Modifications are made to the bore and to one tone hole of the instrument marketed as the Flutophone.sup.R. These modifications greatly improve the intonation and extend the range of that instrument by enabling the production of a series of harmonic intervals which are not parallel to the ascending pitches of the fundamental scale.

Among the classes of woodwind instruments are those known as fipple flutes, or whistle flutes, in which sound is produced by blowing air through a windway against a lip which is a relatively sharp edge. This air stream oscillates across the lip and functions with the elasticity of the air in the bore of the instrument to change internal pressures in the bore. Finger holes in the body are closed or opened to alter the pitch by changing the length of the vibrating column of air.
Whistle flutes have been used for centuries as folk instruments and presently, because of their simplicity, are being used extensively in school music education.
Whistle flutes are made in many bore configurations. The most common are the following:
The recorder is a sophisticated instrument with an extended range. Chromaticism is achieved with a somewhat complex fingering pattern. The sound lacks sonority and the production of sound requires sensitive control. The bore is conical-cylindrical.
The penny whistle is a folk instrument with a two octave diatonic scale. It has little easily usable chromaticism. The bore is ordinarily cylindrical, but may be conical.
The ocarina bore whistle flute is sometimes described as "Globular". This type of instrument has been and presently is being used in music education in spite of its faulty intonation, woefully out of tune chromaticism and limited range. The unmodified Flutophone.sup.R, for example, when tuned to A-440 has notes more than a semitone sharp.
These types of instruments are easy to blow and have simple, linear fingering patterns. Their use in music education is a reluctant compromise since ear training is an important part of music education. Pitch memory and the recognition of pitch-interval relationships are best developed if they are not contaminated by the cacophonic out of tune playing which is typical of beginning ensembles using faulty, out of tune instruments.


In an imaging apparatus, a function whose value increases in time is used as a threshold electric-signal level, and an electric-signal level of a photoreceptor element is compared with the threshold electric-signal level. Even if a light received by the photoreceptor element has a low luminance, the electric-signal level of the photoreceptor element crosses the threshold electric-signal level in a short time, allowing calculation of the amount of optical energy received by the photoreceptor element. Furthermore, when an object having a region where brightness changes in time and also having a region with a low luminance is imaged, imaging interval is changed in accordance with luminance. Accordingly, information regarding how the brightness of the object is rapidly changing in time can be obtained more precisely, and an image can be output without making a projection image of the dark region completely black.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to imaging apparatuses. More specifically, the present invention relates to an imaging apparatus with which a picture of an improved quality can be taken of an object having both a bright region and a dark region, i.e., a high-luminance region and a low-luminance region, and that allows precise analysis of change in the luminance of a picture taken of an object whose luminance changes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, digital cameras are becoming common. In a digital camera, image signals captured are digitized, and the digitized signals can be transferred to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer (PC) via a recording medium such as a flash memory, via a cable, or by infrared communication. The personal computer, having received the data, is allowed to display a corresponding image on a monitor such as a CRT display or a liquid crystal display.
A picture taken by an imaging apparatus is composed of data of a plurality of pixels. For example, in a video camera, a picture is formed based on lights received respectively by 720×480 photoreceptor elements corresponding to an array of 720 horizontal and 480 vertical pixels. In the case of a still camera, the number of pixels is, for example, on the order of several hundred thousands to several millions. The pixels correspond one by one to the photoreceptor elements in the imaging apparatus. The value of data for each pixel (pixel value) is proportional to the amount of optical energy that is incident on the corresponding photoreceptor element during an exposure time. That is, the pixel value of each pixel is proportional to the amount of optical energy that is incident per unit time.
When eight bits are assigned to each pixel, the pixel value of each pixel takes on one of 256 values ranging from 0 to 255. 0 represents the minimum luminance, indicating a dark region for which no optical energy is received by an associated photoreceptor element. On the other hand, 256 represents the maximum luminance, indicating a most bright region. A pixel value of 2 indicates that the pixel receives twice as much optical energy per unit time as a pixel with a pixel value of 1.
As described earlier, a video camera typically has 720×480 pixels, and a still camera typically has several hundred thousand to several million pixels. When an image is taken, exposure time is common among the large number of photoreceptor elements corresponding to all the pixels.
For example, if an exposure time for a photoreceptor element corresponding to a certain pixel of an image A is a period from time T1 to time T2, imaging time is the period from time T1 to time T2 for all the pixels constituting the image A. The length of the period (T2−T1) is usually on the order of 1/30 to 1/1,000 seconds. The period (T2−T1) is referred to as an "imaging interval" for capturing the image A.
For example, a motion picture is captured by generating one image, i.e., one frame, at a cycle on the order of 1/30 to 1/1,000 seconds and successively capturing a plurality of frames. Each frame consists of a single image, and a frame image is formed by exposing all the pixels from a particular time for a particular time interval (exposure time).
As described above, in a conventional imaging apparatus, imaging is carried out by exposing all the pixels for the same exposure time. This has raised various unfavorable restrictions, which will be described below.
For example, a problem arises when an object having both a bright region and a dark region is imaged by an imaging apparatus such as a video camera or a still camera. If the exposure time of the imaging apparatus is set to be short in order to avoid an overflow of optical energy received by a photoreceptor element on which a high-luminance region of the object is projected, sufficient optical energy is not received by a photoreceptor element on which a low-luminance region is projected, so that the projection image of the low-luminance region becomes completely black.
On the other hand, if the exposure time is set to be long so that sufficient optical energy will be received by a photoreceptor element on which a dark region of the object is projected, excessive optical energy is received by a photoreceptor element on which a bright region of the object is projected, so that the projection image of the bright region becomes completely white. That is, it has been inhibited to avoid an overflow in a projection image of a bright region while preventing a projection image of a dark region from becoming completely black. This problem will be referred to as a "first shortcoming of the related art".
Furthermore, another problem will be described below, which will be referred to as a "second shortcoming of the related art". This problem arises, for example, when an object whose brightness is changing rapidly in time over a dark background is successively imaged. In order to analyze how the brightness of the object is rapidly changing in time based on a plurality of image frames captured, successive imaging with a short exposure time is required.
If successive imaging is carried out with a short exposure time, however, exposure time for each one of the images is short. Thus, sufficient optical energy is not received by a photoreceptor element associated with the dark background, resulting in a completely black projection image, so that a favorable image of the dark region cannot be obtained.
On the other hand, if successive imaging is carried out with a long exposure time so that sufficient optical energy will be received by a photoreceptor element on which a region of the dark background is projected, the time interval of each image frame becomes long, inhibiting precise analysis of the rapid change in the luminance of the object. As described above, when successive images of an object having both a bright region and a dark region are taken for analyzing change in the luminance of the bright region, it is not possible to obtain clear images for both the bright region and the dark region. This problem will be referred to as a "second shortcoming of the related art".
Imaging apparatuses that overcome the "first shortcoming of the related art" have been proposed, for example, in "David Stoppa et al., "A 138 dB Dynamic Range CMOS Image Sensor with New Pixel Architecture", IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 40-41, 2002", Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-326857, entitled as "Enzan kinou tsuki satsuzou soshi", which could be translated as "Imaging device capable of calculation", and "YOSHIMURA Shinichi, "CMOS imeeji sensaa no kougashitsuka to apurikeeshon", Technical Report of IEICE, ICD 2001-97", which could be translated as "Improvement in picture quality of CMOS image sensor, and applications thereof".
Features of imaging apparatuses disclosed in these documents will be described below. Initially, an electric signal of an initial-setting electric-signal level (Vinit) (e.g., an initial potential) is set to each photoreceptor element in an imaging apparatus.
Then, exposure starts by imaging. During the exposure, the electric signal set to each photoreceptor element flows out and tends to zero. This is because when an optical energy is received by a photoreceptor element, an amount of electric signal in proportion to the amount of optical energy flows out from the photoreceptor element. The rate of the electric signal tending to zero is proportional to the amount of energy that is incident on the photoreceptor element.
The level of the electric signal, being attenuated as time passes, is compared by a comparator with a predetermined threshold value (Vth). Then, a time (Tc) when the electric-signal level of each photoreceptor element becomes lower than the threshold value (Vth) is recorded. For each photoreceptor element, a value (Vinit−Vth)/Tc is calculated using the time Tc, whereby the amount of optical energy that is incident on the photoreceptor element per unit time is known.
As described above, optical energy received by each photoreceptor element corresponding to a pixel is measured, and an appropriate time for receiving optical energy is set for each photoreceptor element, avoiding reception of excessive or insufficient optical energy. Accordingly, the imaging apparatus allows imaging over a wide dynamic range. Accordingly, an overflow is less likely to occur, so that a projection image of a dark region is prevented from becoming completely black without causing an overflow. This arrangement overcomes the "first shortcoming of the related art", described earlier.
Even in the arrangement described above, however, with regard to a photoreceptor element for which the amount of optical energy that is incident thereon per unit time is extremely small, the electric signal thereof is hard to be attenuated, so that a problem arises that it takes a considerable length of time before the electric-signal level becomes lower than Vth. This problem will be referred to as a "third shortcoming of the related art".
Furthermore, even in the improved imaging apparatuses, after a time when the electric-signal level becomes lower than Vth has been recorded, each photoreceptor element stays idle doing nothing until recording of a time for a photoreceptor element associated with the darkest region is executed. That is, in the imaging apparatuses, imaging interval is the same for all the pixels. Thus, the "second shortcoming of the related art" is not overcome yet.

Apparatus for imaging objects of changing luminance


There is disclosed a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device in which a heat treatment time required for crystal growth is shortened and a process is simplified. Two catalytic element introduction regions are arranged at both sides of one active layer and crystallization is made. A boundary portion where crystal growth from one catalytic element introduction region meets crystal growth from the other catalytic element introduction region is formed in a region which becomes a source region or drain region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device including a circuit constituted by thin film transistors (hereinafter referred to as TFTs) and a method of fabricating the same. For example, the invention relates to an electro-optical device typified by a liquid crystal display panel, and an electronic apparatus incorporating such an electro-optical device as a component.
Note that in the present specification, the term "semiconductor device" indicates any devices capable of functioning by using semiconductor characteristics, and all of the electro-optical devices, semiconductor circuits, and electronic apparatuses are semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, attention has been paid to a technique to construct a thin film transistor (TFT) by using a semiconductor thin film (thickness of several to several hundreds nm) formed over a substrate having an insulating surface. The thin film transistor is widely used for an electronic device such as an IC or electro-optical device, and its development is hastened especially as a switching element of an image display device.
As a semiconductor thin film forming an active layer of a TFT, although a noncrystalline silicon film (typically an amorphous silicon film) has been often used, a demand for a TFT having a faster operation speed is increased, and a crystalline silicon film (typically a polysilicon film) has become the mainstream. As a technique for obtaining the crystalline silicon film, a method in which after an amorphous silicon film is formed, the film is crystallized by a heat treatment or irradiation of laser light, is often used.
Besides, there is disclosed a technique (Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 6-232059 and No. Hei. 7-321339) in which after an amorphous silicon film is formed, a catalytic element (for example, nickel) for promoting crystallization of the amorphous silicon film is introduced, and a heat treatment is carried out to obtain a crystalline silicon film. According to this technique, it is possible to obtain a uniform crystalline silicon film in a short time.
However, the catalytic element for promoting crystallization of the amorphous silicon film often deteriorates the characteristics of the TFT. Then, after crystallization, a region where the catalytic element exists at a high concentration is removed by etching or the like.
Hereinafter, a specific description will be made on a crystallizing technique using a catalytic element for promoting crystallization of an amorphous silicon film, and a technique for removing a region where the catalytic element exists at a high concentration.
In FIGS. 1A and 1B, reference numeral 101 designates a silicon film; 102, a beltlike region on a silicon film surface (hereinafter referred to as a catalytic element introduction region); and 103, a silicon oxide mask covering the silicon film surface other than the catalytic element introduction region. Note that by using the silicon oxide mask 103, the catalytic element is selectively introduced into the catalytic element introduction region 102.
First, the catalytic element is introduced into the catalytic element introduction region 102, and by carrying out a heat treatment, crystals are made to grow from the catalytic element introduction region 102 in a direction parallel to an insulating surface and a direction almost vertical to a long side of the catalytic element introduction region 102. Note that reference numeral 104 designates the direction of crystal growth.
A leading end portion of crystal growth obtained in this way is designated by 105. It is known that the catalytic element of high concentration exists in the leading end portion 105 of the crystal growth. When a crystal growth distance exceeds some value, a region where an active layer of a TFT can be disposed is formed between the beltlike catalytic element introduction region 102 and the leading end portion 105 of the crystal growth where the catalytic element exists at a high concentration.
Next, when the active layer of the TFT is formed using the region sandwiched between the leading end portion 105 of the crystal growth and the beltlike catalytic element introduction region 102, other regions (including at least the leading end portion 105 of crystal growth) where the catalytic element exists at a high concentration are removed by etching.
Conventionally, the arrangement of the catalytic element introduction region is determined so that a region which becomes an active layer of a TFT in a subsequent step exists in the region sandwiched between the leading end portion 105 of the crystal growth and the beltlike catalytic element introduction region 102, and a heat treatment condition for crystallization is determined.
Conventionally, it has been considered to be appropriate that the arrangement of the catalytic element introduction region is determined so that the region which becomes the active layer of the TFT in the subsequent step exists in the region sandwiched between the leading end portion of the crystal growth and the catalytic element introduction region. Besides, even if the catalytic element is removed in a step subsequent to crystallization, since it is difficult to completely remove the catalytic element, it has been considered to be sufficient if a necessary minimum amount of catalytic element is introduced.
Thus, one catalytic element introduction region has been provided at one side of the region which becomes the active layer of the TFT in the subsequent step. Note that a crystal growth velocity at 570° C. in the case where only one catalytic element introduction region (width w=10 μm) was disposed was about 3 μm/hr.

Active matrix display device having a column-like spacer

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


Water-soluble dimethyl amino ethyl ether psoralens useful in the treatment of proliferative skin disorders, microbial infections and diseases, disorders of the blood and bone marrow of mammals and in microbiocidal compositions for sterilization of blood and blood products and surgical implants and inhibition of microbial growth in industrial applications are provided.

Linear furocoumarins, also known as psoralens, have been used in combination with ultraviolet light for centuries in cosmetics and for the treatment of proliferative skin diseases such as, for example, vitiligo, eczema, mycosis fungoides, and psoriasis. Terms such as photosensitization, photochemotherapy, photopheresis and PUVA (psoralens ultra violet A radiation where UVA is ultraviolet light A) are commonly used to refer to such methods. Recently it was discovered that by modifying the administration of psoralen and ultraviolet light to an offending condition, psoralens could be used to treat cancer (e.g., T cell lymphoma), autoimmune diseases, and microbial infection.
The basic structure of psoralen, with the ring numbering structure used herein, is shown below:
All psoralens contain two photo-activatable functional groups that absorb in the UVA range. These are an aryl-conjugated unsaturated pyrone (or the coumarin portion) and an aryl-conjugated vinyl ether (or the furan portion). Commercially available psoralens are typically highly lipophilic, non-nitrogenous, uncharged small molecules with minimal water solubility. Commercial psoralens are used in over-the-counter cosmetic creams, prescription pharmaceuticals, and as investigational candidates for many of the uses described above. Examples of commercial psoralens used cosmetically and medically include methoxysalen (also referred to as xanthotoxin, 8-methoxypsoralen or 8-MOP), trisoralen (also called 4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, TMP, or trioxsalen), and bergaptan (alternatively referred to as 5-methoxypsoralen or 5-MOP). The phototherapeutic action of psoralens has been discussed for example, by J. E. Hearst, "Photochemistry of the Psoralens," Chemical Research in Toxicology, 2, 69, 1989 and T. F. Anderson and J. J. Voorhees, Annual Reviews of Pharmacol. and Toxicol., vol. 10, p. 177, 1982. According to these articles, the highly lipophilic psoralens penetrate the target cell's membrane, intercalate into nuclear DNA, and photo crosslink the double helix through bis-cyclobutanes generated from the 3,4-double bond and the 4′,5′-double bond [see numbering shown supra] to double bonds in DNA's pyrimidine bases. Thus, because the crosslinked DNA is unable to uncoil and function as a template for replication and new gene expression, the target cell is rendered unable to proliferate or non-viable.
In many applications the pharmacological utility of the parent psoralens is compromised by their insolubility in aqueous biological fluids.
Various routes for introduction of an aminomethyl [—CH2—NH2] group onto the furan ring have been described. However, while these basic loci can then be converted to water-soluble salts, the molecular architecture of the psoralens is altered by pendant attachments at C-5 and C-4.
Alternative methods to obtain furan-substituted amino psoralens are described by Kaufman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,822 (1981)), Hearst (U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,598 (1978)), and Heindel (U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,770 (1990)).
In the present invention water-soluble dimethyl amino ethyl ether psoralen compounds and methods for producing and using such N,N-dimethylaminoethyl ether psoralen compounds are provided.

Dimethyl amino ethyl ether psoralens and methods for their production and use

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey


An automotive cleaning and pressure check device for placing the interior of a canister into fluid communication with an internal combustion engine via a fluid hose. The cleaning and pressure check device comprises a manifold body having first and second fluid ducts extending therethrough. Attached to the manifold body is a first coupling member. The fluid hose is releasably attachable to the first coupling member and placeable into fluid communication with the first fluid duct thereby. Also attached to the manifold body are an elongate fluid tube and a pressure gauge, both of which are fluidly connected to the first fluid duct. A pressure regulator is also attached to the manifold body and fluidly connected to the second fluid duct. The pressure regulator is operable to selectively place the second fluid duct into fluid communication with at least one of a pressurized air source and ambient air. Disposed within the manifold body is a shut-off valve which is operable to selectively block the flow of fluid between the fluid tube and the first coupling member, and a safety check valve which is operable to selectively block the flow of fluid through the second fluid duct. The manifold body is configured to permit the releasable attachment of the canister thereto in a manner wherein the fluid tube extends into the interior of the canister and the second fluid duct is in fluid communication therewith.

For some time, it has been recognized in the prior art that controlled fuel injection, particularly that of the electronic type, is best suited for meeting the often conflicting demands of fuel economy, high engine performance, and allowable emissions in modern automobiles. Fuel injectors, on which electrically controlled fuel injection systems rely, essentially consist of three basic parts, i.e., an electromagnet, a needle valve, and a nozzle. The electromagnet is activated, for example, by a signal from an electronic control unit which moves the injector's needle valve sufficiently away from the opening in the nozzle to allow the injection or delivery of fuel in the form of a fine spray. The exact amount of fuel required for any given operating condition can be introduced based on information obtained from data delivered to the control unit from sensors located at multiple points throughout the engine and exhaust system. The result is an extremely efficient method for controlling engine performance.
Despite their superior performance, fuel injectors possess certain deficiencies which detract from their overall utility. Perhaps the most significant of these deficiencies is the tendency for unwanted deposits to accumulate in the nozzle area, thus resulting in nozzle clogging which causes rough idling, as well as hesitation of the engine during acceleration. In this regard, injector nozzles are manufactured to extremely fine tolerances, and even small amounts of foreign particles tend to result in their malfunction. Additionally, poor fuel quality, as well as ordinary operating conditions tend to be responsible for the unwanted accumulation of varnishes and other contaminants of the type described. These accumulations must be removed periodically if continued optimum performance of the injectors, and hence the engine, is to be achieved.
There is currently known in the prior art a wide range of fuel injector cleaning systems which employ any one of a variety of different cleaning techniques. The cleaning technique employed by one prior art cleaning system involves pouring a quantity of cleaning fluid directly into the gas tank of the automobile. The cleaning fluid mixes with the gasoline, and ultimately reaches the fuel injectors via the circulation of the gasoline through the fuel system. However, because of the requirement that the cleaning fluid formulation does not corrode the rubber hosing leading from the fuel tank to the fuel injectors, the formulation is relatively dilute, particularly when diluted by a significant amount of gasoline in the tank. As will be recognized, such dilution seriously compromises the efficacy of the formulation in dissolving contaminant deposits in the engine.
In view of the shortcomings of the above-described cleaning technique, a variety of cleaning systems/techniques have been developed in the prior art for injecting a more concentrated cleaning fluid solution directly into the fuel rail to which the fuel injectors are connected. In one such prior art system, the cleaning fluid is contained within a pressurized aerosol can which is connected to the fuel rail through a pressure regulator. However, these types of prior art cleaning systems have deficiencies relating to the use of aerosols which may be ozone unfriendly, the common inability to deliver all of the fluid in the aerosol can, the higher pressure at which the aerosol is typically provided (i.e., about 120 psi), the cost of the pressurized aerosol can, and the wear imposed on the plastic/rubber pieces of the pressure regulator of the system as the cleaning fluid passes therethrough.
Another currently known prior art cleaning system/technique eliminates the use of the pressurized can, instead making use of a pressurized air supply typically found in automotive shops. More particularly, a cylinder is filled with a quantity of cleaning fluid, with a pressurized air source then being introduced at one end of the cylinder to facilitate the discharge of pressurized cleaning fluid from the other end thereof. An in-line pressure gauge is typically disposed within the discharge line. However, these types of prior art cleaning systems/techniques also suffer from certain drawbacks. These deficiencies include the common need to transfer the cleaning fluid from its original container into the cylinder of the cleaning system. Such transfer is undesirable due to the highly flammable and corrosive nature of the cleaning fluid and the risk of inadvertent spillage during the transfer process. Additionally, the in-line pressure gauge as well as other components in such cleaning systems are extremely difficult to replace. In this respect, fuel line pressure specifications vary with the make of the automobile engine, thus often requiring the substitution of the pressure gauge with one adapted to provide pressure readings in a different range. Finally, because they comprise numerous components and adapters, these types of cleaning systems are often expensive to assemble, difficult to use, and incapable of performing alternative functions such as engine decarbonizing and fuel pressure checks. Though certain prior art cleaning systems may be configured so as to avoid the need to transfer the cleaning fluid from one container to another, they are still deficient in that the user thereof is subjected to substantial exposure to the fumes of the cleaning fluid during the process of setting up the cleaning system.
The present invention addresses and overcomes these and other deficiencies of prior art cleaning systems/techniques. More particularly, in the present invention, use is made of a cleaner container or canister which is provided with a safety cap adapted to have a single opening formed therein on demand into which pressurized air is injected and cleaning fluid is discharged, thus avoiding the need of pouring the highly flammable and corrosive cleaning fluid from one container to another, or exposing the user to the fumes from the cleaning fluid. The source of pressurized air for the present invention is that found in the shop (i.e., "shop air"), and is regulated to a desired pressure level. A connecting manifold is provided in the present invention which allows for the direct connection/disconnection of the pressurized air source, cleaning fluid canister, discharge line and pressure gauge thereto. Any of the four (4) ports of the manifold can be connected/disconnected without disturbing connections to the other three (3) ports. For example, where the fuel pressure should be more properly measured in another range, the pressure gauge can be quickly and easily replaced without removing the connection to the cleaning fluid canister. Also provided in the manifold is a shut-off valve and a safety check valve. The shut-off valve allows for the use of the present invention for other applications, including engine decarbonizing and fuel pressure checks. The safety check valve prevents the interior of the cleaning fluid canister from being pressurized in the event the same is not fully threadably engaged to the manifold.
As such, the present invention has the advantages of being compact, easy to use, safe, cheaper to build, and avoiding the need for expensive and/or pressurized containers, while substantially eliminating the risk of spilling the highly flammable and corrosive cleaning fluid since it need not be transferred from one container to another. The present invention also avoids the exposure of the user to the cleaning fluid fumes, allows for the quick and easy connection/disconnection of components, and preserves the life of the pressure regulator by avoiding the exposure thereof to the corrosive cleaning fluid. These, and other advantages associated with the present invention, will be discussed in more detail below.


A steering wheel assembly, comprising: an insert comprising an armature, a rim portion and at least one spoke connecting the armature to the rim portion; a rim assembly comprising a first rim portion and a second rim portion, the first rim portion and the second rim portion each being configured to be disposed around a periphery of the rim portion of the insert and the first rim portion and the second rim portion are configured to be secured to each other about the rim portion of the insert, the first rim portion and the second rim portion each being separately formed from a polymeric material prior to the securement of the rim assembly to the rim portion of the insert; and a decorative cover disposed about an exterior surface of the rim assembly.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to vehicle steering wheels, and more particularly, to methods of manufacturing steering wheels as well as steering wheels formed using the methods of manufacturing.
A steering wheel is an integral component of most vehicles, including all mass-production vehicles. The steering wheel allows an operator to translate desired movement to a steering system of the vehicle.
A steering wheel assembly typically comprises a metal insert having a rim portion, a hub portion or armature, and one or more spokes securing the rim to the hub. In addition, steering wheels can comprise an outer decorative covering layer and, in some instances, a foam layer disposed therebetween. The outer decorative covering layer is often included with the steering wheel to enhance the grip or comfort of the wheel, or simply as decoration. Today, the covering material applied to the steering wheel insert is molded directly onto the steering wheel insert and is either urethane foam, urethane foam covered with leather, injection molded plastic or injection molded plastic covered with leather.
The assembly of such a steering wheel can be labor intensive due to the complex three-dimensional shapes of modern steering wheels. Steering wheels are typically produced by first by manufacturing a die cast metal frame or insert structure comprising a rim that is integral with a hub and one or more spokes, then placing the die cast structure in a mold and molding the layer of covering material around it. The layer of molding material is typically comprised of urethane foam or injection molded plastic, and the molding operation can require as many as three minutes or more per steering wheel as well as using an expensive urethane mold.
Thereafter, an outer steering wheel cover or wrap, such as one made of leather or wood, can be placed on the steering wheel. Alternatively, the molding material can comprise the outer covering layer of the steering wheel. If the outer steering wheel wrap is leather, a leather pattern is hand sewn onto the rim and spokes of the steering wheel. This is achieved by placing a precut pattern onto the rim and hand sewing it onto the rim of the steering wheel. The sewing, however, can create protruding seams that leads to imperfections in the outer surface of the steering wheel.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a cost-efficient method of manufacturing a steering wheel having a uniform exterior surface and to provide a steering wheel manufactured using this method.


The present invention relates to the discovery that antisense nucleic acids complimentary to an E6AP gene can be used to regulate cellular p53 levels. In general the invention features E6AP antisense constructs which, by inhibiting E6AP activity, can modulate cellular p53 levels in both p53+ transformed cells and in normal cells. The invention also provides methods for treating papillomavirus (PV) induced condition, methods for regulating cellular p53 levels and methods for regulating cellular proliferation.

A proteolytic pathway that has been implicated to play a major role in selective degradation of abnormal and short-lived proteins requires the covalent attachment of ubiquitin to a target protein prior to degradation (for recent reviews see Finley and Chau (1991) Annu. Rev. Cell Biol. 7, 25-69; Jentsch et al.(1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1089, 127-139; and Hershko and Ciechanover (1992) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 61, 761-807). Ubiquitin is a highly conserved protein of 76 amino acids found only in eukaryotes. The basic enzymatic reactions involved in the ubiquitination of proteins are well characterized. Ubiquitin is first activated by the E1 enzyme in an ATP-dependent step in which a thioester is formed between the active site cysteine residue of E1 and the C-terminal glycine of ubiquitin. The activated ubiquitin is transferred to a cystein residue of ubiquitin-conjugating (E2) enzymes, which then catalyze the formation of an isopeptide bond between the C-terminal glycine of ubiquitin and the .epsilon.-amino group of a lysine residue on a target protein. Ubiquitin also becomes conjugated to itself via a lysine residue at position 48 of ubiquitin, resulting in the formation of multiubiquitin chains (Chau et al. (1989) Science 243, 1576-1583). Finally, multiubiquitinated proteins serve as targets that are recognized and degraded by an ATP-dependent protease complex.
Some members of the E2 family are able to ubiquitinate certain proteins in the absence of any additional proteins, whereas others require the presence of ubiquitin-protein ligases (E3s). E3s are defined as proteins that participate with E1 and E2s in the ubiquitination of proteins, presumably by specifically binding to target proteins that are otherwise not recognized by E2s (Hershko and Ciechanover (1992) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 61, 761-807). Although only a few E3s have been described (Rolfe et al. (1995) PNAS 92:3264-3268; King et al. (1995) Cell 81:279-288; Reiss and Hershko (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 3685-3690; Heller and Hershko (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 6532-6535; and Bartel et al. (1990) EMBO J. 9, 3179-3189), the existence of a large group of proteins possessing E3-like activity is implied by the fact that selective protein degradation requires the specific targeting of may different proteins, often at particular stages of the cell cycle or differentiation.
The enzymatic reactions of the ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway have been elucidated using damaged or artificial proteins. Only a few normal cellular targets of the ubiquitin system have been identified. These include plant phytocharome, the yeast transcription factor MAT .alpha.2, and cyclin B (Jabben et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 4998-5005; Hochstrasser et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 4606-4610; Glotzer et al.(1991) Nature 349, 132-138). The relevant E2s or E3s that are involved in the ubiquitination of these proteins have yet to be identified.
A novel mechanism of action for dominant oncogenes was postulated based on the observation that E6 protein of the human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 could stimulate the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of the p53 tumor suppressor protein in vitro (Scheffner et al. (1990) Cell 63, 1129-1136).
Certain HPV types, such as HPV-16 and HPV-18, that infect the anogenital tract are associated with malignant lesions, most notably cervical cancer (for review see zur Hausen, (1991) Virology 184, 9-13). These types are referred to as high risk HPVs, as opposed to low risk anogenital-specific HPVs such as HPV-6 and HPV-11, which are generally associated only with benign lesions such as condyloma accuminata. Various cellular transformation assays have shown that the high risk HPVs encode two oncoproteins, E6 and E7. Significant to cervical carcinogenesis, both E6 and E7 are necessary and sufficient for efficient immortalization of human squamous epithelial cells, which are the natural host cells of these viruses (Munger et al. (1989) J. Virol. 63, 4417-4421; Hawley-Nelson et al. (1989) EMBO J. 8, 3905-3910) and both of these genes are expressed in HPV-positive cervical cancers. Insight into the mechanisms by which E6 and E7 may contribute to cellular transformations has come from the recognition that, similar to the oncoproteins of other small DNA tumor viruses, E6 and E7 bind to cell regulatory proteins. Like the simian virus 40 large tumor antigen (SV40 T antigen) and the adenovirus 5 (Ad5) E1A proteins, E7 can bind to the product of the tumor suppressor gene RB (DeCaprio et al. (1988) Cell 54, 275-283; Whyte et al. (1988) Nature 334, 124-129; and Dyson et al. (1989) Annu. Rev. Cell Biol. 7, 25-69). The E6 protein, the SV40 T antigen, and the Ad5 E1B 55 kd protein are able to complex with wild-type p53 (Wemess et al. (1990) Science 248, 76-79; Lane and Crawford (1979) Nature 351, 453-456; Linzer and Levine (1979) Cell 17, 43-52; and Sarnow et al. (1982) Cell 28, 387-394). Mutations within the p53 gene, presumably inactivate the tumor suppressor function of wild-type p53 (Scheffner et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 5523-5527; Crook et al. (1991) Oncogene 6, 873-875; and Lin and Simmons (1990) Virology 176, 302-305). This is consistent with the hypothesis that complex formation with the viral oncoproteins interferes with the negative growth regulatory function of p53 and pRB. The mechanisms, however, by which the viral oncoproteins inactivate p53 seem to be quite different. The level and the half-life of p53 in SV40 and adenovirus-transformed cells are increased compared with uninfected cells (Oren et al. (1981) Mol. Cell. Biol. 1, 101-110; Recich et al. (1983) Mol. Cell. Biol. 3, 2143-2150), suggesting that SV40 T antigen and the Ad5 E1B 55 kd protein inactivate p53 by sequestering it into stable complexes. In contrast, the level and half-life of p53 in E6 immortalized cell lines or in HPV-positive cervical carcinoma cells are generally decreased (Scheffner et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 88, 5523-5527; Hubbert et al. (1992) J. Virol. 66, 6237-6241). This observation is consistent with the in vitro experiments showing that E6 stimulates the degradation of p53 via the ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system (Scheffner et al. (1990) Cell 63, 1129-1136).
Attempts to study the binding of E6 to p53 in the absence of subsequent degradation revealed an additional cellular protein of an approximate molecular size of 100 kDa that participates in a complex with E6 (Huibregtse et al. (1991) EMBO J. 13, 4129-4135). This 100 kDa protein can interact with high risk HPV E6 proteins in the absence of p53, but not with p53 in the absence of E6 proteins, and was therefore termed E6-associated protein (E6AP). Recently, it has been report that the E6/E6AP complex, in concert with the ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1 and an E2, can mediate the ubiquitination of p53 in vitro (Scheffner et al. (1993) Cell 75, 495-505). This indicates that in this system the complex formed with E6, which can include E6AP, has the activity of a ubiquitin-protein ligase.

E6AP antisense constructs and methods of use


An immersion probe is described that includes sensing elements that allow for hydrate inhibitor dosage to be more efficiently provided into gas and/or oil wells. The immersion probe allows for detection of first appearance of water in a multiphase flow in a well, measuring the amount of inhibitor in water within the well, determining an accurate water-cut, and measuring other property such as water salinity. Accordingly, with the known water-cut, salinity and the water flow rate inferred from the inhibitor injection flow rate and inhibitor-in-water fraction, a correct dosage of the inhibitor can be injected to the well in order to prevent hydrate formation, while reducing overdosing. Water flow rate may also be inferred from an independently measured liquid flow rate and the immersion-probe measured water cut.

This disclosure relates in general to immersion probes and, but not by way of limitation, to immersion probes utilized for detecting the first appearance of water in a multiphase flow in a well and measuring hydrate-inhibitor fraction in water for determining proper hydrate-inhibitor injection rates within oil and gas wells for flow assurance.
In both natural gas and crude oil wells, hydrate formation can occur at low temperatures (e.g., a few degree Celsius) and high pressures. This is due to the presence of water that is co-produced within the majority of natural gas or oil producing wells. In subsea or deepwater gas wells, for example, the aforementioned conditions of low temperature and high-pressure flows are typical. Within these wells, gas hydrate, an ice-like structure of crystalline solid consisting of water and gas molecules, can form, if not inhibited by antifreeze chemical injection in long subsea flow pipelines. The detection of the onset of water and/or water breakthrough in subsea gas wells is therefore important to flag the risk of pipeline blockage by hydrate formation and hence to identify a need for injection of the correct amount of hydrate inhibitors, such as glycols and/or other types of alcohols. The detection of formation saltwater breakthrough into a well/pipeline is also important, since in such an occurrence corrosion inhibitors may be needed to be injected to prevent the saltwater corroding the pipeline and/or wellbore system. Detection of the saltwater breakthrough is also important because the presence of salt within the produced water can affect the properties of the multiphase flow of hydrocarbons influencing important multiphase flow measurements as well as the hydrate formation temperature.
To combat hydrate-formation problems, thermodynamic inhibitors are used in addition to insulated flow pipes in subsea or deepwater. These inhibitors lower the temperature and pressures at which hydrates form within the pipeline. Other inhibitors, such as low dosage hydrate inhibitors, or kinetic inhibitors, may completely diminish hydrate formation, while functioning at substantially lower temperatures and higher pressures within a well pipe. In use, the inhibitors are pumped into the well pipeline to help ensure that no crystals will form and impede flow and/or block the pipe. However, hydrate inhibitors are expensive, and pumping large amounts into the wells/pipelines greatly increases production costs. Hydrates are also thermodynamically suppressed by the presence of antifreeze materials such as salts; as such, a common practice is to introduce, for example, 20 to 23 percent by weight (wt. %) of sodium chloride (NaCl) into the well/pipeline to address hydrate issues. Hence, the detection of change in the water salinity can be used to determine the correct usage of injected hydrate inhibitors.
Lowering the amount of inhibitors used within the well/pipe is beneficial because there is less amount of unwanted chemicals in the produced gas and oil, less associated production cost, less storage facility at the well site, less amount purchased, and less separation and re-injection of the inhibitor required. Additional production costs may also be lowered, such as the labor required for handling the inhibitors and pump requirements for introducing the inhibitor to the well. In addition, large dosages of inhibitors may cause undesirable byproducts such as foam and emulsions during the pumping process.
Finding the balance between the correct inhibitor dosage for each well can be challenging, especially due to increases in water-cut and/or water flow rate over time. Providing less inhibitors while still preventing hydrate formation can allow for flow assurance in the well pipe/pipeline and also reduce the associated production costs of the well.

Immersion probe for multi-phase flow assurance


Provided are a multilayer chip ZnO varistor with base metal inner electrodes and a preparation method thereof. The varistor is formed by ceramic sheets and inner electrodes which were alternately laminated. Wherein the main material of inner electrodes is the base metal nickel(Ni), both ends of the varistor are coated with silver electrodes. The present invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) the material formula of ZnO varistor is suitable for the preparation process of reduction and reoxidation; (2) the base metal Ni is used as inner electrodes which can sharply reduce the preparation cost of a multilayer chip ZnO varistor; (3) using a conventional solid-phase sintering method, it can complete the burning of silver and the oxidation of the ceramic simultaneously which is suitable for mass production; (4) the nonlinear coefficient of the ZnO multilayer chip varistor produced by the method of this invention can reach 30 or more, the varistor breakdown voltage is less than 20V and the size can be standard chip package size 0805,0603,0402 and 0201.

A varistor is a passive electronic component which has the characteristic of nonlinearity with respect to I-V (current-voltage). Varistors are used mainly for overvoltage protection and voltage stabilization. ZnO quickly became the leading varistor material because of its excellent nonlinear characteristics, after being successfully developed in 1968 by Panasonic.
The chip varistor emerged in 1981 which first reported by Panasonic. This chip varistor used technology relating to laminated ceramic green sheets and platinum (Pt) inner electrodes; since that time, ZnO-based varistor featuring low-voltage multilayer chips have been successfully developed. TDK, Mitsubishi, EPCOS and some other companies have undertaken sustained research on the multilayer chip varistor. At the beginning of this century, the 0402-package multilayer varistor was developed in succession by companies including AVX, TDK, LITTELFUSE, AMOTECH, EPCOS and some others. Murata and Panasonic have developed the chip varistor with a smaller 0201-package geometry; the breakdown voltage of this chip varistor is as low as 2.5V, and it can meet the ESD protection requirements of semiconductor devices of different performances and structures. The chip varistor has been researched extensivelr in recent years, with remarkable results being achieved in the basic research on chip varistor materials, as well as its precision manufacturing processes.
Currently single layer varistors typically have a thickness of 1 mm or so, with the film thickness of each layer of ZnO multilayer chip varistor typically being as thin as several tens of micrometers,which allow the breakdown voltage to be reduced by reducing the amounts of grains in single film. National Taiwan University reported the multilayer chip varistor wherein each layer has only 1-2 grains and wherein the thickness is 8 μm after being sintered. Ceramic green sheets having such thickness can also increase the average grain size of ZnO by increasing the sintering temperature, lengthening the sintering time, adding sintering aids, and so on, in order to reduce the breakdown voltage. Currently, multilayer chip varistors mainly employ systems of ZnO materials, with precious metals, such as silver (Ag), palladium (Pd) etc., as inner electrodes, and using a preparation method invoving firing in air.
With the decrease of layer thickness and the increase numbering number of layers, the mass proportion of the materials comprising the inner electrode within low voltage multilayer chip varistor is growing. Because the sintering temperature of ZnO varistor materials is generally higher than 1000° C., the high melting point alloy Ag/Pd (with a molar ratio of 30:70)must by used as the inner electrode material; this alloy accounts for over 50% of the total varistor cost. Further, the sintering process involves a ZnO—Bi2O3 system, with Bi2O3 being highly volatile and prone to reacting with the Pd electrode material, thereby reducing device performance. Many researchers and manufacturers are studying the replacemeny of the Ag/Pd inner electrode with cheaper materials, such as silver (Au) and cooper(Cu), by reducing the sintering temperature of the ZnO chip varistor. In this century, major companies have been attempting to reduce varistor costs as a result of the high costs associated with multilayer chips varistor prepared by this method, in particular due to the sharp increase of Pd and some other noble metal electrodes. Lavrov demonstrated that Cu can be co-fired and can be compatible when used as an electrode with a ZnO varistor ceramic, but the preparation method is very complex (Lavrov et al., Journal of the European Cermaic Society, 24 :2591-5 (2004)); in 2011, Changzhou Star John Technology Co., Ltd. announced a patent about the preparation of ZnO varistors wherein the Ag/Pd electrode is replaced by an electrode of pure Ag, but the cost of Ag electrodes remains high. Methods of reduction and re-oxidation have been used to prepare a multilayer chip varistor using as system of SrTiO3 materials, wherein the base metal is used as the inner electrodes, as in the patent JP2002222703A of TDK, patent JP2005085780A of Panasonic and the patent US20070273468. However, these and other methods suffer from the very low varistor nonlinear coefficient (below 10), which limits the field of potential varistor applications.

ZnO multilayer chip varistor with base metal inner electrodes and preparation method thereof

HUAZHONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A therapeutic article includes a skin contact layer having a plurality of fibers forming a plurality of point-bearing surfaces configured for wear against a user's skin; a personal care composition disposed proximate the fibers; an external layer attached to the skin contact layer; and an intermediate layer interposed between the skin contact layer and the external layer, the intermediate layer being configured to activate the personal care composition, the external layer being configured to direct the activated personal care composition through the skin contact layer to treat the user.

A variety of therapeutic articles are used to treat various ailments, injuries and the like. However, a need exists for personal care articles, which can be used in home spa applications. The personal care articles need to be modular and have activatable personal care compositions to provide a variety of therapeutic benefits to a user.

Therapeutic article including a personal care composition and methods of making the therapeutic article


A heat dissipation device includes a heat sink, a retention module and a locking device for securing the heat sink to the retention module. The heat sink includes a base for contacting with a heat-generating component. The retention module includes a bottom wall and a first spring clip secured at one side thereof. The locking device is pivotably connected to the retention module and includes a second spring clip attached thereon. The heat sink rests on the bottom wall of the retention module with an end thereof being pressed by the first spring clip, and an opposite end thereof being pressed by the second spring clip. The locking device can be at a released position where the locking device is pivotable, so that the heat sink is removable from the retention module, and a locked position where the locking device presses the base of the heat sink.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to heat dissipation devices, and more particularly to a heat dissipation device having a locking device for securing a heat sink to a heat-generating component such as a central processing unit (CPU) mounted on a printed circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
It is widely acknowledged that heat is produced during operations of electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs). The produced heat must be quickly removed to ensure the CPUs working normally. Typically, a heat sink is disposed on the CPU to dissipate the heat therefrom.
In earlier times, linear-type locking devices were widely used for securing of heat sinks. A linear-type locking device, which is integrally made from a resilient metal wire, generally includes an elongated central pressing portion and a pair of locking arms extending from opposite ends of the elongated central pressing portion in opposite directions to thereby form a Z-shaped configuration. When assembled, the elongated central pressing portion of the linear-type locking device lodges in a heat sink, and the locking arms thereof are then resiliently deflected downwardly to engage with positioning means provided on a frame or socket to thereby secure the heat sink to a CPU. An example of a linear-type locking device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,338. However, a linear-type locking device generally has a slim structure; it cannot firmly secure a heat sink to a CPU, especially nowadays the heat sink being made heavier and heavier aiming to obtain a high heat dissipating capacity.
Thus, an improved locking device which overcomes above-mentioned problems is required.

Heat dissipation device having a locking device

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


Techniques are provided for automatically adding/removing servers to/from a server farm in response to monitored load demands. A load among a plurality of servers, resulting from traffic associated with an application hosted on the plurality of servers is balanced. The load on the plurality of servers is monitored and it is determined that the load on the plurality of servers exceeds a predetermined load threshold. In response to such a determination, one or more additional servers are automatically provisioned for use in hosting the application. The load is then balanced between the plurality of servers and the one or more additional servers.

Due to increasing traffic in computer networks, such as the Internet and corporate intranets (e.g., corporate Wide Area Networks (WANs) and Local Area Networks (LANs)), data providers need to satisfy an increasing number of data requests. For example, a company that provides a search engine for the Internet may handle over a million hits (i.e., accesses to its web page) every day. In practice, a single server cannot handle such a large volume of data requests within an acceptable response time. Therefore, most high-volume information providers use a collection of multiple servers, commonly referred to as a server farm, to satisfy the large number of data requests. Access to these multiple servers is managed through load balancing.
Load balancing is a technique for spreading work (load) among the servers in the server farm. Load balancing generally improves resource utilization and decreases computing time and may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method of driving a display panel is provided which can reduce power consumption. During a unit display period, the number of times of second and subsequent selective erase operations performed on one display cell of each pixel is different from the number of times of second and subsequent selective erase operations performed on another display cell emitting light of different color from that of the one display cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of driving a matrix-display-type display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, plasma display devices having an AC (AC discharge) type plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as PDP), which is a small-sized display panel, mounted thereon, have been produced (see, for example, Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2003-22045 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1).
In a PDP, a display cell having a discharge space is formed at each of the intersections of a plurality of column electrodes and a plurality of row electrodes. The plurality of column electrodes are disposed to extend in a longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of a two-dimensional display screen, and the plurality of row electrodes are disposed to extend in a transverse direction (horizontal direction). A plasma display device selectively discharges display cells by applying various driving pulses to the column electrodes and the row electrodes of the PDP, and forms display images on a screen by light emission through the discharge. At this time, since each of the display cells emits light using a discharge phenomenon, it emits light with the highest luminance or does not emit light. That is, each of the display cells can express only two luminance levels corresponding two grayscales. Thus, grayscale drive based on a subfield method is performed to realize intermediate luminance display according to an input video signal in the PDP having the display cells.
In the grayscale drive based on a subfield method, a display period of an image corresponding to one field or one frame is divided into N subfields. A light emission period (the number of times of light emission) corresponding to the weight of each of bits of the pixel data (N bits) is allocated to each subfield, and the light emission drive for the PDP is performed.
For example, when one field is divided into six subfields SF1 to SF6, the following light emission periods are respectively allocated to the subfields (see FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1).
SF1: 1
SF2: 2
SF3: 4
SF4: 8
SF5: 16
SF6: 32
According to luminance levels expressed by an input video signal, light emission is selectively performed in each of the subfields SF1 to SF6. In this process, the intermediate luminance corresponding to the sum of the light emission periods performed during one field period (SF1 to SF6) is viewed. For example, when a display cell emits light in only the subfield SF6 of the subfields SF1 to SF6, the display cell emits light only for a period corresponding to "32" in one field. Therefore, an intermediate luminance corresponding to "32" is viewed. In the meantime, when a display cell emits light in each of the subfields SF1 to SF5, except for the subfield SF6, the display cell emits light for a period corresponding to "31" (="1"+"2"+"4"+"8"+"16") in one field. Therefore, an intermediate luminance corresponding to "31" is viewed.
In this case, with the six subfields, 64 combinations (light emission patterns) of subfields to emit light and subfields not to emit light are obtained. With the 64 light emission patterns, 64 combinations of light emission periods in one field are obtained. Therefore, it is possible to express intermediate luminance corresponding to each of 64 grayscales.
Here, for example, in one field, a light emission period and a blackout period of a display cell G31 corresponding to a pixel for expressing luminance "32" are reverse to those of a display cell G32 corresponding to a pixel for expressing luminance "31" (see FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1). Therefore, in a case of seeing the screen of the PDP, if one sees the display cell G32 in periods of SF1 to SF5 and then moves the sight to the display cell G31 as shown by a broken line in FIG. 1, one continuously sees only the blackout periods of both of them. As a result, a dark line is viewed on a boundary between them as a false contour, thereby degrading the image quality.
Further, a driving method was proposed in which a display cell lights in the continuous subfields the number of times corresponding to luminance to be express and then maintains a blackout state until reaching the subfield SF6 (see FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1). According to this driving method, light emission patterns whose relationships between a light emission period and a blackout period are reverse to each other in one filed do not exist. Therefore, the above-mentioned false contour is not generated.
However, when a driving pulse for generating the discharge is applied to one of adjacent display cells and is not applied to the other, since these display cells suffer interference of an electric field from each other, some cases where discharge is not correctly generated occur. In order to prevent such a case from occurring, according to the above-mentioned driving method, even a display cell once shifted to a blackout state is repeatedly supplied with a driving pulse for generating discharge to shift the display cell to the blackout state. For this reason, there has been a problem that the power consumption is relatively high even at the time of low luminance display.


A method and a mixture for preparing an ablative material for fire and heat protection is provided. The mixture includes calcium sulfate hemihydrate and a hydrated salt and the ablative material is prepared by adding water to the mixture.

Heat protecting materials of the ablative type are known in the art. In contrast to regular heat insulating materials which afford heat protection due to their poor thermal conductivity, heat ablative materials provide thermal protection by absorbing heat, without a large increase of their temperature, for a limited period of time. Thus, in contrast to regular thermal insulating materials, heat ablative materials are for one time use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,831 to Raevsky et al. discloses a fire and heat protective material of the ablative type composed of an organic binder and a filler of hydrated aluminum sulfate.
Usually, heat ablative materials absorb heat due to endothermal reactions which take place upon heating. One such endothermal reaction is dehydration which is the loss of hydration water. In addition, other processes can contribute to the absorption of heat, such as the evaporation of the water molecules released in the dehydration reaction and the heating of any gases which are emitted during decomposition of the ablative material.
One type of heat ablative materials known in the art are hydrated inorganic salts. For example, gypsum which is calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O), is a heat ablative material well known in the art. When gypsum is heated from 20.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C., it's temperature keeps nearly constant within the range of 100-104.degree. C. till the end of it's dehydration. After the dehydration is ended, gypsum substantially looses it's heat ablative property and the temperature increases quickly.
Heat ablative materials can be used for protection of heat sensitive materials such as ammunition, explosives, fuel and other combustible materials from exposure to intense heat. Such protection can be achieved by coating the container of the heat sensitive material with a layer of heat ablative material, or by storing heat sensitive materials and objects in a room or a case or a safe whose walls include a heat ablative material or are coated with a heat ablative material.
The efficiency of heat ablative compositions can be determined by measuring the time interval during which they can keep the temperature on one of their sides below a certain value while their other side is heated in a controlled way up to a certain predetermined temperature. This time interval is usually referred to as the time of heat protection.
Thus, heat ablative compositions having a long time of heat protection are desirable for providing extended heat protection periods.

Ablative material for fire and heat protection and a method for preparation thereof


A code development engine can be programmed to evaluate build code that can be representative of program code at an instance of time during or after a software development of the program code to identify and correct coding errors in the build code. A code run-time simulation engine can be programmed to simulate the build code in a modeled program code environment for the program code to identify and correct coding failures in the build code. A build code output module can be programmed to evaluate the build code to determine whether the build code is acceptable for use in a program code environment based on a level of acceptable risk for the build code in response to the coding error and/or coding failure being corrected in the build code.

Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, programmable logic device micro-code), or other software components. Software development can include all that can be involved between conception of a desired software through to a final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Software development can include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. In some instances, software development can include the addition of new features or functions to software and correction of discovered problems.
Program analysis is a process of analyzing the behavior of computer code, such as during development, regarding a property such as correctness, robustness, safety, liveness, and, in some instances, that a subject software is developed to an acceptable safety risk hazard. Program analysis focuses on program optimization and program correctness (e.g., ensuring that the program can operate in safety-critical systems). The first focuses on improving the program's performance while reducing the resource usage while the latter focuses on ensuring that the program does what it is supposed to do.
Machine learning (ML) is a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) in which a computer uses algorithms and statistical models to accurately perform tasks without using explicitly coded instructions after having analyzed a learning or training data set, in effect relying on patterns and inferences to generalize from past experiences. ML-based based systems can be capable of solving problems not previously seen or considered and for which it would not be possible to code for every individual case. Types of ML algorithms include, among others, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and feature learning. Types of ML models that can be trained on the training data include artificial neural networks, decision trees, support vector machines, regression analysis models, Bayesian networks, genetic algorithms, principal components analysis, and cluster analysis.

Systems and methods for program code defect and acceptability for use determination


The electrochemical method of producing hydrogen peroxide using a titanium oxide nanotube catalyst is an electrochemical process for producing hydrogen peroxide using a cathode formed as a nanostructured titania (TiO2) electrode surface treated with nitrogen. An anode and the cathode are immersed in an alkaline solution saturated with oxygen in an electrolytic cell. An electrical potential is established across the cathode and the anode to initiate electrochemical reduction of the oxygen in the alkaline solution to produce hydrogen peroxide dissolved in the alkaline solution. The hydrogen peroxide dissolved in the alkaline solution is then collected from the cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrochemical processes, and particularly to an electrochemical method of producing hydrogen peroxide using a titanium oxide nanotube catalyst that uses an electrode with TiO2 nanotubes annealed with nitrogen for the production of hydrogen peroxide by the electrochemical reduction of oxygen in an alkaline solution.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an environmentally-friendly oxidizing agent which is extensively used in environmental disinfection and in the chemical industry as an oxidizing chemical reagent, a bleaching agent for textiles and paper products, and for cleaning, stripping and etching processes in the semiconductor industry. Water is the sole degradation product of hydrogen peroxide, thus making it extremely desirable from an environmental standpoint.
The industrial production of hydrogen peroxide is typically performed by an anthraquinone reduction reaction (typically referred to as the "AQ process"), which involves the hydrogenation of anthraquinone derivatives (with a catalyst, such as nickel or palladium), which produces the corresponding hydroquinones, followed by oxidation with oxygen (typically from air) to yield hydrogen peroxide and reproduce the initial anthraquinone. The AQ process, however, involves successive hydrogenation and oxidation of an alkyl-anthraquinone precursor, which is dissolved in a mixture of organic solvents, followed by liquid-liquid extraction and recovery of H2O2. This multistep method consumes significant energy input and generates large amounts of waste. Additionally, the H2O2 product is often contaminated with organic waste and byproducts, which must be constantly removed throughout the process. Thus, a more efficient method for the direct synthesis of H2O2 from oxygen (O2) would obviously be desirable.
Other methods used for the production of H2O2 include electrochemical oxygen reduction and direct synthesis from hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of noble metal catalysts supported on silica, alumina or carbon. The only viable electrolytic H2O2 production process that competes with the AQ process is the Dow process, which was developed for on-site site production of H2O2 by cathodic reduction of oxygen using a graphite electrode in a trickle bed cell. The H2O2 solution produced by the process is directly used in pulp bleaching and in the processing of recycled paper. The production of H2O2 relies on the electrolysis of O2 in alkaline solutions in an electrochemical cell using a carbon cathode, and the electrochemical reactions at the anode and cathode are respectively given by:2OH−→H2O+½O2+2e−  (1)H2O+O2+2e−→HO2−+OH−  (2)The evolution of oxygen at the anode in reaction (1) is very beneficial, as it can diffuse through a flow electrolyte and be reduced at the cathode, as shown in reaction (2), to produce H2O2 (i.e., a self-feeding process). The cathode in the Dow process is made from graphite coated with carbon black and a fluorocarbon binder to facilitate O2 transfer at atmospheric pressure. A cell operating at 2.3 V and 62 mA/cm2 yields NaOH/HO2− at a weight ratio of 1.6-1.8 to 1 and at a current efficiency of 90%. This alkali peroxide technology is well suited to bleaching applications, where it is not necessary to separate the peroxide from the caustic soda in the product.
FIG. 9 illustrates a typical prior art electrochemical cell 1 for performing such reactions as the Dow process. The cell 1 includes a central cathode structure 3 and an outer, surrounding anode 4, which is supported on the interior of the cell 1. An alkaline electrolyte 5 is retained by the cell 1 between the anode 4 and the exterior surface 6 of cathode 3. The anode 4 and cathode 3 are separated by a cylindrical diaphragm 7. Electrical leads 8, 9 to the anode 4 and cathode 3, respectively, provide electrical energy to the system. A cooling coil 10 is often employed in such reaction cells.
The cathode 3 is of generally cylindrical shape and includes a lead-in conduit 11 for carrying oxygen or oxygen-containing gases to the cathode interior, where it travels to the exterior face 6 of the cathode 3 through the porous body 12 of the cathode. The conduit 11 and the porous body 12 are electrically conductive. The cathode body 12 is of porous graphite and will pass the necessary oxygen-containing gas constituent.
Photocatalytic formation methods of H2O2 over semiconductor oxides have also been investigated in recent years. Reactive oxygen-containing species (ROS), namely OH−, O2−, and H2O2, are usually formed at the surface of titanium oxide (TiO2) under UV irradiation. TiO2 anatase and rutile crystalline forms as photoactive catalysts have shown different reactivities for the photo-production of H2O2. The anatase is produced at a lower temperature than the rutile phase and has shown higher photo-activity due to the presence of a higher density of surface defects, such as oxygen vacancies and sub-oxides, than the rutile form, which contributes to the higher catalytic activity observed for the production of hydrogen peroxide on anatase powder. However, the concentrations of H2O2 produced using photo-irradiated TiO2 surfaces are in the micromolar range, which does not meet the requirements for industrial scale production.
TiO2 nanotube (TON) catalysts are self-assembled via anodization and have attracted considerable interest in recent years due to their unique nanoscale features and electronic properties. TON has unique semiconducting properties, chemical inertness and stability, is cost effective and resistant to corrosion, and has applications in numerous fields, such as photocatalysis, solar cells, electronic devices, and environmental cleaning and protection. TON arrays prepared by anodization typically exhibit relatively low electrical conductivity, which limits applications in electro-catalysis and use as a catalyst support. Thus, various methods for generating oxygen vacancies, such as metal and non-metal doping, are often employed to improve the electrical conductivity and reactivity of TON structures to satisfy the requirements for effective electrode materials.
The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in aqueous solutions occurs primarily through two pathways, the direct 4-electron reduction pathway from O2 to H2O, and the 2-electron reduction pathway from O2 to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In non-aqueous aprotic solvents and/or in alkaline solutions, the 1-electron reduction pathway from O2 to superoxide (O2−) can also occur. The electrochemical reduction of oxygen (ORR) has been found to occur on various forms of plain titanium dioxide at a much higher overvoltage in acid and alkaline media. It has also been found that the overvoltage for ORR is significantly reduced after activation of the TiO2 layer by cyclic polarization. However, despite recent experiments, such methods have yet to achieve the effective production of hydrogen peroxide on TON arrays in alkaline media.
Thus, an electrochemical method of producing hydrogen peroxide using a titanium oxide nanotube catalyst solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

Electrochemical method of producing hydrogen peroxide using a titanium oxide nanotube catalyst


A hinge mechanism includes a resin base member, and a support rotatably and pivotally mounted to the base member. The base member is formed by blow molding so as to be hollowed. The base member integrally includes a hinge member for rotatably and pivotally mounting the support to the base member. The hinge member is set in a molding die for clamping at the time of the blow molding of the base member, so as to be molded integrally with the base member.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hinge mechanism. More particularly, the invention relates to a hinge mechanism including a resin base member and a support pivotally mounted to the base member.
2. Description of Related Art
As a cup holder for a vehicle, there has been known such a cup holder that a support is rotatably and pivotally mounted to a resin base member, and when a beverage container is inserted in a round hole formed in the base member, the support is pushed downward and unfolded, so that the support supports the beverage container from a lower side (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-162928 (JP2010-162928 A)). The support is fitted and assembled to a hinge member integrally provided in the resin base member, and the support is supported pivotally between a stored state in which the support is put on the base member compactly and a usage state in which the support is unfolded.


A system for automatically recognizing persons or objects as they move past a selected location and for classifying the persons or objects in accordance with selected criteria. The system includes emitters for emitting beams toward a person or object moving past a selected location to generate reflected beams from the person or object. The included angle of the emitted and reflected beam is a function of the height of the person or object. A detector detects the reflected beams and generates signals representative of the included angle, and thus representative of a time-dependent height profile of the person or object from which the beams are reflected. The person or object is classified according to selected criteria.

This invention is generally directed to a system for recognizing people or objects, and has many applications as will be explained.
In accordance with one such application, the present invention is directed to determining the number of shopper units in a retail store, and the people that comprise those shopper units. By "shopper units" is meant those persons who are potential customers, i.e., may be expected to make purchases in the store. For example, it is not uncommon for a parent to shop with young children. The parent and children as a group would constitute a single shopper unit because the young children themselves would not be expected to make a purchase.
Knowing the number of shopper units in a store, in contrast to the number of people in the store, is valuable store management information. With selected criteria, such as height categories, the system of the present invention can count the persons as they enter and leave a store location, such as a doorway, measure the heights of the persons, and using selective criteria generate data for use in store management. For example, such data may include the number of shopper units in the store at selected time intervals. Also, using height criteria, the system will discriminate between persons and objects such as shopping carts or the like. For example, the system can be programmed to detect a shopping cart by measuring the height of the cart and recognizing the length of time that the system detects that height as the cart moves past the system detector. The system will also detect the direction of movement of the person along the person's path of travel at the store location, e.g., whether the person is entering or leaving the store. Hence, the system can determine the number of persons or shopper units in the store at any given time.
Systems or devices for counting people as they move past a location are known. Tsubota Patent No. 4,356,387 discloses a counting system for counting persons of a minimum height using a radiant energy emitter and a radiant energy receiver. The radiant energy is infrared. The system screens height by prefocusing the emitter and setting the emitter and detector angle so that the two intersect at some point in space in the portal. This permits screening out objects or persons shorter than the point of intersection to allow the counting of only those objects or persons that are above the selected height. However, it does not count or give height information on objects or persons below the selected threshold. Another problem with the device of the Tsubota patent is that each installation must be precisely aligned and carefully aimed so that the point of intersection of the emitter beam with the reception path of the receiver is at the desired minimum height above the floor.
Zepke Patent No. 4,799,243 discloses a person counting device by detecting the presence of thermal radiation from the body. It includes an infrared detector but no emitter. When a living object passes through a portal, it radiates infrared energy that is detected by the device, the device thereby detecting the presence of a person walking through the portal. The device of Zepke does not discriminate by or measure height.
Mizukami Patent No. 4,733,081 is directed to an apparatus for sensing a body by detecting the difference between the reflected amount of infrared rays directed to the body as against the background.
Shahbaz Patent No. 4,528,679 is directed to an automatic counting systems for passengers. The device is primarily for counting passengers entering or leaving a common carrier such a bus. The device comprises stations located at the steps of the bus where the stations include ultrasonic transducers. Ranging circuits each include a transmitting circuit for generating a pulse to be transmitted by each associated transducer, and receiving circuit for receiving and detecting the echo signal received through the transducer. A pulse count is generated that is directly proportional to the distance from the transducer to the object from which the echo has returned. The logic circuit operates to determine the presence or absence of a passenger under each station on the basis of a range distance measurement of less than a predetermined distance corresponding to the presence of a passenger of a height greater than a predetermined height. Hence, the system detects the number of passengers over a preselected height, but ignores all persons below the threshold height level.
Koelsch Patent No. 4,847,485 discloses an arrangement for determining the number of persons within a space using infrared sensors. The system does not include emitters or any means for determining the heights of the persons, or using that information to provide management data.
So while systems or devices for counting people or for counting people over a selected height were known, none of these systems provide the necessary height measurement for all persons passing through a selected location, and for using that information to generate data for use, such as by retail store managers, to evaluate store performance and the like. For example, such information may include the number of shopper units in the store during selected time intervals and the composition of the shopper units, i.e. adults and children. Knowing the number of children and adults in each shopper unit is useful to store management in evaluating and improving store performance.
The present invention is particularly directed to use in retail stores for generating information on the number of persons in the store at selected time intervals, the categories of those persons, and the way in which those categories relate to actual store performance. Obviously, the primary objective of any retail establishment is to maximize sales. This includes converting shoppers to actual customers. In other words, the objectives are to attract persons to the store, and once in the store convert them to customers. Hence, the shopper-to-customer "conversion rate" is the percentage of shoppers that actually make purchases.
For an accurate measure of conversion rate it is not enough to merely count persons as they enter and leave the store. This is because not all persons who enter the store are potential customers. As mentioned previously, many such persons may be young children who are unlikely to make any purchases themselves. Hence, it is important to distinguish between persons who are potential customers, and those that are not. This may be done using height criteria. The system of the present invention not only counts persons as they enter and leave a selected location, but also "measures" the heights of the persons or objects, generating height profiles of the persons or objects, and converts that information to the number of shopper units using height criteria.
Although it is important to identify the number of persons who are potential customers, it is also important to know the number of such persons who are not. Such information is useful for a wide variety of store evaluation purposes.
The system of the present invention performs its functions without interfering in any way with the store traffic, and without requiring any involvement of store personnel. It operates fully automatically without the shoppers even knowing of its existence. It generates highly reliable count information of in and out shopper flow. The optics module device may be mounted overhead such as above a doorway where the customers enter and leave the store. On wide doorways multiple optics modules may be used at selected spaced intervals to insure that all shoppers entering and leaving the store are detected. The information from the optics module is communicated to a central processing unit (CPU) which interprets the data from the optics module, such as determining the height category of the person and whether the person is entering or leaving the store. The data, in turn, may be transmitted to the store controller or in-store processor (ISP). Data from the system of the present invention is integrated with data from the store's point of sale (POS) system and other store computer management systems which provide number of sales (customers), dollar sales, times of sales, locations of sales, sales categories, labor hours, and so on. From this combined information numerous management reports may be generated to assist management in evaluating store performance. Using this information store management can identify problem areas and take corrective measures to improve store performance. Realistic performance goals can be established for each store taking into account the number of shopper units available to the store. The information may also be used to optimize staffing for greater service, increase conversion rates, and improve dollar volume per transaction.
From data generated from the system of this invention together with data from other store systems including the POS system, advertising and special event effectiveness may be evaluated. Controlled tests can be conducted in paired media markets to accurately measure the increased traffic created by individual ads, multi-media campaigns, sales events, or specific promotions. For example, it can be determined whether the advertising or special events delivered increased shopper units, and whether such increase in shopper units resulted in the expected increased sales. The system may be used to measure the impact of competitors' advertising on a store's performance, and data from the system may be used to assist in evaluating the impact of the store's appearance, layout, and merchandise presentation. Data from the system may be used in determining the effectiveness of in-store promotions as well as merchandise placement within the store. From this, the store management may determine whether the store is merchandising effectively or if a new department or service is generating interest. The optics module may be placed in sensitive areas of the store, such as the cash office, stockroom, or the like, to monitor traffic in those areas, alerting the management to unusual patterns of activity.
Most importantly, the system of the present invention when used with other store systems, such as the POS system, provides great versatility in generating information to increase store sales.
The invention of the present application has many other applications of which the following are examples.
The invention may be mounted at the doors of buses for counting the number of and logging the times that persons enter and leave the buses. This information may be used by the bus company for reconciling the number of passengers with the fares paid, and to verify whether the driver has charged the passengers the proper amounts for the distances over which each passenger traveled. The data may be used for many purposes including determining the volume of traffic entering and leaving the bus at each stop. The device may also be used in bus stations to count the number of people entering and leaving the station. In this way the number of people in the station at any given time is known so that bus scheduling may be arranged to minimize customer wait time in the terminal.
The device also may be used in connection with trains as with buses described above to determine the number of passengers that get on and off the train at each location. Such information may be used by the train company to insure that train capacity is sufficient to handle the number of people at each stop. The device provides means for reconciling the revenues with the number of passengers, and can be used in train stations as in bus stations described above.
The device may also be used to monitor traffic patterns (the flow of people) within airports. It can monitor the number and frequency of people entering and leaving a ticket line and determine the number of ticket agents required to minimize wait time. It may be used to monitor traffic within the airport at various locations for purposes of designing airport expansion and new airports to accommodate traffic flow.
There are numerous places where the device may be used to monitor traffic flow including banks, museums, libraries, government facilities, public buildings, theme parks, restaurants, manufacturing plants, and at specific locations within such facilities. It can be used in any application where it is important to obtain accurate information relating to the traffic flow of people or objects.
Another unique application for the present invention is as a security device. For example, security systems exist where coded cards are used to gain access to a secured area. A problem with such systems is the possibility for more than one person to gain access when a card is used. Visual monitoring systems are used, but these require that a guard continuously monitor the access. The device of the present invention may be used at the passageway to detect the number of persons entering the passageway. If more than one person enters, an appropriate alert may be generated. When used as a security device, the system of the present invention has the advantage of being self-monitoring. That is, the system continuously transmits and receives beams such that the signals are continuously generated indicating that the system is operational. The system measures a standard or reference condition, which may be the floor, when no person or object passes through a beam. This standard reference insures that the system is operating properly.
The system also may be used in applications for counting objects. It may be used with highways, bridges, or tunnels for counting the number of vehicles and for distinguishing the various types of vehicles, e.g., trucks from cars. It can measure the space between vehicles as well as determine the speed of each vehicle. The device may be used to monitor the traffic flow in each lane. The information is useful for traffic control, road and bridge maintenance, highway planning and construction, and traffic monitoring to give motorists alternate route information or route planning information. PG,11 Its speed detection capability may be used to enforce speed limits.
The present invention may be used in manufacturing and industrial process control such as for monitoring the flow of objects on an assembly line and detecting the profile of the objects and thereby provide a means for determining a compliance with known profile criteria. For example, the device may be used to detect whether items on an assembly line are properly oriented for automated assembly.
Because the device is nonintrusive, and has no moving parts, it is uniquely suited to measure the height or depth of liquid or other material in a tank, and from that information determine the volume of material in a tank.
The above examples are merely illustrative of the many applications of the system of the present invention.
Generally, the system of the present invention comprises one or more optics modules or sensors located at one or more selected locations. The number of optics modules at each location depends on the width of the entrance or exit. The module is located above the passageway. Each optics module has means for emitting beams toward persons or objects moving past a selected location to generate reflected beams from those persons or objects. The included angle of the emitted and reflected beams is a function of the height of the person or object. The optics module further includes means for detecting the reflected beams and generating signals representative of the included angle, and thus the height of the person or object. The system further includes means for determining the speed and length of the person or object and generates signals representing a time-dependent height profile of the person or object as the person or object moves past the sensor. These signals are transmitted to a signal processor, and from there to a central processing unit (CPU), which processes the signals and generates data representing the number of persons or objects in preselected categories. The emitted and reflected beams are infrared, and the detector is a position sensitive detector which generates a signal in response to the position that the reflected beam strikes the detector which is indicative of the height of the person or object from which the reflected beam is reflected.
Where multiple optics modules are used at a given location, or where optics modules are used at several locations, the signals from the optics modules may be multiplexed and all processed by a single signal processor and CPU.
In one embodiment of the invention, each optics module or sensor generates at least two emitter beams which are generated alternately, and where the emitted beams are generated from different locations along the path of movement of the person or object. The reflected beam is detected at a location along the path of movement that lies between the locations from which the emitted beams are generated. In this way a single detector may be used for each optics module rather than a plurality of detectors, and yet the direction of travel of each person or object may be detected. In another embodiment two detectors are used and alternative pairings of the emitters and detectors are provided for maximum resolution.
In one embodiment of the invention, the CPU also receives data from a store POS system, and may receive data from other store computer systems as well, and generates information from the combined data to assist store management in evaluating store performance. Such information may be stored or displayed on a suitable display device such as a CRT or printer.
These and other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the drawings and description to follow.