An Avian-derived retroviral vector from which the Constitutive Transport Element (CTE) has been removed and replaced with a genetic fragment from a mammalian virus in order to produce a vector that is replication competent in at least one non-native cell type without the need for a xe2x80x9chelperxe2x80x9d virus, and that is unlikely to recombine with endogenous mammalian viruses, making it both safe and simple to use in research and gene-therapy applications.

The present invention relates to retroviral vectors that are useful in laboratory research and clinical therapy.
In retroviruses, both spliced and unspliced retroviral RNAs must be efficiently transported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. In simple retroviruses, like the Avian Sarcoma Leukosis Viruses (ASLV) and Murine Leukemia Virus (MLV) (Coffin et al., 1997, pg. 75-77), RNAs contain a specialized structure called a Constitutive Transport Element (CTE). The CTE is recognized by cellular factors and aids in nuclear export of unspliced viral RNAs so that they may be correctly expressed and packaged. This process is necessary for assembly and production of replication competent viruses. Because of their role in nuclear transport, CTEs play a role in determining the host-range of some viruses. For example, ASLV cannot successfully replicate in mammalian cells, in part, because the ASLV CTE is not fully functional in mammalian cells. This is thought to be because the avian CTE is not recognized by mammalian cellular factors.
CTEs of both avian and mammalian retroviruses have been previously described. Bray et al. (1994) teaches a 219 nucleotide element in the 3xe2x80x2 untranslated region of the genome of Mason-Pfizer Monkey Virus (MPMV) (located between the env gene and the 3xe2x80x2 LTR) that can functionally substitute for the Rev protein and its RRE sequence in promoting transport of unspliced HIV RNAs. Nasioulas et al. (1995), teaches that the HIV 1 Rev/RRE system can increase the expression of Avian Leukosis Virus (ALV) structural proteins in mammalian cells and promote the release of mature ALV from these cells, demonstrating that ALV viral replication is dependent on appropriate post-transcriptional RNA regulation. Ogert et al. (1996), teaches an avian retroviral RNA element that promotes unspliced RNA accumulation in the cytoplasm and thereby promotes Rev-independent expression of HIV protein.
Prior researchers have extended the host range of retroviral vectors by the manipulation of envelope proteins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,624 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,832, teach the production of recombinant retroviruses adapted to infect a particular cell type, such as a tumor, by manipulating the binding specificity of those retroviruses. U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,421 discloses manipulation of the host-range of retroviral vectors by alteration of the retroviral envelope protein so that the vector may infect a wide-range of non-mammalian cells. Barsov and Hughes (1996) discloses the manipulation of host-range of a Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) derived vector by the substitution of the avian env gene with a mammalian env gene.
Heterologous genes have been previously expressed in retroviral vectors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,465 teaches the expression of heterologous genes in avian erythroblastosis virus vectors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,130 discloses the use of retroviral vectors for expressing Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF). U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,399 teaches retroviral vectors expressing cytokine genes in retroviral vectors. Barsov and Hughes (1996) teaches the expression of MLV env in a Rous Sarcoma Virus derived vector.
Constitutive Transport Elements (CTEs) are parts of the retroviral RNA genome that play a role in post transcriptional regulation of unspliced RNAs. Rizvi et al. (1996) discloses that the CTE of Mason-Pfizer Monkey Virus (MPMV) is a cis-acting element critical for the replication of MPMV. Rizvi concludes that the CTE facilitates the transport of viral mRNA from the nucleus in a similar manner to the Rev/RRE system of HIV and SIV. Rizvi found that without the CTE there was a six-fold increase in MPMV RNA sequestered in the nucleus compared with the cytoplasm.
Other researchers have taught that the CTE of MPMV is a cis-acting element that promotes nuclear export of mRNAs (Pasquinelli et al., 1997). In U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,263 a cis-acting retroviral mRNA xe2x80x9cconstitutive enhancer elementxe2x80x9d is described that promotes transport of intron-containing mRNA and, in conjunction with certain proteins, provides for rev-independent expression of certain HIV genes.
Retroviral vectors are widely used in laboratory research and may be used for clinical gene therapy. The currently used retroviral vectors, however, have certain inherent disadvantages. Mammalian retroviral vectors can recombine with other endogenous mammalian viruses, which poses obvious clinical dangers (and regulatory approval problems) in gene therapy. Also, the presently used retroviruses commonly require a xe2x80x9chelperxe2x80x9d virus for successful infection and replication, making them difficult to use. Moreover, currently used vectors have restricted host-ranges and replicate only, for instance, in mammalian cells or only in avian cells; the host range of these vectors cannot at present, be easily manipulated.
There is a need for a retroviral vector that reduces the probability of recombination with endogenous mammalian viruses, that needs no xe2x80x9chelperxe2x80x9d virus or special cell line, and that can be easily manipulated with respect to host range. There is also a need for a method by which a user may manipulate the host range of a selected vector. Such a retroviral vector would be more useful, easier to use, and more flexible than current retroviral vectors, both in the laboratory and in clinical gene therapy applications.
The present invention provides a retroviral vector wherein the constitutive transport element (CTE) has been removed and replaced with a genetic fragment derived from a different species. In particular embodiments, the retroviral vector is an avian retroviral vector from which the CTE has been removed and replaced with a genetic fragment from a mammalian retrovirus. The mammalian fragment performs essentially the function of a CTE allowing the recombinant virus to replicate in at least one non-native type of cell. A fragment that performs such a function is said to be a xe2x80x9cCTE-like sequencexe2x80x9d and is referred to as being functionally xe2x80x9ccomplementaryxe2x80x9d to the deleted CTE sequence.
Surprisingly, it has been found that sequences derived from the Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) of the Murine Leukemia Virus (MLV) functionally complement a CTE-deleted avian retrovirus, conferring replication competence in both mammalian and avian cells. Although the genomes of mammalian viruses are believed to contain CTE sequences, the sequences from the LTR of MLV bears no sequence homology to any known CTE sequence, therefore it was unexpected to find that this sequence conferred replication competence upon a CTE-deleted avian virus. The vector of the invention is able to replicate in non-native cell types without the need for a xe2x80x9chelperxe2x80x9d virus or special cell line, and so is said to be xe2x80x9creplication competentxe2x80x9d in these non-native cell types.
The current invention enables a researcher or clinician to control the host-range of the retroviral vector by choosing a genetic element with which to substitute the deleted native CTE. For instance, by choosing a complementary genetic element that functions as a CTE only in mammalian cells, the operator can make the engineered avian-derived vector replication competent in mammalian cells but not in other cells. By choosing a genetic element that functions as a CTE in both avian and mammalian cells, the operator can create an avian-derived vector that replicates both in mammalian and avian cells. MLV can be amphotrophic, able to replicate in both avian and mammalian cells, and by replacing the ASLV CTE with a sequence from the LTR of an amphotrophic MLV, the operator can create a broad host-range avian-derived vector. CTE""s (and sequences that function essentially as CTE""s) may be derived from retroviruses native to many classes and species, such as mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.
In one embodiment of the present invention, this mammalian fragment used to complement the deleted avian CTE is derived from the Murine Leukemia Virus Long Terminal Repeat. One embodiment of the present invention is a retroviral vector constructed from RCASBP(A) (Hughes et al., 1990, Petropoulos and Hughes, 1991) that is replication competent in both avian and mammalian cells. RCASBP(A) is an avian retrovirus derived from the Replication Competent ALV with a Splice Acceptor vector (RCAS), which possesses a unique ClaI site into which heterologous polynucleotides may be inserted. The CTE may be removed from RCASBP(A) and replaced by a fragment from the MLV LTR, such as the 96 bp fragment (FIG. 1) or the 220 bp AluI fragment (FIG. 2), or sequences substantially similar to these sequences.
The present invention provides a method for making a broad host-range retroviral vector derived from an avian retroviral vector by wholly or partially removing the CTE and replacing it with a fragment from the genome of a mammalian retrovirus that allows replication in one or more cell types. The present invention also provides a method for using such a vector both for research purposes and for clinical purposes, such as for the delivery of genetic elements, such as genes, into cells by providing the broad host-range vector of the present invention, and by contacting it with a target cell.
Advantages of the present invention include providing a broad host-range retroviral vector which is replication competent in at least one non-native cell type, making it a more flexible research tool than previous retroviral vectors; providing a retroviral vector which requires no xe2x80x9chelperxe2x80x9d virus for infection or application, making it simpler to use; and providing a retroviral vector which is unlikely to recombine with endogenous mammalian viruses, making it safer to use in human gene therapy.

Use of constitutive transport elements for host range control

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services


A stowable seat assembly for a vehicle, the seat assembly including a seat, a seat receiving recess in a floor of a vehicle, an upper riser mechanism, a lower riser mechanism and a panel. The upper riser mechanism is coupled to the seat for movement of the seat between an elevated position and a collapsed position. The lower riser mechanism is coupled to the seat receiving recess for movement of the seat between a collapsed position and a stowed position. The panel is positioned between, and coupled to, the upper and lower riser mechanisms. The panel is arranged to conceal the seat receiving recess when the seat is in an elevated position, and is movable into the seat receiving recess when the seat is in a collapsed position to permit the seat to be stowed in the seat receiving recess.

Automotive vehicles include seat assemblies for supporting occupants within the vehicle. Recently vehicles featuring folding seat assemblies providing for the mechanical folding operation of a seat between a seating position and a collapsed, stowed position providing for a level load floor have become a popular feature in vehicles such as minivans.
Conventional stowable seat assemblies typically are placed into the stowed position by folding the seat back flat against the seat cushion, and then rotating the seat assembly about a pivot, commonly attached to either the front or rear legs of the seat, into a tub or bin located in the floor of the vehicle. For example, commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,138 to Rhodes, et al. provides a forward facing seat assembly that is capable of being stowed by pivoting the seat about an upper pivot located on one of the legs pivotably attached to the seat assembly.
Generally, such known seat assemblies are typically capable of assuming one of three positions for use in the vehicle. First, the seat assembly is capable of being placed into a deployed position for carrying a passenger. Second, the seat assembly may be placed into a folded down position, in which the seat back is folded down onto the seat cushion providing the seat back as a load carrying surface. Finally, the seat assembly may be placed into a stowed position, with the seat stowed beneath the floor of the vehicle and providing a level load surface within the vehicle. However, when the seat assembly is in the folded down position, the legs of the vehicle seat are still deployed which reduces the cargo carrying capacity of the vehicle by decreasing the distance between the seat back and the ceiling of the vehicle.
It is therefore desirable to provide a seat assembly that is capable of both assuming a position in which the seat assembly remains above the floor of the vehicle while the legs are collapsed and assuming a stowed position which provides a level load floor in the rear of the vehicle.

Collapsible seat mechanism with integrated subfloor


Pet travel luggage and carriers configured to organize pet essentials for an extended duration are described. The luggage and the carrier include a body, a lid attached to the body at an opening, and a feeding station. The feeding station comprises a flexible fold down flap hinged to an outer edge of a side of the body proximate the bottom side. The flap deploys along a horizontal surface such that an interior surface of the flap receives a removable mat. The removable mat receives a pair of collapsible bowls. The flap is secured in a closed position to an outer surface of the side of the body by a fixation element. The luggage also includes a removable dividing panel that divides a hollow interior of the body into at least two unsymmetrical sections. At least one of the at least two sections receives a pair of stackable containers.

Bags, such as suitcases, backpacks, and duffle bags, for carrying and storing personal items and/or infant care supplies are well known and used frequently when traveling. However, it is becoming increasingly popular for pet owners to "humanize" their pets and treat their pet like a member of the family or like their child. This results in taking the pet wherever the owner goes, such as on day trips and/or vacations. Resorts and hotels increasingly cater to and accommodate pet travelers. However, the enhanced attention placed on pet travelers' results in a need for the pet owner to plan not only for himself/herself, but for the pet when traveling.
As pet owners can attest, tending to a pet, such as a canine or a cat, while away from the home can be a trying endeavor. Whether traveling on vacation or simply out for a day, there can be a variety of items that the pet owner needs to bring to meet the pet's daily needs. For example, a pet requires frequent water and food, and may also periodically need medicine, weather gear, a leash, treats, toys, and the like.
When traveling, the pet owner will typically throw some pet products in a bag and leave the house, only to learn later that an important pet care item was left at home. At this point, the pet owner must attempt to remedy the problem of the left-behind item, which sometimes may not be possible (e.g., in the case of medicine left at home). In other situations, the pet owner may attempt to purchase the item (e.g., pet food, bedding, towels, apparel, etc.). However, a small quantity of pet food, or the specific type of pet food, may not always be available for purchase, and furthermore, additional items will also need to be separately purchased, such as a source of water and appropriate sized pet bowls. In any event, the pet owner wants to be able to provide an appropriate meal for the pet when away from home, which the pet is accustomed to eating and in a proper amount, without any fuss or inconvenience.
Thus, a need exists for a convenient way in which to carry all of the supplies necessary for taking care of an animal while traveling away from home. A need exists for both convenient and lightweight travel luggage and a pet carrier, specifically designed to meet the needs of a pet owner, in which a complete set of pet necessities can be easily transported or carried while traveling with a pet. The present invention and its embodiments meet and exceed these objectives by providing a piece of pet travel luggage and a pet carrier that can be configured to organize pet essentials for a trip having an extended duration. Moreover, the present invention and its embodiments meet and exceed these objectives by providing pet travel luggage and a pet carrier for pet supplies that can be toted or carried easily and comfortably, while providing all essential supplies to care for and feed a pet. Further, the present invention and its embodiments meet and exceed these objectives by providing a pet carrier and/or a piece of pet travel luggage that is "right-sized" or directly sized to meet the needs of the pet based on size and/or weight of the pet.

Pet travel luggage and pet carrier configured to organize pet essentials for an extended duration


A photorecording element consists essentially of a transparent substrate, a layer of a macromolecular compound capable of undergoing a reversible change in structure upon exposure to light, deposited by adsorption on the transparent substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed directly on the layer of macromolecular compound. A method for the production of the photorecording element comprises applying on a transparent substrate a mixture of a liquid crystal substance with a macromolecular compound capable of undergoing a reversible change in structure upon exposure to light and allowing the applied layer of the mixture to stand at rest or by first applying the macromolecular compound on the transparent substrate and then adding the liquid crystal substance thereto. A liquid crystal cell incorporating the photorecording element is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel photorecording element which utilizes a change in the orientation of liquid crystal by light, to a method for the production of the photorecording element, and to a liquid crystal cell comprising the same photorecording element. More particularly, this invention relates to a photorecording element which is produced by forming on a liquid crystal by adsorption a thin film of a macromolecular compound possessing a residue capable of undergoing a reversible change of structure under the influence of light, the element being able to change the orientation of its liquid crystal layer upon irradiation with light, and to temporarily or permanently record information by utilizing the change in the orientation of the liquid crystal layer, to a method for the production of the photorecording element, and to a liquid crystal cell comprising the photorecording element.
2. Prior Art Statement
As recording elements using a liquid crystal, those which rely for storage of information upon electrical principles and those which rely for storage of information on optical principles are known to the art. Those of the former kind are chiefly used for display devices, and of those of the latter kind have been applied to photorecording.
The information stored by a liquid crystal display which displays information using electrical principles is lost when its power supply is cut off and, therefore, such displays require a special device to ensure permanent preservation of information. Further, since such displays inevitably uses patterned electrodes, they have an insufficient resolving power and prove to be unsuitable as photorecording elements of high capacity.
The liquid crystal photorecording elements which utilize optical principles include those of the type which utilize the heat generated by a laser beam or the like for causing a change in the phase of liquid crystal. Though the photorecording elements of this type are applicable to high-density photosensitive recording, their applications are limited because the recording is attained solely in the form of pits. The photorecording elements of the type which incorporate therein a compound capable of photochemically changing the structure and attain a change in the phase by the action of light upon the compound exhibit an outstanding resolving power during the early stage of the storage of input information. Because of the fluidity of liquid crystal, however, they are liable to suffer from a marked loss of resolving power with elapse of time. For example, the photochromic cholesteric liquid crystal which is obtained by dissolving azobenzene, a chiral compound, in nematic liquid crystal is transformed by the action of ultraviolet light into an isotropic phase and is enabled to record information by virtue of this transformation of phase. However, it has a disadvantage in that the liquid crystal eventually begins to flow and the recorded image begins to loss sharpness (Glossary of Lectures for the 52nd Spring Meeting of Japan Chemical Society, 1986).
An invention perfected by inventors including Kunihiro Ichimura, Takahiro Seki, and Takashi Tamaki who are found among the inventors of the invention of the subject patent application has be en already filed for a U.S. patent application under Ser. No. 07/238,398, to which a Notice of Allowance dated May 8, 1990 has been issued. The invention of this U.S. patent application consists of the following elements:
(a) Transparent substrate, PA0 (b) Photochromic compound disposed in direct contact with said transparent substrate and capable of reversibly changing its structure on exposure to light, and PA0 (c) Liquid crystal. PA0 (1) A photorecording element consisting essentially of (a) a transparent substrate, (b) a layer of a macromolecular compound capable of undergoing a reversible change in structure upon exposure to light, deposited by adsorption on the substrate, and (c) a layer of liquid crystal deposited directly on the layer of the macromolecular compound. PA0 (2) A method for the production of the photorecording element mentioned above, which essentially consists in applying on a transparent substrate a mixture of a liquid crystal substance with a macromolecular compound capable of undergoing a reversible change in structure upon exposure to light and allowing the applied layer of the mixture to stand at rest. PA0 (3) A method for the production of the aforementioned photorecording element, which essentially consists in applying on a transparent substrate a macromolecular compound capable of undergoing a reversible change in structure upon exposure to light and applying further thereon a liquid crystal substance. PA0 (4) A liquid crystal cell, comprising a liquid crystal layer, layers of a macromolecular compound capable of undergoing a reversible change in structure upon exposure to light, one each superposed on the opposite surfaces of the liquid crystal layer, and substrates one each superposed on the outer surfaces of the layers of the macromolecular compound, providing that the layers of the macromolecular compound are deposited fast by adsorption on the substrates and at least one of the two substrates is transparent.
This earlier invention was intended to eliminate drawbacks suffered by the known elements described above. To be specific, it is directed to providing a photorecording element which utilizes a change in orientation of a liquid crystal caused by a light and which suffers no degradation of resolving power with elapse of time owing to the flowability of the liquid crystal.
For this element to be rendered practicable, however, it requires further improvement in quality.

Photorecording element, method for production thereof, and the liquid crystal cell comprising the same

Agency of Industrial Science & Technology

Ministry of International Trade & Industry


A pneumatic radial ply tire with an aspect ratio of less than 50 has a ground contacting tread radially outward of a circumferential belt structure which in turn is radially ourtward of a carcass structure. The carcass structure has a pair of bead areas that include a bead foot compatible with a conventionally-shaped wheel rim having flanges with laterally extending portions. The carcass structure has a cord-reinforced elastomeric ply layer extend laterally between the two bead areas and radially inward of the belt structure. The tread area is directly connected to the bead areas without a sidewall. Rim flange protectors comprising a continuous circumferential elastomeric projection extend laterally outward from each bead/tread area and thereby radially outward of the rim flanges.

The present invention generally relates to pneumatic tires, specifically radial tires with a very low aspect ratio.
The sidewalls of conventional pneumatic tires provide these conventional tires with desirable flexibility in the radial direction. This radial flexibility allows the tread surface to move radially inward to accommodate irregularities in the road surface. However, the sidewalls of conventional tires also limit the performance of the tire with undesirable lateral and circumferential flexibility. Lateral sidewall flexibility limits the responsiveness of the tire in cornering, and circumferential flexibility limits the tire""s capacity to handle the torsional forces encountered in acceleration and deceleration. In addition, the space required for the sidewall limits the maximum size of the wheel and the size of the brake mechanism that can be fit within the wheel for a given overall tire diameter.
When normally inflated, the sidewalls of conventional tires protect the rim from possible contact with the road surface. Also, conventional sidewalls distribute the weight of the vehicle and the force of impacts with road hazards by acting in tension to confine the compressive force provided by the air in a normally inflated tire. However, when normal inflation air pressure is lost, such as when the tire is punctured, the relatively thin and flexible sidewalls of a conventional tire collapse and buckle in such a manner that the sidewall fails to provide its normal functions of radial flexibility, rim flange protection, or the distribution of forces from the wheel to the road.
Conventional radial ply tires with low aspect ratios have been developed in part to address the limitations of sidewalls. As noted by U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,771, (""771), there are basically two different shapes of passenger tires on the road today: high aspect ratio tires (aspect ratio greater than 69) and low aspect ratio (aspect ratio less than 70) tires. The low aspect ratio tires, where the radial depth of the sidewall is reduced relative to the tread width, have better cornering characteristics and less rolling resistance than the high aspect ratio tires. Patent ""771 discloses the use of a special low aspect ratio tire (aspect ratio of 40 to 45) used in conjunction with a new larger diameter wheel (18 to 20 inches).
Recognition of the advantages of reducing the radial depth of the sidewall is not new. U.S. Pat. No. 1,293,528, discloses the use of a plurality of chain rings as an xe2x80x9cinexpansiblexe2x80x9d bond to provide a pneumatic tire having a cross section under inflation to present a most advantageous width for weight carrying capacity and which will have only the minimum radial depth necessary to provide the requisite cushioning action, so that the wheel rim may be as close as practicable to the surface traveled over and the driving power thereby most efficiently transmitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,456,062 discloses a tire that has no straight sidewalls or belly part, independent of its wide gable-like tread, as in existing types of inflated tires. In fact the whole of the tire cover, with the exception of its suitable inextensible base beads is a shock absorbing tread, which xe2x80x9cmay be used to replace existing types of solid rubber band tiresxe2x80x9d. The tread is arced, with a narrow blunt apex on its centerline, so that the footprint varies in size with the applied load. As best it can be determined from the description in this 1923 patent, the tire does not have belts or beads in the same sense as modern-day tires. The patent mentions xe2x80x9cinextensible base beadsxe2x80x9d but describes and illustrates these beads as being part of xe2x80x9can abnormally strong and preferably thin supple foundation . . . which may be manufactured from woven cord and be endless and abnormally strong in every direction.xe2x80x9d As described, the tires appear to have aspect ratios somewhere around 48%. This unbelted, non-radial ply tire also provides rim flange protection and limited runflat capability as seen in the Patent""s FIG. 3, where the flattened, deflated tire is thick enough to support the vehicle by pressing against the substantially flat well of the wheel without loading the wheel rim flanges.
Other patents describe tires, such as racing tires, with aspect ratios as low as 25% but still having sidewalls. For example, German Pat. No. 25 34 840 discloses a low aspect ratio tire with a running tread having a width which is at least half the total width of the tire, and preferably less than two-thirds of the total width of the tire. The remainder of the tire width comprises sidewalls which are radially diverted towards the seating surfaces of the tire rim.
German Pat. No. 2 127 588 discloses a very low profile pneumatic tire for racing cars (aspect ratio less than 25%) having a broad tread moulded in a concave shape so that it becomes flat when the tire is inflated at low pressure. The maximum width of the rim is 120% of the wheel diameter. The tire may be of radial or crossply construction. The sidewalls are substantially flat and vertical in an un-inflated tire.
While it may not be apparent, there exists a potential to develop a pneumatic radial tire with revolutionary dimension properties providing superior performance when compared to conventional pneumatic radial tires. The challenge is to develop such a tire combining improved handling and performance with adequate radial flexibility, sufficient rim flange protection and enhanced runflat capability suitable for use on conventionally-shaped (i.e., standard) wheel rim designs.
The tire of the present invention embodies radical dimensional properties applied to a pneumatic radial tire having a tread area comprising a ground contacting tread and a circumferential belt structure that is directly joined to the bead areas of the tire without sidewalls, providing the tire with an aspect ratio of less than 50 and preferably less than 25. Each bead area comprises a bead foot compatible with a standard wheel rim shape and at least one inextensible annular bead. The tire has a carcass structure comprising at least one cord reinforced elastomeric ply layer, the cords of each ply layer having a more or less radial orientation, the ply layers extending laterally between the two bead areas and radially inward of the belt structure. The bead areas also have rim flange protectors comprising continuous circumferential elastomeric projections extending laterally outward from the bead area and adjacent to and radially outward of the wheel rim flanges. Because the relatively thin and flexible sidewall structure is eliminated in the tire of the present invention, the tire maintains structural integrity while uninflated. The addition of elastomeric reinforcing material of sufficient thickness and strength to the area where the bead areas are joined to the tread area will allow the tire to support the weight of a vehicle and provide extended runflat operation.
The tire of the present invention may use one or more carcass plies that may be turned up around the beads in each bead area. Also the bead areas may comprises elastomeric apexes, chafers, chippers and/or flippers. The tread and belt structure can be extend radially and laterally outward from the bead with an elastomeric shoulder wedge located radially outward and adjacent to each bead area and radially inward of the belt structure.
A preferred embodiment of the tire of the present invention operationally fits on a conventionally-shaped wheel rim which is from 2 to 5 inches (51 to 127 mm) wider than a standard automotive tire rim, and which also has a nominal rim diameter of from 4 to 6 inches (102 to 152 mm) more than the standard wheel rim. For example, the tire could be a P210/20R19 tire on a 7.5J19H2 rim.
Reference will be made in detail to preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The drawings are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Certain elements in selected ones of the drawings may be illustrated not-to-scale, for illustrative clarity.
Often, similar elements throughout the drawings may be referred to by similar references numerals. For example, the element 199 in a figure (or embodiment) may be similar in many respects to the element 299 in an other figure (or embodiment). Such a relationship, if any, between similar elements in different figures or embodiments will become apparent throughout the specification, including, if applicable, in the claims and abstract. In some cases, similar elements may be referred to with similar numbers in a single drawing. For example, a plurality of elements 199 may be referred to as 199a, 199b, 199c, etc.

Low aspect ratio pneumatic tire without sidewalls


A computer implemented method of providing a client with an integrated financial management account, including receiving application data for an integrated financial management account and setting up the integrated financial account with a loan component data, an investment component data, and an insurance component, all associated with an account file. Thereby qualifying the client for a loan in the loan component of the integrated financial management account and associating the qualification information with the account file, disbursing the proceeds of the loan component into the investment component by recording a proceed value in the investment component data associated with the account file, and purchasing investment assets using the proceeds of the loan component and associating purchased investment assets to the investment component data associated with the account file.

Today the percentage of households in America and worldwide that own stocks has increased substantially. Either through pension funds, 401K plans, mutual funds or purchase of individual stocks, most homeowners participate in varying degrees in the equity market. More recently, many investors who previously purchased actively managed mutual funds now purchase stock index funds that acquire and hold securities that mirror the performance of some equity index, e.g. S&P 500, Russell 2000, or a sector specific index, technology, or funds balanced to reflect movements in both debt and equity. In short, Americans and other worldwide investors have become financially sophisticated investors with an understanding of stock markets, mutual funds, and the alternative types of fund investments available. For example, recognizing research that indicates that most investors cannot beat the performance of the stock market overall, and that over 80 to 90% of the actively managed mutual funds do not outperform passively managed index funds, Americans have increased their purchasing of stock index funds substantially. Many Americans now regard these indexed fund investments as the safest, most liquid, and prudent way to invest for stock appreciation rates of return over time.
Currently, most investment funds are sold by and managed by stock brokerage firms, mutual fund firms, and money management organizations. The money management organizations may be independent or part of another financial service institution, e.g. a brokerage house or a commercial bank. Current banking and securities laws require that the offerings and disclosures relating to the funds, whether offered by a brokerage firm or a commercial bank, ensure that the customer does not believe that the accounts are insured by the Federal Government.
Margin accounts for investments are well established and regulated by the appropriate margin account limit for collateral as a percent of fair market value set by the Federal Reserve Board, which limit is applicable to all commercial banks, savings banks, and brokerage houses. At present a customer can borrow up to 50% of the fair market value of the customers portfolio held by the mutual fund company or the brokerage house to be borrowed and used for other purposes, including reinvesting the loan proceeds in the account. Because neither the mutual fund company nor the brokerage firm is in the business of making margin loans on a wide scale, the loans are relatively expensive, and under current income tax laws the interest is not always tax deductible by individual taxpayers.
While they have the legal authority, commercial and savings banks have not been in the primary business of making margin loans against securities. And, while most banks or bank holding company's have the legal authority to offer their customers brokerage services and mutual funds, they have only been partially successful, since it is not the central focus of their business. Cross-selling financial services products has been largely a failure in almost all instances in which it has been tried in banks, insurance companies, and brokerage firms. The products are regarded as different and typically require two separate sales forces either by law or practice.
Since the change in the Internal Revenue Code in 1987, a major business for banks has been the offering of secured mortgages, known as home equity lines of credit or home equity loans. Interest on these loans is tax deductible against other income for loans totaling up to $100,000 per couple on primary and/or secondary homes (up to their fair market value). These loans have proliferated and are offered widely through television and other advertising. Some of these loans, combined with the first mortgage result in for a loan to value ratio of 100% or even 125% of the fair market value of the house that is mortgaged.
The bank to which a customer applies for a home equity loan considers or evaluates the use of the loans proceeds in making its underwriting decision. For example, home remodeling, which is assumed to increase the value of the house as underlying collateral, is favored by bank lender and their regulators. Similarly, the consolidation of credit card debt to reduce monthly after-tax debt payments is favored. In credit card debt consolidation, the interest paid on the home equity loan is tax deductible within the limitations above, whereas interest on credit card debt is not. This use of loan funds is considered as making the borrower more creditworthy since a higher proportion of monthly interest payments are now tax deductible when the home equity line is used to pay off the credit card debt and therefore, all other things being equal, the borrower should have more after-tax cash flow remaining for the same or less pretax dollars of interest payments.
Home equity loans are often advertised or marketed to homeowners with high credit card debt and the use of the proceeds from the loan is specified for this purpose. The process of applying for a home equity loan through a bank is complex, time consuming, and must be completed prior to the time the bank can fund the loan. Today home equity loans are offered by banks through their branch offices, by mail, over the telephone, and some banks solicit and accept applications over the Internet. However, all home equity loan applications eventually entail paper delays, consumer inconvenience, normal banking intimidation and a detailed inquiry as to the purpose of the loan. In short, today's home equity loan process is not automated, is not simple, is intimidating and the applicant receives no value or financial benefit until the entire process is completed.
Currently the process of obtaining a home equity loan is standardized, with the borrower having little say over the duration, terms, or interest payment process. For example, banks cannot permit interest on the loan to be accrued, and still have the loan classified as a performing loan on review and examination by the banking regulators. Hence the customer or borrowers choices are circumscribed. Additionally, the process is detailed and sequential with many opportunities for errors on the part of the customer or the bank, which result in a delay in the customer's loan application processing and the loan underwriting process. Should errors occur, manual intervention and investigation is necessary, further delaying the processing of the loan application. Moreover, the consumer must wait until all of the required steps are completed before the loan is funded and disbursed, which is the first time there is any tangible benefit to the customer. This lag between initial application and consumer benefit can be several days, but is typically weeks.
Most banks offer relatively standardized home equity loan products with the customer having limited opportunity to customize the duration, terms, or interest rate components of the loan offered by the bank. Typically, the only three important terms will be whether the rate is fixed or floating, the duration of the home equity loan, and the interest-only period before principal amortization payments start. While the consumer may request one of these features, the bank ultimately determines the terms and conditions of the home equity loan it is prepared to make, and most consumers have little choice or influence over the terms or method of payments for their home equity loan.
For most homeowners, their house is their largest single investment. Therefore their home equity is their largest single asset, but is not a liquid asset so long as it remains untapped. While the overall value of a homeowner's house may appreciate in value 2–6% per year on average for the country, this is far below the long-term average appreciation in the stock market of 12.5% per year. At a 4% rate of appreciation the initial value of a homeowners equity will double in approximately 19 years. At 12.5%, the same initial value will double in 5.5 years.
The present commercial banking laws, dating back to the Glass-Steagal Act in 1930's, make it cumbersome, slow, error prone, and time-consuming for a consumer to utilize the accumulated equity in their house as collateral to borrow to invest in equity-like funds or financial instruments that allow the homeowner to conveniently utilize the equity in their house to achieve an equity return in that currently dormant uninvested asset, which is typically the homeowners largest single asset. There is no easy, automatic, and convenient process in one transaction to use one financial service product or account that allows the customer to conveniently employ their home equity to increase their investments on a tax-favored basis by having the interest on an investment account be tax deductible.
At the present time, there is no single integrated financial services product or account that exists that provides for a home equity loan and an ability to customize the account so that the customer can pre-select or choose both the investment fund's asset mix to be purchased, and customize the account, plus having certain performance benchmarks chosen by the customer that when met or exceeded, will trigger an alert, such as a voice call or electronic message to the account owner.

Method and system for internet banking and financial services


A method of driving a liquid crystal display device includes: branching original image data having an original data rate into branched plural-systems image data comprising plural systems having a converted data rate that is equal to either said original data rate or a half of said original data rate; supplying a source driver circuit with said branched plural-systems image data in synchronization with at least one clock signal having a clock frequency that is a quarter of said original data rate; and allowing said source driver circuit to further branch said branched plural-systems image data into gray-scale voltage signals. Circuitry for driving the liquid crystal display device may include: a timing controller; a plurality of data bus lines; and a plurality of source driver circuits for incorporating said image data in synchronization with said at least one clock signal and converting said image data into gray-scale voltage signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of driving a liquid crystal display device and a driver circuit for driving a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a method of driving a liquid crystal display device and a driver circuit for driving a liquid crystal display device for an ultra-high fine and multi-gray scale display with reducing an electro-magnetic interference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display has a liquid crystal panel including an array of pixels, each of which includes a pixel electrode and a switching transistor. The switching transistor comprises a thin film transistor. A voltage having a corresponding voltage level to a gray scale is applied through the thin film transistor to the pixel electrode.
It would be important for the liquid crystal display to realize an ultra-high fine display and an increased high speed driving performance of the liquid crystal panel with an increased number of the pixels and an increased area of a display screen.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrative of a first conventional driver circuit for driving a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display includes a display panel 50 and a driver circuit having the following circuit configuration.
The display panel 50 has an array of pixels, each of which includes a pixel electrode and a thin film transistor. The thin film transistor has a gate electrode connected to a gate signal line 501, a source electrode connected to a source signal line 502 and a drain electrode connected to the pixel electrode. The display panel 50 also has a plurality of gate signal lines 501 extending in a row direction and a plurality of source signal lines 502 extending in a column direction.
The driver circuit includes a row alignment of plural source drivers 30 and a column alignment of plural gate drivers 40. The number of the source drivers 30 is "N", whilst the number of the gate drivers 40 is "M". Each of the source drivers 30 is connected to a plurality of the source signal lines 502 for driving the source signal lines 502. Each of the gate drivers 40 is connected to a plurality of the gate signal lines 501 for driving the gate signal lines 501.
The driver circuit farther includes a graphic controller 11, a transmitter 12 and an interface board 20. On the interface board 20, a receiver unit 201, a display control unit 202 and a power supply circuit 203 are provided. The graphic controller 11 outputs control signals and image data which are then transmitted through the transmitter 12 to the receiver unit 201. The control signals include timing control signals. The timing control signals may for example, be a clock signal, a horizontal synchronous signal, and a vertical synchronous signal.
The receiver unit 201 receives the timing control signals and the image data from the graphic controller 11. The timing control signals and the image data are then supplied to the display control unit 202. The display control unit 202 generates a gate driver clock signal, a frame start signal, a source driver clock signal and a start signal based on the timing control signals as well as generates image signals based on the image data. The gate driver clock signal and the frame start signal are supplied to the gate drivers 40. The source driver clock signal and the start signal are supplied to the source drivers 30.
The power supply circuit 203 generates powers supplied to the source drivers 30, another power supplied to a common electrode of the display panel 50 and still another power supplied to the gate driver.
The image data and the timing control signals are supplied in parallel-transmission from the graphic controller 11 to the transmitter 12. The transmitter 12 performs a parallel-to-serial conversion of the image data and the timing control signals, so that the image data and the timing control signals are supplied in serial-transmission from the transmitter 12 to the receiver unit 201. The serial data including the image data and the timing control signals may be transmitted in any available transmission system such as a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS), a transmission minimized differential signaling (TMDS), a gigabit video interface (GVIF) and a low voltage differential signaling display interface (LDI).
The receiver unit 201 performs a serial-to-parallel conversion of the image data and the timing control signals, so that the image data and the timing control signals are supplied in parallel-transmission from the receiver unit 201 to the display control unit 202.
Each of the source drivers 30 accepts an input of the image data or incorporates the image data based on the start signal and in synchronization with the source driver clock signal, and then each source driver 30 converts the image data into corresponding voltage levels to the image data for applying the source signal lines 502 with respective gray-scale voltage signals having the corresponding voltage levels, so that the voltage signals are transmitted through the source signal lines 502 and the thin film transistors to the pixel electrodes.
Each of the gate drivers 40 drives the gate signal lines 501 sequentially one-by-one based on the frame start signal and in synchronization with the gate driver clock signal. The thin film transistors connected to the gate signal line 501 on the selection are placed to allow the gray-scale voltage signals to be transmitted from the source signal lines 502 through the thin film transistors to the pixel electrodes.
There were proposed following plural conventional methods of display controls in timing of supply of the image data and the source driver clock signals to the source drivers 30 and also in timing of accepting the inputs of the image data into the source drivers 30.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary block diagram illustrative of a first conventional circuit configuration including a timing controller and source drivers, wherein the circuit configuration is included in the circuit configuration of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a view illustrative of contents of image data to be supplied in synchronization with a clock signal from the timing controller to the source drivers 30 in FIG. 2.
The display control unit 202 includes a timing controller 202A shown in FIG. 2. The timing controller 202A has a clock port "clock signal", from which the source driver clock signal is supplied to the source drivers 30. The timing controller 202A also has a first data port "A-port", from which odd-number image data for the pixels of odd numbers is supplied to the source drivers 30. The timing controller 202A also has a second data port "B-port", from which even-number image data for the pixels of even numbers is supplied to the source drivers 30. The odd-number image data may be referred to as "A-port image data" and the even-number image data may be referred to as "B-port image data".
As shown in FIG. 3, the image data includes red-color data of 8-bits, green-color data of 8-bits, and blue-color data of 8-bits. For the 8-bits data, eight signal lines are provided. The image data is isolated into the odd-number image data and the even-number image data. Namely, each of the red-color green-color, and blue-color data is isolated into the odd-number image data or the even-number image data. The odd-number image data (or A-port image data) comprises plural sets of the red-color, green-color, and blue-color data for the odd-number pixels. The even-number image data (or B-port image data) comprises plural sets of the red-color, green-color, and blue-color data for the even-number pixels.
The timing controller 202A generates a clock signal "clock signal" having the same cyclic frequency as a data rate of the above image data. The image data and the clock signal are supplied from the timing controller 202-A to the source drivers 30, so that each of the source drivers 30 incorporates the image data at a timing of a rising edge timing of the clock signal for generating corresponding gray-scale voltages to the image data, whereby each of the source drivers 30 applies the gray-scale voltages onto the source signal lines 502. The above A-port data, the B-port data, and the clock signal are common signals to all of the source drivers 30.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary block diagram illustrative of a second conventional circuit configuration including a timing controller and source drivers, wherein the circuit configuration is included in the circuit configuration of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a view illustrative of contents of image data to be supplied in synchronization with a clock signal from the timing controller to the source drivers in FIG. 4.
The display control unit 202 includes a timing controller 202B shown in FIG. 4. The timing controller 202B has a clock port "clock signal", from which the source driver clock signal is supplied to all of the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - . The timing controller 202B also has a first data port "A-port", from which A-port image data is supplied to the source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - . The timing controller 202B also has a second data port "B-port", from which B-port image data is supplied to the source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - . The timing controller 202B also has a third data port "C-port", from which C-port image data is supplied to the source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - . The timing controller 202B also has a fourth data port "D-port", from which D-port image data is supplied to the source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - .
The timing controller 202B generates a clock signal "clock signal" having the same cyclic frequency as a data rate of the above image data. The timing controller 202B also generates the A-port data, the B-port data, the C-port data, and the D-port data, wherein the image data comprises plural sets of four-data units. First two-data units are divided into the even numbers and the odd numbers as the A-port data and the B-port data. Second two-data units are divided into the even numbers and the odd numbers as the C-port data and the D-port data.
The image data and the clock signal are supplied from the timing controller 202B to the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - , so that each of the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - incorporates the image data at a timing of a rising edge timing of the clock signal for generating corresponding gray-scale voltages to the image data, whereby each of the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - applies the gray-scale voltages onto the source signal lines 502. The clock signal is a common signal to all of the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - .
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary block diagram illustrative of a third conventional circuit configuration including a timing controller and source drivers, wherein the circuit configuration is included in the circuit configuration of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a view illustrative of contents of image data to be supplied in synchronization with a clock signal from the timing controller to the source drivers in FIG. 6.
The display control unit 202 includes a timing controller 202C shown in FIG. 6. The timing controller 202C has a first clock port "clock signal 1", from which a first source driver clock signal is supplied to odd-number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - . The timing controller 202C has a second clock port "clock signal 2", from which a second source driver clock signal is supplied to even-number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - . The second source driver clock signal is delayed by a half cycle from the first source driver clock signal, so that the second source driver clock signal is opposite in phase to the first source driver clock signal.
The timing controller 202C also has a first data port "A-port", from which A-port image data is supplied to the source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - . The timing controller 202C also has a second data port "B-port", from which B-port image data is supplied to the source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - . The timing controller 202C also has a third data port "C-port", from which C-port image data is supplied to the source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - . The timing controller 202C also has a fourth data port "D-port", from which D-port image data is supplied to the source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - .
As described above, the image data are isolated into four-system image data, for example, the A-port image data, the B-port image data, the C-port image data and the D-port image data. The A-port image data and the B-port image data are supplied to odd number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - on odd number stages. The C-port image data and the D-port image data are supplied to even number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - on even number stages. The C-port image data and the D-port image data are different in phase by a half data cycle from the A-port image data and the B-port image data.
As shown in FIG. 7, the four system image data include first odd-and-even two system image data for the adjacent two source drivers 3B1 and 3B2 and second odd-and-even two system image data for the following adjacent two source drivers 3B3 and 3B4 on the follower stages to the source drivers 3B1 and 3B2.
The timing controller 202C generates the first and second clock signals "clock signal 1" and "clock signal 2" having the same cyclic frequency as a data rate of the above image data but different in phase by a half cycle from each other, wherein the first clock signal "clock signal 1" is supplied to the odd number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - , whilst the second clock signal "clock signal 2" is supplied to the even number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - . The timing controller 202C also generates the A-port data, the B-port data, the C-port data, and the D-port data, wherein the image data comprises plural sets of four-data units. First two-data units are divided into the even numbers and the odd numbers as the A-port data and the B-port data. Second two-data units are divided into the even numbers and the odd numbers as the C-port data and the D-port data, which are delayed by a half cycle from the A-port data and the B-port data.
The image data and the clock signal are supplied from the timing controller 202C to the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - . Each of the odd-number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - incorporates the image data at a timing of a rising edge timing of the first clock signal "clock signal 1" for generating corresponding gray-scale voltages to the image data, whereby each of the odd-number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - applies the gray-scale voltages onto the source signal lines 502. Each of the even-number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - incorporates the image data at a half-cycle-delayed timing of the rising edge timing of the second clock signal "clock signal 2" for generating corresponding gray-scale voltages to the image data, whereby each of the even-number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - applies the gray-scale voltages onto the source signal lines 502.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary block diagram illustrative of a fourth conventional circuit configuration including a timing controller and source drivers, wherein the circuit configuration is included in the circuit configuration of FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a view illustrative of contents of image data to be supplied in synchronization with a clock signal from the timing controller to the source drivers in FIG. 8. This fourth conventional circuit configuration is disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 10-340070. A frequency of the clock signal can be reduced without increasing the width of the data bus for transmitting the image data.
The display control unit 202 includes a timing controller 202D shown in FIG. 8. The timing controller 202D has a first clock port "clock signal 1", from which a first source driver clock signal is supplied to odd-number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - . The timing controller 202D has a second clock port "clock signal 2", from which a second source driver clock signal is supplied to even-number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - . The second source driver clock signal is delayed by a half cycle from the first source driver clock signal, so that the second source driver clock signal is opposite in phase to the first source driver clock signal.
The timing controller 202D also has a first data port "A-port", from which A-port image data is supplied to all of the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - . The timing controller 202D also has a second data port "B-port", from which B-port image data is supplied to all of the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - .
As described above, the image data is isolated into two-data systems, for example, odd number data and even number data. The timing controller 202D generates the first and second clock signals "clock signal 1" and "clock signal 2" having the same cyclic frequency as a data rate of the above image data but different in phase by a half cycle from each other, wherein the first clock signal "clock signal 1" is supplied to the odd-number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - , whilst the second clock signal "clock signal 2" is supplied to the even-number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - . The first and second clock signals "clock signal 1" and "clock signal 2" have a cyclic frequency corresponding to a half of the data rate of the image data. The timing controller 202D also generates the A-port data and the B-port data.
The image data and the clock signal are supplied from the timing controller 202D to the source drivers 3B1, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4, - - - . Each of the odd-number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - incorporates the image data at a timing of a rising edge timing of the first clock signal "clock signal 1" for generating corresponding gray-scale voltages to the image data, whereby each of the odd-number source drivers 3B1, 3B3, - - - applies the gray-scale voltages onto the source signal lines 502. Each of the even-number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - incorporates the image data at a half-cycle-delayed timing of the rising edge timing of the second clock signal "clock signal 2" for generating corresponding gray-scale voltages to the image data, whereby each of the even-number source drivers 3B2, 3B4, - - - applies the gray-scale voltages onto the source signal lines 502.
In accordance with the fourth conventional method, the image data for the adjacent two source drivers 3B1 and 3B2 are isolated into two systems, for example, even number data and odd number data, and also the image data for the follower two source drivers 3B3 and 3B4 following to the adjacent two source drivers 3B1 and 3B2 are also isolated into two systems, for example, even number data and odd number data. The odd and even numbers data are subjected to a time-division multiplexing to form the A-port data and the B-port data.
In accordance with the above conventional methods, the data rate is defined by the width of each box indicating the content of the image data, for example, R0, G0, and B0 shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 7 and 9. The cyclic frequency of the clock signal is defined by the waveform shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 7 and 9.
The first, second and third conventional methods have the following disadvantages. As shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7, the cyclic frequency of the clock signal is equal to the data rate of the image data. This means that the frequency of transition in voltage level of the clock signal is higher by two times than the data rate of the image data. The improvement in the high definition and the increase in the area of the display panel would cause the increase of the image data for each source line, whereby the frequency of the clock signal is thus increased. The increase in the frequency of the clock signal would raise a problem with the electromagnetic interference. Namely, the characteristic in the electromagnetic interference of the liquid crystal display device is deteriorated.
In order to avoid the deterioration in the characteristic in the electromagnetic interference of the liquid crystal display device, it is effective to reduce the frequency of the clock signal. For the reasons described above, it is, however, difficult for the first, second and third conventional methods to respond to the requirement for increase of the image data for each source line without increase in the frequency of the clock signal. Namely, it would be difficult to satisfy both requirements for the increase of the image data and for avoiding the problem with the electromagnetic interference.
On the other hand, the above described fourth conventional method utilizes the clock signal having the cyclic frequency which is a half of the data rate as shown in FIG. 9. This fourth conventional method is suitable for reducing the frequency of the clock signal and for avoiding the problem with the electromagnetic interference.
The fourth conventional method is to reduce the frequency of the clock signal without increase in the width or the number of the data bus, for which reason it is difficult to realize a desirable high speed data processing or data transmission. This means it difficult to realize a desirable improvement in high definition and a desirable increase in size of the display screen of the liquid crystal display panel. The two system image data make it more difficult to realize the desirable improvement in high definition and the desirable increase in size of the display screen of the liquid crystal display panel.
The but lines for transferring the image data are provided for the primary three colors, for example, red, green and blue separately. This increases the total number of the necessary bus lines for transferring the image data, and also increases the times of changing the voltage levels or the bit values of the bus lines. This emphasizes the problem with the electromagnetic interference.
The electromagnetic interference provides the undesirable influence to operations of peripheral electric, electronic or electron devices. The provision of any counter-measure tool against the electromagnetic interference increases the cost. Further, it is difficult to distinguish an electromagnetic noise radiated from the bus line from other electromagnetic noises.
The above conventional methods are also engaged with a further problem with the cross-talk noise which may cause data error.
In the above circumstances, the developments of a novel method of driving a liquid crystal display device and of a novel driver circuit for driving a liquid crystal display device free from the above problems is desirable.

Method of driving a liquid crystal display and driver circuit for driving a liquid crystal display


The present invention discloses a capacitor for a TFT array substrate and a method of manufacturing the same, and the present invention further discloses a shift register, a gate driver, an array substrate and a display device using the capacitor. The TFT array substrate comprises a TFT gate layer, a gate insulation layer, a first ITO layer, a TFT active layer, a TFT source-drain layer, a passivation layer and a second ITO layer formed sequentially on a glass substrate, and the capacitor is consisted of the first ITO layer, the passivation layer and the second ITO layer. In addition, the second ITO layer is connected with the TFT gate layer in a region where the capacitor is located, thereby forming two capacitors connected in parallel; or, the first ITO layer is connected with the TFT gate layer in the region where the capacitor is located, thereby also forming two capacitors connected in parallel. With the present invention, a space occupied by the capacitor for the TFT array substrate is reduced, and a size of the shift register is reduced, so as to be suitable for a narrow frame design.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of image display technologies, and specifically, to a TFT array substrate, particularly a capacitor for a TFT array substrate, a method of manufacturing the capacitor, and a shift register comprising the capacitor, a gate driver array substrate and a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A progressive scanning matrix display in an M×N dot matrix is employed in an image display panel comprising an array substrate for controlling a light source. Taking a TFT-LCD (thin film field effect transistor liquid crystal display) for an example, drivers of the array substrate mainly comprises a gate driver (scan driver) and a data driver, wherein an inputted clock signal, after converted by a shift register, is applied by the gate driver to a gate line of a liquid crystal display panel.
Shift registers are often used in gate drivers of a liquid crystal display panel, and each gate line is connected with one stage of circuit units of the shift register. Gate input signals are output by a gate drive circuit, so that respective pixels are scanned line by line. The gate drive circuit may be provided on the display panel in a packaging way such as COF (Chip On Film) or COG (Chip On Glass), or the gate drive circuit may be formed by TFTs (thin film field effect transistor) into an integrated circuit unit and formed in the display panel. For the liquid crystal display panel, a GOA (Gate On Array) design of a gate driver enables a reduction of production cost, a removal of one process step, and an increase in yield.
Generally, a shift register of a gate driver of a TFT-LCD is consisted of several TFTs and capacitors. FIG. 1 is schematic diagram showing a cascade configuration of a shift register of a TFT-LCD gate driver in prior arts. As can be seen from FIG. 1, a signal inputted at an input end Input of each stage of the shift register SR is a signal outputted from an output end Output of a previous stage of the shift register SR; an output signal at a reset end Reset of each stage of the shift register SR is a signal outputted from an output end Output of a next stage of the shift register SR. As such, the GOA-based gate drive circuit of the liquid crystal display can be turned on line by line, thereby achieving display of a screen.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing stages of a shift register in prior arts. As shown in FIG. 2, the shift register SR comprises a plurality of TFTs M1˜M13 and a capacitor C1. With an increasing market demand in narrow frame design, development of narrow frame design is restricted more and more by a size of the shift register, especially a size of the capacitor, thus optimization of the size of the shift register has become an urgent matter at present. Currently, there are many existing technologies for optimizing and reducing the number of TFTs. Capacitor(s), however, is a necessary basic unit of a shift register and thus is indispensable. Further, there is at least one capacitor in a shift register, and a capacitance of the capacitor is at least from several picofarads (pf) to dozens of picofarads, that is, an area occupied by the capacitor is generally from 1,000 μm2 to 1,000,000 μm2. In general, when manufacturing a shift register of a gate driver of a TFT-LCD, a TFT gate layer may be used to form one electrode of capacitor, and a TFT source-drain layer may be used to form other electrode of the capacitor. Typically, TFT gate layer and TFT source-drain layer are made of a metal and are not transparent.
For almost all of current products, since the frame thereof is relatively narrow, there is a overlapped portion between a frame sealing glue and a GOA region; since the frame is relatively narrow, the frame sealing glue is substantially blocked and covered by a black matrix (BM) at a side of a CF (Color Filter), and UV cure of the frame sealing glue can only be performed from the TFT side, at this time, it is required that the capacitor is designed into a hollowed-out form so that UV light can pass therethrough so as to cure the sealing glue.
If an increased space for the hollowed-out design of a capacitor for the ultraviolet cure of the frame sealing glue is taken into account, the area of the capacitor needs to be increased by about 50%, which will significantly impacts the size of the frame. Generally, an product based on ADS (Advanced Super Dimension Switch) technology is manufactured by a liquid crystal process comprising sequentially forming a TFT gate layer, a gate insulation layer, a first ITO layer (pixel electrode), a TFT active layer, a TFT source-drain layer and then a TFT passivation layer, and finally a second ITO layer (common electrode).
Generally, when manufacturing a shift register of a gate driver of a TFT-LCD, a TFT gate layer may be used to form one electrode of capacitor, and a TFT source-drain layer may be used to form other electrode of the capacitor. At this time, a structure of the capacitor is shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.
FIGS. 3A and 3B respectively show a capacitor design without being overlapped with a frame sealing glue and a capacitor design overlapped with a frame sealing glue. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, an existing capacitor is consisted of a TFT gate layer 2, a gate insulation layer 3 and a TFT source-drain layer 4 sequentially formed on a glass substrate 1.
In such a case, a thickness of the gate insulation layer 3 between the TFT source-drain layer 4 and the TFT gate layer 2 is about 4,000 Ř5,000 Å; further, since the TFT gate layer 2 and TFT source-drain layer 4 are made of a non-transparent metal material, the TFT gate layer 2 and the TFT source-drain layer 4 need to be designed into a hollowed-out form when considering curing of the frame sealing glue. If it is intended that the capacitance of the capacitor remains unchanged and opposite area between the TFT gate layer 2 and TFT source-drain layer 4 cannot be reduced, the space occupied by the capacitor needs to be increased, thereby ensuring magnitude of the capacitance.

Capacitor for TFT array substrate and method of manufacturing the same, and devices associated with the same

Hefei BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


A method for detecting link failures between nodes in hybrid networks includes: establishing sub-BFD connections between nodes and edge nodes and establishing an end-to-end BFD connection. When a failure occurs in the sub-BFD connection of IP network segment, notify a peer node of the failure via the end-to-end BFD connection. When a failure occurs in the MPLS OAM mechanism of MPLS network segment, the edge node notifies the node of the failure via the sub-BFD connection. Another method includes: establishing sub-BFD connections between nodes and edge nodes. When one end of the sub-BFD connection failures, notify the IP network segment at the peer end of the failure via an extended MPLS OAM mechanism and notify the node of the failure via the sub-BFD connection of the IP network segment. An interworking between the BFD detecting mechanism and the MPLS OAM detecting mechanism in a hybrid network can be implemented.

Along with the development of communication technology, Next Generation Network (NGN) technology is developing vigorously. In the current NGN, however, it has become a pressing important issue that how to guarantee the quality of data transmission and to quickly detect a link failure, for example, when unclear voice occurs during the data transmission.
To address the above issue, an Operation and Maintenance (OAM) technique has been provided. The technique can automatically detect various failures of network and adopt the corresponding remedial measures to avoid extension of the failures or try the best to eliminate the failures, and diminish or eliminate negative effects brought by the failures. The existing OAM technique primarily includes the Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) technique and the Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) OAM technique provided by the Intentional Telecommunications Union (ITU).
The BFD is a Hello mechanism. Refer to "IETF: draft-ietf-bfd-base-00", "IETF: draft-ietf-bfd-mpls-00" and "IETF: draft-ietf-mpls-lsp-ping-05" disclosed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) for detail.
FIG. 1 is a schematic link in an NGN network. The BFD technique is herein described with the link between Node A and Node E as shown in FIG. 1. The BFD has two operating modes which may be selected, as well as an additional function that can be used in combination with the two modes.
The primary mode is known as asynchronous mode. In this mode, a BFD session is established between Node A and Node E. Node A and Node E periodically send hello packets, i.e. BFD packets, to one another, and if a number of those packets are not received by the other node, the session is declared to be down.
The second mode is known as Demand mode. In this mode, it is assumed that each node has an independent way of verifying that it has connectivity to the other node. Once a BFD session for detecting a failure is established, Node A or Node E stops sending BFD control packets to the other, except when either node feels the need to verify connectivity explicitly, in which case a short sequence of BFD control packets is sent, and then the protocol quiesces.
An adjunct to both modes is an Echo function. That is, when the Echo function is active, a hello packet transmitted by Node A in such a way as to have the Node E loop the hello packet back. Node A detects whether the hello packet is lost and determines whether a failure occurs in the link between Node A and Node E based on the detection. The echo function may be used with either asynchronous or Demand mode. Since the Echo function is handling the task of detection, the periodical packets may be reduced in the case of asynchronous mode and the hello packet may be eliminated completely in the case of Demand mode.
In addition, the rate of transmission of hello packets may be negotiated between Node A and Node E so as to notify the one another of the rate at which they can receive and send the packets, and eventually determine the rate of transmission of the hello packets.
A BFD control packet is transmitted in a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet with the destination port of 3784 and the source port in a range of 49252-65535, while the destination port of a response packet is 3785. The BFD control packet format is as shown in Table 1.
TABLE 101234567890123456789012345. . .VersDiagHDPFCARsvDetect MultLengthMy DiscriminatorYour DiscriminatorDesired Min TX IntervalRequired Min RX IntervalRequired Min Echo RX Interval
The BFD control packet also includes an optional section, and the format of which is as shown in Table 2.
TABLE 201234567890123456789012345. . .Auth TypeAuth LenAuthentication Data
The first lines in above Tables 1 and 2 include the data bits of the packet, and the other lines thereof indicate the name of each field included in the BFD control packet. The description of each field is as shown in Table 3.
TABLE 3Field nameIndicationVersion (Vers)The latest version number of the protocol, and this documentdefines protocol version 0.A diagnostic code specifying the local system's reason for thelast transition of the session from Up to some other state.Values are:Diagnostic(Diag)0—No Diagnostic1—Control Detection Time Expired2—Echo Function Failed3—Neighbor Signaled Session Down4—Forwarding Plane Reset5—Path Down6—Concatenated Path Down7—Administratively Down8-31—Reserved for future useI Hear You (H)This bit is set to 0 if the transmitting system either is notreceiving BFD packets from the remote system, or is in the processof tearing down the BFD session for some reason. This bit is set to 1if the transmitting system believes it is communicating with theremote system.Demand (D)If set, the transmitting system wishes to operate in DemandMode. If clear, the transmitting system does not wish to or is notcapable of operating in Demand Mode.Poll (P)If set, the transmitting system is requesting verification ofconnectivity, or of a parameter change. If clear, thetransmittingsystem is not requesting verification.Final (F)If set, the transmitting system is responding to a received BFDcontrol packet that had the Poll (P) bit set. If clear, the transmittingsystem is not responding to a Poll.Control PlaneIf set, the transmitting system's BFD implementation does notIndependent (C)share fate with its control plane (in other words, BFD isimplemented in the forwarding plane and can continue to functionthrough disruptions in the control plane.) If clear, the transmittingsystem's BFD implementation shares fate with its control plane.AuthenticationIf set, the Authentication Section is present and the session is toPresent (A)be authenticated.Reserved (Rsv)These bits must be zero on transmit, and ignored on receipt.Detect MultDetect time multiplier. The negotiated transmit interval,multiplied by this value, provides the detection time for thetransmitting system in Asynchronous mode.LengthLength of the BFD Control packet, in bytes.MyA unique, nonzero discriminator value generated by theDiscriminatortransmitting system, used to demultiplex multiple BFD sessionsbetween the same pair of systems.Yourhe discriminator received from the corresponding remoteDiscriminatorsystem. This field reflects back the received value of MyDiscriminator, or is zero if that value is unknown.DesiredThis is the minimum interval, in microseconds, that the localMin TX Intervalsystem would like to use when transmitting BFD Control packets.RequiredThis is the minimum interval, in microseconds, betweenMin RX Intervalreceived BFD Control packets that this system is capable ofsupporting.Required MinThis is the minimum interval, in microseconds, betweenEcho RXreceived BFD Echo packets that this system is capable ofIntervalsupporting. If this value is zero, the transmitting system does notsupport the receipt of BFD Echo packets.Auth TypeThe authentication type in use, if the Authentication Present(A) bit is set.0—Reserved1—Simple Password2—Keyed MD53—Meticulous Keyed MD54-255—Reserved for future useAuth LenThe length, in bytes, of the authentication section, including theAuth Type and Auth Len fields.
The BFD also provides a function to detect MPLS Label switched path (LSP). However, the BFD needs to be combined with the LSP ping, and on the initial stage, a connection should be established via the LSP Ping.
The current BFD technique receives more and more support from data communication products, such as a router. The route protocols of mainstream manufacturers have supported or are supporting the fast convergence via BFD fast detection, and all the routers of mainstream manufacturers have supported or are supporting BFD based link detection function.
As the emergence of BFD technique is late, however, the solutions to actual problems in some network applications have not been disclosed. For example, in MPLS LSP detection, there has been no complete solution or no solution at all on how to suppress alarm storms and how to interwork with OAM on other layers, e.g. how to interwork with the link layer Asyncluronous Transfer Mode (ATM) OAM mechanism to provide a detailed protection switching mechanism.
As above disadvantages of BFD, the ITU MPLS OAM mechanism is generally adopted in the MPLS network for failure detection. The ITU MPLS OAM mechanism is only applicable to the MPLS network. As the LSP of MPLS is established in segments and can be nested, suppose that outer layer tunnels LSPab, LSPbc, LSPcd and LSPde as well as an inner layer tunnel LSPae is established between AB, BC, CD, DE and AE, respectively, wherein the tunnel label of LSPae is nested in the label of the outer tunnel labels, that is, in a packet sent from Node A to Node E, the inner label is the label of LSPae and the outer label is the label of each segment of the outer tunnel. An old outer label will be changed to a new label when arriving at a new segment.
Refer to the Y.1710, Y.1711, Y.1712, Y.1713 and Y.1720 of ITUT for the detailed solutions of the ITU MPLS OAM mechanism.
Similar to the BFD, the ITU MPLS OAM mechanism detects a link failure by sending a Hello packet between two nodes. Furthermore, with the label nesting mechanism, some useful mechanisms are added to the MPLS OAM mechanism, which is described below with additional reference to FIG. 1.
1. Forward Defect Indicator (FDI) mechanism. Detect and determine a defect location via the FDI mechanism. As shown in FIG. 1, an OAM packet of MPLS OAM mechanism needs running over the link LSP of AB, BC, CD, DE and AE. The OAM packet is also a Hello packet which is called a Connectivity Verification (CV) packet or a Fast Failure Detection (FFD) packet in the ITUT. When an outer layer tunnel link continuously loses some number of packets in a period of time, the outer layer tunnel link may be invalid. Suppose that the OAM mechanism of LSPbc detects that the link between Node B and Node C is invalid, Node B reports a defect report to a network management device and automatically sends to Node E a FDI packet for reporting that the link LSPbc is invalid, and Node E determines that all inner LSP tunnel links nested in the Link LSPbc are invalid. The network management device determines that the failure point is located between Node B and Node C according to the failure report from Node B. In addition, the FDI mechanism may be used for suppressing alarm storms.
2. Backward Defect Indication (BDI) mechanism. In the FDI, if a return link exists, after receiving the FDI packet, Node E will return a BDI packet to Node A. The BDI packet is used for notifying Node A that the link between Node A and Node E is invalid and the link between Node A and Node E should be switched.
3. The MPLS OAM mechanism may run FDI packets with high detection rate in outer layer tunnels, such as LSPab, LSPbc, LSPcd and LSPde. These outer layer tunnels are relatively important because they carry a number of inner tunnels. The MPLS OAM mechanism runs FDI packets with low detection rate in inner tunnels, such as LSPae. When a failure is detected in an outer tunnel, the outer tunnel will introduce the alarm into the inner tunnels nested in the outer tunnel automatically to reduce resource consumption.
4. The MPLS OAM mechanism may also establish two tunnels, and one of them is used as a backup tunnel. Upon detecting a failure in a link, the link may quickly switch to the backup tunnel to implement the backup function.
At present, data communication devices generally support the BFD because route protocols used by the data communication devices require the BFD, for example, most of the devices in an IP network support the BFD. In terms of transmission devices, such as the devices in an MPLS network, tend to adopt the ITUT MPLS OAM mechanism since these transmission devices are primarily implemented with hardware.
However, no interworking method between the MPLS OAM mechanism of ITUT and the BFD has been provided. Thus, in a hybrid network including the BFD mechanism and the MPLS OAM mechanism, the interworking of two mechanisms has no solution so far, thus a failure of inter-network link may not be detected. Hereinafter the inter-network link refers to a link crossing multiple networks with different detection mechanisms.
For example, the interworking of detecting mechanisms between the IP network and the MPLS network has no solution in the prior art. FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustrating the networking of a hybrid network consisting of an IP network and an MPLS network. As shown in FIG. 2, suppose that the network between N2 and N6 is an MPLS network, and the networks between N0 and N2 as well as between N6 and N8 are IP networks, wherein the BFD mechanism is adopted by the IP network and the MPLS OAM mechanism is adopted by the MPLS network. When a failure is detected, N0 and N8 should be notified. However, since no solution exists for implementing the interworking between the BFD and the MPLS OAM mechanism, N0 may be notified a failure detected between N0 and N2 but N8 is unable to be notified; N8 may be notified a failure detected between N6 and N8 but N0 is unable to be notified; and N2 and N6 may be notified a failure detected between N2 and N6 but N0 and N8 are unable to be notified.

Method and system for detecting link failure between nodes in a hybrid network


A device and weaving machine using the device for cutting discarded pile loop weft yarns in a fabric that is composed of a backing fabric consisting of weft yarns and warp yarns and that contains pile warp yarns by which, in one or several zones, pile loops are formed over discarded pile loop weft yarns, device being provided with a cutting blade to cut the discarded pile loop weft yarns, the device comprising a guiding needle that extends between two rows of pile positioned side by side in the direction of the warp, and the device being provided with two or several guiding yarns in the direction of the warp that push this side by side positioned pile away from the guiding needle and the cutting blade in the direction of the weft and that, at the same time, pull the discarded pile loop weft yarns away from the backing fabric in order to present them over the guiding needle to the cutting blade so that they can be severed.

On the one hand, the invention relates to device for cutting discarded pile loop weft yarns in a fabric that is composed of a backing fabric consisting of weft yarns and warp yarns, and that comprises pile warp yarns by which, in one or several zones, pile loops over discarded pile loop weft yarns are formed, whereas the device is provided with a cutting blade to cut the discarded pile loop weft yarns.
On the other hand, the invention relates to a weaving machine that is provided with such device. The device according to the invention can be either a single-piece weaving machine or a face-to-face weaving machine.
To weave pile loops in fabrics, two procedures are commonly used:                In one method, the pile loops are shaped by introducing weaving rods in the direction of the weft, over which the loop pile is laid. Then, after one or several beats of the reed, the weaving rod is pulled out of the fabric and the pile forms a loop.        In the other method, lancets are installed in the direction of the warp that serve as spacers to carry a discarded weft yarn that is introduced as a pile loop weft yarn, over which the loop pile is laid. After the thus shaped part of the fabric has left the top of the lancet, the discarded pile loop is removed from the fabric and the pile forms a loop.
In the second procedure, removal of the discarded pile loop weft yarn can be performed in several ways, for instance by inserting a weft yarn made of yarn material that can be washed out of the fabric by a washing process. More commonly, the discarded pile loop weft yarn is removed from the fabric by pulling the discarded pile loop weft yarn out of the fabric. In such process, we pull for instance at the selve edge in which the discarded pile loop weft yarn is attached, or we use extra gripping devices to pull the discarded pile loop weft yarn out of the formed fabric, as is for instance described in BE 1 014 269. When this procedure is applied to larger weaving widths (more than 2 m), it is also a common practice to cut the discarded pile loop weft yarn in the middle of the fabric, and the thus created two parts of the discarded pile loop weft yarn are pulled out from both sides of the weaving machine. In the figures of BE 1 014 269, a knife is positioned in the centre at the fabric side and facing the lancets, in order to cut the discarded pile loop weft yarns in their middle. However, the text of BE 1 014 269 does neither specify how this is accomplished, nor how the device is built. As can be deducted from the first figure, this happens shortly after the fabric edge has been formed and beyond the point where the fabric leaves the lancets.
EP 1 347 087 describes a procedure and device for weaving fabrics with pile loops in face-to-face mode, in which the discarded pile loop weft yarn is severed by a cutting blade that is incorporated in one of the lancets in the centre of the weaving width. Such cutting lancet is present both in the row of the upper spacers and in the row of the lower spacers.
This procedure has a significant number of drawbacks.
The cutting of the discarded pile loop weft yarn takes place between the upper fabric and the lower fabric, completely out of the weaver's sight.
Replacing the cutting blade in the lancet is rather complicated because the entire lancet must be dismounted and reinstalled for this, which could lead to possible damage of the surrounding warp yarns.
In addition, it is difficult to observe and difficult to detect if cutting of the discarded pile loop weft yarn has failed for one or the other reason.
When the weaver is working with his hands in the vicinity of the top of the cutting lancets, which he only can see with great difficulty, he runs the risk of injuring himself on the cutting blades.
In addition, it often occurs that the cutting lancet provided for cutting of the discarded pile loop weft yarn for the upper fabric, which, most of the times, is located in a different reed dent than the one provided for cutting of the loop weft in the bottom fabric, cuts both the discarded pile loop weft yarn for the top fabric and the discarded pile loop weft yarn for the bottom fabric. In this case, when the discarded pile loop weft yarn is pulled out from both sides, a small piece of the discarded pile loop weft yarn remains behind in the middle of the fabric, which either can come loose at a later moment or create an uneven effect in the fabric, or both.

Device for cutting discarded pile loop weft yarns in a fabric and weaving machine provided with such device