly.
Catalogs with tens of thousands of parts with many associated options related to quantities, colors, sizes, models and the like are very expensive and tedious to develop, and the result is an enormous catalog that is end-user cumbersome. It would be desirable to have catalogs that are more compact and easier to use. Most vendors already have existing catalogs that they would prefer to continue using with minor changes, rather than redo the entire catalog. Redoing the entire catalog is expensive, time consuming and may disorient users familiar with the existing catalog.

Method and system for additive bar codes to minimize the size and optimize the function and usability of a bar code scannable business catalog


An apparatus for driving a lamp of a liquid crystal display device includes a transformer to supply a voltage to a lamp and a voltage detector having a first resistance connected between a secondary winding wire of the transformer and a ground voltage source, a rectifier connected to the secondary winding wire of the transformer, and a second resistance connected between the rectifier and the ground voltage source to detect a voltage induced onto the secondary winding wire of the transformer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to an apparatus for driving a lamp of a liquid crystal display.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a liquid crystal display (hereinafter, referred to as a "LCD") device has applications that are broadening due to its advantageous characteristics, such as lightweight, thin profile and low power consumption. The LCD device is typically used in office automation equipment, audio/video devices and the like. The LCD device displays a desired picture on a screen by controlling the amount of light transmitted through the device in accordance with a video signal applied via a plurality of control switches, which are arranged in a matrix form.
The LCD device needs a light source, such as a backlight, because the LCD device is not a light-emitting display device. A cold cathode fluorescent lamp (hereinafter, referred to as a "CCFL") is generally used as the light source in the backlight unit. The CCFL uses a cold emission phenomenon (i.e. electrons are emitted due to a strong electric field applied to the surface of a cathode) to provide light with a high brightness, a long life span and a full colorization. The CCFL has low heat generation. The CCFL can be used in different light guide systems, such as a direct illumination system or a reflection plate system. The type of light guide system adopted for a specific LCD device is based on the physical requirements of the LCD device.
The CCFL uses an inverter circuit to get a high voltage from a low voltage DC power source to drive the CCFL. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for driving lamps of a liquid crystal display device according to the related art. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the apparatus for driving the lamps of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an apparatus for driving lamps of an LCD device according to the related art includes a lamp housing 10 having a plurality of lamps 12, an inverter part 4 with a plurality of inverters for supplying an output voltage to each of the lamps 12, a first printed circuit board 2 on which the inverter part 4 is mounted, and a second printed circuit board 6 on which the lamps 12 are commonly connected to the ground voltage source GND. The lamp housing 10 has a space provided for receiving the lamps. The lamp housing 10 is stacked onto a main support (not shown). Each lamp 12 receives a lamp output voltage from the inverter part 4 and emits visible light to a liquid crystal display panel (not shown).
Each of the lamps 12 includes a glass tube with an inert gas inside of the glass tube. One side of the lamp 12 is connected to a secondary winding wire T2 of a transformer 16, and another side of the lamp 12 is connected to the ground voltage source GND. The inside of the glass tube contains inert gas, such as Ar or Ne, as well as phosphorus spread over the inner wall of the glass tube. When a high AC voltage supplied from the inverter 20 is applied to an electrode of one of the lamps 12, electrons are emitted that collide with the inert gas inside the glass tube, thereby increasing the amount of electrons by geometric progression. The increased electrons cause electric current to flow inside of the glass tube, thereby exciting the inert gas to emit ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light irradiates phosphorus, which is spread over the inner wall of the glass tube, to cause the emission of visible light.
The first printed circuit board 2 is arranged at one side of the main support (not shown). The second printed circuit board 6 is arranged at one side of the main support (not shown). Each inverter 8 included in the inverter part 4 of the first printed circuit board 2 includes a switch device 14 to switch a voltage from a voltage source Vin in response to a switching control signal, a transformer 16 to convert the voltage supplied by switching of the switch device 14 into an output voltage, a voltage detector 20 to detect the voltage of the inverter 8, and a controller (Pulse Width Modulation: PWM) 18 to switch the switch device 14 in response to a feedback voltage FB from the voltage detector 20. The switch device 14 switches the voltage from the voltage source Vin to the transformer 16 in response to the switching control signal from the controller 18.
The transformer 16 includes a primary winding wire T1 connected to the switch device 14 and a secondary winding wire T2 connected to the lamp 12. Both ends of the primary winding wire T1 are connected to the switch device 14 and one side of the secondary winding wire T2 is connected to one side of the lamp 12, and at the same time, the other end of the secondary winding wire T2 is connected to the voltage detector 20. The transformer 16 converts the voltage supplied to the primary winding wire T1 to an output voltage on the secondary winding wire T2 in a ratio corresponding to a winding wire ratio of primary and secondary winding wires T1 and T2. The output voltage induced onto the secondary winding wire T2 is supplied to the lamp 12 through one side of the lamp 12, thereby turning on the lamp 12.
The voltage detector 20 detects the output voltage or high AC voltage induced onto the secondary winding wire T2 of the transformer 16 to generate a feedback voltage FB. In the alternative, the voltage detector 20 may be located at the output terminal of the lamp 12 to detect the output value of the voltage outputted from the lamp 12. The controller 18 receives the feedback voltage FB generated from the voltage detector 20 to control a switching period of the switch device 14. In other words, when the feedback voltage FB is higher than a reference voltage for driving the lamp, the controller 18 reduces a width of the switching control signal supplied to the switch device 14 to make a switching time of the switch device 14 fast. Because of this, the voltage supplied from the voltage source Vin to the transformer 16 is reduced so that a current passing through the lamp 12 is reduced.
On the other hand, when the feedback voltage FB is lower than the reference voltage, the controller 18 increases the width of the switching control signal supplied to the switch device 14 to make the switching period of the switch device 14 slow. Because of this, the voltage supplied form the voltage source Vin to the transformer 16 increases so that the current passing through the lamp 12 increases. Accordingly, the voltage supplied to each lamp 12 is constantly maintained so that the brightness of the light generated from the lamps 12 is constantly maintained.
When the temperature decreases in the apparatus for driving the lamp of the liquid crystal display device according to the related art, the brightness of the light generated from the lamp 12 is reduced. FIG. 3 is a graph showing a tube current of the lamp over time for different temperatures while driving the lamp of the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 2. When the temperature decreases, gas movement of the gas charged in the lamp 12 reduces so as to increase the resistance of the lamp 12. Because of this, the supply voltage monitored by the voltage detector 20 connected to the other end of the secondary winding wire T2 in the transformer 16 increases so that the feedback voltage FB increases. Accordingly, the controller 18 makes the switching period of the switch device 14 fast, thereby reducing the voltage supplied from the voltage source Vin to the transformer 16. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the current passing through the lamp 12 is reduced. This causes a problem in that the brightness of the light generated from the lamp 12 decreases.

Apparatus for driving lamp of liquid crystal display device


The present invention relates to a process for preparing a coated, heat resistant substrate by. I) coating the substrate with a coating composition containing PA0 II) curing the coating composition at a temperature of 40 to. a) a solution or dispersion containing PA1 b) at least one organic polyisocyanate in a quantity corresponding to an equivalent ratio of isocyanate groups of component b) to isocyanate-reactive groups of component a1) of 0.7:1 to 3:1, and. a1) 100 parts by weight of at least one hydroxyl-functional polyacrylate resin in dissolved or dispersed form, wherein the resin has a hydroxyl value of 15 to 200 mg KOH/G solid resin, an acid value of 5 to 250 mg KOH/G solid resin and a total content of chemically incorporated carboxylate and/or sulfonate groups of 8 to 450 milliequivalents per 100 g of solids, PA2 a2) 25 to 395 parts by weight of water and PA2 a3) 5 to 125 parts by weight of at least one organic solvent having a boiling point or boiling range at 1013 mbar of 100 to 300.degree. C. and. The present invention is also directed to the coated substrates obtained by this process.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for coating heat resistant substrates with aqueous stoving compositions based on organic solutions or dispersions of polyacrylate resins and organic polyisocyanates and to the coated substrates produced therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reduction of the organic solvent content of lacquers is a primary concern in many fields of application for ecological and factory hygiene reasons. Accordingly, the at least partial replacement of organic lacquer solvents by water is of considerable importance in modern coating technology.
The stoving compositions predominantly used for industrially applied coatings, for example, for coating metals (original and repair lacquering of automobiles, coating of domestic appliances, etc.) either require stoving temperatures of 130.degree. C. and higher (for example melamine resin crosslinking, powder coatings, epoxy resin crosslinking) or, as non-aqueous systems, contain relatively large quantities of organic solvents (for example two-component polyurethane lacquers). Accordingly, there is a considerable need for lacquer systems which can be stoved at relatively low temperatures, i.e., energy-saving lacquer systems, and which can be quickly and completely crosslinked to hard, elastic and solvent-resistant coatings.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new coating composition which can be applied from a predominantly aqueous phase and which can be cured at only moderately elevated temperatures to obtain high quality lacquer films without the release of decomposition products, for example, blocking agents for polyisocyanates.
Lacquer systems of this type have not previously been known. For example, the water-based lacquer systems according to DE-OS 2 507 842 or DE-OS 2 507 884 rely on the use of blocked polyisocyanates while the systems according to DE-OS 38 29 587 are cured at room temperature without any indication as to how the systems would have to be modified to obtain high-quality stoving lacquers. The same observation is justified in regard to the paper entitled "WaBrige Zweikomponenten-Polyurethan-Reaktiv-Systeme in der Beschichtungstechnik (Water-Based Two-Component Reactive Polyurethane Systems in Coating Technology)"(proceedings of the XX FATLPEC Congress, Nizza, 17th to 21st September, 1990, pages 239 to 245).
The object stated above may be achieved in accordance with the present invention which is described in detail hereinafter.

Process for coating heat resistant substrates with two component stoving compositions


A modem/gateway device is provided that includes a network interface configured to connect to and communicate with local area network (LAN) clients and Wi-Fi clients, a non-transitory memory configured to store instructions, and a hardware processor. The hardware processor is configured to execute the instructions to monitor a connection status of the LAN clients and Wi-Fi clients connected to the network interface, and compare the connected LAN clients against a LAN client list and the connected Wi-Fi clients against a Wi-Fi client list. The mode of operation of the electronic device is controlled to be in a power savings mode when none of the connected LAN or none of the connected Wi-Fi clients is on the respective LAN or Wi-Fi client list, and is controlled to be in a normal power mode when any of the connected LAN or Wi-Fi clients is on the respective LAN or Wi-Fi client list.

As part of a power reduction management protocol, cable modems have been known to constantly monitor the connection status of all interfaces of the modem, for example, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Voice, and Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA), as well as data traffic at each of the interfaces. When all of the interfaces are deactivated or data traffic at all of the interfaces is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold, cable modems enter Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 1×1 power saving mode and/or Wi-Fi 1×1 power saving mode to reduce power consumption. The connection status and data traffic are also used to determine when to exit from the DOCSIS 1×1 power savings mode and/or Wi-Fi 1×1 power saving mode.
However, the software logic required to implement the Wi-Fi 1×1 and DOCSIS 1×1 power saving modes is complex and like most complex software inevitably includes bugs that can cause cable modems to incorrectly enter and/or exit the Wi-Fi 1×1 and/or DOCSIS 1×1 power saving modes or may prevent modems from entering or exiting the Wi-Fi 1×1 and/or DOCSIS 1×1 power savings modes. Additionally, the software logic typically does not consider low throughput performance requests on multiple server operators (MSO) service set identifiers (SSID) like hotspots and iControl services that may continue to operate while the cable modem is in the Wi-Fi 1×1 and/or DOCSIS 1×1 power saving modes. Also, users have no control over the timing of when the power saving mode is entered and/or exited, which can be inconvenient and frustrating for users. Therefore, known technologies for reducing power consumption of cable modems have clear drawbacks.
Thus, it would be advantageous and an improvement over the relevant technology to provide an apparatus, method, and computer-readable medium capable of properly entering and exiting the Wi-Fi 1×1 and/or DOCSIS 1×1 power saving modes at times convenient for users and that accommodate low throughput performance requests on MSO SSIDs like hotspots and iControl services.

Controlling a mode of operation of an electronic device


A method and system verify the accuracy of weather forecasting entity, such as a television station, a radio station, newspaper or other the like. A weather forecast for the entity is obtained for a given geographic region and a given forecast time period, the forecast including a set of one or more forecast data elements. The set of forecast data elements is converted to a set of one or more numerical values. A set of one or more actual weather condition data elements is obtained for the given geographic region and period of time. The set of actual weather condition data elements is converted to a set of one or more numerical values. The set of actual weather condition numerical values is compared with the set of forecast numerical values. A forecast accuracy score is computed based on the comparison of the set of actual weather condition numerical values and the set of forecast numerical values. The accuracy of a weather forecasting entity is compared with that of a second weather forecasting entity by obtaining a weather forecast for the second weather forecasting entity for the given geographic region and forecast time period, the second forecast including a second set of forecast data elements. Scores for each television station within a market are compared with each other to determine the one station with the best score.

This invention pertains generally to systems and methods for verifying the accuracy of weather forecasts, and systems and methods for gathering, manipulating, evaluating and selling such data.
Weather affects every person on this planet. Current and forecast weather conditions affect commerce (e.g., transportation, construction, tourism, retail, agriculture), politics (weather on Election Day, war, political rallies), public safety and health (e.g., lightning at golf courses, avalanches in ski country, severe weather including hurricanes, tornadoes and blizzards, floods) and the general pursuit of happiness (virtually all outdoor activities, e.g. outdoor recreation, weddings, sports, hobbies).
In our society, many people obtain and rely on the weather forecasts they receive via the media—especially television. Studies have shown that the weather forecast is the primary reason people watch their local television news. In an effort to increase their Nielsen rating and/or market share, many television stations claim that their weather forecasts are the most accurate, pinpoint or simply the best in their locale. Television stations and other media outlets make these unfounded self-proclamations because they generate higher advertising revenue by obtaining higher ratings (e.g. Nielsen ratings). In a recent study, 52% of the people interviewed stated that they were likely or very likely to alter their viewing habits (e.g. change channels) to watch the television station that has been certified by an independent rating agency as the most accurate in their city. Other research studies have shown that forecast accuracy is critically important to news viewers. One unconfirmed study found that 50% to 70% of people believe that forecast accuracy is the most important aspect of the weathercast, when compared with talent and technology.
Before the present invention, there was no system or process in place to verify which television station or other media outlet was actually the most accurate in a particular market. What is desired, therefore, is a method and system that can be used to verify the accuracy of weather forecasting entities, such as television weathercasters. It is an object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system and method.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the methods and apparatus pointed out in the appended claims.

Weather forecast accuracy verification and evaluation system


A technique for the remote installation of application software from a source computer system to one or more target computer systems (workstation) coupled to a Local Area Network (LAN). The present invention allows a LAN Administrator to install application software on a user's workstation automatically at any time without user's intervention. The state of (i.e. a snapshot of) the LAN Administrator's system before and after the installation of the application software is captured and an installation package is built. Installation on the user workstations is then scheduled. For installation, the installation package is transmitted to the user workstation where an install program carries out commands in the installation package for installing the application software.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of management of computer systems on a network, and specifically to installation of application software on computer systems through a network.
2. Prior Art
Local Area Networks (LANs) have been developed for interconnecting computer systems for communication amongst computer users, for the exchange of data and for the sharing of resources (e.g. printers, facsimile devices, modems and the like). To properly implement and manage a LAN, a LAN administrator is needed. A LAN Administrator's duties may include such functions as registering users to use the Local Area Network, maintaining the shared resources and monitoring the network load. LANs may also be used to manage the computer systems connected to the network.
With respect to management of the computer systems on the LAN, a desirable function for the LAN administrator is to remotely install application software on systems. Moreover, it would be desirable to perform such installations without the presence of the LAN Administrator. However, known techniques for remote installation of software require the writing of scripts outlining the installation procedures. The writing of scripts is a manual, error prone task which must be performed for each system onto which an application is to be installed.
An improved implementation for remote installation of applications by a LAN administrator is the netOctopus.TM. program, available from B&L Impuls Software GmbH. netOctopus operates in an Apple.RTM. Macintosh networked environment. netOctopus provides for the remote execution of installation scripts on systems in which the application software is to be installed. netOctopus utilizes the installer program that accompanies each Apple Macintosh system. However netOctopus merely allows the LAN Administrator to perform the installation across the network, as if they were sitting at the workstation themselves.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide a means for automating script generation for remote installation of application software by a LAN Administrator. Further, it would be desirable to provide for such remote installation in a manner that does not require the presence of the LAN Administrator.

Installation of application software through a network from a source computer system on to a target computer system


An overhead sign display system is provided for facilitating the hanging of overhead retail signs, banners and the like upon a line stretched across opposing horizontal supports suspended from the ceiling or affixed to an upright support from the floor or other fixture in a safe, efficient and sturdy manner and to provide an efficient way of maintaining tension on the line. The system includes a free floating reel constructed of a rod around which is coiled a line held in place by a spacer, washers and nuts and which is then inserted into a first end of a horizontal support housing such that the line can be stretched taut across and fastened to the opposing support or fixture then tightened by turning the reel in an opposite direction and securing the reel in place inside the housing. Opposing bolts are threaded through the horizontal support or an optional locking sleeve to engage the reel assembly so as to affix the reel assembly in place and maintain tautness of the line.

This application relates generally to an overhead sign hanging system. An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates primarily to sign displays in retail stores to provide merchandise price and other information to consumers. More particularly, the present application concerns a more facile and efficient overhead hanging sign system that suspends a sign over the merchandise on a wire that allows for less visual clutter from the system, easier installation of a sign and prevents sag of the wire, resulting in increased sales, more effective use of resources such as employee time and reduced costs.
While traditional overhead hanging sign systems exist, enhancements to their efficiency and utilization remain to be realized. For example, currently used in "big box" stores is an overhead sign hanging system that utilizes upright support posts attached to weighted platforms comprised of wrapping a line such as monofilament fishing line around the top of one support post, tying a knot and stretching the line across to another such upright post then again wrapping and knotting the line in the same fashion (See FIG. 1). However, over time the line sags requiring undue effort and time to untie, re-stretch and re-rig the line. Another example includes a similar support system involving a wire stretched between turnbuckles attached on the opposing support posts (See FIG. 2). The wire is stretched by hand as taut as possible using the second turnbuckle as the final stretch. That system requires special tools and needs approximately fifteen minutes to complete. In both of these examples, the process must be repeated with a new wire each time the t-posts are moved or the sign wire sags. The present application overcomes that problem by providing an easier method to tighten the line and remove the sag using a reel assembly with replacement line and a mechanism to turn the reel assembly, thus tightening the line.


Apparatus, and an accompanying method, for accurately detecting bit-error densities in a serial bit stream and particularly relatively low bit-error densities. Specifically, detected bit-errors are synchronized to a bit clock using a error retiming circuit (130). Subsequently, the bit-errors are counted using a first counter (165) during a pre-defined measurement interval, equivalent to a specified number of bit clock cycles. A second counter (205) establishes the measurement interval by counting the specified number of bit clock pulses. Whenever the first counter attains a count larger than a pre-defined count, during the measurement interval, an output (alarm) signal is generated to indicate that a pre-defined threshold error density has been exceeded. Both the first and second counters are then reset at the conclusion of the measurement interval, and so on for successive measurement intervals. To assure that the measured bit-error density declines to a sufficiently low value before the output signal terminates, the measurement interval is extended once the output signal occurs. Hence, output signal is produced when the pre-defined threshold is exceeded but is reset only when the actual measured bit-error density decreases, typically by an order of magnitude, below the threshold error density.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a technique, specifically apparatus and an accompanying method, for detecting bit-error densities in a serial bit stream, and particularly to such a technique that accurately detects relatively low bit-error densities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, high speed bit-serial communication is experiencing increasing use across many application areas, not the least of which being telecommunications. Over the past two decades and particularly within the past few years, serial communication equipment has become commercially available that offers significantly increased transmission rates, e.g., in excess of 10.sup.8 bits/second for high speed digital telecommunications equipment, and at substantially reduced error rates.
Consequently, through the proliferation of such high-speed bit-serial communication equipment, a need has existed in the art, though intensifying of late, to accurately measure bit-error rates (also synonymously referred to herein as "bit-error densities"). In that regard, an alarm condition is often generated whenever a measured bit-error rate has exceeded a desired threshold level. The alarm condition, frequently indicated by a pre-defined, e.g. "high", signal level on a specific control line (i.e., an "alarm signal"), activates ancillary equipment, such as for example diagnostic, test or alternate switching, routing or "back-up" transmission equipment, to provide appropriate corrective action to subsequently reduce the measured error rate to within a nominal range.
Conventional serial bit-error rate detection equipment has typically relied on a combination of analog and digital circuitry to provide an error rate measurement. In particular, this equipment incorporated a digital serial bit-error detector to: monitor a bit-serial transmission stream, determine whenever a bit serial error has occurred and provide a suitable indication, such as an output pulse, whenever a serial bit-error has been detected. The output pulse was then used to charge a capacitor. Clearly, as the number of pulses increased during a measurement interval, so did the charge on the capacitor and the voltage appearing thereacross. At the conclusion of a measurement interval, the capacitor was discharged in preparation for the next successive measurement interval. The voltage appearing across the capacitor, prior to its being discharged, was routed, in turn, to analog circuitry, such as suitable amplifiers and filter circuits, for suitable signal conditioning and scaling. A resulting scaled analog voltage was then applied to one input of a voltage comparator, with a pre-defined reference voltage, proportional to a desired bit-serial threshold error rate, being applied to another input thereof. The output signal produced by the comparator, once applied through a suitable driver and ancillary circuitry, was then used, in turn, to form the alarm signal.
Typically, the error rate is measured by the number of errors, x, which occur during an interval of 10.sup.y data bits, with the value "x" being known as a mantissa and the value "y" being known as an exponent. Hence, the capacitor incrementally charged, with each detected bit-error, during a period of 10.sup.y bits before being discharged. Whenever the scaled capacitor voltage, which is proportional to x error bits, exceeds the reference voltage, the alarm signal occurs as a result.
While such conventional serial bit-error rate detection equipment generally provided adequate performance at relatively high bit-error rates, this equipment suffered a number of drawbacks which significantly limited its ability to accurately function at relatively low bit-error rates. Specifically, by relying on analog components and analog voltage levels, the performance of the analog circuitry was susceptible to noise and also exhibited undue variations which adversely affected its performance. These variations resulted from offsets, temperature changes and drift, as well as from differences, associated with production tolerances, in the operational characteristics of the components, such as in resistors and capacitors, and from perturbations in supply voltage levels and analog pulse amplitudes. Unfortunately, these variations adversely affected the accuracy of the analog circuitry and hence of the resulting bit-error rate measurement. The resulting inaccuracies where particularly objectionable when low bit-error rates, such as for example 10 or less errors in 10.sup.6 bits, were being detected inasmuch as, at these rates and at the conclusion of a measurement interval, the capacitor charged to a very low voltage level, often comparable to voltage levels associated with offset, drift and/or most other adverse performance effects typically associated with analog circuitry. Hence, in an attempt to compensate (at least temporarily) for most, if not all, of these effects, potentiometers and/or other trimming devices were incorporated into the analog circuitry and then suitably adjusted during production test. This, in turn, increased the labor content and hence the cost of the detection equipment. This also increased the physical size of the circuitry and hence frustrated its integration. Furthermore, in those instances where high accuracy was required, the analog circuitry needed to be implemented with precision components. Inasmuch as these components were generally quite expensive, their use further inflated the cost of the circuitry and the resulting bit-error rate detection equipment.
Thus, a need currently exists in the art for a technique, specifically apparatus and an accompanying method, for accurately detecting bit-error rates in a serial bit stream and particularly relatively low bit-error rates. Advantageously, this technique should be substantially immune to adverse performance effects typically associated with analog circuitry, such as illustratively noise, offsets, drift, component voltage(s) tolerances and/or variations in the amplitude of the supply voltage or pulse levels. Furthermore, this apparatus should be relatively inexpensive to implement and quite easy to integrate.

Technique for digitally detecting bit-error densities that occur in a serial bit stream


A package stacked device may include a first packaging body layer having a first chip embedded therein, and a second packaging body layer positioned under the first packaging body layer and having a second chip embedded therein. The package stacked device may also include a first connection unit protruding from a first bottom surface of the first packaging body layer, a second connection unit protruding from a second top surface of the second packaging body layer, a first covering layer providing a first opening to expose the top surface of the second connection unit and substantially covering the second top surface of the second packaging body layer, and a first adhesive layer substantially covering the exposed top surface of the second connection unit within the first opening. The first connection unit may be inserted into the first opening and connected to the first adhesive layer.

1. Technical Field
Various embodiments generally relate to a package stacking technology, and more particularly, to a package stacked device possessing a small thickness.
2. Related Art
Semiconductor devices used with electronic appliances may include various electronic circuit elements. These electronic circuit elements may be integrated in a semiconductor substrate called a semiconductor chip or die. The semiconductor devices may be packaged in a form of a memory semiconductor chip package, and may be employed in an electronic appliance such as, for example but not limited to, a computer, a mobile device, or data storage, etc.
Recently, with the reduction in weight and size of electronic products such as, for example, smart phones, semiconductor device packages are required to have a relatively small thickness and size. Furthermore, various attempts have been made to form a one package product by stacking single package products, thereby implementing a high-capacity or multi-functional device. For example, package on package (POP) technology has been developed. According to the POP technology, two or more single packages may be stacked and then interconnected to each other through a solder ball.


A removable secondary liquid dispensing module for use with an existing, automated liquid handling system that defines a work area having a plurality of discrete work stations. Each of the work stations of the automated liquid handling system includes a lab ware site and alignment structure enabling the removable securing standardized microtiter-plates at respective lab ware site. A plate positioning mechanism is configured to move and position the microtiter plates to and from the lab ware sites of the respective work stations thereof and into engagement with the respective carrier alignment structure thereof. Further, a primary liquid dispensing device is configured for selective contact-type dispensing of discrete quantities of fluid, in the range of about one (1) microliter to about ten (10) milliliters, into the test sites of the microtiter plates secured in the respective alignment structure of the respective work station. The removable secondary liquid dispensing module includes a base member dimensioned to fit substantially within a footprint of a work station, and mounting hardware adapted to removably secure the base member in the work station. A support platform is affixed to the base member, and is configured to support a microtiter-plate. An alignment mechanism is configured to removably receive and secure the a microtiter-plate therein by the plate positioning mechanism of the automated liquid handling system. The support platform and alignment mechanism cooperate to form and provide a lab ware site suitable for secured receipt of a microtiter-plate. The secondary liquid dispensing module further includes a secondary liquid dispensing device which is self-contained and operationally independent from the primary liquid dispensing device. The secondary dispensing device is further adapted for selective non-contact-type dispensing of discrete quantities of fluid, in the range of about one (1) nanoliter to about ten (10) microliters, into the test sites of the microtiter-plate.

Advances in Life Sciences, particularly in genomics and proteomics, have greatly increased the potential number of reactions and analyses that must be performed by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. An estimated 30 million tests are required to screen a typical pharmaceutical company's compound library against target receptors. The typical number of tests will increase dramatically as information is gleaned from the sequencing of the human genome. To meet these increasing throughput demands in an economically feasible manner, miniaturization of tests is imperative.
Technological advances are enabling the demonstration and use of microscale chemical/biochemical reactions for performing various types of analyses. Implementation of these reactions at such smaller scales offer economies that are unmatched by conventional approaches. Reduced volumes can lower costs by an order of magnitude but conventional liquid-handling devices fail at the required volumes. Parallel implementation provides even greater advantages as demonstrated by the use of high-density plates for screening and high-density MALDI-TOF plates for mass spectrometry analyses of proteins. The rate-limiting hardware is low volume liquid transfer technology that is robust and scalable for compounds of interest. With growing demand, the development of liquid handling devices adept at manipulating sub-microliter volumes (i.e., nanoliters to microliters) of multiple reagent is needed.
Most current systems for handling liquid reagents often employ a "pick and place" technique where a sample from a source plate, usually a microtiter plate, is picked up and placed into another reservoir known as the target plate. This technique is often applied for replicating plates, where scale reduction between the source and the target plates are beneficially realized. Typically, an appropriate volume is aspirated from a source plate and deposited to a target site on a multiple target plate. In this arrangement, reduced sample volumes and sample spacing are required for higher degrees of miniaturization.
However, many of these older conventional automated liquid handling systems currently in use for nucleic acid sequencing or other molecular biology procedures for therapeutic and research procedures such as DNA restriction mapping, DNA probe generation, DNA replication, DNA sample processing and cycle sequencing are designed to manipulate and dispense fluids in the microliters to milliliters range.
While these conventional liquid handling workstations are adequate for manipulating larger volume fluid dispensing for the particular applications which they address (e.g., about 1 μl to about 10 ml), they are not suitable for accurately delivering sub-microliter volume fluids (i.e., nanoliter to microliter) to perform the above-mentioned applications. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a secondary liquid dispensing system and method that cooperates with an existing, conventional primary liquid handling device to enable nanoliter to microliter dispensing of fluids, while maintaining the microliters to milliliters fluid dispensing of the primary liquid dispensing system

Universal non-contact dispense peripheral apparatus and method for a primary liquid handling device


The odd harmonic distortion components in the output signal of a capacitively loaded follower transistor is reduced by means of an additional transistor inserted between the emitter of the follower transistor and the bias current source of the follower transistor. A second follower transistor receives the same input signal as the follower transistor and has its emitter coupled to the emitter of the additional transistor via a compensation capacitor. The current through the compensation capacitor is added to the output current and compensates for the odd harmonic distortion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a transistor circuit comprising an input terminal for receiving an input signal, an output terminal for providing a buffered output signal in response to the input signal, a first transistor having a control electrode coupled to the input terminal, a first main electrode coupled to the output terminal and a second main electrode, and a first bias current means coupled to the first main electrode for supplying a first bias current to the first transistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a transistor circuit is the well known follower and is widely used as a buffer for driving capacitive loads. For example in sampling circuits, e.g. Track and Hold Circuits or Sample and Hold Circuits, where the signal is stored in a capacitor, some drive capacity is required in order to store the input signal with sufficient accuracy at the desired signal speed. A very basic circuit for this purpose is the follower. A bipolar implementation of the follower including the capacitive load is shown in FIG. 1. Due to the non-linear voltage-to-current transfer characteristics of a transistor the output signal across the capacitive load can be expressed as a level shifted version of the input signal plus a series of even harmonic distortion terms and a series of odd harmonic distortion terms. Using a differential circuit topology the even harmonic distortion terms can be suppressed and theoretically be eliminated supposing ideal matching between the duplicated circuit parts. However, the odd harmonic distortion terms cannot be suppressed in this way.

Distortion compensation for a capacitively loaded follower


A medical vest (10) and a method of using the vest to provide emergency medical care to a patient (102), are described. The vest includes an IV container (28) and a medical supply container (58) which are mounted on mounting pads (22, 24 or 26) on the front (12) or back (14) of the vest. The containers are also connected to the shoulders (16) of the vest by shoulder straps (27). The IV container is configured to carry an IV bag (150) as well as all the medical supplies necessary to provide an IV to a patient. The container is constructed so as to remain in the open position to allow the user to use both hands to tend to the patient. A clip strap (46) with a self-closing hook (48) is provided with the container to allow the container to be hooked near a patient for transport with the patient. The medical supply container has a variety of uses and can be provided with inserts with loops (69) for holding airway equipment or inserts without loops to hold additional emergency medical supplies.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article of clothing for carrying medical supplies on a person. In particular, the present invention relates to a vest having removable containers which hold medical supplies and which allow the user to carry the supplies hands free.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art has shown various types of vests for carrying medical and/or tactical supplies. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,087,864 to LaBove et al; 4,106,121 to Belson; 4,637,075 to Ingrisano et al; 5,072,456 to Elin and 5,370,113 to Parsons.
In particular, Belson describes a tactical load bearing vest having several supply pouches attached to the front of the vest. The specific pouches are a hand gun cartridge pouch, a shotgun shell pouch, a rifle cartridge clip pouch, a first aid pouch, a carbine clip pouch, etc. Each pouch has a rectangular base of heavy fabric and a fabric pocket having one or more ends extended to fold over to cover the open end to prevent loss of the supplies. Some pouches have webbing stitched onto the base to form loops that hold ammunition rounds. Each of the pouches is mounted on the vest by both Velcro.RTM. and snap fasteners. The vest also includes a radio carrying pouch, a canteen pouch and a side holster hanger strip.
Ingrisano et al describes an emergency medical services (EMS) vest for carrying EMS equipment and supplies. The vest has a plurality of outside pockets of varying sizes to hold different equipment and supplies. Loop holders are also provided to hold airways. The pockets are not removable.
In addition, Parsons describes a self contained breathing apparatus where the storage case is converted into a vest to be worn by the user. The vest allows the user to carry the air storage cylinder on his back while using the apparatus.
LaBove et al describes a vest for patients undergoing intravenous hyperalimentation. The vest allows the patient to remain ambulatory while receiving the treatment. The vest has a medication pocket which receives and holds the bag of medication. The pocket consists of a flap mounted along one edge of the vest and having a set of fasteners along the opposite edge. The fasteners engage a matching set of fasteners on the vest. The flap forms a U-shaped sleeve extending outwardly from the front panel. The bag preferably has a hang loop at one end and at least one outlet at the other end. An attaching tab having a snap ring is mounted on the vest above the medication pocket to retain the pouch in the proper position in the vest. A support strap extends across the bottom of the pocket to hold the pouch within the sleeve formed by the flap. The support strap has an opening to allow an outlet of the pouch to pass therethrough for connection with a tube which connects the pouch with the pump. The vest also has a pump pocket which holds the pump which transfers medication from the pouch to the patient and a power supply pocket. The medication pocket which holds the pouch is not removable. Furthermore, the pocket is not constructed to hold any other medical supplies.
Also of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,513,866 to Thomas which describes an emergency medical pack for storing and transporting emergency medical supplies and U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,084 to Thomas which shows a similar pack used for storing and transporting equipment for travel. Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,169,550 to Williams and 4,796,790 to Hamilton show devices for carrying medical supplies.
Only of minimal interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,409,354 to Grunwell; 2,760,699 to Rivers-Macpherson and 5,111,981 to Allen which show different devices for carrying objects on a person.
There remains the need for a vest which can be worn on the upper body of a user and which has removable containers for carrying medical supplies where the containers can be pivotably moved from the front to the back of the vest without removing the container from the vest and where one of the containers is an adaptor to hold an intravenous (IV) bag to allow the user to have easy access to the IV and hands-free use of the IV once the IV has been provided to the patient.

Tactical medical vest and method of providing emergency medical care


A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor layer that has first and second plane and includes first-conductivity-type first semiconductor region, second-conductivity-type second semiconductor region between the first semiconductor region and the first plane, first-conductivity-type third semiconductor region between the second semiconductor region and the first plane and has a lower first-conductivity-type impurity concentration than the first semiconductor region, and second-conductivity-type fourth semiconductor region between the third semiconductor region and the first plane and has a higher second-conductivity-type impurity concentration than the second semiconductor region; a first electrode on a side of the first plane of the semiconductor layer and is electrically connected to the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region; and a second electrode on a side of the second plane of the semiconductor layer, is electrically connected to the first semiconductor region, and is not electrically connected to the second semiconductor region.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a phenomenon in which a current flows instantaneously in a case in which two objects, such as the human body and an electronic apparatus, come into contact with each other. ESD protection diodes are used to protect electronic apparatuses from a surge current caused by ESD penetration into the electronic apparatuses.
For example, the ESD protection diode is connected between a signal line extending from an input/output terminal of the electronic apparatus to a device to be protected and the ground. In a case in which ESD is applied from the input/output terminal to the signal line, most of the surge current flows to the ground through the ESD protection diode and a portion of the surge current flows as a residual current to the device to be protected.
With the scaling-down of the device to be protected, it is necessary to further reduce the residual current flowing to the device to be protected. In order to reduce the residual current, it is necessary to reduce the clamp voltage and dynamic resistance of the ESD protection diode. The clamp voltage is a voltage generated between both terminals of the ESD protection diode in a case in which the surge current flows to the ESD protection diode. The dynamic resistance is resistance between both terminals of the ESD protection diode in a case in which the surge current flows to the ESD protection diode.
In order to reduce the clamp voltage, a thyristor structure or a transistor structure having snapback characteristics is used as the ESD protection diode. In particular, in the ESD protection diode having the thyristor structure, a hold voltage is low at the time of a snapback operation. Therefore, it is possible to significantly reduce the clamp voltage. The hold voltage is the lowest voltage at the time of the snapback operation.
However, for example, in a case in which a device having an input/output terminal capable of driving a current, such as an HDMI terminal, is protected and the hold voltage is too low, there is a concern that latch-up will occur in the ESD protection diode. That is, in a case in which the hold voltage is lower than the signal level of the signal line, ESD penetration from the input/output terminal is stopped. In a case in which the signal line returns to the signal level, there is a concern that latch-up will occur in the ESD protection diode. Therefore, different types of ESD protection diodes having different hold voltages according to, for example, the type of input/output terminal are required.

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation


A vehicle navigator for calculating a running distance of a vehicle from output data of an acceleration sensor, an increase of accumulated errors during the calculation of the vehicle running distance being suppressed. The vehicle navigator has an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle; a velocity calculator for calculating a first velocity of the vehicle on the basis of an acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor; a GPS receiver for receiving radio waves from artificial satellites and obtaining a second velocity; a velocity correcting unit for correcting the first velocity by using the second velocity; a running distance calculator for calculating the running distance of the vehicle from the velocity corrected by the velocity correcting unit; and a velocity limiter for setting a velocity limit value range relative to the first velocity if the second velocity cannot be obtained from the GPS receiver, in order to control the first velocity so that it does not exceed the velocity limit value range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle navigator capable of detecting the position of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional vehicle navigator will be described.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a conventional vehicle navigator. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 represents an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration of a vehicle along its running direction to calculate the running distance of the vehicle. Reference numeral 2 represents a gyro sensor for detecting an angular velocity of the vehicle along its yawing direction to calculate the running azimuth of the vehicle. Reference numeral 3 represents a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for receiving radio waves from a plurality of GPS satellites to obtain positioning data of the vehicle. Reference numeral 4 represents a running distance calculator for calculating the running distance of the vehicle in accordance with output data of the acceleration sensor 1. Reference numeral 5 represents a running azimuth calculator for calculating the running azimuth of the vehicle in accordance with output data of the gyro sensor 2. Reference numeral 6 represents a relative position calculator for calculating the present position of the vehicle by adding the vehicle running distance and the vehicle running azimuth output from the running distance calculator 4 and the running azimuth calculator 5, to the previous vehicle position. Reference numeral 7 represents a reliability judging unit for judging the reliability of positioning data output from the GPS receiver 3. Reference numeral 8 represents a velocity correcting unit for correcting a velocity of the vehicle calculated from data output from the acceleration sensor 1. Reference numeral 9 represents a position determining unit for determining the position of the vehicle on the basis of the position of the vehicle output from the GPS receiver 3 and the relative position calculator 6. Reference numeral 10 represents a map storage for storing map data. Reference numeral 11 represents a display unit for displaying image data such as the position of the vehicle or map data. Reference numeral 12 represents a controller for fetching from the map storage 10 map data of a predetermined area corresponding to the position of the vehicle on the basis of the data output from the position determining unit 9, and outputting the vehicle position and map data to the display unit 11.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a conventional vehicle navigator. As shown in FIG. 3, the acceleration sensor 1 and the gyro sensor 2 are mounted on a vehicle 13 so that they can detect an acceleration of the vehicle along its running direction and an angular velocity of the vehicle along its yawing direction, respectively. The GPS receiver 3 is also mounted on the vehicle. An antenna (not shown) of the GPS receiver for receiving radio waves from GPS satellites is preferably mounted on the roof of the vehicle. Reference numeral 14 represents the main body of the vehicle navigator.
Referring to FIG. 2, if the GPS receiver 3 can capture at least a predetermined number of GPS satellites necessary for calculating the vehicle position, the position determining unit 9 adopts the vehicle position sent from the GPS receiver 3 and outputs it to the controller 12. Conversely, if the GPS receiver 3 cannot capture a predetermined number of GPS satellites necessary for calculating the vehicle position, the relative position calculator 6 calculates the vehicle position on the basis of data output from the acceleration sensor 1 and the gyro sensor 2. The calculation of the vehicle position by the relative position calculator 6 will now be described.
First, the running distance calculator 4 double integrates in the time domain the data output from the acceleration sensor 1 at a predetermined time interval .DELTA.t. Namely, the following two equations (1) and (2) are used to calculate a vehicle velocity V.sub.n and a running distance .DELTA.D.sub.n : ##EQU1## where .DELTA.t is a time interval during which output data is obtained from the acceleration sensor 1, a.sub.i is the acceleration of the vehicle at time i, V.sub.n is the velocity of the vehicle at time n, .DELTA.D.sub.n is a running distance of the vehicle during the time interval .DELTA.t, and V.sub.0 is the initial velocity of the vehicle.
The running azimuth calculator 5 integrates in the time domain the data output from the gyro sensor 2 at the predetermined time interval .DELTA.t. Namely, the following equation (3) is used to calculate a running azimuth .theta..sub.n of the vehicle: ##EQU2## where .DELTA.t is an interval during which output data is obtained from the gyro sensor 2, .omega..sub.i is the angular velocity at the time i, .theta..sub.n is the running azimuth of the vehicle at the time n, and .theta..sub.0 is the initial azimuth.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the position calculation by the relative position calculator 6 of the conventional vehicle navigator. Receiving the vehicle running distance .DELTA.D.sub.n and the vehicle running azimuth .theta..sub.n, the relative position calculator 6 performs a cumulative calculation starting from the vehicle initial position by using the following equations (4) and (5) to obtain the vehicle position: ##EQU3## where (X.sub.n, Y.sub.n) are the coordinate values of the vehicle position at time n and (X.sub.0, Y.sub.0) are the coordinate values of the vehicle at the initial position.
Vehicle position information output from the relative position calculator 6 is supplied to the position determining unit 9. The vehicle position information determined by the position determining unit 9 on the basis of the vehicle positions output from the relative position calculator 6 or the GPS receiver 3 is output to the controller 12. Upon reception of the vehicle position information, the controller 12 reads map data of a predetermined area from the map storage 10 and outputs it to the display unit 11.
In this vehicle navigator for calculating the running distance of the vehicle on the basis of the data output from the acceleration sensor 1, the running distance is calculated by double integrating the data detected at the predetermined time interval and output from the acceleration sensor 1 and by performing the cumulative calculation starting from the initial position. In this calculation, the initial conditions of the vehicle, i.e., initial position and initial velocity are required. A vehicle stop state or the like has been used as such initial conditions. However, cumulative calculation starting from the initial position also accumulates errors contained in the data output from the acceleration sensor 1. Therefore, as the running time increases, the errors increase so that the vehicle position displayed on map data differs greatly from the real vehicle position. A method of preventing an increase of errors by using GPS positioning data will now be described.
As data detected with the acceleration sensor 1 at the predetermined time interval .DELTA.t is output, the running distance calculator 4 uses the equations (1) and (2) and the data output from the acceleration sensor 1 to calculate a vehicle velocity (hereinafter called a "first velocity") and a running distance. The GPS receiver 3 outputs a vehicle velocity (hereinafter called a "second velocity") which is calculated by using the Doppler frequency shift of a signal transmitted from each GPS satellite. The velocity correcting unit 8 replaces the first velocity calculated by the running distance calculator 4 by the second velocity supplied from the GPS receiver 3.
If the precision of the second velocity output from the GPS receiver 3 is poor, the correction effects by the velocity correcting unit 8 are degraded. Therefore, the velocity correcting unit 8 corrects the velocity only when precision information output from the GPS receiver indicates that the precision is high.
The precision of the second velocity output from the GPS receiver 3 is judged by the reliability judging unit 7. The reliability judging unit 7 judges the reliability of the second velocity by using: information called a user equivalent error (UERE) representative of positioning system errors (such as the stability of a timer installed in a GPS satellite, delay in the transmission of a signal from the GPS, satellite orbit preheat, and the like) received by the GPS receiver 3; information called a DOP which is a geometrical deterioration coefficient related to the positional relationship between the GPS receiver 3 and GPS satellites; information related to the intensity of the radio wave transmitted from each GPS satellite, and other pieces of information. The reliability judging unit 7 stores therein preset threshold values of UERE, DOP, radio wave intensity, and other information and compares the signal output from the GPS receiver 3 with predetermined threshold values to thereby judge the reliability of the second velocity from the GPS receiver.
If the reliability judging unit 7 judges that the second velocity of the vehicle output from the GPS receiver 3 is highly reliable, the velocity correcting unit 8 replaces the first velocity supplied from the running distance calculator 4 with the second velocity, and the running distance calculator 4 calculates the vehicle running distance from the second velocity. In the above manner, accumulation of errors contained in the output data of the acceleration sensor 1 has been reduced conventionally.
As mentioned above, in the vehicle navigator for calculating the running distance of the vehicle on the basis of the data output from the acceleration sensor at the predetermined time interval and performing cumulative calculation starting from the initial position, as the running distance from the initial position becomes long, errors are accumulated so that the precision of the calculated running distance becomes low. In order to avoid the accumulation of errors, a method has been proposed in which output data of the acceleration sensor is corrected by GPS positioning data. However, if the radio waves from GPS satellites are blocked for a long time, such as while a vehicle is running in a long tunnel, the output data of the acceleration sensor cannot be corrected, errors are accumulated, and the precision of the calculated running distance becomes very poor.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A signal switching device including an interface having a video signal communicating unit, a DDC and an HPD, controlling connected device, or being controlled by connected device. A switcher (2) includes a switch (30) selecting video signal input, a DDC (26c) reading information from output destination device, a microcomputer (33) reading information indicating a physical address of switcher (2) and a status of the output destination device through DDC (26c), and a DDC (22a) and a DDC (22b) outputting information to a plurality of input source devices. The microcomputer (33) stores the physical address of the switcher (2) and above-mentioned information into an EDID memory (32) and reads the above-mentioned information out of the EDID memory (32) and outputs through the DDC (22a) and the DDC (22b).

In view of recent popularity of digital technology for digital video and communication satellite broadcasting, a system connecting digital devices using such a digital technology on a same network, and controlling the digital devices has been building up.
As one of a digital interface, Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is available. This interface includes a high speed signal transmission line which enables transmission of a digital video signal without compressing the signal, an Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) memory which holds information such as signal format being shown in the device at receiving side to provide to an upstream (signal source side), and a Display Data Channel (DDC) for reading out the information (for example referring to "Digital Visual Interface DVI, revision 1.0", 2.2 Plug and Play specification, [online], Apr. 2, 1999, Digital Display Working Group, [searched on Aug. 29, 2002], www.ddwg.org/downloads.html). Furthermore the DVI includes a Hot Plug Detect (HPD) line for giving a notice of the state that the information recorded in the EDID memory being readable, and the change of the content. The HPD line enables outputting of the information indicating the change of the content, only in the case where power is supplied from the device in upstream to a device with an HPD line.
A case is considered that a control line for controlling the connected device for the interface (DVI) is added. As an example, a case is considered that a control line used for a SCART connector (CENELEC, EN 50049-1:1997/A1:1998) used in Europe is added.

Signal switching device, signal distribution device, display device, and signal transmission system