Systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer program products, for applying style changes to markup language documents. A replacement style sheet parameter value, which is to replace an existing style sheet parameter value that is associated with a previously rendered markup language document, is received and applied to the rendered markup language document. The replacement style sheet parameter value may be included in a style block and inserted into a Document Object Model data structure that represents the rendered markup language document. Some implementations allow the effect of a design parameter change to be previewed immediately, without re-rendering an entire markup language document, regenerating one or more style sheets, or communicating with a server. Parametrized representations of style sheets may include bindings between parameters, which may result in more compact and efficient style sheet parametrizations in some implementations.

The present application relates to markup language documents, and more particularly to the formatting of markup language documents.
Markup language documents contain content interspersed with markup language or tags. The markup language may be used to structure and define the content, as well as to format the content for display. For example, a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document may contain tags like <head> and <body> that organize the document's content into sections (in this case, a header section and a body section), as well as tags like <b> that cause content to be rendered or displayed in a certain manner (in this case, using boldface font).
Style sheets may be used in conjunction with markup language documents in order to help separate the functions of structuring and formatting the documents. Style sheets contain formatting descriptions that may be used to determine how certain elements or sections of a markup language document are to be displayed. For example, style sheets may be used to specify the font, color, and positioning of content in a markup language document. Thus, some of the formatting tags and functionality in a markup language document may be replaced by formatting instructions included in one or more style sheets. In the case of HTML documents, style sheets may work in conjunction with HTML tags to describe in more detail how the content in the documents is to be displayed.
By helping to collect formatting descriptions in a central location (e.g., in one or more files), style sheets may make it easier to modify and revise the formatting of markup language documents. However, markup language documents may require numerous formatting instructions, which may be stored in numerous style sheets, and it may be difficult and burdensome to edit extensive or multiple style sheets in a consistent manner. For example, if an organization wishes to change the text color on all pages on a certain portion of its web site, the style sheets that apply to those pages may have to be identified, and the appropriate color settings may have to be adjusted in all of those style sheets.
One approach that may make it easier to modify style sheets in a consistent manner is to parametrize the style sheets. A parametrized representation of a style sheet may contain one or more design parameters or variables, each of which may be set to or associated with a specific value or set of values. The parametrized representation of a style sheet may be used to generate the actual style sheet that is applied to a markup language document. The generated style sheet may contain multiple formatting instructions that either make use of, or that are based on, the values of the parameters. A formatting change may be effected by revising the value of a parameter in the parametrized representation of a style sheet, and regenerating the style sheet from the parametrized representation. The revised value of the parameter may be reflected in all of the formatting instructions in the style sheet that are based on the parameter.

Editing styles for markup documents using parametrized styles sheets


Plasma Display Panels (PDP) are becoming more and more interesting for TV technology. Due to the larger size of PDPs, with larger viewing angle the large area flicker effect will become more serious in the future, in particular when handling 50 Hz video standards. This invention proposes a different sub-field organisation, with different coding, which reduces large area flicker artefact, and which is characterised by:    1. Grouping of sub-fields (SF) in 2 sub-field groups (G1, G2), of similar structure.    2. Adjusting the starting times of the two sub-field groups to a time raster corresponding to a doubling of the frame repetition rate by adding a first blanking period of a first dedicated length behind the last sub-field of the first sub-field group and a second blanking period of a second dedicated length behind the last sub-field of the second sub-field group.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing video pictures, in particular for large area flicker effect reduction.
More specifically the invention is closely related to a kind of video processing for improving the picture quality of pictures which are displayed on matrix displays like plasma display panels (PDP), display devices with digital micro mirror arrays (DMD) and all kind of displays based on the principle of duty cycle modulation (pulse width modulation) of light emission.
Although plasma display panels are known for many years, plasma displays are encountering a growing interest from TV manufacturers. Indeed, this technology now makes it possible to achieve flat colour panels of large size and with limited depths without any viewing angle constraints. The size of the displays may be much larger than the classical CRT picture tubes would have ever been allowed.
Referring to the latest generation of European TV sets, a lot of work has been made to improve its picture quality. Consequently, there is a strong demand, that a TV set built in a new technology like the plasma display technology has to provide a picture so good or better than the old standard TV technology.
A plasma display panel utilises a matrix array of discharge cells which could only be switched ON or OFF. Also unlike a CRT or LCD in which grey levels are expressed by analogue control of the light emission, in a PDP the grey level is controlled by modulating the number of light pulses per frame. This time-modulation will be integrated by the eye over a period corresponding to the eye time response.
For static pictures, this time-modulation, repeats itself, with a base frequency equal to the frame frequency of the displayed video norm. As known from the CRT-technology, a light emission with base frequency of 50 Hz, introduces large area flicker, which can be eliminated by field repetition in 100 Hz CRT TV receivers.
Contrary to the CRTs, where the duty cycle of light emission is very short, the duty cycle of light emission in PDPs is ˜50% for middle grey. This reduces the amplitude of the 50 Hz frequency component in the spectrum, and thus large area flicker artefact, but due to the larger size of PDPS, with a larger viewing angle, even a reduced large area flicker becomes objectionable in terms of picture quality. The present trend of increasing size and brightness of PDPs, will also contribute to aggravate this problem in the future.

Method and apparatus for processing video pictures, in particular for large area flicker effect reduction


A system for a pallet truck load wheel mechanism comprises a logic device and first and second sensor arrangements. The first and second sensor arrangements include first and second sensing fields that define first and second edges of an operability window, respectively. The logic device has an operable state indicating that the load wheel mechanism can raise a pallet lifting device and an inoperable state indicating that the load wheel mechanism should not raise the pallet lifting device. The logic device is initialized in the operable state and is configured to change to the inoperable state in response to each time the first sensor arrangement detects an edge of a board intersecting, the first edge of the operability window and to change to the operable state in response to each time the second sensor arrangement detects an edge of a board intersecting the second edge of the operability window.

Pallet trucks typically include a pair of forks for moving pallets. Proximate to the tips of the forks, load wheels are provided that are moved away from the forks for lifting a pallet off the ground and moved towards the forks for lowering the pallet onto the ground. Ideally, the load wheels and any associated linkage used to move the load wheels away from and towards the forks pass through openings in the bottom of a pallet without engaging and either damaging or breaking a bottom board of a pallet. However, often due to a load of goods on a pallet that impairs a view of the pallet, it is not always clear to a pallet truck operator whether the load wheels and any associated linkages are properly positioned in an opening in the bottom of a pallet and it is relatively common for pallet bottom boards to become damaged or broken because of contact by a load wheel or its associated linkage when lifting a pallet. Should a bottom board of a pallet become damaged or broken, it is often necessary to replace such a pallet, which sometimes includes transferring the goods on the damaged pallet to an undamaged pallet.
Many pallets have a top deck formed by a plurality of boards attached to beams extending perpendicularly to the boards, and a bottom deck fondled by a plurality of boards attached to the beams. Some pallets define two rectangular openings in the bottom that are approximately 9 inches wide with the long edge extending perpendicularly to the beams and the short edge extending parallel to the boards. Such openings are typically 27 inches apart from center-to-center. To provide rigidity for the center of the pallet, a center beam extends between and is attached to the top and bottom deck boards about midway between and parallel to the side beams. Because the forks of a pallet truck are typically wide, such forks must be inserted into a pallet perpendicular to the long edge of the openings in the bottom of the pallet. However, pallets come in various board and beam arrangements having different sized openings and openings located in different positions in the bottom of the pallet. Also, manufacturing errors may result in different sized openings in the bottom of a pallet. In addition to not seeing a pallet clearly because of a load, both of the above factors contribute to operators improperly positioning load wheels and/or their associated linkages and damaging or breaking bottom boards when lifting pallets.
To facilitate properly positioning load wheels and their associated linkages, pallet trucks are commonly designed with the load wheels positioned on the forks such that when an edge of a pallet engages the load rest, the load wheels and their linkages are positioned for unobstructed passage through the openings in the bottom, of a pallet. However, overhanging loads often contact the load rest instead of the pallet edge, or operators may not pay sufficient attention to whether a pallet edge engages the load rest, thus causing the load wheels and their associated linkages to be improperly aligned with the openings in the bottom of the pallet resulting in damaged or broken pallet bottom boards when the pallet is lifted.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.


State of charge control for electric and hybrid vehicles. In one embodiment, a battery may be electrically connected to an electric motor to propel a vehicle. In such an embodiment, during vehicle operation a state of charge of the battery may fluctuate within a given state of charge range and may be regulated to a target state of charge. Such target state of charge may be set below the midpoint of the state of charge range. As the vehicle operates various devices may be controlled to regulate the state of charge to the target. In particular, an electric motor may be employed to lower the state of charge and an internal combustion engine may be employed to raise the state of charge. In other embodiments, regenerative braking, solar power or the like may be employed to raise the state of charge from at or below the target state of charge to the upper state of charge limit.

Generally, in electric-hybrid vehicles (e.g., gas or fuel cell) an electric motor may be provided to propel the vehicle. At least one rechargeable battery, together with either an internal combustion engine or fuel cell, may provide energy to the electric motor when the motor is employed to propel the vehicle. During extended operation, battery power may be depleted and may require charging. Although immobile charging processes are available, (i.e., coupling the battery to an electrical outlet), such processes typically require the user to discontinue use of the vehicle. Consequently, mobile charging processes are implemented to charge the battery during vehicle operation, such as for example by generating electricity via a fuel cell, via power from the internal combustion engine (e.g., using a generator), and/or via regenerative braking (by converting vehicle momentum into electrical energy). As the battery is charged and discharged, the state of charge may be regulated to extend battery life, optimize battery discharge and charge capacity, and ensure sufficient battery power for the electric motor.
The battery state of charge is typically regulated between a lower limit and an upper limit (i.e., a designated state of charge range) within which the battery state of charge may vary. If the state of charge breaches the upper limit (typically due to overcharging), recharging may be suspended until the battery can be discharged. Conversely, if the state of charge breaches the lower limit (typically due to lengthy electric motor operation), discharging (e.g., use of the electric motor) may be suspended until the battery can be charged. When the battery operates within the designated range, the state of charge is typically regulated to a target state of charge set to the midpoint of the designated range. This midpoint provides equal capacity to charge and discharge the battery, but cannot accommodate extended charging or discharging. Some systems and methods exist can continually regulate and vary the target state of charge based upon predicted vehicle driving conditions to optimize regenerative braking capacity. However, such systems have limited success due to the difficulty in determining and predicting upcoming road conditions. Moreover, such systems can add cost and weight to the vehicle. Accordingly, there is a need to improve the control of a battery state of charge.

State of charge control method and systems for vehicles

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A triple verification method is provided. The triple verification method includes setting a triple having a source entity, a target entity, and a relation value between the source entity and the target entity by a setting unit, extracting a plurality of intermediate entities associated with the source entity and the target entity by the setting unit, defining a connection relation between the intermediate entity, the source entity, and the target entity and generating a plurality of connection paths connecting the source entity, the intermediate entity, and the target entity by a path generation unit, generating a matrix by embedding the plurality of connection paths into vector values by a first processing unit, calculating a feature map by performing a convolution operation on the matrix by a second processing unit, generating an encoding vector for each connection path by encoding the feature map by applying a bidirectional long short-term memory neural network (BiLSTM) technique by a third processing unit, and generating a state vector by summing the encoding vectors for each connection path by applying an attention mechanism and verifying the triple based on a similarity value between the relation value of the triple and the state vector by a determination unit.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a triple verification device and a triple verification method.
Knowledge graphs are resources useful for building intelligent systems such as question answering systems or recommendation systems. However, in most knowledge graphs, there is a case in which accurate information is not provided due to missing relations between entities. Embedding methods, which convert relations between the entities into low-dimensional spaces, provide useful results but only focus on direct relations between the entities and do not reflect path relations on a graph.

Triple verification device and triple verification method

Foundation of Soongsil University-Industry Cooperation


An ambiguous key character input method is adopted, enabling appropriate character input without enlarging or complicating the structure of a portable terminal. In a mobile telephone having a keypad where a plurality of characters are respectively allocated to input keys according to number keys from 0 to 9, like a telephone keypad, am ambiguous key input method is adopted where a user respectively presses keys containing each character of a character string or word they want to input one at a time. At the mobile telephone, a disambiguation server network connected using a wired network or a wireless network returns a character string or selection list postulated by a user intending input from a series of keys received from the portable terminal to the portable terminal, and by selecting a character string or word the user wants to input from the character string selection list the character string or word is efficiently input.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a communication terminal of a mobile telephone or the like provided with number keys from 0 to 9 respectively allocated to a plurality of characters, to a character input system that enables efficient input of characters, and to a communication terminal used in a character input system.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, the most common character input method for portable terminal devices such as mobile telephones is the so-called multi-tap method. With the multi-tap method, a number of key operations are required to input a single character.
With a mobile telephone or the like, alphabetic characters are divided up into groups and collected together in groups of three or four characters in alphabetic order, and each group is assigned to a key. For example, the letters A, B and C are allocated to the number key 2, the letters D, E and F are allocated to the number key 3, and so on, as shown in FIG. 2. With mobile phones that are used throughout the world, different character groups may also be allocated to these keys.
As is well known, with character input in the multi-tap method, it is normally necessary to perform more than one key operation to input a single character. For example, to input the word "CAFE", first of all the number 2 key is pressed three times to input the letter "C", then the number 2 key is pressed once to input the letter "A", the number 3 key is pressed three times to input the letter "F", and finally the number 3 key is pressed twice to input the letter "E". Therefore, when inputting the word "CAFE", a total of nine key operations are required, namely the sequence of pressing the number keys "222,2,333,33". With the multi-tap method, they are five more operations than performing the same input using a personal computer keyboard. This type of multi-tap method character input places a large burden on the user, and ambiguous key input methods have been proposed to improve this situation.
The basic concepts for determining a correct input character sequence or word for an ambiguous key input are summarized in the article "Probabilistic Character Disambiguation for Reduced Keyboards Using Small Text Sample" published in 1992 by the Journal of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, by John L. Arnott and Muhammed Y. Javad (hereinafter referred to as the "Arnott article"). The Arnott Article points out that the majority of disambiguation methods use already known statistics for character strings or words of the relevant language to resolve ambiguity in a character string or word of a given context. Specifically, current disambiguation systems perform statistical analysis of a user's ambiguous key input and determine an appropriate interpretation for the ambiguous key input.
A disambiguation system called T9.RTM is also being developed by Tegic Communications, Inc.). This system checks a user's ambiguous key input against a language database, and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,437. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,059, Nokia Mobile Phone Limited has proposed a mobile device containing a predictive editor function to further improve the input efficiency of a mobile telephone type keypad.
FIG. 12 is a drawing showing the system configuration of a mobile telephone provided with a disambiguation system. This system is comprised of a central processing unit (CPU) 200, and peripheral devices such as a memory 201, keypad 202, display 203, speaker and microphone 204, and transceiver circuit 205. The CPU 200 reads data from the memory 201 and executes instructions. The instructions are generated by the following software programs: operating system 206, browser or e-mail program 207, another application program 208, and disambiguation software 209. A character string database 210 also resides in the memory 201. With a mobile telephone provided with this type of disambiguation system, it is possible for a user to input character strings or words through ambiguous key input. The disambiguation software 209 checks whether a character string or word that can be constructed from an inputted ambiguous character string exists in the database 210. A character string database built-into the mobile telephone is difficult to update, but the character string database is normally a word database, and requirements for updating data are not particularly stringent. However, it is not appropriate to build in a character string database for data that is added or updated every day, such as domain names.
The disambiguation systems proposed up to now, however, have all been integrated into a portable terminal device. At the present time, disambiguation systems are not being incorporated into the majority of portable terminal devices available on the market, and with these majority of portable terminal devices the only usable input method is the multi-tap method. Also, in the case where a disambiguation system is incorporated into a portable terminal device, it is not easy to update the character string database within the device. For example, in cases where data update is carried out daily, such as domain names, database updating is difficult

Character input system and communication terminal


A network traversal method is provided. A plurality of endpoints in a plurality of network address translators (NATs) is grouped into a plurality of groups, and an on-line server is deployed for managing information related to the groups and information related to connections that have traversed the NATs, wherein the endpoints in the same NAT are grouped into the same group. In addition, when one of the endpoints is about to establish a connection with another one of the endpoints, whether there is a peer-to-peer direct connection between the groups corresponding to the two endpoints is determined. If there is the peer-to-peer direct connection between the groups corresponding to the two endpoints, the connection between the two endpoints is established by using the peer-to-peer direct connection. Thereby, the network traversal method can effectively reduce the time, cost, and complexity for traversing the NATs.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to a network traversal method and a network communication system using the network traversal method.
2. Description of Related Art
Along with the development of network technologies and infrastructures and the increase of network users, many network address translators (NATs) are adopted to resolve the problem of insufficient network addresses in the Internet Protocol (IP). However, the adoption of NATs brings a great operation obstacle to applications using peer-to-peer transmission, such as P2P file transmission applications and IP phone applications.
To be specific, NATs can be categorized into full cone NATs, restricted cone NATs, port restricted cone NATs, and symmetric NATs. A characteristic of the full cone NATs is that after a connection is established between an internal user and an external user, any external user can communicate with the internal user according to a NAT assigned address/port of the internal user. A characteristic of the restricted cone NATs is that after a connection is established between an internal user and an external user, only the external address connected with the internal user can communicate with the internal user according to a NAT assigned address/port of the internal user. A characteristic of the port restricted cone NATs is that after a connection is established between an internal user and an external user, only the external addresses/ports connected to the internal user can communicate with the internal user according to a NAT assigned address/port of the internal user. A characteristic of the symmetric NATs is that a NAT assigned address/port is assigned to each application sent by an internal user to different destination, and only the address/port of the corresponding destination can communicate with the NAT assigned address/port.
As described above, in an environment in which many users use private IP addresses (or virtual IP addresses), when an external user outside a NAT is about to establish a data transmission connection with an internal user inside the NAT, the request message issued by the external user is blocked by the NAT and accordingly the internal user cannot receive this request message. As a result, the connection cannot be established.
In order to resolve foregoing problem, network protocols such as the simple traversal of user datagram protocol through NAT (STUN), the traversal using relay NAT (TURN), and the interactive connectivity establishment (ICE) are provided. The STUN network protocol specified by Request for Comments (RFC) 3489 provides a technique, wherein an internal user inside a NAT can obtain the addresses/ports assigned by the NAT and the type of the NAT, and can establish a connection with an external user outside the NAT by providing aforementioned information to the external user. However, the STUN network protocol cannot work on a symmetric NAT. According to the TURN network protocol, a TURN server is deployed in a public domain, and the TURN server assigns an address/port to an internal user inside a NAT and records the mapping relationship between an address/port used by the internal user for communicating with external users and the assigned address/port in a mapping table. After that, data entering and leaving the NAT is always relayed by the TURN server so as to traverse the NAT. Even though the TURN network protocol can be applied to traversal of a symmetric NAT, the TURN server may become a bottleneck in the performance of the entire system since the data streams of all internal users of the NAT have to pass through the TURN server. The ICE network protocol provides a NAT traversal method making use of the STUN network protocol and the TURN network protocol. In this NAT traversal method, when a connection is to be established between users by traversing a NAT, the users first collect their own candidate address information and then exchange the candidate address information with each other. After that, each user performs a connection testing by using the other party's candidate address. Finally, the users determine an optimal connection for transmitting data.
Some NAT traversal methods are provided based on the network protocols described above to allow an external user outside a NAT to traverse the NAT and establish a connection with an internal user inside the NAT. For example, in a hole punching method provided by the RFC 5128, a rendezvous server is deployed in a public domain, and every NAT user establishes a control message connection with the rendezvous server. When a user A is about to establish a direct NAT traversal connection with a user B, the user A first sends a connection establishment request message to the rendezvous server. After receiving the connection establishment request message, the rendezvous server sends the NAT assigned address/port of the user B to the user A and the NAT assigned address/port of the user A to the user B. Once the user A receives the address information of the user B, the user A sends a testing packet to the NAT assigned address/port of the user B. Herein the testing packet is blocked by the NAT of the user B, but meanwhile, a NAT mapping table of the user A is updated to allow the NAT assigned address/port of the user B to transfer data to the user A. After that, the user B also sends a testing packet to the NAT assigned address/port of the user A. Herein the NAT mapping table of the user B is updated to allow the NAT assigned address/port of the user A to transmit data to the user B. Accordingly, a bidirectional NAT traversal connection is successfully established. Even though the hole punching method can resolve some problems in NAT traversal, it cannot be applied if both NATs are symmetric NATs or one of them is a port restricted cone NAT and the other one is a symmetric NAT because, as described above, a symmetric NAT assigns different NAT assigned addresses/ports according to different destinations.
A port prediction technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,280 in order to achieve NAT traversal when both NATs are symmetric NATs or one of them is a port restricted cone NAT and the other one is a symmetric NAT. Because a symmetric NAT assigns ports to its internal users at certain intervals, in the port prediction method, the user that is about to establish a connection first tests the port assignation rule of the corresponding NAT and obtain the port assignation rule of the other party through information exchange. After that, the users respectively send a plurality of testing packets to the port predicted according to the other party's port assignation rule. Theoretically, a NAT traversal connection is established through the procedure described above. However, in the present technique, a lot of prediction messages and communication time are spent for predicting the ports assigned by the NATs, and the prediction success rate cannot be ensured.

Network traversal method for establishing connection between two endpoints and network communication system

Industrial Technology Research Institute


The present invention comprises a vibration isolating mount used to mount a furring channel to a mounting surface wherein the furring channel comprises a channel portion and two opposing furring channel flanges. The vibration isolating mount comprises a vibration isolator of a size and shape to fit snugly around the furring channel flanges, wherein the vibration isolator has opposing flanges extending away from the furring channel flanges; and mounting brackets, wherein the mounting brackets wrap around the vibration isolator flanges, and wherein the mounting brackets are isolated from the furring channel by the vibration isolator.

The present invention is in the field of noise and vibration control. More specifically this invention relates to an apparatus for isolating the structureborne vibration, and therefore the noise transferred from one part of a building to another.
In many building applications, furring channels are used to attach one part of a building structure, for example wallboard or other sheet material, to another part of the building structure. Noise, transmitted structurally as vibration, is often transmitted from one part of the building to another through the furring channel connection points.
Previously, furring channel mounting brackets were coated with a vibration absorbing material to reduce the noise transmitted through these mounting points. Although this does reduce the noise somewhat, these coated mounting brackets are expensive to manufacture.
Another existing method for reducing this noise is an acoustic mount, U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,347 by Ryan et al. This acoustic mount consists of a metal clip, a metal bushing, and a sound absorbing insert. The metal clip is clipped onto the furring channel; the sound absorbing insert is threaded into the metal clip; and the bushing passes through the sound absorbing insert. In this acoustic mount the connecting means is then passed through the bushing into the mounting surface, thus isolating the furring channel from the mounting surface. This configuration has metal to metal contact (metal clip against metal channel), and is not optimally dampened or isolated.
A vibration isolating mount is desired which would more effectively isolate noise and vibration from one part of a building to an adjoining part of the building. This mount should be economical to produce, and easy to install.


A device for controlling an image sensor including at least one photosensitive cell including a photodiode capable of discharging into a sense node via a first MOS transistor, the sense node being connected to the gate of a second MOS transistor having its source connected to a processing system. The device includes a bias circuit capable of increasing the voltage of the source during the discharge of the photodiode into the sense node.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the control of a monolithic photosensitive cell of an image sensor for use in image shooting devices such as, for example, film cameras, camcorders, digital photographic devices, or again cellular phones. More specifically, the present invention relates to a semiconductor-based photosensitive cell.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the circuit of a photosensitive cell PIX, or pixel, of an array of photosensitive cells of an image sensor. With each photosensitive cell of the array are associated a precharge device and a read device. The precharge device is formed of an N-channel MOS transistor M1, interposed between a supply rail VRT and a sense node SN. The gate of precharge transistor M1 is capable of receiving a precharge control signal RST. The read device is formed of the series connection of first and second N-channel MOS transistors M3, M2. The source of first read transistor M2 is connected to an input terminal X of a processing circuit (not shown). The drain of second read transistor M3 is connected to supply rail VRT. The gate of first read transistor M2 is connected to sense node SN. The gate of second read transistor M3 is capable of receiving a read signal READ. The photosensitive cell comprises a photodiode D having its anode connected to a reference voltage source GND and having its cathode connected to node SN via an N-channel charge transfer transistor M4. The gate of transfer transistor M4 is capable of receiving a charge transfer control signal TG. Generally, signals READ, RST, and TG are provided by control circuits not shown in FIG. 1 and may be provided to all the photosensitive cells of a same row of the cell array.
Sense node SN function as a region for storing the charges originating from photodiode D, the apparent capacitance at sense node SN being formed of the capacitances of the sources of transistors M1 and M4, of the input capacitance of transistor M2, as well as on the set of stray capacitances present at node SN. According to an alternative, a specific component, for example, a diode or a capacitor, may be connected to sense node SN to ensure the storage function.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a timing diagram of signals READ, RST, TG and of voltage VSN at node SN for a read cycle of photosensitive cell PIX of FIG. 1. Signals READ, RST, and TG are binary signals varying between high and low signals which may be different for each of the signals.
Between two read cycles of the photosensitive cell, during the carrier integration phase, signal TG is low. Transfer transistor M4 is thus turned off. The lighting causes the forming and the storage of charges at the level of photodiode D. Further, signal RST is high. Precharge transistor M1 is thus on. Voltage VSN is thus substantially equal to voltage VRT.
At a time t0, the array row containing the photosensitive cell to be read is selected by setting signal READ to the high level. The precharge of sense node SN is interrupted by setting signal RST to the low state at time t1, thus turning off precharge transistor M1. Voltage VSN at sense node SN is then set to a precharge level VRST which is slightly lower than voltage VRT due to a coupling with precharge transistor M1. Precharge level VRST is generally disturbed by noise essentially originating from the thermal noise of the channel of precharge transistor M1. This noise is sampled and maintained at sense node SN on turning off of precharge transistor M1. Precharge level VRST is then stored outside of photosensitive cell PIX via read transistors M2, M3.
At time t2, signal TG switches high. Voltage VSN rises from VRST to VRST+VU due to the coupling with transistor M4. Transfer transistor M4 is then on, which enables transferring the charges stored in photodiode D to sense node SN, causing a decrease in voltage VSN down to VRD+VU. Photodiode D is designed so that all the charges stored therein are transferred to sense node SN. Once the charge transfer is over, signal TG switches low at time t3, thus enabling insulating again photodiode D and restarting a cycle of forming and storage of charges resulting from the lighting. By a coupling effect with transistor M4, voltage VSN then decreases to stabilize at a desired signal level VRD, smaller than level VRST, which depends on the number of charges transferred to sense node SN. Wanted signal level VRD is then read via read transistors M2, M3. Like precharge level VRST, desired signal level VRD is especially disturbed by the thermal noise of the channel of precharge transistor M1 which has been sampled and maintained at sense node SN. The subtraction of signals VRD and VRST by the processing circuit enables eliminating the noise of precharge transistor M1 by a double correlated sampling. Once the reading is over, signal RST is set to the high state at time t4 to precharge sense node SN again. Finally, at time t5, signal READ is set to the low state to deselect the photosensitive cell. According to a variation, the switchings between high and low levels of signal TG are performed in ramps.
FIG. 3 illustrates, in a partial simplified cross-section view, a monolithic embodiment of the assembly of photodiode D and of transfer transistor M4 of FIG. 1. These elements are formed in the same active area of a lightly-doped semiconductor substrate 1 of a first conductivity type, for example, type P (P−). This substrate, for example, corresponds to an epitaxial layer on a silicon wafer which forms reference plane GND. The active area is delimited by field insulation areas 2, for example, made of silicon oxide (SiO2), and corresponds to a well 3 of the same conductivity type as underlying substrate 1, but more heavily-doped. Above the surface of well 3 is formed an insulated-gate structure 4 possibly provided with lateral spacers. On either side of gate 4, at the surface of well 3, are located source and drain regions 5 and 6 of the opposite conductivity type, for example, N. Drain region 6, to the right of gate 4, is heavily doped (N+). Source region 5 is formed of a much greater surface area than drain region 6 and forms with underlying well 3 the junction of photodiode D. Gate 4 and drain 6 are solid with metallizations (not shown) which enable putting these regions respectively in contact with transfer control signal TG and the gate of transistor M2 (node SN), respectively. The structure is completed with heavily-doped
P-type regions 8 and 9 (P+). Regions 8 and 9, which underly areas 2, are connected with the reference potential or ground via well 3 and substrate 1. Photodiode D is of so-called pinned or fully depleted photodiode type and comprises, at the surface of its source 5, a shallow P-type region 7 more heavily doped (P+) than well 3. Region 7 is in lateral (vertical) contact with region 8. It is thus permanently maintained at the reference voltage. Photodiode D is called a depleted or pinned photodiode since the voltage of region 5 of the photodiode is, in the absence of lighting, set by the sole dopant concentrations of regions 3, 5, 7.
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the voltage levels of the different regions of FIG. 2. The curve in stripe-dot lines illustrates the state of the system just after time t2, and the curve in full line illustrates the state of the system just after time t3. Heavily-doped P-type regions 7, 8, and 9 are permanently maintained at the reference potential or ground, for example, 0 V. Just after time t2, region 5 of photodiode D, completely charged, is at a voltage VDC. Transistor M4 is on. Channel region 3 of transistor M4 is at a voltage VT. Region 6 corresponding to node SN is at the level of precharge level VRST+VU due to the coupling with transistor M4. Between times t2 and t3, the charges stored in region 5 are transferred to region 6, causing a decrease in the voltage of region 6 and an increase in the voltage of region 5. After time t3, the charges stored in photodiode D being completely transferred to node SN, photodiode D reaches a so-called quiescent depletion level VD set by the sole characteristics of diode D. Transfer transistor M4 being off, channel region 3 is at 0 V. Region 6 is at desired signal level VRD. Region 5 of photodiode D then forms an empty voltage well which fills up again according to the lighting of the photodiode.
Generally, the high level of transfer control signal TG applied to the gate of transfer transistor M4 is such that the voltage in channel region 3 of transistor M4 is intermediate between depletion level VD and desired signal level VRD increased by voltage VU due to the coupling with transistor M4. To ensure a proper transfer of the charges, it is generally necessary to provide a sufficient margin M between voltage levels VD and VT. As an example, for a supply voltage VRT of 3 V, voltage VD is on the order of 1.5 V and margin M is generally selected to be greater than 0.5 V. Voltage VT thus defines the swing of voltage VSN which substantially corresponds to the difference between voltages VRST+VU and VT.
For increasingly dense technologies with photosensitive cells of small dimensions, it is desired to decrease supply voltage VRT and, generally, the high levels of the transistor control signals.
However, several difficulties arise when supply voltage VRT is decreased. A first difficulty is that the decrease of voltage VRT translates as a decrease in voltage VRST. With the previously-described image sensor controlling method, it can then be difficult, or even impossible, to adjust voltages VD and VT to ensure the proper transfer of the charges of photodiode D to sense node SN while keeping an appropriate swing of voltage VSN and an appropriate swing of the photodiode voltage.
Another difficulty is to ensure for transistor M2 to operate in linear state across the entire swing of voltage VSN to ensure for the voltage at node X to be a linear reproduction of voltage VSN. Transistor M2 is said to be in linear state when the ratio of voltages VX and VSN varies only slightly. According to the level of supply VRT, the linear state of transistor M2 corresponds to a specific range of voltage VSN. With the previously-described image control method, it may be difficult, or even impossible, when VRT is desired to be decreased, to have the range of voltage VSN for which transistor M2 is in linear state correspond to the range of voltage VSN for which a proper charge transfer from photodiode D to sense node SN is obtained.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pinned photodiode CMOS image sensor with a low supply voltage


A heat transfer support surface for heating or cooling food articles placed adjacent the support surface by circulating a heat transfer fluid in the internal passages of the support surface is disclosed. Circulated fluid is heated or cooled by a source. Support surface contains multiple heat transfer elements arranged substantially in parallel and interconnected on both ends. Flow control tubes control the fluid flow and reduce the amount of fluid required. The method of making the support surface is also disclosed.

Heat transfer support surfaces with multiple heat transfer elements in parallel that use orifices to control the fluid flow are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.'s 5,086,693, 5,960,869, and 6,263,963 to Tippmann et al, all incorporated by reference.
In general, the support surface includes multiple heat transfer elements positioned in parallel. Each heat transfer element contains at least one passageway for transferring heat to or from the fluid circulating therein. Headers are used to interconnect the fluid flow at both ends of the heat transfer elements.
In order for the support surface to transfer the amount of heat required, the fluid contact surface area of the internal passages needs to be of adequate size. Also, the internal passages should be round in shape to accept the tubular elements that interconnect the heat transfer elements to the headers at both ends. When the internal surface area of the round internal passages increases, the volume of fluid also increases and the velocity of the fluid flow decreases, this increases the laminar flow of the heat transfer fluid. The laminar flow reduces heat transfer and contributes to an uneven surface temperature. This uneven surface temperature is undesirable.

Support surface for heating or cooling food articles and method of making the same


A therapeutic device is provided having a housing unit and a LED pad, wherein in a first configuration, the housing unit is attached to the LED pad and in the second configuration, the housing unit is detached from the LED pad. The housing unit and LED pad can be removably attached using known fasteners, such as VELCRO. Alternatively, the housing unit and LED pad can be press fitted.

Light therapy devices have been used for treatment of muscular and joint pains. Typically, the light therapy device includes a rigid housing having an applicator end. The applicator end is integrally attached to the housing thus forming a self-contained unit. Light emitting diodes ("LEDs") are positioned in the housing such that they emit light from the applicator end of the device. The housing generally also contains a battery pack and a processor for controlling the frequency and duration of light delivery. Other electrical components may be provided in the housing depending on the electronic features of the device.
To operate the known therapeutic device, a user grasps the rigid housing of the device and positions the applicator end of the device on the area to be treated. The LEDS are then energized causing light and heat radiation at the applicator end of the device. For effective treatment, the radiation must be applied for a specified time period. This requires the device to be held in place by the user. Depending on the area and problem that is treated, the duration of the treatment can vary from a few minutes to several hours.
A disadvantage of the known therapeutic device is that it is inconvenient for the user to hold the device in position for an extended period of time. This is particularly true if the area to be treated is difficult to reach, such as the user's back or feet. In this regard, it would be desirable to provide a device that would be more conveniently held in position for an extended period of time without requiring the user to hold it.
Some known devices use straps attached to the housing to hold the therapeutic device in position for extended periods of time. The disadvantage of such devices is that strapping a bulky housing to the user could be uncomfortable. For example, a user who straps the housing to his back, may not be able to comfortably lay down. Similarly, a user who straps the device to the back of her thigh, may not be able to sit comfortably.
A further disadvantage of the known devices is that, depending on the area treated, once the device is strapped, a user can no longer see the control display. For example, if the user straps the unit to his back, he can no longer see the face of the housing and will be unable to monitor the display. Furthermore, to change a setting, the user will be required to unstrap the device to access the control panel, and then restrap the unit once the setting has been changed. It would be desirable, to provide a unit that could comfortably be applied to the area for treatment while allowing the user convenient access to the control panel.


Remote communications devices, wireless communications systems, remote communications device operable methods, and retail article monitoring methods are described. According to one embodiment, a remote communications device includes communications circuitry configured to implement wireless communications with respect to another wireless communications device and a configurable portion configured to be altered, and wherein the remote communications device is configured to respond to wireless interrogation signals from the another wireless communications device, and incident at the remote communications device with the configurable portion in an unaltered condition and wherein the remote communications device is insensitive to the wireless interrogation signals from the another wireless communications device and incident at the remote communications device with the configurable portion in an altered condition.

Wireless communications devices are utilized in an increasing number of applications for data communications. More recently, arrangements have been developed wherein numerous communications devices, such as tags, are provided to communicate with an interrogator. The interrogator may interrogate the devices and wait for reply signals from the appropriate devices. In some arrangements, identification operations are provided of the devices themselves and/or objects associated with the devices. Some identification arrangements may be referred to as radio frequency identification device (RFID) arrangements.
In one exemplary identification arrangement, integrated circuits and associated wireless communications circuitry are incorporated into smart labels attached to garments during manufacturing. The circuits may store information about the style, size, color and intended destination of the items. The stored information may be used to locate individual garments in a store using smart shelves and dressing rooms. When used at point of sale, the devices may automatically register sales and returns and also feedback information to the company's ordering system. Further, the devices may be used to discourage theft in some implementations.
However, there is concern regarding privacy of customers involving usage of the devices embedded or otherwise associated with purchased items for communications after sales of the articles with or without the knowledge of the customers.
At least some aspects of the disclosure provide wireless communications devices, systems and methods which provide improvements with respect to communications arrangements.

Remote communications devices, wireless communications systems, remote communications device operable methods, and retail monitoring methods

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A receiver includes two receiving modules, where the first receiving module is extremely parsimonious on battery power and as long as it is successful in developing a proper output signal at a given port maintains the second receiving module off, or substantially off. When the signal output of the first module drops below a preselected output, the second receiving module is enabled to develop and apply an output signal to the given port.

This invention relates to wireless transmission and reception, and more particularly to transmitters and corresponding receivers that are characterized by extremely low average power consumption but which, nevertheless, possess high selectivity.
Numerous objects have nowadays become an integral part of almost everybody's life. Aside from keys, wallet and purses, which have been common for years, many people now carry a cellphone, and often other electronic appliances. A lost cellphone represents a significant loss both because much functionality is included into the cellphone, and because the cost of a replacement phone is quite high. Alas, it is the nature of oft-used small portable objects that they are casually put aside and, consequently, the user sometimes forgets to take the object along as the user walks away, or forgets where the user put down the object. Consequently the "misplaced" object is either found after some effort and associated consternation, or is truly lost. Also, unfortunately, sometimes such objects are actually stolen.
It would be beneficial to overcome this problem with, for example, a low cost, low power consumption, miniature size, proximity sensor that alarms a user that his/her electronic appliance or other valuable (such as luggage, wallet, purse etc.) is left behind.
Therefore, it is a primary objective of this invention to alert a user within a reasonable time when an object that is normally in close physical proximity of the user is outside an expected proximity of the user.
Another objective of this invention is that whatever is done to the object, such as to modify it or to attach something to it encumbers the object in a de minimis manner.
Still another objective is for provide a solution that presents an extremely low current drain on whatever supplies the operating power to the device that achieves the primary objective.
Yet another objective is to make it unlikely that an alert would be erroneously sounded, such as resulting from interferences by other devices.
Furthermore, it is an objective to create a system where more than one object can be tracked by a single device.


The proceeding of peeling of a conductive layer in the vicinity of terminals is prevented. A display panel includes a conductive layer extending to the outside of terminals, and the conductive layer has slits extending in directions from one end face to the other end face alternately at two end faces along the extending direction of the conductive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display panel and a display device.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, there is a liquid crystal display device as a display device for displaying images or video.
The liquid crystal display device is a display device including a liquid crystal display panel in which a liquid crystal material is filled between two substrates, which is widely used, for example, for a display of a cellular phone terminal, a television set or a display of a PC (Personal Computer) and the like.
The liquid crystal display panel has, for example, TFT elements provided in array at one substrate, and a color filter is provided at the other substrate.
At this time, in the TFT substrate in which the TFT elements are provided in array, a gate wiring, a source wiring, a drain wiring and the like for disposing the TFT elements are formed on a transparent substrate such as a glass substrate. Further at this time, the gate wiring, the source wiring and the like are concentrated and led out at edges of the transparent substrate.
The TFT substrate is usually manufactured using a transparent substrate which is larger than an outside dimension required for the liquid crystal display panel, and is cut out so as to fit into the outside dimension required for the liquid crystal display panel finally. When the TFT substrate is manufactured, electrostatic discharge damage may occur, which damages the formed TFT elements by being charged, for example, during an exposure process. Therefore, in the manufacturing process of the TFT substrate, wirings which are concentrated and led out at edges of the transparent substrate are short-circuited and grounded outside regions at which the substrate is cut out. Then, when being cut out finally, the wirings are cut to make them electrically independent.
Also in the case, in addition to the above wirings, for example, a dummy metal layer for preventing the electrostatic discharge damage may be provided at edges of the transparent substrate (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
[Patent Document] JP-A-2005-49738


A coating and developing system includes an auxiliary block, a resist film forming unit block and antireflection film forming unit blocks stacked up in layers to form a resist film and an antireflection film underlying the resist film and an antireflection film overlying the resist film in a small space. The coating and developing system can cope with either a case where antireflection films are formed or a case where no antireflection film is formed. Film forming unit blocks, namely, a TCT layer, a COT layer and a BCT layer, and developing unit blocks, namely, DEV layers, are stacked up in layers in a processing block S2. The TCT layer, the COT layer and the BCT layer are used selectively in the case where antireflection films are formed and the case where any antireflection film is not formed. The coating and developing system is controlled by a carrying program.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coating and developing system for applying a liquid resist to a surface of a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or a LCD substrate, namely, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, to coat the surface with a resist film and developing the exposed resist film, and a coating and developing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a manufacturing process for manufacturing semiconductor devices or LCD panels, a resist pattern is formed on a substrate by a photolithographic process. The photolithographic process includes a series of steps of forming a resist film on a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to simply as "wafer") by applying a liquid resist to the surface of the substrate, exposing the resist film to light through a photomask, and developing the exposed resist film to form a desired resist pattern.
Generally, this photolithographic process is carried out by a resist pattern forming system built by combining an exposure system with a coating and developing system. FIG. 12 shows a known resist pattern forming system of this type disclosed in, for example, Patent document 1. Referring to FIG. 12, a carrier 10 holding a plurality of wafers W is delivered onto a carrier stage 11 installed in a carrier handling block 1A, and then a transfer arm 12 transfers the wafer W from the carrier 10 to a processing block 1B. The wafer W is delivered to a coating unit 13A installed in the processing block 1B. The coating unit 13A applies a liquid resist to a surface of the wafer W in a resist film. Subsequently, the wafer coated with the resist film is carried via an interface block 1C to an exposure system 1D.
The wafer W is returned to the processing block 1B after being subjected to an exposure process. A developing unit 13B subjects the wafer W to a developing process, and then the wafer W is returned to the carrier 10. Indicated at 14 (14a to 14c) in FIG. 12 are shelf units including a heating unit for processing a wafer by a predetermined heating process, a cooling unit for processing the wafer by a predetermined cooling process and a transfer stage. Each of the shelf units processes a wafer before or after the wafer is processed by the coating unit 13A and the developing unit 13B. Each of two carrying devices 15A and 15B installed in the processing block 1B carries a wafer W in the processing block 1B from one to another of modules in which the wafer W is to be placed, such as the coating unit 13A, the developing unit 13B and the shelf units 14a to 14c. Each of all the wafers W to be processed by the foregoing processes is carried to desired modules according to a carrying schedule specifying time points when the wafer W is to be carried to the modules.
Resist films of different types are formed in different coating mode, respectively. A first coating mode forms a resist film and antireflection films over and under the resist film, a second coating mode forms a resist film and an antireflection film over or under the resist film, and a third coating mode forms only a resist film. Therefore, in some cases, the units necessary for forming films, such as the coating unit, the heating unit and the cooling unit, processes wafers of different lots under different processing conditions. In such a case, a complex carrying program must be prepared for each type of the resist film when the coating unit, the heating unit and the cooling unit are installed in the same processing block because the different types of resist films are formed by using different units and are carried along different carrying paths. Since carrying programs to be produced according to the carrying schedule are originally complex, work for producing a carrying program for each of desired resist films is very complex and troublesome and such work is practically impossible.
When many units including the coating unit, the heating unit and the cooling unit are installed in the same processing block, the processing block is inevitably large and occupies a large area. A recent exposure system operates at a high throughput. Consequently, the coating and developing system is required to have a high processing ability corresponding to the throughput of the exposure system. However, the same carrying system operates to carry a wafer W to the coating unit for forming a resist film before the exposure process. Because the same carrying system operates to carry a wafer to an antireflection film forming unit for forming the antireflection film and to carry a wafer coated with an exposed resist film to the developing unit after exposure, it is difficult to operate the exposure system at a high throughput.
The inventors of the present invention have been making studies to develop a multilayer system including an area holding modules for processes preceding an exposure process and an area holding modules for containing modules for carrying out processes succeeding the exposure process disposed in a vertical arrangement to reduce load on carrying means, to improve carrying efficiency, to increase the throughput of a coating and developing system. Construction which disposes a coating area for a coating process and a developing area for a developing process in a vertical arrangement is disclosed in Patent document 2.
Although studies have been made on a multilayer system in which a coating area and a developing area are formed in different layers, respectively, to simplify constitution by reducing carrying systems, and to simplify a carrying program, nothing is mentioned in Patent document 2 about such improvements.
Patent document 1: JP 2004-193597 A
Patent document 2: Jpn. Pat. No. 3337677

Coating and developing system and coating and developing method with antireflection film and an auxiliary block for inspection and cleaning


In a magnet system: —a superconducting main field magnet (7) generates a magnetic field in a first sample volume (16), —a superconducting additional field magnet (22) generates another field in a second sample volume (24), —a cryostat (2) has a cooled main coil container (6), an evacuated RT (room temperature) covering (4), and an RT bore (14) which extends through the main and the additional field magnets, and —a cooled additional coil container (21) in a vacuum. The RT covering has a flange connection (17) with an opening (19) through which the RT bore extends, a front end of the additional coil container protrudes through the opening into the RT covering such that the additional field magnet also protrudes through the opening into the RT covering, and a closure structure (20) seals the RT covering between the flange connection and the RT bore.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (=NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful method of instrumental analysis with which the chemical composition of samples can be examined. In this process, high-frequency signals are radiated into the sample, and the sample then emits high-frequency signals characteristic of its composition which are measured.
One option for increasing the measurement sensitivity and resolution of NMR measurements is so-called 2-field NMR spectroscopy. 2-field NMR spectroscopy is explained, for example, in S. F. Cousin et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 33187. A 2-field NMR spectrometer has two magnetic centers (locations) with different static magnetic field strengths at which high-frequency pulses can be applied to a sample and/or the reaction of the sample can be measured.
In a typical 2-field NMR experiment, the sample is first exposed to a first, strong magnetic field at a first location (first magnetic center, first sample volume) and then moved to a second location (second magnetic center, second sample volume) of a second, weaker magnetic field in which nuclear spins are relaxed and/or manipulated, and finally the sample is brought back to the location of the first, strong magnetic field where the actual NMR measurement takes place. At the second location, the polarization can be transferred to a desired atomic nucleus, as a result of which the NMR signal of this atomic nucleus can be amplified in the subsequent NMR measurement. In order to preserve the transferred polarization as much as possible when the sample is transported between the second location and the first location, this transport should take place quickly, for which a short path between the second location and the first location is desired.
The usual structure of a magnet system of a 2-field NMR spectrometer, as it was used, for example, by S. F. Cousin, loc. cit., has a superconducting magnet (magnetic coil) in a cryostat. The first sample volume (first magnetic center) is formed in the magnetic center of the superconducting magnet which is located in the room temperature bore of the cryostat. The second sample volume (second magnetic center) is in the room temperature bore in the stray field of the superconducting magnet, an approximately homogeneous magnetic field being generated locally through ferromagnetic shims. Similar magnet systems are known from EP 2 146 215 B1 and EP 3 081 954 B1.
This magnet structure can be produced using a standard NMR system by installing the ferromagnetic shims in the room temperature bore. The disadvantage of this magnet structure is that the field strength in the second sample volume is limited to approximately 0.5 Tesla or less. Furthermore, the field strength in the second sample volume is not freely adjustable. When the ferromagnetic shims are arranged in the room temperature bore, the installation space is also considerably restricted.
Arranging a main field magnet in a cryostat, the magnetic center of which main magnet forms the first sample volume (first magnetic center), and also arranging an additional field magnet in the cryostat, the magnetic center of which additional magnet forms the second sample volume (second magnetic center), is known from EP 1 747 478 B1. The main field magnet and the additional field magnet are located one above the other in a common helium container. This magnet structure allows the field strength in the second sample volume to be freely adjusted, but it is relatively expensive; the magnet system here is specifically designed for 2-field NMR. A standard NMR system cannot be converted to this magnet structure. If the magnetic field of the additional field magnet is intended to be swept, this leads to increased helium losses in the common helium tank due to the introduction of heat via the power supply lines, which is a quenching risk for the main field magnet.
Designing a DNP device separately from an NMR spectrometer and connecting the DNP device to an NMR spectrometer via a transfer line is known from WO 02/37132 A1 (DNP=dynamic nuclear polarization). The DNP device is designed to generate magnetic fields with a superconducting coil in its own cryostat and is arranged next to a cryostat of the NMR spectrometer. A standard NMR system can be used with this arrangement, but the path between the sample volume of the DNP device and the sample volume of the NMR spectrometer is quite long, which can cause significant losses in sample polarization.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,279,868 discloses an apparatus and method for rapid DNP. A sample is movable between two positions. One position is in a high field polarization magnet having a cryostat. The other position is in an auxiliary low field magnet arranged above said cryostat.

Magnet system for performing 2-field NMR experiments and associated retrofitting method


This invention related to a method of and a system for estimating evaporation representing an area at a particular location The method comprises receiving air temperature information, using the received air temperature information to determine at least average air temperature, standard deviation of the air temperature, and skewness of the air temperature at the particular location, receiving soil heat flux information and net irradiance information indicative of soil heat flux and net irradiance at the particular location respectively, determining, sensible heat flux at the particular location by using at least the determined average air temperature, standard deviation of the air temperature, and skewness of the air temperature associated with the particular location, and determining an estimate of the evaporation at the particular location by using the determined sensible heat flux, received soil heat flux and net irradiance information.

THIS invention relates to a method of and a system for estimating sensible heat flux and hence evaporation representative of an area substantially in real-time for example sub-hourly. The invention also relates to a datalogger device and a data-logging kit for estimating evaporation.
Evaporation is a key component of the water balance at the Earth's surface. While its determination is important for water resource management, evaporation is seldom measured directly and usually inferred from other measurements. For example, data from an automatic weather station allow grass reference evaporation and tall-crop reference evaporation to be estimated in near real-time. The disadvantage of this method is that a crop factor (K) is required to calculate offline the actual evaporation: actual evaporation=K×grass reference evaporation. The crop factor varies with crop type, stage of crop growth and management practice(s).
Other methods and/or systems to determine evaporation are computationally intensive and do not allow or provide for near real-time estimation of evaporation. Also, other methods and/or systems to determine evaporation are prohibitively expensive, are high maintenance, or require specialised skills to operate.
A need exists for an inexpensive, low-power and reasonably accurate system that allows sub-hourly estimates of evaporation and does not require calibration.
It is an object of the present invention at least to address the abovementioned problems and need.

Method and system for estimating evaporation representative of an area


A gas-introducing system for plasma CVD and cleaning includes: a showerhead including a top plate with a gas inlet port and a shower plate; a rectifying plate installed in the interior space of the showerhead and dividing the interior space into an upper space and a lower space; a structure for inhibiting inactivation of active species of the activated cleaning gas at the rectifying plate; and a piping unit for connecting the gas inlet port of the showerhead to a remote plasma unit and a reaction gas introduction port.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor processing apparatus, and specifically to a plasma CVD apparatus having a self-cleaning device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, CVD apparatuses have been used to deposit insulation film made of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, amorphous carbon or polymers containing benzene rings, conductive film made of tungsten silicide, titanium nitride or aluminum alloy, or high dielectric constant film containing PZT (PbZr1−xTixO3), BST (BaxSr1−xTiO3) or the like, on silicon substrates or glass substrates.
To deposit these films, reaction gas or secondary reaction gas, of various compositions, is supplied to the reactor. When plasma energy is applied, the reaction gas causes chemical reaction and forms a desired thin film on a semiconductor substrate. The film resulting from the reaction also attaches to the interior walls of the reactor and the surface of the susceptor. When the film deposition process is repeated on many substrates, these attachments also accumulate and eventually separate from the reactor walls/susceptor surface to float inside the reactor. The floating material becomes a source of impurities and contaminants that cause defects in the produced semiconductor circuits.
"In-situ cleaning," which is a process of cleaning the interior of the reactor while the reactor is operating, is an effective way to remove the contaminants attached to the interior walls of the reactor. Under this method, cleaning gas selected in accordance with the type of attachment is introduced to the reactor to gasify and thereby remove the attachments. For example, CF4, C2F6 or NF3 is used as cleaning gas, among others, if the attached material is silicon oxide or nitride, or tungsten or its nitride or silicide. In this case, active species containing fluorine atoms or fluorine (fluorine radicals) gasify the attachments on the interior walls of the reactor and remove impurities.
On a plasma CVD apparatus, directly utilizing the plasma excitation device used for film deposition to activate cleaning gas causes the electrodes to receive large ion bombardments due to the large high-frequency power applied to the cleaning gas. As a result, the electrode surface is damaged and the surface layer separates, thus generating impurities and contaminants. The damaged electrodes must be replaced frequently, which causes the running cost to increase.
To resolve the problem of ion bombardments, a method called "remote plasma cleaning" was developed. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 10-149989, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 10-163185, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,778, for example, disclose the method to use NF3 as cleaning gas and activate the cleaning gas using microwaves inside a second plasma discharge chamber away from the reactor.
According to the above publications, NF3 is introduced to an isolated second plasma discharge chamber at a controlled flow rate, and then dissociated and activated by the 2.45 GHz microwaves supplied to the plasma discharge chamber via a waveguide from a microwave oscillator, to generate fluorine radicals. At this time, a pressure regulation valve provided between the second plasma reaction chamber and the reactor maintains the second plasma reaction chamber at a specified pressure, so that microwave plasma discharge occurs efficiently. Generated fluorine radicals are introduced via a conduit pipe into the reactor where film is deposited, to gasify and thereby remove the attachments on the interior walls of the reactor. Separately, U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,147 discloses an apparatus wherein a remote plasma discharge chamber and a reactor are connected by way of an aluminum pipe and a through-flow valve.
In the process of depositing thin film on wafers, generally film deposition gas is supplied uniformly over the entire wafer surface from a showerhead so that film is deposited uniformly over the entire wafer. This showerhead has many pores from which to supply the gas in a uniform manner. Installed above of the showerhead is a blocker plate used to straighten the flow of gas. This blocker plate serves to control and adjust in the section above the showerhead the flow of film deposition gas supplied from a gas supply pipe, in order to allow the film deposition gas to be supplied uniformly over the wafer from the showerhead. U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,334 discloses an apparatus having a blocker plate inside a showerhead. To adjust the gas flow, this blocker plate dams up the film deposition gas introduced from an introduction pipe, and then supplies the gas onto the top surface of the showerhead through multiple openings. As a result, the film deposition gas is supplied onto the wafer with sufficient uniformity.

Gas-introducing system and plasma CVD apparatus


A downhole tool, in some embodiments, comprises a casing collar locator (CCL) to generate a signal that indicates the presence of a casing discontinuity; and a modulator, coupled to the CCL, to modulate fixed-wavelength light in a fiber optic cable based on said signal.

After a wellbore has been drilled, the wellbore is often cased by inserting lengths of steel pipe ("casing sections") connected end-to-end into the wellbore. Threaded exterior rings called couplings or collars are typically used to connect adjacent ends of the casing sections at casing joints. The result is a "casing string", i.e., a series of casing sections with connecting collars that extends from the surface to a bottom of the wellbore. The casing string is then cemented in place to complete the casing operation.
After a wellbore is cased, certain operations may be performed within the well using various tools (e.g., perforation operations using a perforating gun). Such operations require the ability to position a tool at a particular and known position in the well. One method for determining the position of the tool is to count the number of collars that the tool passes as it is lowered into the wellbore. As the length of each of the steel casing sections of the casing string is known, correctly counting a number of collars or joints traversed by a device as the device is lowered into a well enables an accurate determination of a depth or location of the tool in the well. Such counting can be accomplished with a casing collar locator ("CCL"), an instrument that may be attached to the tool and suspended in the wellbore. In certain applications, the detection signals from conventional casing collar locators may not be reliably communicated to the surface.

Fixed-wavelength fiber optic telemetry for casing collar locator signals


A surgical implant made of a polymer, copolymer, polymer mixture or polymer composite that dissolves in the organ system. The manufacturing material is dyed with the coloring agent D&C Violet No. 2 or D&C Green No. 6. Preferably, the amount of the coloring agent is at most approximately 0.03 percent by weight and the implant is sterilized by radiation.

Surgical implants made of materials absorbing into the organ system, i.e. biodegradable materials, are known. Their use in surgery is continuously increasing, because they offer a significant advantage over conventional implants made of metal: they need not be removed from the system after the operated tissue has healed. This way, it is possible to avoid surgery to remove the implant, which is naturally advantageous with respect to patient satisfaction, resource load and costs.
However, metal provides the advantage over biodegradable materials that an implant made of metal is quite well distinguishable from the tissue of the organ system. Good visual distinguishability facilitates considerably the work of the surgeon in implanting the implant in the correct position and in the correct manner into the organ system. Biodegradable materials are typically translucent and light-colored and consequently, an implant made of them is poorly distinguishable from tissue. For instance, in anterior cruciate ligament ACL or posterior cruciate ligament PCL reconstruction, either a soft tissue graft, which can typically be a hamstring graft, for instance, or a bone-tendon-bone graft is fastened to holes made at the ends of the femur or tibia. The operation is usually performed as an endoscopic operation. It is of primary importance that the surgeon easily and reliably sees the position and location of the used fixation means, such as interference screws, pins or wedges, in the object being operated. This is not always the case when using biodegradable fixation means.
Coloring agents have been routinely used in dyeing biodegradable sutures since the beginning of their use, i.e. for over 20 years. One problem with dyed biodegradable sutures is that they cannot be radiation sterilized using the conventional 60Co gamma radiation process, because the polymers used in their preparation split too much under radiation and the suture does not keep its strength long enough for the tissue to heal properly (Wound Closure Biomaterials, Ed. C. C. Chu et al. CRC Press 1997, Boca Raton, Fla., U.S.A, page 183). Thus, they need to be sterilized by methods that do not split the suture material.
Implants made of biodegradable materials are known that are dyed with a coloring agent to improve their visibility. Due to the above-mentioned problems with dyed sutures, the dyed implants are not sterilized by radiation but with ethylene oxide (EO), for instance, (Athanasiou, K. A. et al., Biomaterials 17 (1996) 93 to 102). An advantage of EO sterilization is that it does not affect the implant material or its additives, such as the color pigment. A problem with EO sterilization is a possible toxic EO residue that remains in the polymer. The EO sterilization process is, therefore, time consuming, complex and expensive. The EO residue needs to be removed from the material with an aeration period that is performed in a sterilization chamber and takes several days. In addition, the packing process of the product has two phases and is, therefore, difficult. The surgical implant must first be packed in material that allows EO gas to penetrate, for instance in a Tyvec© bag. On top of this, a packing material is required to protect the product from moisture, such as an aluminized plastic bag. Because aluminized plastic does not allow EO gas to penetrate, it can be seamed tight only after the first sterilization/aeration period. The use of an aluminum bag in an operating theater also requires that the aluminum bag be sterilized on the outside. This is why after seaming the aluminum bag, a third layer of an EO gas permeable Tyvec© bag is put on the aluminum bag, and the outside of the aluminum bag is sterilized in a second sterilization phase. All in all, EO sterilization is a complex and quite expensive sterilization method.
Even though coloring agents have long been used in suture materials, their use in implants is still rare and limited to small-sized implants sterilized with EO gas. An example of such a product is a Meniscal BioStinger® arrow dyed with Violet D&C No. 2 pigment and used in treating meniscus ruptures, which is marketed by Linvatec Corporation, Largo, Fla., U.S.A., and another example, in which D&C Violet No. 2 pigment is used, is a S-D-sorb™ E-Z Tac anchor used in treating joint capsules of the humerus, which is marketed by Surgical Dynamics Inc., Norwalk, Conn., U.S.A. The chemical name of D&C Violet No. 2 pigment is 1,4-hydroxy[(4-methylphenyl)amino]-9,10-anthracenedion (CAS No. 81-48-1). The amount of color pigment used in biodegradable sutures and small-sized implants usually varies between 0.1 and 0.3 percent by weight as calculated from the weight of the implant. As high an amount of color pigment as this, which is acceptable in small-sized implants, increases the number of tissue reactions when the operation requires one or more large implants (Pelto-Vasenius K., et al. Arch. Orthop. Trauma Surg. (1998)117: 159 to 162).


A method to minimize the formation of volatile organic compounds by using an emission control flare stack in line with a gas coming from a source; mixing oxygen/air with the gas then using detected temperatures and concentrations and comparing those detected temperatures and concentrations to a library of preset limits to control inlet flow rates, control burn of the gas forming an intermediate gas; and controlling the temperature of the intermediate gas, then controlling neutralization of the temperature controlled intermediate gas to minimize the formation of volatile organic compound components and form an emission in compliance with within 40 CFR part 63, effective 2015.

A need exists for a method for providing reduced toxic emission from gases containing hydrocarbons using a controlled burn, controlled oxygenation, controlled temperature and controlled introduction of a neutralization solution.
A further need exists for a method for decreasing greenhouse gases produced from well gases that is safe, efficient, and easy to monitor.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.

Method for reducing volatile organic compounds from gases with hydrocarbons


A printed circuit board terminal includes a rectangular metal wire rod having a substantially rectangle cross-section. One longitudinal end portion of the printed circuit board terminal includes an insertion portion that is configured to be inserted into a through hole provided in a printed circuit board and soldered. A conducting metal plated layer is provided on an entire surface of the rectangular metal wire rod. One marginal portion of the insertion portion, which faces a long side direction of the rectangle cross-section, is removed to reduce a dimension in the long side direction corresponding to a width direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printed circuit board terminal, made of a metal wire rod, which is inserted into a through hole in a printed circuit board and is soldered to an electrically-conducting path, and to a connector having the printed circuit board terminal.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a printed circuit board having many relays, fuses, and the like, to distribute electric power to various electric components, is used as an electric junction box mounted on a vehicle. In such a printed circuit board, a printed circuit board terminal is used to electrically connect an electrically-conducting path on the printed circuit board to an external electrically-conducting path. Generally, a tip of the printed circuit board terminal is inserted into a through hole in the printed circuit board, and is soldered to the electrically-conducting path on the printed circuit board, and thus is fixed to the printed circuit board.
In recent years, a density increase in implementation and wiring of a printed circuit board is desired. In order to respond to such a density increase, it is considered to make the pitch of the printed circuit board terminals narrow. However, when the pitch of the printed circuit board terminals is narrowed, the interval between the through holes provided in the printed circuit board also becomes narrow, and formation of the through holes and soldering become difficult. Further, it is difficult to secure the strength of the printed circuit board between the through holes.
Accordingly, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-30834 discloses a printed circuit board terminal in which only a tip portion, which is inserted into a through hole, is processed to have a small width dimension, such as by cutting. According to such a printed circuit board terminal, while a sufficient width dimension of the member is secured at the connection side end portion, the diameter of the through hole provided in the printed circuit board can be reduced.
However, when a metal wire rod is used as the printed circuit board terminal, since both of the opposite side surfaces in the width direction of the terminal are processed, such as by cutting, to make the width of an insertion portion of the printed circuit board terminal narrow, a non-plated base material is exposed at both side surfaces of the terminal. Therefore, a solder wick may become poor. In particular, in recent years, lead-free soldering is more likely to be used, in consideration of impacts on the environment. In the lead-free soldering, the reduction in solder wettability occurs more prominently due to peeling of plate.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-30834 discloses that, in order to improve solder wettability, the printed circuit board terminal made of metal wire rod is used, and after the terminal insertion portion is processed to reduce the width, such as by cutting, a conductive metal plated layer is provided on the surface. However, the after-plating process makes the manufacturing process of the printed circuit board terminal complicated, and increases the cost. Accordingly, another solution is desired.

Printed circuit board terminal and printed circuit board connector having the same


A container assembly includes a container member having an open end, and a lid threadably engagable with the container member for closing the open end of the container member. A locking member is provided on the lid which is engagable with a latch member located on an upper surface of the container member. The locking member is pivotable about a horizontal axis and prevents rotation of the lid with respect to the container member when the locking member is engaged with the latch member. A seal is provided between the lid and the container member. The seal is located between tapered wall members of the lid and the container member such that the seal is gradually compressed as the lid is threadably secured to the container member. The configuration of the lid and the container member, along with the seal, presents a torturous path for fluid movement, thus effectively sealing the container assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container assembly having a lid threadably securable to an open head container member. More particularly, the present invention relates to a seal located between the lid and the container member which is gradually compressed as the lid is threadably attached to the container member. A horizontally pivotable locking member is provided on the lid which engages a plurality of teeth on the container member to prevent the lid from loosening during shipment.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various open head container and lid assemblies are known in the art. For example, applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,926, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a container member having a lid securable thereto with a pair of locking members pivotable about a vertical axis for engaging teeth located on the interior side wall of the container member. Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,494,674 and 3,897,874 each disclose a seal located between a container member and a lid which is compressed between adjacent horizontal surfaces.
While these arrangements are useful for providing a seal between a lid and an open head container, and a latch mechanism for preventing unintentional rotation of the lid, the amount of sealing is limited to the strength of the user, and manipulation of the latching mechanism can be difficult. There exists a need in the industry to provide an open head container and lid assembly having a seal located between the lid and the container member which is gradually compressed as the lid is rotatably threaded onto the container member such that the strength necessary to properly apply the lid and compress the seal is reduced, while still providing the necessary sealing ability to prevent liquids from leaking past the seal. Further, there exists a need in the industry to provide a latching mechanism which may be easily manipulated by simply depressing a locking member located on the lid to allow rotation of the lid with respect to the container member.


In an apparatus and a method for optically determining the position of products by means of light-sensitive sensors on a background moving relative thereto such as a conveyor belt, at least one light source radiating light onto the conveyor belt is arranged along at least one scanning line extending transversely with respect to the direction of movement. At least one row of light-sensitive sensors, which row is arranged along at least one scanning line, is operable to register a light effect caused by products passing between the light source and the sensors.

Determining the position of products against a background or a substrate can be an aspect of major significance whenever, in a production procedure, products which are positioned in an unregulated or random fashion are to be handled automatically, for example more particularly but not exclusively when packaging products.
A typical situation of use in this respect involves a background or substrate in the form of a conveyor belt, by means of which the individual products that have been produced are conveyed out of a production installation to a packaging station where they have to be automatically gripped, for example by means of suitable gripper devices or other handling devices, and transposed into packaging containers, for example trays, which are ready to receive them in pockets which are generally pre-shaped therein.
A difficulty in this respect is that the individual products are generally disposed on the conveyor belt in positions which cannot be determined beforehand and also point in different directions, thus involving different directional orientations. In contrast, the products have to be deposited in the packaging containers or trays not only in the correct respective positions relative thereto but also in a given positional orientation, depending on the respective product involved and the configuration of the respective tray or the pockets in the tray. Furthermore that situation is often made more difficult by virtue of the fact that a plurality of different kinds of products may be supplied in a randomly distributed arrangement on the product-carrying conveyor belt, but those products are required to be disposed in the individual respective trays in defined arrangements.
In this respect reference may be made for example to EP-A-95-115 548 which, for the above-indicated purpose, discloses a system in which positioned laterally beside a moving conveyor belt for the products are trays which can also be moved, wherein products can be transposed from the conveyor belt into the trays by means of one or more packaging robots which are disposed beside the conveyor belt and which at the free end of their arm have a gripper or a so-called picker, in the form of a vacuum suction device. In order therefore to be able previously to notify the robot of the access position on the conveyor belt, a line camera is arranged upstream of the robots in the direction of movement of the conveyor belt, and above the conveyor belt. The camera is operable to establish along a scanning line extending transversely to the direction of transportation movement of the conveyor belt and over the entire width thereof, whether a product is passing through beneath the camera, while the camera can possibly also determine the rotational orientation of the detected product. In conjunction with information about the speed of movement of the conveyor belt and the spacing between the scanning line and the position of the robot, the required access position and the respectively associated time for gripping a given product on the conveyor belt can then be communicated by means of a computer to the robots which operate at a position downstream of the line camera.
When the conveyor belt is for example about 1.5 meters or 2 meters in width, a line camera of that kind is suspended at a distance of about 1 meter above the conveyor belt. The result of this is that the light beams which scan or sense the outermost edges of the conveyor belt are then very far from being in a condition of extending parallel to each other, but meet the ocular or lens of the camera at an angle of for example 90.degree..
That gives rise to optical distortion effects and parallax phenomena and means on the one hand that each time that the camera is re-adjusted, re-focussed again, a calibration operation has to be performed again, that is to say a test run, during which the machine has to be shut down and cannot operate in its normal mode.
A further disadvantage in this respect is that, particularly when dealing with relatively high products which are disposed at a small spacing relative to each other on the conveyor belt, the fact that the beams impinge at an inclined angle means that the lower edge of a product can be masked or covered from the point of view of the camera by the adjacent upward edge of another product, with the result that those two products cannot be detected as being two separate products. That will result in malfunctions on the part of the machine.
Furthermore a line camera of that kind must have a sensor with a relatively strong resolution power, in most cases a CCD-sensor, as, when dealing with a conveyor belt which is 2 meters in width, it must be possible to achieve reasonably fine scanning in a for example 0.5 mm scanning pattern or raster. That means that 4,000 pixels must be provided in a small area on the CCD-sensor of the camera in the transverse direction of the conveyor belt, and that also makes line cameras of that kind relatively expensive.

Product scanning apparatus and method using a plurality of eight sensors over the entire width of a background surface means