An electrical connector including a first section adapted to receive a first electrical conductor; a second section, and a rotatable connection between the first and second section. The second section has a channel adapted to receive a portion of a frame of a solar panel. The second section is adapted to spring clip onto the solar panel frame and make an electrical connection therewith. The rotatable connection is adapted to rotate the first section relative to the second section to orient the first electrical conductor at a desired orientation relative to the solar panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to a connector for connecting a frame of a member to a ground conductor.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Grounding conductors are known. For example. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0068873 A1 discloses a grounding clamp for an I beam. Solar panels, placed on a roof of a building for example, should be connected to ground. There is a desire to provide an electrical ground connector for a solar panel which is relatively easy to install, and which does not interfere with the solar cells of the panel or the mechanical mounting of the solar panels.


In the thermosensor of the invention, both ends 21, 22 of an elastic member 2 are fixed to a body 1 in a state where the elastic member 2 is compressed in a longitudinal direction, to form the elastic member 2 into a convex curved shape, one end side of the convex curved shape is raised by a predetermined angle θL′ with respect to the body 1, a flexure angle of another end 22 of the convex curved shape is zero, the fixation of one end portion 21 of the elastic member 2 and the body 1 is conducted via a fusible material 3, and a melting point or a softening point of the fusible material 3 is an operating temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermoprotector in which the melting point or the softening point of a fusible material is set as the operating temperature, a thermosensor which is useful in the thermoprotector, and a method of producing a thermosensor.
2. Explanation of Related Art
As a thermoprotector which senses abnormal heating of an electrical or electronic apparatus, and which performs a cut-off operation based on this sense to interrupt the apparatus from a power supply, thereby preventing overheat of the apparatus and occurrence of a fire, a system in which elastic distortion energy is stored and the elastic distortion energy is released by melting or softening of a fusible material is known.
For example, an elastic metal piece 2′ is forcibly bent as shown in (10A) of FIG. 10, the both ends of the elastic metal piece 2′ are bonded against a bending reaction force to a pair of stationary terminals 41′, 42′ by an fusible alloy (solder) 3′ having a predetermined melting point. When the ambient temperature is raised to the melting point of the fusible alloy 3′ and the fusible alloy is melted, bending stress of the elastic metal piece 2′ is released to cancel the joining between one end of the elastic metal piece 2′ and the one stationary terminal 42′ as shown in (10B) of FIG. 10, thereby interrupting the power supply (see Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open No. 7-29481).
As shown in (11A) of FIG. 11, a device is known in which a pellet 2′ having a predetermined melting point, a seat plate 15′, a compression spring 1′, and a seat plate 16′ are sequentially housed in a metal case 14′ to which a lead terminal 13′ is attached at one end, with starting from the one end. Furthermore, a contact 42′ in which the outer circumference is in sliding contact with the inner face of the metal case is housed in the case, a lead pin bushing 17′ is fixed to the other end side of the metal case 14′, and a trip spring 18′ is incorporated between the bushing 17′ and the contact 42′, thereby constituting a conduction path passing the route of the lead terminal 13′→the metal case 14′→the contact 42′→a lead pin 41′. When the ambient temperature is raised to the melting point of the pellet 2′ and the pellet 2′ is melted, compression stress of the compression spring 1′ is released, and the contact 42′ is detached from the tip end of the lead pin 41′ by compression stress of the trip spring 18′ as shown in (11B) of FIG. 11, thereby interrupting the conduction path (see "ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING HANDBOOK" First Edition, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Feb. 28, 1988, p. 818).
In the system shown in FIG. 10, however, the bending reaction force M′ and an expanding force F′ of the elastic metal piece act on the fusible alloy (solder). Therefore, the stress distribution in the fusible alloy is complicated, creep due to stress concentration is readily produced, and an operation failure easily occurs. Since the fusible alloy forms a part of a conduction path, the fusible alloy may generate heat because of an increase of the resistance due to creep of the fusible alloy, thereby causing a possibility that an operation error may be caused by self-heating. Furthermore, an operation error may be caused also by stringing of the molten alloy.
In the system shown in FIG. 11, the pellet can be uniformly compressed by pressure equalization of the seat plates, but the structure is complicated. Therefore, the system is inevitably disadvantageous in miniaturization and cost.

Thermosensor, thermoprotector, and method of producing a thermosensor


This invention pertains generally to prostacyclin analogs and methods for their use in promoting vasodilation, inhibiting platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, stimulating thrombolysis, inhibiting cell proliferation (including vascular remodeling), providing cytoprotection, preventing atherogenesis and inducing angiogenesis. Generally, the compounds and methods of the present invention increase the oral bioavailability and circulating concentrations of treprostinil when administered orally. Compounds of the present invention have the following formula

Many valuable pharmacologically active compounds cannot be effectively administered orally for various reasons and are generally administered via intravenous or intramuscular routes. These routes of administration generally require intervention by a physician or other health care professional, and can entail considerable discomfort as well as potential local trauma to the patient.
One example of such a compound is treprostinil, a chemically stable analog of prostacyclin. Although treprostinil sodium (Remodulin®) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for subcutaneous administration, treprostinil as the free acid has an absolute oral bioavailability of less than 10%. Accordingly, there is clinical interest in providing treprostinil orally.
Thus, there is a need for a safe and effective method for increasing the systemic availability of treprostinil via administration of treprostinil or treprostinil analogs.

Compounds and methods for delivery of prostacyclin analogs


An array panel including a substrate, a scanning line, a data line, and a pixel array is disclosed. A pixel unit in the pixel array includes a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode, and a color filter layer disposed between a first plane and a second plane. The first plane is a plane in which a gate electrode of the thin film transistor is located. The second plane is a plane in which the pixel electrode is located. The scanning line, the data line, and the pixel array are disposed on the substrate. The present invention is advantageous since it reduces power consumption.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field of display technology, and more specifically to an array panel and a manufacturing method for the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a traditional TFT-LCD (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display), a color filter (CF) and a thin film transistor (TFT) array are disposed on different substrates, respectively. The thin film transistor array substrate includes a thin film transistor, a peripheral circuit, and a pixel electrode. The color filter substrate includes a common electrode, an R/G/B color filter, a position spacer (PS), and a black matrix (BM) layer. Since the color filter and the thin film transistor array are disposed on different glass substrates, respectively, the manufacturing time can be reduced.
In practice, at least one problem with the prior art, as given below, is found by the inventor.
The thin film transistor and the pixel electrode (or the extending portion thereof) in the thin film transistor array substrate have overlapping portions, and therefore the thin film transistor and the pixel electrode are able to form a capacitor. The capacitor influences the display of a pixel unit, and the reason is that the existence of the capacitor can lead to a voltage inputted in the pixel electrode to be failed to reach an expected value, thereby reducing the display quality.
However, in order to ensure the display quality, the voltage needs to be increased to exclude the effect of the capacitor, and more power will be needed to be consumed at this point.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a new technical scheme, so as to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Array panel and manufacturing method for the same

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An integrated circuit programmable resistor or programmable capacitor has a floating gate memory cell connected either in series or in parallel to a fixed resistor or a fixed capacitor. The resistance or the capacitance of the floating gate memory cell can be changed by the amount of charge stored on the floating gate which affects the resistance or the capacitance of the channel from which the floating gate is spaced apart. A particular application of the programmable resistor/capacitor is used in a system whereby the resistance or the capacitance can be change or fine tuned as a result of either drift caused by time or by operating conditions such as temperature. Thus, the temperature of the substrate in which the floating gate memory cell is fabricated can be monitored and the resistance or the capacitance of the floating gate memory cell changed dynamically.

Nonvolatile memory cells such as those of the floating gate type are well known in the art. In a floating gate non-volatile memory cell, the cell is constructed from a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The substrate has a first and a second region of a second conductivity type spaced apart from one another with a channel region there between. A floating gate is insulated and spaced apart from at least a portion of the channel region. Charges are placed on the floating gate by a variety of mechanisms including but not limited to hot electron injection, Fowler-Nordheim tunneling, etc. Charges are removed from the floating gate to either a control gate, or either the first or second regions, or the channel itself. Such removal can occur by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling.
Typically, non-volatile memory floating gate cells have been of two types: stacked gate type or split gate type. In a split gate type, a floating gate is positioned over only a first portion of the channel region and controls the conduction of charges between the first region and the second region only in that first portion of the channel region. The control gate, which is separate and apart from the floating gate, controls the second portion of the channel region. To operate, the control gate must be "turned on" thereby permitting electron flow to occur in the channel region in the second portion. The state of charges accumulate on the floating gate control the conduction of the channel region in the first portion.
In a stacked gate non-volatile memory cell floating gate, the control gate is "stacked" on top of the floating gate. The floating gate is spaced apart and adjacent to the entire channel region and the state of charges retained on the floating gate control the conduction of the entire channel region.
A dynamically tunable resistor or capacitor is also well known in the art. Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a dynamically tunable resistor 10 of the prior art. In the tunable resistor 10 of the prior art, a plurality of resistors (R0-R6) are connected in series. The resistor R0 has one end connected to a voltage source VCC and another end connected to the output node Rout. The resistors R1-R6 are all connected in series to the node Rout. The other end of the series of resistors R1-R6 is connected to ground. Each of the resistors has one node connected to a switch Sx which connects the resistor to ground thereby bypassing all of the other resistors. Thus, by selectively switching the switches S1-S5, various amounts of resistance can be placed in series with the resistor R0 thereby altering the resistance at the node Rout.
A dynamically tunable capacitor 20 of the prior art is shown in FIG. 2. A capacitor C0 is connected between VCC and ground. The node Cout at VCC provides the output of the variable capacitor 20. The node Cout is also connected to a plurality of capacitor C1, C2, C3 and C4. Each of the capacitors C1-C4 is connected through a switch Sx in parallel between VCC and ground. Thus, the addition of each capacitor Cx placed in parallel with capacitor C0 changes the capacitance at Cout. By varying the switches S1-S4, different amounts of capacitance can be placed in parallel with the capacitor C0 thereby altering the capacitance at the node Cout.
Although the variable resistor 10 and variable capacitor 20 of the prior art are satisfactory for their use, because these devices are made from integrated circuits, there are certain slowly degrading features of the integrated circuit that will cause them to drift away from originally designed optimized value for the resistance or capacitance. Although the circuit may still function, the quality may degrade from the optimized point during a prolonged period of use such as ten years of a life of a system. In addition, in particular applications such as radio frequency where the frequency of operation is high, such as 1 GHz-1000 GHz, such RF applications require very precisely tuned resistors and precisely tuned capacitors which do not vary or drift from originally designed values as the device is placed in operation. Thus, one object of the present invention is to provide a dynamically tunable, i.e. in situ variable resistor or variable capacitor that can be changed as the operation of the integrated circuit varies over the lifetime of its usage.

Dynamically tunable resistor or capacitor using a non-volatile floating gate memory cell


A program drawing-up apparatus can provide information effectively and efficiently. The program drawing-up apparatus (2) comprises a program control device (3) and a narration synthesizer device (4). The program control device (3) has a delivery request acquisition section for acquiring a delivery request from a client apparatus (6), a contents data retrieval section for retrieving contents data and a program drawing-up section for drawing up a program showing the sequence of delivery of the contents data and the auxiliary data on the basis of the delivery request. The narration synthesizer device (4) has a narration synthesizing section for synthetically generating narration data to be delivered in combination with contents data. Information can be provided effectively because contents can be delivered with one or more than one narrations added thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a program drawing-up apparatus, a program providing system, methods to be used with the same, computer programs to be used with the same and a recording medium storing such computer programs.
2. Description of Related Art
It has been a popular practice in recent years that audio/video contents to be used for multimedia of music and images are delivered broadly by way of The Internet or some other communications network. When compared with wired and wireless broadcastings such as television and radio broadcastings, information delivery systems by way of the Internet or the like are characterized in that information is delivered on an on-demand basis. A system operating on an on-demand basis delivers audio/video contents in response to a request issued from a user. For instance, as the user issues a request for delivery of certain contents to a server (contents delivery server) by way of a web service, the server immediately delivers the contents to the user in response to the request.
The contents delivery server stores a large volume of contents data to be delivered in storage mediums such as hard disks. When a request for delivery of certain contents is issued from the user to the contents delivery server, the latter reads the static contents from the storage mediums and delivers them in response to the request from the client apparatus that the user has.
One or more than one narrations may be added to the contents requested by the user as CMs. However, such narrations are static narrations that have already been prepared and stored.
With the above described prior art, the contents delivery server simply delivers static contents that have been prepared in advance in response to a request from the client apparatus. Therefore, it is accompanied by a problem that it cannot provide information that is particularly effective to a specific user.

Program drawing-up apparatus, program providing system, methods to be used with the same, computer programs to be used with the same and recording medium storing such computer programs


A base-plate-less crashbox is provided for absorbing impact energy, which is suitable for insertion into a corresponding support frame, in particular, a motor vehicle support frame, and has a deformable profile. The base-plate-less crashbox includes, but is not limited to at least one first chamber and a second chamber formed adjacent thereto which are each surrounded by a wall of the profile. One of the chambers is formed such as to be shorter in the direction of insertion so that the other chamber has a protruding portion which is adapted to be inserted into the corresponding support frame in order to realize a coupling between the crashbox and the support frame. The protruding portion has at least one first connecting means for connecting the protruding portion to the support frame.

Motor vehicle crashboxes serve the purpose of absorbing a large proportion of the kinetic energy which arises during a crash or an impact in the course of an insurance crash test or other crash tests so that the vehicle structure located behind the point of entry for the kinetic energy remains intact, and the vehicle gets a good damage-type classification.
Crashboxes of the most diverse type are known, these usually being flange mounted onto the motor vehicle chassis, the front frame or the rear frame, by means of a base plate. A peripheral framework flange is needed for these solutions. Hereby, the connection between the base plate and the framework is effected by means of at least one bolted connection which is bolted on substantially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, this then mostly leading to an impairment of the bumper bracket cross section because the location of the bolted connection is accessible. In addition, such crashboxes are put together from several metal plates, and in particular, are welded together. Then, if crashboxes of different lengths are needed for different types of motor vehicle, new tools are necessary for each type of motor vehicle.
Other crashboxes envisage that they be in the form of a push-in solution whereby the height of the crashbox that is to be inserted exactly matches that of the rear frame or the front frame so that the bolted connection, which is always vertical, can produce the necessary grip in order to ensure that the force is introduced into the framework from the crashbox. In this design, the vertical bolts must be screwed through the floor plate, this thereby leading to the installer's body adopting an unergonomic position when threading them in during the assembly process. In addition, the bolted connection must be sealed since this leads into the interior and no externally penetrating materials such as water are permitted to enter therein.
From EP 1 384 536, there is known a crashbox for motor vehicles and a method for the manufacture of this crashbox. This solution provides a method for the manufacture of a crashbox for motor vehicles based on a semi-finished sheet metal product as well as a crashbox for motor vehicles having a multiple chamber profile. Hereby, the semi-finished sheet metal product is transformed by bending or folding it into a multiple chamber profile, in particular, a double chamber profile.
The disadvantage of this solution is that several processing steps are necessary for manufacturing the double chamber profile. In addition, in this solution, a mounting plate must be provided in order to realize a stable crashbox. In this solution, furthermore, the attachment to the framework is made by means of vertical bolted connections.
In view of the foregoing, at least one object of the present invention is to produce a crashbox or a damping arrangement for absorbing impact energy with a crashbox which is usable for different types of motor vehicle having different frame systems and which can, in particular, be easily produced and installed. In addition, other objects, desirable features, and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.

Crashbox and damping arrangement with crashbox


An injection molded DVD case includes a spine, a front cover coupled to the spine via a first living hinge, and a back cover coupled to the spine via a second living hinge. The case, when in a closed configuration, has generally semi-cylindrical rimwalls, including upper and lower rimwalls, a spine rimwall, and a closure rimwall, which intersect in generally quarter-spherical corners. The generally semi-cylindrical rimwalls have been flattened slightly to prevent multiple closed cases that are being pushed down an assembly line from climbing over one another. The new DVD case has an off-center disk mounting hub so that the disk cannot be seen through a transparent title band at the top of the case and also to leave room for the attachment of an EAS tag inside the case. The case also incorporates significant anti-theft features.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cases for optical storage discs such as compact discs and digital video discs and, more particularly, to injection molded cases having a wrap-around flexible sleeve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cases for storing optical storage discs, such as compact discs (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs) CDs and digital video discs (DVDs), when not being used, have been manufactured for about twenty years. The typical case is a square-cornered box having a center hub for receiving the central mounting aperture of the disk. There are significant differences between so-called "jewel cases" used to store CDs and the taller cases used to store DVDs. The first significant difference is that conventional jewel cases are typically injection molded from polystyrene plastic. As the use of this material precludes the use of a "live" hinge, the cases covers are formed in two pieces—a front cover and a back cover—that use snap-together hinges. A third piece, which is internal to the case, snaps into the back cover and holds the back information sheet in place. The second significant difference is that the mechanism used to hold CDs is generally a spring plastic assembly that requires that CDs be pried therefrom. DVD cases, on the other hand, are typically injection molded as a single piece from polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, and rely on live hinges to interconnect a front cover, a spine and a back cover. In addition, as DVDs are considered to be more fragile than CDs, DVD case specifications require a disc retaining mechanism (usually called a hub) having a push-button release. Although some CD cases have been injection molded from polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene and have used disc attachment mechanisms that do not require the CD to be pried therefrom, they constituted a tiny minority of CD cases in use.
U.S. Pat. No. D459,935 discloses a typical injection-molded DVD case. It has a spine connected to both a front cover and a back cover via live hinges. Live hinges are ultra-thin and, hence, ultra-flexible strips of polyolefin material formed between spine and covers during the injection molding process. The case of this patent, like nearly all of those produced by the DVD packaging industry, is a shallow, medially split rectangular box with filleted edges and corners.
A serious problem associated with the designs of current DVD cases is that the video disc stored within the case can be stolen without fully opening the case. Although most DVD cases have a disposable RF security label adhesively attached to the inside of the case, clever shoplifters have learned how to pop the disc from the hub by squeezing the case, pry the case open along a single edge, and then shake the disc out of the case. The shoplifter walks out of the store with the disc, leaving the case and the security label behind. It is estimated that, in certain retail markets, up to a tenth of DVDs placed on sale are stolen from their cases.
Recently, high-definition DVDs which are read by laser diodes operating in the blue range of the electromagnetic spectrum have been introduced. Such DVDs are capable of storing far more data because blue lasers have a shorter wavelength than previously used lasers and, hence, greater resolution. Marketing experts in the DVD distribution industry want to provide packaging that is uniquely identifies the "Blue-Ray" DVDs.
What is needed is a new injection molded DVD case that has a new, more modern and aesthetically appealing appearance, that can be used with existing equipment at DVD reproduction and packaging companies, and that includes additional security features that hamper removal of a packaged DVD from its case before it can be sold.

Injection molded case for optical storage discs


A method and apparatus for controlling a gap between conductors in an electro-mechanical device by controlled displacement of a displaceable conductor within the electro-mechanical device is provided. The apparatus includes a current controller configured to generate a controlled current output for the electro-mechanical device in response to a control signal, the current controller selectively routing a voltage to an array element including control circuitry and the electro-mechanical device.

Mircro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) exist which combine mechanical devices, such as mirrors and actuators, with electronic control circuitry for controlling the mechanical devices. One such device is referred to as a diffractive light device (DLD), and includes a variable capacitor composed of a fixed reflective ground plate and a semi-transparent, electrostatically movable second plate. The variable gap between the plates produces a desired interference or diffraction of light passing therein, which can be used for spatial light modulation in high resolution displays and for wavelength management in optical communication systems.
Conventional control systems for controlling the variable gap in DLDs and other MEMs devices, however, have been shown to have a non-linear relationship between the voltages generated to control the gap size versus plate displacement for achieving a desired gap size. This non-linear relationship limits precise control of plate movement to less than one third of the total gap distance before the plate "snaps down" to mechanical stops. This "snap down" phenomenon is also known as a pull-in characteristic in the art.
Techniques for increasing the controllable distance often require large control circuit footprints due in part to the presence of switching elements and the like, which correspondingly increases the footprint of the controller and prevents implementation in applications requiring relatively small control circuit sizes (e.g., not greater than 20 u2 per MEMs device). Other techniques for increasing the controllable distance suffer from parasitic drops in control lines (particularly in arrayed DLD applications), which causes a variation in power to DLDs across the array.

Method and apparatus for controlling a gap between conductors in an electro-mechanical device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Methods and compositions are provided for engineering microorganisms, which permit enhanced H2 production. The methods and compositions provided include novel chimeric gene constructs encoding H2-forming H2ase and maturation proteins, allowing for generation of H2 continuously in large quantities. In one illustrated embodiment, novel engineered algae are provided with increased levels of H2 production.

Nearly 10-11 million tons of H2 are produced in the U.S. each year. The majority of commercial H2 is produced by natural gas reformation. Oil refineries are the largest consumer of H2, purchasing millions of tons of H2 each year to satisfy the need for oil cracking. Ammonia plants and several other chemical industries are among the other major consumers of H2. Use of H2 is predicted to increase annually by nearly 1% based on the current market. In addition, a significant expansion is anticipated with introduction of H2-powered vehicles/aircrafts and rise of prices of electric power.
Numerous research groups have been working on creating economical catalysts for solar-powered H2 production from water [18, 19]. Quick inactivation through oxidation poses a tremendous challenge for developing chemical catalysts. Nature has solved this problem in algae by continuous regeneration and replacement of oxidized biological catalysts, namely enzymes. Green microalgae have the potential to combine the generation of H2 with light powered oxidation of water molecules releasing protons and electrons needed for the formation of H2 (Melis, 2007, Planta 226: 1075-86; M. Ghirardi et al., 2007, Ann. Rev. of Plant Biology 58: 71-91). Several species of algae including C. reinhardtii possess the ability to convert solar power into H2. They possess H2 evolving redox metalloenzymes referred to as [FeFe] H2ases which reversibly catalyze the reaction2H++2e−H2 These H2ases combine electrons and protons from sun-light powered splitting of water to form H2 [12, 20].
Green algae are among the most promising organisms for economical production of H2 biofuels. Many species of microalgae are already exploited for numerous biotechnological applications such as production of food additives and animal feed that underscores economic benefits of microalgae-based manufacturing [21, 22]. Protocols for transformation of nuclear and chloroplast genomes have been established for C. reinhardtii [23-25]. Furthermore, a considerable knowledge has been accumulated about structure and function of H2ases.
Green algae represent an advantageous model organism for the generation of H2 through modification of H2ase activity. Algae are eukaryotic organisms, and results obtained in algae can be used to predict similar results in other eukaryotic organisms, such as plants or fungi, or other eukaryotic cells. Further, as photosynthetic organisms, algae serve as an effective model for other photosynthesizing organisms, including plants and prokaryotic cyanobacteria.
[FeFe] H2ases
[FeFe] H2ases from several bacterial and algal species catalyze formation of H2. The [FeFe] H2ases from C. reinhardtii (HydA1) and from Clostridium pasteurianum (CpHydA) are among enzymes with the greatest catalytic activity in H2 evolution reaction [11, 15]. The two enzymes share considerable similarity in the catalytic domain although the hosts belong to different kingdoms, Plantae and Bacteria [26, 27]. [FeFe] H2ases contain accessory FeS clusters, Fe4S4 and Fe2S2, which transfer electrons to the active site of the enzyme. The active (catalytic) site, the H-cluster, consists of the Fe2S2 subcluster and unusual ligands [28]. Both CpHydA and HydA1 are monomers with considerable homology in the catalytic domain. HydA1, which is one of the smallest [FeFe] H2ases, consists of a catalytic domain alone. HydA1 and CpHydA show similar H2 evolving activity when supplied with an appropriate electron donor [29].
The C. reinhardtii H2ase genes are nuclear-encoded and contain chloroplast targeting signal peptides. Expression of HydA1 is highly regulated. O2 quickly inhibits transcription of hydA1 [16]. The classical Fe4S4 and Fe2S2 clusters are encountered in a variety of proteins. The metabolic pathway for synthesis of these clusters is functional under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions and readily available in algal cells [30]. In addition, at least three maturation proteins, HydE, HydF, and HydG, are required for assembly of the active site [29]. The genes hydE, hydF, and hydG function to couple radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine chemistry and nucleotide hydrolysis to synthesise CO and CN ligands and assemble the H-cluster [31, 32]. Insertion of the H-cluster completes maturation of HydA1.
Electron Source for H2ases
Algal H2ases serve as an electron sink providing a selective advantage under anaerobiosis by avoiding overreduction of photosystem I (PSI) electron acceptors [33, 34]. Two electron supply pathways have been identified for algal H2ases—a direct and an indirect pathway [9, 35]. In the direct pathway, electrons are passed from photosystem II (PSII) to PSI, and then from a reduced ferredoxin to H2ase. The indirect pathway starts from starch catabolism injecting electrons into the plastoquinone pool. Both pathways share electron carrier cytochrome b6/f complex, plastocyanin, and PSI. The indirect pathway is equipped with a cyclic electron flow (CEF) system which recycles excess electrons to the cytochrome b6/f complex or plastoquinone pool.
H2ases receive electrons from a ferredoxin which is reduced, for example by PSI. Consequently, algal H2ases compete for electron source with several metabolic pathways such as production of NADPH for CO2 fixation, a CEF system of PSI, and several essential reduction reactions [36, 37]. Fusion of a C. reinhardtii ferredoxin (Fdx1 encoded by petF) with HydA1 switched bias of electron transfer to H2ase from ferredoxin:NADP+-oxidoreductase (FNR) in an in vitro bioassay [38]. FNR generates NADPH. Similarly, deletion of a Proton Gradient Regulation Like 1 (PGRL1) protein from the CEF system impaired CEF and increased photoproduction of H2 in microalgae by five-fold [39]. Previously reported data also pointed to a relationship between H2ase activity and CEF [40, 41]. Interestingly, the pgrl1 knockdown mutant showed the same photosynthesis rate as the wild type Chlamydomonas. In contrast, photosynthetic activity of Arabidopsis pgrl1 and pgrl5 mutants was severely affected under high light intensity [42] [43]. A mechanism of neutralization of excess reducing power in microalgae evidently is more effective than in higher plants.
O2 Sensitivity
O2 quickly and irreversibly inhibits H2-forming H2ases [16, 44]. For example, the HydA1 activity is inhibited within 30-90 seconds under <2% O2 [16]. Analysis of the C. acetobutylicum [FeFe] H2ase showed that O2 inhibition starts from reversible formation of an O2 adduct that is followed by irreversible transformation of the catalytic cluster [45, 46]. Analysis of crystal structures, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and site directed mutagenesis of H2ases suggested a gas access channel connecting the active site with the protein surface [47-49]. Mutation of residues, which were predicted computationally to form the channel's wall, modified rates of migration of H2 and CO to the catalytic site [50, 51]. A direct connection between O2 sensitivity and a gas access channel was shown on the regulatory H2ase HupUV [52, 53]. Replacement of two residues in the putative gas channel in HupUV widened the gas channel and modified O2 sensitivity.
H2 Manufacturing Processes
Several research groups have worked on development of a process for H2 production in microalgae [12-14]. Two models have been developed so far based on anaerobic S-deprivation in light [9, 10]. S-deprivation inhibits synthesis of S-rich proteins including some proteins of the PSII reaction center [17]. This leads to interruption of photosynthesis and O2 formation. Anaerobosis under light enables formation of H2. However, algae do not survive more than a few days in a S-depleted medium. Consequently, H2 yield is low. Recently, Surzyski and co-workers engineered Chlamydomonas for inducible turning off/on the PSII activity [54]. As result, H2 photoproduction in the recombinant strain was prolonged up to two weeks by alternating the dark/light cycles. A mutant strain with a partial O2 tolerance, up to 2% (v/v), was produced by classical mutagenesis, but H2 yield was several times lower that under anaerobiosis [55]. Recently, a bacterial H2ase variant with a reduced rate of O2 migration into the active site was created by site-directed mutagenesis [56]. However, the mutations decreased the H2 forming activity.
O2 sensitivity is viewed as the major obstacle in a way of developing a commercially viable process for renewable production of H2 [14, 57, 58]. Metabolic engineering presents a powerful approach to overcome O2 sensitivity of algal H2ases. Recent breakthroughs in understanding of structure and function of these enzymes open new opportunities to engineer microalgae for commercial manufacturing of H2.
No commercially viable renewable process for H2 manufacturing has been developed to date. The microalgae C. reinhardti and the bacterium C. pasteurianum possess some of the most active enzymes with H2-forming activity. Several research groups have worked on development of a process for H2 production in microalgae. Two models of a process for H2 production in algae have been developed based on anaerobic sulfur(S)-deprivation in light to prevent generation of O2 during synthesis of H2 [9, 10]. Accordingly, H2 production is low. The limiting factor currently is O2 sensitivity of H2ases [15-17].

Development of microorganisms for hydrogen production


A radio equipment control for communicating plural radio equipment units including an identifier inserting unit for inserting into a frame an identifier for recognizing a connection relation of plural cascade-connected radio equipment units and a transmitting unit for transmitting the frame having the identifier inserted therein by the identifier inserting unit to the plural cascade-connected radio equipment units. The wireless communication apparatus includes a receiving unit for receiving the frame having the identifier inserted therein from the plural cascade-connected radio equipment units and a connection relation recognizing unit for recognizing the connection relation of the plural cascade-connected radio equipment units on the basis of the identifier of the frame received by the receiving unit.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a radio equipment control, radio equipment and a communication system to perform communications in a base station.
2. Description of the Related Art
A base station in a radio communication system that includes cellular phones or the like may be divided into RE (Radio Equipment), which processes radio signals, and REC (Radio Equipment Control), which controls the REs (RE units). For example, CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) is known as an interface for connecting REC and REs. By using CPRI, the base station can be divided into REs and REC, and setting the interface is made open to users, whereby respective sections in the base station can be multivendored. CPRI defines layer1 (L1) and layer2 (L2) based on hardware as an application range.
There has been known a connecting arrangement between REC and REs in which REC has plural CPRIs and each CPRI is connected to RE in one-to-one style. Furthermore, there is known a connecting arrangement in which REs are cascade-connected (for example, refer to paragraph 0046 and FIG. 11 of Japanese translation of PCT international application No. 2007-511955). In the cascade connection of REs, REC and RE at the first stage are connected to each other through CPRI, and RE and RE at subsequent stages are connected to each other through a connection unit inherent to the device.

Radio equipment control, radio equipment and communication system


A molding compound is provided for use in encapsulating electronic packages which include an optoelectronic component, such as an LED. The molding compound includes a partially cured epoxy composition, an antioxidant, and, optionally, a phosphor material substantially uniformly distributed throughout the epoxy composition. The optional phosphor material may be suspended within the epoxy composition by pre-reacting a portion of the epoxy composition prior to B-staging of the molding compound. As such, the optional phosphor material is suspended within the epoxy composition, thereby preventing settling of the phosphor material during B-staging, as well as during curing of the molding compound in the encapsulation process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to epoxy molding compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to epoxy molding compositions which are particularly useful as optoelectronic encapsulants for light emitting devices.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Epoxy resin compositions are widely used for electronic packaging materials in the electronics industry and, in particular, as encapsulants for semiconductor elements and electronic circuits. Accordingly, epoxy resin-based compositions have been widely used in the formation of molding compositions for use as electronic packaging materials. Transparent epoxy molding compositions are well known for use as encapsulants in connection with optoelectronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), for use for lighting applications in the electronics industry.
LEDs have traditionally been multilayer epitaxial structures based mainly on AlGaAs and InGaAlP as basic materials. Such LEDs are typically encapsulated in a transparent epoxy composition, which is typically provided in a dome shape for efficient transmission of light from the LED.
Epoxy compositions useful in encapsulating optoelectronic devices such as LEDs may involve liquid-type compositions, which can be filled or poured about an LED and cured. Additionally, partially cured epoxy compositions may be used for encapsulating LEDs, in which an epoxy composition is partially cured or "B-staged" to form a "pellet", which can then be transfer molded with the electronic device under heat and pressure to encapsulate the LED.
More recently, GaN (gallium nitride)-based semiconductor devices have been used in UV/blue lasers and UV/blue LEDs. UV/blue LEDs are LEDs which are capable of emitting in the ultraviolet (UV) range, or in the blue range, or in both the UV and blue ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. Conversion of UV/blue light from an LED to visible white light can be accomplished using phosphors, which are typically applied to the surface of the LED and then encapsulated with an epoxy encapsulant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,401 to Liu discloses an LED structure including a transparent epoxy compound for encapsulating the LED, and including a phosphor layer coated on the outer surface of the epoxy compound. Such an arrangement requires additional manufacturing steps for providing the separate layers of epoxy and phosphor, which results in additional time and cost for manufacturing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,971 to McElhaney et al. discloses a scintillator assembly which includes a body of optically-transparent epoxy and an amount of phosphor particles embedded within the body adjacent one surface. The phosphor particles are mixed within the liquid epoxy when in an uncured state and settle to the bottom surface of a mold in which the liquid epoxy is contained. Upon curing into a hardened body, the phosphor particles are coated on one surface thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,753 to Vriens et al. discloses an LED for use in lighting applications which includes a UV/blue LED located in a depression of a cup, with the cup being filled with a light transmitting cycloaliphatic epoxy encapsulant with phosphor particles dispersed in the encapsulant or adhered to the surface of the LED. Such cycloaliphatic epoxy encapsulants are well known for use as liquid epoxy compositions in encapsulating electronics. Such liquid cycloaliphatic epoxy compositions, however, cannot be B-staged due to their inherent high reactivity. Moreover, because of their low viscosity, the phosphor particles typically settle out of the liquid composition during curing, thereby providing a non-uniform distribution of phosphor throughout the cured encapsulant.
Such epoxy compositions should be as resistant to heat and UV light as possible to help prevent degradation of the epoxy composition during operation of the light emitting device.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a molding composition useful as an optoelectronic encapsulant for LEDs which provides for substantially uniform distribution of phosphors and which is easy to manufacture and use as a molding composition. It would also be advantageous to provide a molding composition useful as an optoelectronic encapsulant for LEDs having improved resistance to heat and UV light.

Epoxy molding compounds with resistance to UV light and heat


A semiconductor device of one embodiment, including the semiconductor layer including a III-V group nitride semiconductor; a groove portion formed in the semiconductor layer; the gate insulating film formed at least on a bottom surface of the groove portion, the gate insulating film being a stacked film of a first insulating film and a second insulating film of which dielectric constant is higher than that of the first insulating film; the gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film; and a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the semiconductor layer across the gate electrode, in which the second insulating film is selectively formed only under the gate electrode.

Recently, in order to realize a power semiconductor device such as a switching device and a high-frequency power semiconductor device, a nitride semiconductor material having high critical field strength is actively researched. JP-A 2006-222414 (KOKAI) discloses a heterojunction field-effect transistor having a recess structure in a gate electrode forming region. A gate insulating film of the transistor is stacked film made of a silicon nitride film and a high-dielectric-constant insulating film. The structure intended to realize normally-off operation and to improve transconductance in a nitride-based semiconductor device.


Provided are vertical transitions which have the high electrical performance and the high shielding properties in the wide frequency band in a multilayer PCB, printed circuit boards with the vertical transitions and semiconductor packages with the printed circuit boards and semiconductor chips. In vertical transitions for a multilayer PCB, a wave guiding channel is a conductor which includes at least more than one of signal vias 201, an assembly of ground vias 202 surrounding the signal via, ground plates from conductor layers of the PCB connected to the ground vias, closed ground striplines 205 connecting the ground vias and power supply layer.

A multilayer PCB usually comprises a number of planar conductor layers used for signal, ground and power supplies where the conductor layers are isolated by a material. Planar interconnect circuits embedded in the PCB can be developed on the base of transmission lines such as microstrip lines, strip lines, coplanar lines, and slot lines which have typically low leakage losses and well-defined characteristic impedance. These properties of planar transmission lines give a possibility to develop high-performance and matched interconnections based on PCB technologies. Vertical transitions in the PCB which serve to connect planar interconnected circuits disposed at the different conductor layers are usually based on various types of via structures such as through hole vias, blind vias, counter-bored, and buried vias (see Patent Document No. 1). These transitions have usually poor-defined wave guiding properties that leads to problems in controlling characteristic impedance and high leakage, especially, at higher frequencies.
As a solution to improve guiding and shielding properties of vertical transitions in multilayer PCBs at higher frequencies, ground vias surrounding a signal via can be used. Such ground vias are usually connected to ground planes of the multilayer PCB. As a rule, a multilayer PCB includes power supply planar conductor layers. To provide passages of ground vias through power supply layers the clearance hole isolating each ground via and the power supply plane is usually used around each ground via (see Patent Document Nos. 2-8).
Referring to the drawings, a signal via 101 in a 12-conductor-layer PCB, which serves only as an example of multilayer PCB design, is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view of a vertical transition (in a direction of a dotted line 1B in FIG. 1A), the arrangement of conductor layers of the PCB separated by an isolating material is as follows: Ground planes are 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 11th layers; Power supply plane is 5th layer; Signal planes are 1st, 3rd, 8th, 10th, and 12th layers. The signal via is separated from conductor planes of the PCB by a clearance hole 103.
FIG. 1A shows a top view of a power supply layer which is 5th layer of a vertical transition.
At higher frequencies the single signal via 101 through clearance hole 103 has high leakage loss which degrades the electrical performance of this vertical interconnection. To decrease leakage loss ground via fence (a group of ground vias) 1021 which comprises a plurality of ground vias (see FIG. 3) surrounding the signal via 101 can be used. In this case ground vias 102 passing through the ground planes are electrically connected to these planes. At the power supply layer (5th layer in considered example) to prevent electrical contact between ground vias 102 and power supply layer 109 the clearance hole 104 can be formed around each ground via 102.
It is well-known that in a multilayer PCB parallel-plate modes can excite between conductor planes including space between power supply and ground layers. Conducting planes (power supply plane (power supply layer) 109 and ground plane (ground plate) 108 in present example shown in FIG. 2) of a multilayer PCB or a package can form a parallel-plate waveguide in which guided modes (waves) can exist. The fundamental mode of the parallel-plate waveguide is a Transverse Electromagnetic Mode or TEM mode which can propagate at all frequencies. The electric field of the TEM mode is normal to the planes (in the x direction) so that the associated magnetic field is parallel to the planes (in the y direction). The parallel-plate modes (PPMs) can resonate with via structures and also with edges of the PCB 110 (or package). Due to such resonances the electrical performance of a signal via can make worse considerably. The application of ground via fence 1021 around the signal via as shown in FIG. 3 and using the clearance hole around each ground via are ways to prevent the signal via from the parallel-plate mode resonance effect.    Patent Document No. 1: Specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,670,559    Patent Document No. 2: Specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,216    Patent Document No. 3: Specification of US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0091730    Patent Document No. 4 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-183582    Patent Document No. 5 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-135899    Patent Document No. 6 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-100941    Patent Document No. 7 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-041630    Patent Document No. 8 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-054869

Vertical transitions, printed circuit boards therewith and semiconductor packages with the printed circuit boards and semiconductor chip


Closed loop wireless communication of signals using an adaptive transmit antenna array, in which multiple copies of signals to be transmitted by the transmit antenna array are produced with delays and weights that are functions of the multi-path transmission channel characteristics from the transmit antenna array to a receive antenna array of a receiver and are combined before transmission by the transmit antenna array. The delays and weights of the transmit copies for each transmit antenna element are functions of the respective multi-path transmission channel characteristics from that transmit antenna element to the receive antenna array such that the multi-path signal components propagated to each receiver element are received with distinguishable delays according to the propagation path. The receiver combines the received signal components from each receive antenna element with delays and weights that are respective functions of the multi-path transmission channels.

Wireless communication systems are assuming ever-increasing importance for the transmission of data, which is to be understood in its largest sense as covering speech or other sounds and images, for example, as well as abstract digital signals.
Currently proposed standards for wireless communication systems include the 3GPP (3rd generation Partnership Project) and 3GPP2 standards, which use Code Division Multiple Access ('CDMA') and Frequency Division Duplex ('FDD') or Time Division Duplex ('TDD'), the HIPERLAN and HIPERLAN2 local area network standards of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute ('ETSI'), which use Time Division Duplex ('TDD') and the International Telecommunications Union ('ITU') IMT-2000 standards. The present invention is applicable to systems of these kinds and other wireless communication systems.
In order to improve the communication capacity of the systems while reducing the sensitivity of the systems to noise and interference and limiting the power of the transmissions, various techniques are used separately or in combination, including space-time diversity, where the same data is transmitted over different transmit and/or receive antenna elements, and frequency spreading, such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex ('OFDM') where the same data is spread over different channels distinguished by their sub-carrier frequency.
At the receiver, the detection of the symbols is performed utilising knowledge of the complex channel attenuation and phase shifts: the Channel State Information ('CSI'). The Channel State Information is obtained at the receiver by measuring the value of pilot signals transmitted together with the data from the transmitter. The knowledge of the channel enables the received signals to be processed jointly according to the Maximum Ratio Combining technique, in which the received signal is multiplied by the Hermitian transpose of the estimated channel transfer matrix.
Two broad ways of managing the transmit diversity have been categorised as 'closed loop' and 'open loop'. In closed loop signal transmission, information concerning the transmission channels is utilised at the transmitter to improve the communication. For example, the document Tdoc SMG2 UMTS-L1318/98 presented to the ETSI UMTS Physical Layer Expert Group describes operation of a Transmit Adaptive Array (TxAA) FDD scheme in which the dedicated channels are transmitted coherently with the same data and code at each transmit antenna, but with antenna-specific amplitude and phase weighting. The receiver uses pilots transmitted on the Common Channels to separately estimate the channels seen from each antenna. The receiver estimates the weights that should be applied at the transmitter to maximise the power received at the receiver, quantises the weights and feeds them back to the transmitter. The transmitter applies the respective quantised weights to the amplitudes and phases of the signals transmitted from each transmit antenna of the array. U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,256 assigned to the assignee of the present invention describes a closed loop transmission system of this kind. Alternatively, in TDD systems, the channel state information for weighting the signals applied to the downlink transmit antennas may be derived from the uplink signals, assuming that the downlink and uplink channels are reciprocal, without transmission of any specific channel or weighting information from the receiver to the transmitter.
Further improvement in communication may be obtained by use of a RAKE receiver. In a multi-path channel, the original transmitted signal reflects from obstacles such as buildings, and mountains, and the receiver receives several copies of the signal with different delays. If the signals arrive more than one elementary signal element apart from each other, a simple receiver can resolve them. Actually, from each individual multi-path signal's point of view, other multi-path signals can be regarded as interference and they are suppressed by the processing gain of a simple receiver or a single RAKE receiver finger.
A RAKE receiver obtains further benefit by combining the resolved multi-path Signals. The Review "An overview of CDMA evolution toward wideband CDMA" by Ramjee Prasad and Tero Ojanperä, published by IEEE Communications Surveys describes an example of a RAKE receiver. After spreading and modulation the signal is transmitted and the signals in the multi-path channels are delayed and attenuated by respective amounts. The RAKE receiver has a plurality of receiver fingers for receiving different multi-path components of the signal. In each finger, the received signal is correlated by a spreading code, which is time-aligned with the respective measured delay of the multi-path signal. After de-spreading, the signals are weighted and combined, for example by maximal ratio combining, that is to say weighting each signal by the path gain (attenuation factor). Since the received multi-path signals fade independently, diversity order and thus performance are improved.
In practice, movement of a mobile receiver will change the scattering environment and thus the delays and attenuation factors will change as well. The RAKE receiver fingers may be defined by software algorithms rather than by hardware. The transmission multi-path channel profile is measured and the RAKE fingers may then be reallocated. Small-scale changes are taken care of by a code-tracking loop, which tracks the time delay of each multi-path signal.
The document "Transmit diversity with joint pre-distortion", Tdoc 3GPP TSGR1#6(99)918, August 1999 presented to the 3GPP working group 1, proposes for UMTS TDD mode pre-distorting the transmit signals separately (or simultaneously) on each smart antenna element in order to remove the need for joint detection at the receiver: the objective is stated to be to be able to use a single-finger RAKE receiver, that is to say that the transmitted signal is modified so that the received signal appears to the receiver as if it was not a multi-path signal but a single-path signal. No advantage is gained from the multi-path diversity.
The article "Pre-equalization for MIMO wireless channels with delay spread" by H. Sampath, H. Bölcskei, A. J. Paulraj, published by IEEE in VTC 2000 describes an OFDM transmission system in which channel knowledge made available at the transmitter is used to pre-equalise the signals transmitted from the transmit antennas, so as to reduce the complexity of the mobile station. The system includes a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter that combines copies of the transmit signals with respective delays and weights (gains) and launches the combined signals from the transmit antennas.
In both case, such schemes attempt to make the channel look flat in order to minimize the interference and avoid the use of a multi-finger RAKE receiver or equaliser at the receiver. The present invention obtains improved performance compared to these systems by exploiting the multi-path signals.

Wireless transmission using an adaptive transmit antenna array


To overcome the antipathy some children have to car travel, a headrest 20 for a baby seat 10 comprises a backing element in the form of a human or animal shape (e.g. a clown) having a head 21 and a body 22, the head having projecting head parts (hair, ears, horns, or the like). The body may have limbs extending from it which may be bent around the child. Either or both pairs of limbs may have fasteners (e.g. VELCRO.TM. pads) at 25 to hold them around the child. The headrest may be constructed as a container or bag, closable at 25 by a zipper or by other fasteners such as VELCRO.TM. pads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to head supports for use with baby seats, particularly though not exclusively car baby seats.
2. Prior Art
A car baby seat generally comprises a shell of rigid plastics material molded into a rough L-shape with its sides curved round to form a partial enclosure. The shell has straps to hold the baby in it, and is usually provided with a layer of padding material over most of its inner surface. The shell also has fittings by means of which it can itself be strapped firmly in position in a car; depending on circumstances, the seat may be fitted facing either forwards or backwards.
Such a baby seat is necessarily made to take babies of a substantial range of weights and ages. (Typical ranges are from birth to 4 years, or from 6 months to 6 years.) The seat gives a reasonably good fit for children at the top end of the range, and is therefore significantly over-sized for children at the lower end of the range. Further, some children under some conditions will be alert and sit up by themselves, while others will under some conditions be sleepy and will tend to slump.
Baby seats normally hold the child in a sitting position which is fairly close to upright. A child which slumps, particularly if it is small for the seat, may be made uncomfortable, mainly because the seat will not provide adequate support for the head, which will tend to sag to the side. This is particularly likely with very young children. It has therefore become known to provide head rests for such baby seats.
In one known baby seat, the head rest is incorporated as part of the seat, and is slidable to allow it to be adjusted to match the size of the child. This head rest comprises a pair of support elements, one on each side of the child's head, projecting forward from the rear of the seat molding.
Most baby seats, however, do not incorporate a built-in head rest. A variety of head rests have therefore become available, for use with such baby seats. Such head rests generally consist of a backing element carrying support means which project forward from it. The backing element is placed against the rear of the seat molding so that the child leans back against it, and may extend down to the base area of the seat molding. This results in the support means (which typically extend in an arc around the sides and top of the child's head) projecting forward around and supporting the child's head.
The support means normally contain resilient foamed plastics material, and the backing element is thin and relatively, rigid. The whole head-rest is normally covered in relatively impervious cloth or similar material, which is normally either uniformly colored or patterned with a printed pattern.
The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved head rest for a baby seat.


A sanitary opener for attachment to a door for use by an operator to open the door with his forearm or elbow is described. The opener comprises a first portion generally parallel to the door for attachment to the door, a second portion extending away for the door and a third portion with a generally planar contact surface facing the door. To open the door, the operator places his forearm behind the third portion and against the contact surface and pulls. A sanitary advantage is gained since an operator's hands do not touch the door. An alternate embodiment provides for a foot operated opener.

A door opener that does not require the use of an operator's hands offers a distinct sanitary advantage in hospitals and other medical facilities, in public restrooms and especially in restrooms of restaurants and other food service establishments where patrons prefer that their hands not contact door knobs or handles.
Depending upon use, personnel doors are generally equipped with one of two types of handles: those with built-in latches to permit locking or those without positive latches. The present invention relates to those passage type doors and to doors of cabinets and other enclosures which are not equipped with positive latching means. Closure devices or tension type latches on doors do not interfere with use of the present opener.
Ideally, non-latching, passage doors that swing in two directions could be used in sanitary sensitive establishments so that a person's forearm, elbow or foot, rather than his hand, could be used to push a door open from either direction; however, this is not normally advisable due to safety considerations. Building codes do not permit doors to be installed that will swing into passageways or other common areas since a person could be injured by the unexpected opening of any door along his way. Therefore, most doors are installed only to swing inwardly into a room. These doors can be opened by pushing only from their outward or passageway side.
Except for electronically operated doors which are expensive to install and maintain, no practical means for opening a passage door in a sanitary manner from its inwardly swinging side has been described. Consequently, a need exists for a manually operated, sanitary, door opener that does not require the use of an operator's hands.


Employees gain access to a payroll and work management system by authentication at a multi-purpose terminal with a bankcard encoded with a unique account number and a personal identification number (PIN). The terminal may then be used to check-in and checkout of work, to receive new work instructions or assignments, to review payroll details, to print a payroll stub, to execute financial transactions, to print a receipt of financial transactions or to review or to upload the results of work quality audits. The invention also includes systems and methods that utilize such multi-purpose terminals to calculate the payroll and deductions for each employee and to issue electronic fund transfers from the employer's bank account to deposit the net pay in a bank account associated with each employee's bankcard so that the pay is immediately accessible by each employee, such as by withdrawal of cash at an ATM or by purchases at a point of sale. Electronic payrolls may be processed and employee's accounts credited with pay on a daily basis, or on any preset period of time, including hourly.

This invention relates in general to a biometric multi-purpose terminal, payroll and work management system and related methods, and more particularly, to a biometric multi-purpose terminal that employees may use after authentication with a bankcard and personal identification number (PIN) and/or with a biometric device, such as a finger print detector to check-in and check-out of work, to receive new work instructions or assignments, to review payroll details, to print a payroll stub, to execute financial transactions, to print a receipt of a financial transaction or to request a payroll advance based upon work hours accrued, to wire transfer funds from a bankcard to another bankcard or bank account, to relay alerts and messages from the work location to back office systems and operational managers, or to order and track equipment at work locations. The invention also relates to systems and methods that utilize such biometric multi-purpose terminals, including deposit of net pay in a bank account associated with each employee's bankcard so that the pay is immediately accessible by each employee.
Automated teller machines (ATMs) are typically owned by banks or banking networks. They are widely available and are frequently used to dispense cash. A customer inserts or slides a bankcard in the ATM so that a coded account number can be read from the bankcard. Through a financial network, such as Visa™/Plus™ or Mastercard™/Cirrus™, the ATM then communicates with the bank that issued the bankcard (the issuing bank) to see if the desired cash withdrawal exceeds the current balance in a bank account that is related to the account number. If not, the cash is dispensed and the card owner's account is debited in the amount of the withdrawal plus any service charge for use of the ATM.
The user of the bankcard is also provided with a personal identification number (PIN) or password that is associated with the account number. The PIN is entered at the request of the ATM prior to authenticating both the account number and the PIN. In the event that the bankcard is lost, the finder will not be able to withdraw funds since he/she lacks the PIN necessary to complete any ATM transaction.
ATMs provide a variety of account transactions. The user may withdraw cash from user's checking account, savings account or as an advance from a line of credit, such as a credit card account. The user may also transfer funds between accounts, such as from a checking account to a savings account. In some instances, the user may ascertain the balances in accounts associated with the account number. However, the principal use of ATMs continues to be cash withdrawal.
Local check cashing, payday loan and wire transfer service providers, also referred to as alternative financial service providers, compete with banks and the ATMs by providing financial services for their profiled customers. Profiled customers have previously signed a signature card or have otherwise previously confirmed their identity with a local alternative financial service provider, or with a network of such alternative financial service providers. Alternative financial service providers tend to operate locally, instead of in nationwide like the banking networks. The alternative financial service providers compete with banks and ATMs by cashing checks, particularly payroll checks, for its profiled customers. A typical fee for such a transaction is about 1.6 percent of the amount of the payroll check. For higher volume transactions, the income from check cashing can be quite substantial.
The customers of alternative financial service providers are typically lower-wage local residents who do not have checking or savings accounts at a local bank, and therefore rely on an alternative financial service provider to convert their paychecks into cash. Since they do not have a bank account, they do not have a bankcard and cannot use an ATM. There is therefore a business opportunity for banks to acquire new customers by providing the functions performed by alternative financial service providers in cashing payroll checks and money orders.
Wire transfer of funds is another function typically performed by one bank to another bank. This function is not normally available at alternative financial service providers. As a result, those individuals who use alternative financial service providers for their financial affairs often use a company that specializes in wire transfers, such as Western Union or American Express Company. The fees for providing wire transfer service at these companies are generally around 4 to 6.5 percent, depending upon the amount transferred. For example, a typical current fee for wire transferring a minimum of $200.00 is about $13.00. These fees are graduated upwardly for larger wire transfers; such as to about $200.00 in fees to wire transfer $5,000.00.
Many of the afore-mentioned lower-wage earners send money to their relatives in the United States or abroad. Among the other more significant users of wire transfers are travelers and the parents of college students because immediate access to funds is often desired or needed. Thus, if wire transfers could be accomplished relatively inexpensively, additional customers could be obtained who are likely to also use the other available financial services. This presents yet another business opportunity.
Many such lower-wage earners also visit the alternative financial service provider to ask for a short term loan advance, which they usually pay off by the next payday. Such short term loans, also referred to as a "Payday Loan" advance, are sometimes at predatory interest rates ranging from 1 to 1.5 percent per day. This interest rate translates to and annual percentage rate of 365 to 520 percent, or more depending upon the compounding of the interest.
Larger employers usually develop or purchase a payroll system. Often, the payroll system is part of a larger computer system that records many different types of business transactions. These payroll systems are quite complex since they must deal not only with time and attendance, but also with a plethora of potential deductions. Deductions generally include federal income tax, FICA, state income tax, in some instances county, township or city tax, health insurance, dental insurance, contributions to retirement plans, contributions to profitability or stock purchase plans, union dues, alimony and the like. For businesses with employees in more than one state, the complexity is usually compounded by differences in the state and local tax laws.
However, the real inefficiency in payroll systems is in keeping track of the time of hourly employees. Customarily, timesheets are collected, the payroll is processed and payroll checks are cut and distributed to the employees. Payroll is often centralized for employers with more than one location. This means that timesheets are express mailed to where the payroll is processed, such as at the corporate headquarters. The payroll checks must then be issued and express mailed back to all of the employee locations. This process is expensive, cumbersome and time consuming. Thus, payroll cannot practically or economically be done on a daily basis is such systems. Most employers therefore pay their employees once every two weeks, or once a month.
Employee turnover is another significant expense. The payroll database must frequently be updated to add new employees and to delete former employees, including all pertinent employee information. The hiring process to attract and bring in new employees to replace departing employees is particularly expensive.
On the other hand, employers can increase employee loyalty and reduce such payroll and hiring expenses by paying wages more frequently, such as on a weekly basis, or even on a daily basis, and by providing payroll advances based upon the accrued pay at the time that the payroll advance is sought. Research indicates that lower-wage employees will frequently change jobs for as little as $0.25 per hour increase in wages. This is particularly a problem for employers in labor-intensive industries, such as janitorial services, hotel-motel service companies, fast food franchises and the like.
Research also indicates that many employees will actually work for somewhat less compensation than is available in the competitive marketplace if they are paid more frequently. This is because many employees operate from paycheck to paycheck, and some employees have difficulty surviving financially until the next paycheck. A more frequent paycheck is therefore of considerable value to such employees since it reduces the pay cycle. More frequent wage payment and payroll advances also operate as a disincentive for many employees to change employment to a different employer with longer wage payment intervals.
Research also indicates that many employees would feel more loyal to their employees if their employers offered short term loans which would be paid back by the next payday. This means that low wage employers offering payday loan advances, at a discount compared to the prevailing rates charged by alternative financial service providers, could increase their employee retention rates. That is, such employers could enjoy less employee turn over.
Another problem with prior art payroll systems is fraud resulting from buddy punching. This is where an employee who may be late, leaves early, or will be absent on a particular day has a buddy or friend punch his/her timecard in and/or out. Such fraud remains a significant problem in many labor-intensive industries where large numbers of employees check-in and checkout each workday. Various biometric systems that verify the identity of the person by his or her physical characteristics, such as the retina of the eye or a fingerprint, have been proposed and implemented. If an employee is sensitive about checking in and checking out through biometric devices, such as a fingerprint reader, he/she may use the bankcard reader instead.
Many lower-wage employees, such as those that clean commercial buildings and/or private property, perform their work after normal business hours. Thus, if an owner or manager of the property wants to change the work to be performed, he/she has to stay late, leave written instructions, or call the manager of the cleaning services. Even if the employee receives the work changes, the employee may not be able to perform the work because of union rules, the scope of the work services contract or the like. In addition, the desired work change may involve a different type of work that is compensated at a different pay rate. The property manager may have to contact the supervisor of the employee to renegotiate the contract, and then try to contact and inform the employee. These cumbersome and time consuming approaches could be avoided if the employee's supervisor and/or the property manager had a better way to communicate the new work instructions or assignment to the employee, such as by the employee receiving the instructions or assignment upon checking in to work.
Quality inspectors routinely do inspection of the work performed at different property sites. These audits are typically reported by paper or electronically, as by computer or hand-held device. Thus, the inspector usually sends the quality report to a remote location by faxing a paper report or by using a modem to link to a database. The process of sending the report could be made more efficient if the inspector could use the same electronic terminal to send the quality report that the employee uses to check into or out of work.
Even if the employees are paid electronically by deposit to a known bank account number, laws in most jurisdictions require that the employer provide a copy of the payroll stub to the employee that lists at least the gross pay, the deductions and the net pay. Supervisors, payroll administrators and human relations personnel frequently receive inquiries about the payroll stub, particularly where different job assignments have different pay rates. The ability to print out a detailed payroll stub, such as at the same electronic terminal that the employee uses to check into or out of work, including the different pay rates for the different types of work would be highly effective in reducing these time-consuming inquiries.
Most commercial biometric clocks give only test feedback when an employee punches in or punches out. Thus, if a user's fingerprint is not matched, the system displays a text message telling the user that access was denied, or emits an audible tone, such as a high pitch buzzing sound, that can be annoying.
Accordingly, there has been a long felt need for an improved payroll and work management system that includes multi-purpose terminals with biometric confirmation of the employee's identity. Furthermore, there has been a long felt need for incorporating numerous functions into such a biometric multi-purpose terminal, such as checking in and out of work, receiving work instructions and assignments at the terminal, printing universal payroll stubs at the terminal, executing financial transactions, requesting and obtaining payroll loan advances, receiving work quality audits, relaying alerts and messages from the work locations, ordering and tracking equipment at the work location, depositing pay in a bank account associated with the employee's bankcard so that the pay is immediately accessible, alerting that key employees or an insufficient number of employees have not punched in for work, and alerting management employees of any work-related injuries or unforeseen incidents.
A general object of the present invention is therefore to provide a system that offers hourly workers a turnkey financial, communication, e-commerce, payroll and work management solution that is economically beneficial for them as well as for their employers.
Another object of the present invention to provide an electronic payroll system and methods therefor wherein an electronic terminal reads biometric information that uniquely identifies the employee and which is then communicated to a computer for authentication.
A further object or the present invention is to minimize the payroll fraud resulting from buddy punching through the use of a biometric multi-purpose terminal to read biometric information for authentication.
Yet another object of the present invention is to use the APW device as a field alert system to alert managers when key employees have not punched in for work as scheduled, or when the number of employees punching in at a work site is below a certain minimum.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an APW device with an incident reporting system, such as when an employee has a work related injury or when an unforeseen incident occurs at the work site.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an APW device that functions as a biometric financial terminal to enable employees to request a payday loan advance based upon accrued hours worked and to receive the payday loan funds credited to their bankcards.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an APW device that functions as a biometric financial terminal to provide employees with the capability of transferring funds from their bankcard to a secondary bankcard or to another bankcard.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an APW device that can operate as a universal payroll stub printer, including for remotely based employees, in conformance with the American Payroll Association (APA) payroll stub format, and regardless of the payroll headers or fields needed or required.
Another object of the present invention is to use the bankcard and PIN and/or a biometric detector, such as a fingerprint detector and comparator, as work attendance devices by using the times of authentication as work check-in and work checkout times.
A further object of the present invention is to eliminate the inefficiencies in issuing and distributing payroll checks to employees by periodically crediting net pay to a bank account associated with the bankcard that is also used to check-in and check-out of work and by enabling the employees to print their paycheck stub at the electronic terminal, or at any supported ATM terminal.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide two-way messaging relating to work assignments, including acceptance of work assignments at check-in and confirmation that work assignments have been completed at checkout at the electronic terminal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide alerts from an APW device, especially to managers, such as when an insufficient number of employees check in, when budgets may be exceeded or when security issues arise.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Biometric multi-purpose terminal, payroll and work management system and related methods


A pointer controlling apparatus, a control method, and a pointer controlling program are provided which can protect a button from erroneous operation without interrupting the operational flow or using excessive display area. The pointer controlling apparatus permits a pointer to move into a predetermined region after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from a point in time when the pointer comes into contact with a boundary line of the predetermined region. Accordingly, the predetermined area can be securely protected from a point in time at which the pointer comes into contact with the boundary line of the predetermined region for the predetermined amount of time. Furthermore, since the pointer is permitted to enter the predetermined region immediately after the predetermined time has elapsed, the predetermined region can be protected without interrupting the operational flow, and without using an excess of a display region.

Conventionally, in a graphical user interface, hereinafter simply referred to as "GUI", utilizing a pointing device such as a mouse to operate a pointer in a GUI display screen to select a button region or a slide bar region and execute functions associated with the afore mentioned region is widely practiced. In a GUI such as that described above, in order to prevent erroneous operation by the user, a method is known in which a dialog box is displayed to obtain user confirmation when a button that should be protected has been pushed. However, in the method in which a dialog box is displayed to obtain confirmation from the user, the dialog box is displayed in response to the user operation of the button, and because the user is requested to select "Yes", "No", or "Cancel" as a response to the message shown in the dialog box, the operational flow tends to be interrupted. Furthermore, since space on the display area is required to display the dialog box, and when there is not ample space on the display area, there are cases in which the buttons that should be operated are covered and thereby hidden by the dialog box.
A method for preventing erroneous operations by the user by changing the display characteristics of the display of the region so as to enable the user to discriminate whether or not it is possible to execute the function associated with the the aforementioned region is described in Patent Reference No. 1.    Patent Citation 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H10-198545

Pointer controlling apparatus, method thereof, and pointer controlling program to prevent erroneous operation


The device consists of measuring aspects of human activity or emotion and then communicating that information to an adjustable lighting device or electronic display (as part of a phone, tablet, computer etc) such that the color temperature (or luminance) of the display or lamp is adjusted to match the mood of the user e.g. warmer in the evening close to the end of the day, and cooler in the morning for productivity.

It is well known that the type and amount of light from a light source can variably effect people, both physiologically and psychologically. For example, depending on the desired mood and behavior of people in a room, the type of lighting and the amount of light in the room can be adjusted to achieve the desired mood and behavior from the people in the room. This has been historically done in settings such as in a hospital waiting room or treatment room, in a restaurant dining area, or in a romantic setting of a private home.
However, in each of these cases, the adjustment of light is pre-set, meaning that the output of emitted light is adjusted to a level in hopes of directing or causing a person to behave in a particular way or to reach a desired mood. Unfortunately, the reality of human psychology and physiology is that a person's autonomic nervous system can be affected or triggered very quickly and by a host of other factors. The result is that these existing environments simply cannot adjust to the person's changing physiology and psychology in real time.
This is particularly unfortunate because in today's world, people are not only effected by room or environment lighting, but also by significant use of lighted visual displays integrated into devices such as televisions, computers and phones. For example, it is believed that blue light impairs sleep when digital display screens are used around bedtime. However, there is no system available that can adjust the level or output of blue light to match the real-time physiological state of a subject viewing the digital display as the subject becomes ready for sleep. In another example, it is believed that hyper-stimulation from visual displays can potentially cause photosensitive epilepsy, due to the movement of images on the screen and the bright flashing of light on the screen. However, there is no system available that can adjust the intensity or color temperature of output light to reduce such undesired neurological effects.
Unfortunately, there is no system to take advantage of the highly adjustable output of current lighting and display devices based on real time detection of a person's activity or emotional state. The present invention addresses this need.


Systems, methods and computer-readable storage media are disclosed for providing a virtual single-user session to a client in a terminal server session. In an embodiment, requests to a resource in the system-space of a system made by an application are intercepted. A determination is made as to whether to virtualize the resource for the application. Where the resource is to be virtualized, a user-specific virtualized resource is created or maintained in user-space and provided to the application.

A terminal server is a specialized computing system that aggregates multiple communication channels. One or more clients (or "thin clients") may engage in bidirectional communication with the terminal server in a terminal server session. In such a session, applications are executed using server resources and images and sound corresponding to the output of those executing applications are sent to the client for local presentation. In this way, one using the client computer gets the experience that the applications are executing locally on the client machine, while the processing occurs on the server.
Many computing applications written without thought to a terminal server context may run without modification on a terminal server, which executes an instance of an application for each client session that wishes to execute it. However, there do exist compatibility issues with some applications that were originally designed to run on a single desktop machine.
This may be due to characteristics of the terminal server environment that differentiate it from a single-user environment. For example, a terminal server environment is a multi-user environment and an application may be accessed simultaneously by a plurality of users. Further, a user on a client may be a non-privileged user on the terminal server.
As such, some applications face issues that interfere with proper execution, such as unexpected sharing of data, corruption of data through simultaneous access by a plurality of application instances, inability to use more than one instance of an application, and requiring privileged user credentials to access system files or settings. Such an application may be designed to expect that only one instance of it executes on a computing device (for instance, that it writes to C:\Data\application.txt and that no other instance of the application will be present to simultaneously write there), that it has exclusive use of a file system, that it will run with administrator privileges.

Terminal services application virtualization for compatibility


An example of a system for programming neurostimulation according to a stimulation configuration may include stimulation configuration circuitry, volume definition circuitry, stimulation effect circuitry, and recording circuitry. The stimulation configuration circuitry may be configured to determine the stimulation configuration. The volume definition circuitry may be configured to determine stimulation field model(s) (SFM(s)) each representing a volume of tissue activated by the neurostimulation. The stimulation effect circuitry may be configured to determine a stimulation effect type for each tagging point specified for the SFM(s) and to tag the SFM(s) at each tagging point with the stimulation effect type determined for that tagging point. The stimulation effect type for each tagging point is a type of stimulation resulting from the neurostimulation as measured at that tagging point. The recording circuitry may be configured to generate SFM data representing the determined SFM(s) with the stimulation effect type tagged at each tagging point.

Neurostimulation, also referred to as neuromodulation, has been proposed as a therapy for a number of conditions. Examples of neurostimulation include Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS), Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS), and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). Implantable neurostimulation systems have been applied to deliver such a therapy. An implantable neurostimulation system may include an implantable neurostimulator, also referred to as an implantable pulse generator (IPG), and one or more implantable leads each including one or more electrodes. The implantable neurostimulator delivers neurostimulation energy through one or more electrodes placed on or near a target site in the nervous system. An external programming device is used to program the implantable neurostimulator with stimulation parameters controlling the delivery of the neurostimulation energy.
In one example, the neurostimulation energy is delivered in the form of electrical neurostimulation pulses. The delivery is controlled using stimulation parameters that specify spatial (where to stimulate), temporal (when to stimulate), and informational (patterns of pulses directing the nervous system to respond as desired) aspects of a pattern of neurostimulation pulses. The human nervous systems use neural signals having sophisticated patterns to communicate various types of information, including sensations of pain, pressure, temperature, etc. It may interpret an artificial stimulation with a simple pattern of stimuli as an unnatural phenomenon, and respond with an unintended and undesirable sensation and/or movement. Also, as the condition of the patient may change while receiving a neurostimulation therapy, the pattern of neurostimulation pulses applied to the patient may need to be changed to maintain efficacy of the therapy while minimizing the unintended and undesirable sensation and/or movement. While modern electronics can accommodate the need for generating sophisticated pulse patterns that emulate natural patterns of neural signals observed in the human body, the capability of a neurostimulation system depends on how the stimulation parameters can be determined for a patient. Such determination can be facilitated by analyzing effects of the stimulation parameters in activating target tissue in the patient.

Method and apparatus for tagging stimulation field models with associated stimulation effect types

Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation


The present disclosure provides a spring controlled valve including a spring being movable between an expanded position wherein coils of the spring are spaced apart from one another thereby permitting gas flow through the valve and a compressed position wherein the coils are in contact with one another thereby substantially preventing gas flow through the valve.

It is desirable to control the flow and/or pressure of gas or fluids for various purposes. Many different types of valves are known. None of these valves, however, use the coils of a spring to control the flow of gas through the valve and, in certain embodiment, to set various valve parameters as a function of a constant of the spring.


The present disclosure relates to a system comprising a handle apparatus and mounting system designed for easier and more secure transport of a mobile phone or other hand-held electronic device, and wherein an electronic device can be secured to a surface. The handle apparatus includes a flexible strap, a base, and an adhesive. The mounting system includes a mount faceplate, which includes a central hub and two opposing spiral arms, and an attachment apparatus.

As smart phone and tablet computers become more prevalent, the need for an ergonomic handle and a convenient, secure way of mounting these devices has become apparent. Millions of dollars are spent on repairs to phones due to accidental damage each year. Many accessories for these devices are designed to protect the device from damage incurred from dropping the device, but few provide the user with a better grip and reduce the likelihood of dropping the device. And none provide both a better grip while in the users hands and a way of firmly securing the device so that the user may operate the device in a "hands-free" fashion.
There are currently several mounting systems available for smartphones. Methods typically employed for securing a phone to a mount include clamps, magnets, or sticky pads. Clamping the phone on edge, between two surfaces, results in limited accessibility to the buttons typically placed around the periphery of the phone, and a portion of the clamp typically protrudes beyond the plain of the screen of the phone, again limiting access to the control screen. Clamps are also limited in the range that they can open and close, making them incompatible with some devices. Clamps also create a physical challenge when engaging a phone that is difficult to overcome with one hand. Magnetic mounts are easier to operate one-handed and with little physical dexterity; however they don't offer a physical capture of the device, which makes it more susceptible to being knocked off the mount by shock or vibration.
Therefore, a complementary accessory and mounting system is needed that enhances a user's grip on an electronic device and that enables a user to connect the device to a mount that physically captures the device and that permits the user to maintain physical dexterity.

Elastic securing apparatus and mounting system for electronic device