A gaming device including a free spins game displaying a plurality of reels including a plurality of symbols where the symbols include a plurality of award symbols and at least one target symbol. A plurality of selections including at least one game function are displayed to a player. In a game, the gaming device provides the player with a plurality of free spins of the reels. In each free spin, the gaming device provides the player with an award or awards for any award symbols or combinations of award symbols indicated on the reels. In addition, the gaming device provides the player with one or more picks of the selections for each target symbol indicated on the reels. The gaming device then determines the game function or game functions associated with the picked selections in each free spin. A total award based on the awards and game functions is provided to the player.

Gaming machine manufacturers constantly strive to make gaming machines that maximize enjoyment and excitement for players. Providing a bonus or secondary game in which a player has an opportunity to win potentially large awards or credits in addition to the awards associated with the base or primary game of the gaming machine is one way to enhance player enjoyment and excitement.
Known gaming devices having bonus games employ a triggering event that occurs during play of the base game of the gaming device. The triggering event temporarily stalls or halts the base game play and enables a player to enter a second, different game, which is the bonus game. The player plays the bonus game, likely receives an award, and returns to the base game.
Bonus games that provide players with large awards or the potential to win large awards are especially attractive to players. One way that gaming device manufacturers provide larger or more frequently occurring awards in slot gaming machines is by providing free spins to a player. Several known games provide players a number such as one or more free spins at the beginning of the game and spin the reels to obtain awards. This type of bonus game is described in European Patent Application No. EP 0874337A1 and European Patent No. EP 0984409A2. These games are generally versions of a "Spin Until" type bonus game.
EP 0874337A1 discloses a gaming device having a bonus game where the player spins a plurality of reels including several symbols. In the bonus game, if the player obtains a winning symbol combination on the reels, the player receives an award and spins again. The probability for obtaining a winning symbol combination on the reels is greater than fifty percent. Therefore, a player will likely have multiple opportunities to spin the reels in the bonus game and to receive several awards. If the player does not obtain a winning symbol combination, the bonus game ends and the player receives the total accumulated awards for the bonus game. Thus, the player spins the reels in the bonus game until they do not obtain a winning combination.
EP 0984409A2 discloses a gaming device wherein the game enables the player to spin a plurality of reels having various symbols attempting to obtain awards. In this bonus game, the player starts the bonus game with a limited number of spins. The player spins the reels until there are no spins remaining. The player receives an award after each spin. The final award in the bonus game is the total of all of the awards accumulated by the player in the game.
Another way that gaming device manufacturers provide larger awards to players is by using multipliers. A multiplier increases the award amount proportionally to the value of the multiplier. For example, a "2×" multiplier pays twice the normal award value. A "3×" multiplier pays three times the normal award value. A multiplier can substantially increase a player's award. Some games also employ an incrementing multiplier as described in the following paragraphs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,207 discloses a slot machine that provides a multiplied payout when certain symbols or symbol combinations appear on the reels and a player bets the maximum amount of coins. This bonus game includes a plurality of reels including several symbols on the reels and a multiplier. The symbols include multiplier symbols and Power Point symbols. Initially, the bonus game sets the multiplier at a predetermined level. The multiplier increments by one level when the player obtains ten Power Point symbols on the reels from one or more spins. After the multiplier increases in value, the player needs ten more Power Point symbols to increment the multiplier again. The gaming device also enables a player to spin the reels to obtain a winning symbol combination. If the player obtains a winning combination, the gaming device provides the player with an award. If the winning combination includes a multiplier symbol, the award is multiplied by the multiplier. Once an award is multiplied by the multiplier, the multiplier resets to a predetermined level.
Another type of bonus game disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,649 B1 (known as "GOOD TIMES®" gaming device) that includes a multiplied payout is manufactured by the assignee of this patent application. This game includes three reels having a plurality of symbols and blank spaces. The symbols include a plurality of "GOOD TIMES®" symbols. The bonus includes two different multiplier groups. A first multiplier group starts at "1×" (or one times the award) and goes up to "12×" (or twelve times the award). The second multiplier group starts at "1×" and goes up to "144×" (or one hundred forty-four times the award). Each time a player spins the reels and obtains three blank spaces on a payline, the designated multiplier in each multiplier increments one level. When the player obtains a winning combination, the player receives an award. If a "GOOD TIMES®" symbol appears in the winning combination, the player's award is multiplied by the designated multiplier in the first bonus table. If two "Good Times®" symbols appear in the winning combination, the player's award is multiplied by the designated multiplier in the second bonus group.
It should be appreciated that multipliers may substantially elevate award returns and increase player excitement and enjoyment. Players enjoy playing for high bonus awards. Thus, it is desirable to have a bonus game of a gaming device that provides several opportunities to play a bonus game and has the potential to accumulate large awards.

Gaming device including a game having a player selected function based on symbols in a free spins game


This invention concerns a "living" free radical polymerization process for preparing polymers having a narrow distribution of molecular weights.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,429 discloses a free radical polymerization process for suitable unsaturated monomers utilizing an initiator of the structure (R.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3 C--) (R.sup.4 R.sup.5 R.sup.6 C--)N--O--X where X is a group comprising at least one carbon atom and is such that the free radical X is capable of polymerizing the unsaturated monomer by conventional free radical polymerization, and the radical functionality resides on the or one of the carbon atoms, and the groups R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are the same or different straight chain or branched substituted or unsubstituted alkyl groups of a chain length sufficient to provide steric hindrance and weakening of the O--X bond, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same or different straight chain or branched alkyl or substituted alkyl groups or R.sup.3 CNCR.sup.4 may be part of a cyclic structure which may have fused with it another saturated or aromatic ring. No molecular weight distribution less than 1.6 is reported.
Z. Florjanczyk and M. Siudakiewicz, J. Polym. Sci., Part A, Polym. Chem., 24(8), 1849-62, 1986, disclose the polymerization of vinyl monomers initiated by organoaluminum compounds/benzoyl peroxide systems. The free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate and styrene was initiated by systems comprising benzoyl peroxide and different organoaluminum compounds.
Japanese Patent No. 49032669, 2 Sep. 2, 1974, discloses polymerizing vinyl acetate in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a trialkylaluminum compound, an organic peroxide, and, optionally, zinc chloride. The catalyst was prepared in the presence of the vinyl monomer. Aluminum compounds included triethylaluminum, triisopropylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum and trihexylaluminum. Peroxides included benzoyl peroxide, peroxyoctanoic acid and dicumyl peroxide.
German Patent DE 1806940, Jul, 9, 1970 discloses catalysts for the polymerization of unsaturated monomers. Monomers comprised ethylenic compounds, e.g., ethylene, iso-butyl vinyl ether, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, styrene or methyl methacrylate. Catalysts consisted of triethylaluminum, an alkali or alkali earth halide, e.g., zinc chloride, and a gem-polyhalo compound, e.g., CCl.sub.4 or CCl.sub.3 CO.sub.2 Et.


Controlling a signal transmitted from a device in a vacant channel in a spectrum.

Electromagnetic waves are used for wireless communications. Sections of the electromagnetic spectrum are divided into bands of frequency, also called channels, to be used for communications. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates how the channels in the spectrum are allocated and used. Communications in the spectrum must be managed according to FCC regulations.

Method and apparatus for managing communications


The invention describes HLA class II binding peptides encoded by the MAGE-3 tumor associated gene, as well as nucleic acids encoding such peptides and antibodies relating thereto. The peptides stimulate the activity and proliferation of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Methods and products also are provided for diagnosing and treating conditions characterized by expression of the MAGE-3 gene.

The process by which the mammalian immune system recognizes and reacts to foreign or alien materials is complex. An important facet of the system is the T cell response, which in part comprises mature T lymphocytes which are positive for either CD4 or CD8 cell surface proteins. T cells can recognize and interact with other cells via cell surface complexes on the other cells of peptides and molecules referred to as human leukocyte antigens ("HLAs") or major histocompatibility complexes ("MHCs"). The peptides are derived from larger molecules which are processed by the cells which also present the HLA/MHC molecule. See Male et al., Advanced Immunology (J.P. Lipincott Company, 1987), especially chapters 6-10. The interaction of T cells and complexes of HLA/peptide is restricted, requiring a specific T cell for a specific complex of an HLA molecule and a peptide. If a specific T cell is not present, there is no T cell response even if its partner complex is present. Similarly, there is no response if the specific complex is absent, but the T cell is present. The mechanisms described above are involved in the immune system's response to foreign materials, in autoimmune pathologies, and in responses to cellular abnormalities.
The T cell response to foreign antigens includes both cytolytic T lymphocytes and helper T lymphocytes. CD8+ cytotoxic or cytolytic T cells (CTLs) are T cells which, when activated, lyse cells that present the appropriate antigen presented by HLA class I molecules. CD4+ T helper cells are T cells which secrete cytokines to stimulate macrophages and antigen-producing B cells which present the appropriate antigen by HLA class II molecules on their surface.
The mechanism by which T cells recognize alien materials also has been implicated in cancer. A number of cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones directed against autologous melanoma have been described. In some instances, the antigens recognized by these clones have been characterized. In De Plaen et al., Immunogenetics 40:360-369 (1994), the "MAGE" family, a family of genes encoding tumor specific antigens, is described. (See also PCT application PCT/US92/04354, published on Nov. 26, 1992.) The expression products of these genes are processed into peptides which, in turn, are expressed on cell surfaces. This can lead to lysis of the tumor cells by specific CTLs. The genes are said to code for "tumor rejection antigen precursors" or "TRAP" molecules, and the peptides derived therefrom are referred to as "tumor rejection antigens" or "TRAs". See Traversari et al., Immunogenetics 35: 145 (1992); van der Bruggen et al., Science 254: 1643 (1991), for further information on this family of genes. Also, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,774.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,940, MAGE nonapeptides are taught which are presented by the HLA-A1 molecule. Given the known specificity of particular peptides for particular HLA molecules, one should expect a particular peptide to bind one HLA molecule, but not others. This is important, because different individuals possess different HLA phenotypes. As a result, while identification of a particular peptide as being a partner for a specific HLA molecule has diagnostic and therapeutic ramifications, these are only relevant for individuals with that particular HLA phenotype. There is a need for further work in the area, because cellular abnormalities are not restricted to one particular HLA phenotype, and targeted therapy requires some knowledge of the phenotype of the abnormal cells at issue.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,430, additional isolated MAGE-3 peptides are taught which are presented by the HLA-A2 molecule. Therefore, a given TRAP can yield a plurality of TRAs.
The foregoing references describe isolation and/or characterization of tumor rejection antigens which are presented by HLA class I molecules. These TRAs can induce activation and proliferation of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) which recognize tumor cells that express the tumor associated genes (e.g. MAGE genes) which encode the TRAs.
The importance of CD4+ T lymphocytes (helper T cells) in antitumor immunity has been demonstrated in animal models in which these cells not only serve cooperative and effector functions, but are also critical in maintaining immune memory (reviewed by Topalian, Curr. Opin. Immunol. 6:741-745, 1994). Moreover, several studies support the contention that poor tumor-specific immunity is due to inadequate activation of T helper cells.
It has recently been demonstrated that the tyrosinase gene encodes peptides which are presented by HLA class II molecules to stimulate CD4+ T lymphocytes (Topalian et al., 1994; Yee et al., J. Immunol. 157:4079-4086, 1996; Topalian et al., J. Exp. Med. 183:1965-1971, 1996).
As with many cancer associated antigens, tyrosinase is expressed in a limited percentage of tumors and in limited types of tumors. Furthermore, the two identified MHC class II binding tyrosinase peptides are HLA-DRB1*0401-restricted peptides, recognized only by cells which express the particular HLA molecule.
Therefore, there exist many patients who would not benefit from any therapy which includes helper T cell stimulation via tyrosinase peptides, either because the patient's tumor does not express tyrosinase, or because the patient does not express the appropriate HLA molecule. Accordingly, there is a need for the identification of additional tumor associated antigens which contain epitopes presented by MHC class II molecules and recognized by CD4+ lymphocytes.

MAGE-3 peptides presented by HLA class II molecules


A pyrolyzer unit and two-staged furnaces are provided in a compact furnace assembly for combusting coal to generate power. Coal is reacted in the pyrolyzer to produce a clean hot fuel gas and char. The hot fuel gas is combusted in the first-stage furnace, which contains a high-temperature heat exchanger utilized to heat a pressurized air stream for expansion in a gas turbine and a heat exchanger for superheating steam for expansion in a steam turbine to produce power. Char is combusted in the second-stage furnace and the resulting combustion products are mixed with primary combustion gas from the first-stage furnace to product a secondary combustion gas and preheat the pressurized air stream, and also to superheat steam. The heated air stream is expanded in a gas turbine to produce shaft power to drive an air compressor and an electric power generator. The hot secondary combustion flue gases and hot air exhaust from the gas turbine are used for preheating pressurized water to generate the steam for the steam turbine cycle.

This invention pertains to staged combustion furnaces used for burning pyrolysis gas and char to produce hot combustion gases and generate power from coal in a process utilizing both air and steam turbines. It pertains particularly to two-stage furnaces in which a pyrolysis gas derived from coal is combusted in a first stage containing a high temperature compressed air heat exchanger and a steam superheater. Char from the first stage and coal as required, are combusted in a second stage furnace in which the compressed air is preheated and steam is initially superheated.
In a high-efficiency coal-fired combined power cycle using a high temperature (Brayton Cycle) air turbine together with a steam (Rankine Cycle) turbine for generating electric power on both turbine shafts, it is desirable to raise the temperature of the Brayton Cycle working fluid (air) to at least 1800.degree. F. This requires high-temperature combustion gases which, when derived directly from coal, will be at a temperature at which both vaporized and molten ash constituents are present. Such ash constituents in the hot gases could cause corrosion and plugging of heat exchanger tubes, which need to be made of a suitable high temperature material e.g. a ceramic such as silicon carbide for the air heat exchanger, and metallic alloy for a steam superheater. Because the cost of such heat exchanger tubing is high, a closely packed heat exchanger is desirable so as to minimize the amount of heat transfer surface required.
Processes utilizing staged combustion of coal are known, as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,354 to Donath, U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,185 and 4,322,222 to Sass, U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,639 to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,488 to Calderon, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,429 to Richardson. However, these processes and associated furnace equipment have various deficiencies, so that improved more compact furnace combustion equipment and a process for more efficient staged combustion of coal to generate power have been needed. An improved combustion furnace assembly including a pyrolyzer unit and two-staged combustion furnaces has now been developed, in which coal is first pyrolyzed to produce pyrolysis gas and char. The pyrolysis gas is used to fire a first stage furnace containing an air heater and high temperature steam superheater. The char is used to fuel a second stage furnace in which the combustion gas therein is advantageously quenched by the primary combustion gases from the first stage furnace.

Staged furnaces for firing coal pyrolysis gas and char


A semiconductor memory device includes a strobe signal generator for receiving a write command and generating a write strobe signal that defines an activation period variably according to an operation frequency, and a data transfer unit for transferring data from an external device to an internal data line in response to the write strobe signal.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor design technology, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device for generating a write strobe signal activated in a write operation and transferring data from an external device to an internal data line using the generated write strobe signal.
In general, a semiconductor memory device such as Double Data Rate Synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM) includes more than ten million memory cells for storing data. Such a semiconductor memory device stores data or outputs the data according to a command requested by the central processing unit (CPU). That is, when the CPU requests a write operation, the semiconductor memory device stores data in a memory cell corresponding to an address inputted from the CPU. When the CPU requests a read operation, the semiconductor memory device reads data stored in a memory cell corresponding to an address inputted from the CPU. In other word, data inputted through an input/output pad is inputted to a memory cell through a data input path in a write operation. In a read operation, data stored in a memory cell is read through a data output path and outputted through the input/output pad.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a partial structure of a semiconductor memory device according to prior art.
Referring to FIG. 1, the semiconductor memory device according to prior art includes a data aligner 110, a write pulse generator 130, a delay 150, and a data transfer unit 170.
The data aligner 110 aligns serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 (see FIG. 2) that are sequentially inputted through the input/output pad DQ in response to a data strobe signal DQS and outputs the aligned serial input data as 0th to 7th parallel output data OUT<0:7>. That is, the data aligner 110 latches the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 by synchronizing the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 with a falling edge and a rising edge of a data strobe signal DQS. The latched serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 become the 0th to 7th parallel output data OUT<0:7>. Here, the burst length BL is 8 because the number of the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 is eight.
The write pulse generator 130 generates a write pulse signal WTP in response to a write command WT, a CAS latency CL, an additive latency AL, and a burst length BL. The write pulse signal WTP has a predetermined pulse width.
The delay unit 150 generates a write strobe signal DCLKP by reflecting an asynchronous delay time to the write pulse signal. Here, the generated write strobe signal DCLKP is delayed until the data aligner 110 completely aligns the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3. That is, the write strobe signal DCLKP is activated at a time of completely aligning all of the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3. Here, the write strobe signal DCLKP has a pulse width identical to the write pulse signal WTP.
The data transfer unit 170 transfers 0th to 7th output data OUT<0:7> of the data aligner 110 to 0th to 7th global input/output lines GIO<0:7> in response to the write strobe signal DCLKP.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for describing signals related to a semiconductor memory device of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, when a write command WT is applied after being synchronized with an external clock signal CLK, a data strobe signal DQS and serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 are inputted corresponding to CAS latency CL and additive latency AL. The data aligner 110 latches the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 in response to the data strobe signal DQS. The latched serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 becomes the 0th to 7th parallel output data OUT<0:7>.
The write strobe signal DCLKP is activated when the data aligner 110 completely aligns the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3. By delaying such a write strobe signal DCLKP using the delay 150 (see FIG. 1), it is possible to activate the write strobe signal DCLKP when the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 are completely aligned because the write pulse signal WTP (not shown in FIG. 2) is activated at last input data F3 corresponding to CAS latency CL, additive latency AL and burst latency BL. Each of the 0th to 7th parallel output data OUT<0:7> is transferred to corresponding 0th to 7th global input/output lines GIO<0:7> in response to the write strobe signal DCLKP.
Hereinafter, the write strobe signal DCLKP will be described in more detail. The write strobe signal DCLKP is activated when the serial input data R0, F0, R1, F1, R2, F2, R3, and F3 are completely aligned. Also, the write strobe signal DCLKP is inactivated after passing a time that allows the 0th to 7th output data OUT<0:7> to be transferred to corresponding global input/output lines GIO<0:7>. That is, a time of activating and a time of inactivating the write strobe signal DCLKP are defined by the write pulse signal WTP and the delay 150 that delays the write pulse signal.
Meanwhile, semiconductor memory devices have been advanced to perform operation in a high speed. Accordingly, an operation frequency of semiconductor memory devices has increased and semiconductor memory devices are being designed to perform consecutive write operations. However, such an operation of the semiconductor memory devices also causes other problem.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams describing a normal operation and abnormal operation of a semiconductor memory device according to prior art. That is, FIGS. 3A and 3B show an operation of a semiconductor memory device when a write command is continuously inputted thereto. For the sake of easier description, a write command inputted first is referred as a first write command WT1, and a write command inputted second is referred as a second write command WT2.
At first, the normal operation of the semiconductor memory device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3A. FIG. 3A shows an operation of a semiconductor memory device having a comparatively low operation frequency.
When the first write command WT1 is applied, the data strobe signal DQS is activated, and the serial input data AR0, AF0, AR1, AF1, AR2, AF2, AR3, and AF3 corresponding to the first write command WT1 are sequentially inputted. Then, the serial input data AR0, AF0, AR1, AF1, AR2, AF2, AR3, and AF3 are aligned by the data aligner 110 and become 0th to 7th output data OUT<0:7>. For the sake of easier description, FIG. 3A shows the 0th output data OUT<0> and a corresponding 0th global input/output line GIO<0>. That is, the 0th output data OUT<0> outputs AR0, AR1, AR2, and AR3 corresponding to the first write command WT1.
The write strobe signal DCLKP generated by the delay 150 is activated at the center of the last input data AR3 corresponding to the write command WT1 and inactivated after passing a predetermined time Δt. Here, the predetermined time Δt corresponds to a pulse width of a write pulse signal WTP generated by the write pulse generator 130. Since a pulse width is included in the last input data AR3 corresponding to the first write command WT1 in case of a semiconductor memory device having a comparative low operation frequency, the last input data AR3 is safely received through the 0th global input/output line GIO<0>.
When the second write command WT2 is applied, serial input data BR0, BF0, BR1, BF1, BR2, BF2, BR3, and BF3 corresponding the second write command WT2 are sequentially applied after the last input data AR3 corresponding to the first write command WT1. Similarly, the serial input data BR0, BF0, BR1, BF1, BR2, BF2, BR3, and BF3 are aligned in the data aligner 110 and become 0th to 7th output data OUT<0:7>. Then, the write strobe signal DCLKP is activated at the center of the last input data BR3 corresponding to the second write command WT2 and is inactivated after passing a predetermined time Δt. Therefore, the last input data BR3 corresponding to the second write command WT2 is safely received through the 0th global input/output line GIO<0>.
Hereinafter, an abnormal operation of a semiconductor memory device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3B. FIG. 3B shows operation of a semiconductor memory device having a comparatively high operation frequency.
When a first write command WT1 is applied, a data strobe signal DQS is activated and serial input data AR0, AF0, AR1, AF1, AR2, AF2, AR3, and AF3 corresponding to the first write command WT1 are sequentially inputted. Then, the serial input data AR0, AF0, AR1, AF1, AR2, AF2, AR3, and AF3 are aligned by the data aligner 110 and become 0th to 7th output data OUT<0:7>. FIG. 3B exemplarily shows only 0th output data OUT<0> among the 0th to 7th output data OUT<0:7> and a 0th global input/output line GIO<0>.
Then, a write strobe signal DCLKP generated from the delay 150 is activated at the center of the last input data AR3 corresponding to the first write command WT1 and is inactivated after passing a predetermined time Δt. In case of a semiconductor memory device having a comparatively high operation frequency, frequencies of an applied external clock signal CLK and a data strobe signal DQS are also high and the data aligner 110 operates according to the high frequency thereof. Therefore, a valid data period of each of the 0th to 7th output data OUT<0:7> becomes shortened. The shortened valid data period means that the write strobe signal DCLKP activated for a predetermined time Δt may influence input data after the predetermined time Δt.
That is, the write strobe signal DCLKP activated at the center of the last input data AR3 corresponding to the first write command WT1 is inactivated after passing a predetermined time Δt. However, the first input data BR0 corresponding to the second write command WT2 is outputted as the 0th output data OUT<0> before the write strobe signal DCLKP is inactivated as the operation frequency increases. Therefore, the first input data BR0 corresponding to the second write command WT2 is transferred to the 0th global input/output line GIO<0>. That is, the semiconductor memory device performs an abnormal operation.
As described above, the semiconductor memory device according to the prior art may not transfer data to a corresponding global input/output line because the last input data AR3 corresponding to the first write command WT1 and the first input data BR0 corresponding to the second write command WT2 are included in the activation period of the same write strobe signal DCLKP. Therefore, the reliability of the semiconductor memory device according to prior art is deteriorated in the write operation.

Semiconductor memory device and operation method thereof


A method of partitioning design shapes, in an E-beam lithography system, into subshapes such that a constant dose may be applied to an E-beam sensitive resist within each subshape. Within each subshape the constant dose corresponds to an approximation to an indicator function, indicative of the degree of the proximity effect, such as the effective exposure of the resist from backscattered electrons or the required dose. The error of the approximation is equal to a predetermined value for each subshape, and can depend upon the position of the subshape within the shape and the influence of errors in the applied dose at that position on the position, on development, of the edge of the shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a partitioning method for use in proximity effect correction in electron-beam lithography.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the technique of electron beam lithography an electron beam is used to delineate the features of a semiconductor device by selectively irradiating a substrate coated with an electron-beam sensitive resist. The electron beam is deflected and shaped in a precise manner to define the required shape in the resist. The pattern is then developed in the resist. The substrate can be either a semiconductor wafer, as in the case of direct-write lithography, or glass, metal or other material as in the case of a high resolution mask for subsequent use in fabricating the semiconductor device.
Scattering of the electron beam from the resist and the substrate gives rise to non-uniform exposure of the resist and thus to distortions in the developed shapes. This is termed the proximity effect and must be corrected for in an e-beam lithography process either by changing the shapes to be developed or by varying the dose over the design to take the scattering into account.
Since the dose applied to resist may vary over the design, the design pattern must, during the process of determining and producing control signals for the E-beam writing tool, be divided into a number of shapes over which the dose applied by the writing tool is constant. This process is referred to as shape partitioning.
The prior art approaches to shape partitioning for E-beam lithography involve prepartitioning the design shapes prior to correction for the proximity effect. They employ a set of rules-of-thumb, based on the layout of the design, in order to provide finer partitioning in places where layout of the design indicates that the magnitude of the proximity effect is likely to be large. For example, fine partitioning is used where there is an influence of surrounding shapes on a given shape, and a coarser partitioning is used where there are no surrounding shapes in a vicinity of the given shape.
The simplest such method is described in Grobman, Speth and Chang, "Proximity Correction Enhancements for 1 .mu.m Dense Circuits Magnitude and Correction Techniques" which appeared in IBM J. Res. Dev., Vol. 24, pp. 537-544, (1980), where each sufficiently large rectangle is partitioned into an internal area and four "sleeves" (narrow perimetral rectangular strips). No further partitioning of sleeves is made. This method works well where the size of the smallest design shapes is around 1 .mu.m.
Another method of shape partitioning is described in Parikh, "Technique for Automatic Subdivision of Pattern Data for Enhanced Proximity Effect Correction" which appeared in the IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 24, pp. 438-451, (1980). This method employs the self-consistent technique of proximity correction where the doses, which have to be assigned to prepartitioned shapes, are defined as a solution of a set of linear equations. In this method the partitioning is refined, if needed, on each iteration and then the proximity correction is made once more, until some criteria on the proximity effect variations across each subshape are fulfilled. The method has disadvantages of low computational efficiency and of a need to define the basic prepartitioning with a dense set of predefined sample check points.
The prior art method known as "intelligent partitioning" is described in Kratschmer, "Verification of a proximity effect correction program in Electron beam Lithography", J. Vac. Sci. Tech B, Vol. 19, pp. 1264-1268, (1981). In order to correct for intra-shape proximity effect each sufficiently large rectangle is partitioned into an internal area, four narrow sleeves on the four sides of the rectangle and four small corner squares. Each sleeve is further partitioned by a projection of neighboring shapes onto the current subshape. The design is usually partitioned too fine, so that in the data compaction stage some adjacent rectangles with almost the same dose could merge together. A similar approach is also described in Otto and Griffith "Proximity correction on the AEBLE-150", J. Vac. Sci. Tech. B, Vol. 6, pp. 443-447, (1988).
The disadvantages of intelligent partitioning type methods are firstly high computational load and secondly they produce a greater number of subshapes than are necessary for optimal partitioning. These disadvantages reduce the E-beam lithography throughput.
All the prior art shape partitioning methods partition the design on the basis of the layout of the design shapes. However, there exist methods of proximity correction, such as the method described in Pavkovich "Proximity Effect Correction Calculations by the Integral Equation Approximate Solution Method", J. Vac. Sci. Tech. b, Vol. 4, pp. 159-163, (1986), which use what could be labelled a ""field" approach. In this approach either the backscatter or the dose boost is described by a slowly changing continuous function over the design. This function is obtained, at points on a grid, as a solution of an integral equation. The continuous function given by interpolation of the grid values in these methods acts as an indicator field which contains all the information on the degree or magnitude of the proximity effect. The required dose at any point on the design is found through a predetermined relationship with the indicator field.

Partitioning method for E-beam lithography

International Business Machines Corporation


The device, a wheel cover assembly, covers at least a portion of a wheel. The wheel cover assembly is secured to the wheel by a lug nut having a flange. The wheel cover assembly has a wheel cover which has an inner surface and an outer surface. The wheel cover assembly also has a plurality of lug wells. Each lug well includes a plurality of extensions extending from the inner surface of the wheel cover to the distal end of the lug well. The extensions have an engagement leg at the distal end of the lug well. Additionally, at least one of the engagement legs is non-axisymmetrical with respect to the remaining engagement legs.

It is well known in the art to provide wheel covers for wheels in a vehicle, such as an automotive vehicle, to enhance the appearance of the wheels. Wheel covers are typically secured to a wheel using conventional devices. For instance, many wheel covers include a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings adapted to receive a lug nut. The lug nut typically has a flange. The spaced openings have extensions that can be snapped to the flange of the lug nut. The extensions are axisymmetrical, or all are stressed or preloaded uniformly, to secure the wheel cover on the wheel.
While the wheel cover may be secured to the flange of lug nuts of the wheel, there are several problems with the conventional designs. First, securing wheel covers to lug nuts using conventional securing devices requires a great deal of effort. Fitting the retention legs over the lug nut is often difficult and requires substantial force. Additionally, removing wheel covers also requires a great deal of force, often resulting in damage to the wheel cover or wheel. Conventional wheel covers can account for tolerance, by providing an excessive interference fit with the lug nut.
Essentially, existing snap-on, secured wheel covers retained by lug nuts with features molded into the wheel cover are over-designed with heavy sections and high preload settings or interference fit. Conventional designs attempt to compensate for lug nuts and wheel cover assembly tolerance stack-ups. The heavy sections and high preloads result in excessive installations and removal efforts which are significant design shortfalls.
An additional problem with existing wheel covers includes creep. Creep is the time-dependent part of permanent strain, or plastic deformation, resulting from stress. Typically, creep occurs when a plastic part is subjected to a load for a long period of time. Creep degrades retention performance and can create looseness of the secured wheel cover over time. This is especially problematic at higher temperatures. Obviously, with the preloaded fit of the wheel cover over the flange of the lug nut, once the wheel cover begins to creep the wheel cover nominal preload is reduced degrading retention performance and the wheel cover can become loose. This results is an insecure wheel cover, which can rattle during driving or become detached.
Indeed, existing designs account for "loose fit" tolerance stack-up by increasing nominal interference fit (i.e. preload) on all engagement or retention legs. This substantially degrades post durability retention performance (i.e. creep test, peak temperature test, etc.) and results in exceedingly high installation and removal efforts. The various embodiments of the present invention can account for root sum of squares "loose fit" tolerance stackup between the wheel cover and lug nut features (i.e. the wheel cover fit is tight with two or more −3 sigma "loose fit" wheel nuts) without the need for nominal interference fit on the majority of retention engagement legs.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved wheel cover enabling easier installation and removal. Further, there is a need for an improved wheel cover that improves resistance to creep. There is also a need for an improved wheel cover providing a snug fit of the wheel cover to the wheel for all wheel nut sizes and position manufacturing variations.

Non-axisymmetrical wheel cover retention apparatuses and assemblies


Described are methods and devices for applying a color gamut mapping process on a first image to generate a second image, where the content of the first and second images is similar but the respective color spaces of the first and second images are different. The color gamut mapping process may be controlled using a color gamut mapping mode obtained from a bitstream where the color gamut mapping mode belongs to a set comprising at least two preset modes and an explicit parameters mode. If the obtained color gamut mapping mode is the explicit parameters mode and the color gamut mapping process is not enabled for the explicit parameters mode, the color gamut mapping process may be controlled by a substitute color gamut mapping mode determined from additional data.

The present section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present principles that are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present principles. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In the following, an image contains one or several arrays of samples (pixel values) in a specific image/video format which specifies all information relative to the pixel values of an image (or a video) and all information which may be used by a display and/or any other device to visualize and/or decode a image (or video) for example. An image comprises at least one component, in the shape of a first array of samples, usually a luma (or luminance) component, and, possibly, at least one other component, in the shape of at least one other array of samples, usually a color component. Or, equivalently, the same information may also be represented by a set of arrays of color samples, such as the traditional tri-chromatic RGB representation.
A pixel value is represented by a vector of C values, where C is the number of components. Each value of a vector is represented with a number of bits which defines a maximal dynamic range of the pixel values.
Low-Dynamic-Range images (LDR images) are images whose luminance values are represented with a limited number of bits (most often 8 or 10). This limited representation does not allow correct rendering of small signal variations, in particular in dark and bright luminance ranges. In high-dynamic range images (HDR images), the signal representation is extended in order to maintain a high accuracy of the signal over its entire range. In HDR images, pixel values representing luminance levels are usually represented in floating-point format (either 32-bit or 16-bit for each component, namely float or half-float), the most popular format being openEXR half-float format (16-bit per RGB component, i.e. 48 bits per pixel) or in integers with a long representation, typically at least 16 bits.
The arrival of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard (ITU-T H.265 Telecommunication standardization sector of ITU (October 2014), series H: audiovisual and multimedia systems, infrastructure of audiovisual services—coding of moving video, High efficiency video coding, Recommendation ITU-T H.265) enables the deployment of new video services with enhanced viewing experience, such as Ultra HD broadcast services. In addition to an increased spatial resolution, Ultra HD can bring a wider color gamut (WCG) and a higher dynamic range (HDR) than the Standard dynamic range (SDR) HD-TV currently deployed (with a standard color gamut SCG). Different solutions for the representation and coding of HDR/WCG video have been proposed (SMPTE 2014, "High Dynamic Range Electro-Optical Transfer Function of Mastering Reference Displays, or SMPTE ST 2084, 2014, or Diaz, R., Blinstein, S. and Qu, S. "Integrating HEVC Video Compression with a High Dynamic Range Video Pipeline", SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal, Vol. 125, Issue 1. February, 2016, pp 14-21).
SDR backward compatibility with decoding and rendering devices is an important feature in some video distribution systems, such as broadcasting or multicasting systems.
Dual-layer coding is one solution to support this feature. However, due to its multi-layer design, this solution is not adapted to all distribution workflows.
An alternative is a single Layer HDR distribution solution as defined by the ETSI recommendation ETSI TS 103 433-1 (August 2017). The reader may also refer to the IBC 2016 article ("A single-Layer HDR video coding framework with SDR compatibility", E. Francois and L. Van de Kerkhof, IBC 2016) for more details. This single layer distribution solution is SDR compatible and leverages SDR distribution networks and services already in place. It enables both high quality HDR rendering on HDR-enabled CE devices, while also offering high quality SDR rendering on SDR CE devices. This single layer distribution solution is based on a single layer coding/decoding process and is codec independent (a 10 bits codec is recommended). This single layer distribution solution uses side metadata (of a few bytes per video frame or scene) that can be used in a post-processing stage to reconstruct the HDR signal from a decoded SDR signal and adapt the signal to the HDR-enabled CE devices. This single layer distribution solution preserves quality of HDR content (artistic intent), i.e. there is no visible impairment due to the SDR compatibility feature in comparison with HEVC coding with a bit depth of 8-bits to 10-bits per sample with 4:2:0 chroma sampling (so-called HEVC main 10 profile).
To benefit of such quality, corresponding methods including pre/post processing and metadata have been proposed for various HDR bitstreams. Accordingly, the ETSI recommendation ETSI TS 103 433 is divided in 3 parts SL-HDRx, each part addressing different distribution workflows. The ETSI recommendation ETSI TS 103 433-1 (2017-08), referred to as SL-HDR1 discloses a backward compatible system for transmitting an HDR video content based on a SDR video. The future ETSI recommendation ETSI TS 103 433-2, referred to as SL-HDR2, is to be drafted for display adaptation for PQ (Perceptual Quantization transfer function) video. The future ETSI recommendation ETSI TS 103 433-3, referred to as SL-HDR3 is drafted for a system for display adaptation for HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma transfer function) video.
In particular, Annex D of ETSI TS 103 433-1 (SL-HDR1) provides the description of an invertible gamut mapping process that could apply when the input SDR picture of the SDR-to-HDR reconstruction process is provided in a BT.709 color gamut (as specified by the variable sdrPicColourSpace), and is different from the target BT.2020 color gamut of the HDR picture (as specified by the variable hdrPicColourSpace). In this annex, color backward compatibility is defined such that the CE receiver only supports BT.709 color space while the video to be distributed using SL-HDR1 can support BT.2020 color space. Annex D of the second stable draft of ETSI TS 103 433-2 (SL-HDR2) also provides the description of a gamut mapping based on Annex D of SL-HDR1. The skilled in the art will notice that the invertible gamut mapping defined in Annex D is not limited to SDR-to-HDR reconstruction but it compatible with any change of color spaces. In particular, the annex D of SL-HDR1 discloses a set of modes for invertible gamut mapping that are signaled to the CE devices through indication of explicit parameters, of preset methods or of an implementer dependent method. Low-end circuitry in some low-cost CE devices may not be capable to process the explicit parameters mode. In this case, these devices would arbitrate the following trade-off: either discard gamut mapping or use their own "blind" gamut mapping operator. In both cases, the experience of the user is degraded. This is an issue when appointing SL-HDR technologies as premium services delivery for high quality HDR rendering on HDR-enabled CE devices.

Method and device for generating a second image from a first image


Presented herein are techniques to shield transmissions from being received and the information contained in them recovered by unwanted devices. Multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) techniques are employed, and in particular the spatial dimension aspects of those techniques. Shield nodes are controlled to transmit in a way to obscure the downlink streams transmitted by a wireless access point that are intended for a particular client device to anything outside of the shielded area, and also to obscure uplink streams from one or more client devices to the wireless access point to anything outside of the shielded area but allowing the uplink streams to be well received by the wireless access point.

Due to the nature of wireless signal propagation, it is very common to see multiple Wi-Fi® networks overlapping. There are privacy and security concerns. Hackers and rogue users are always looking for opportunity to obtain confidential data carried by wireless transmissions. The challenge is to control the wireless signal to avoid security breach and leaks, while maintaining proper operation of the wireless networks.

Physical layer shielding of wireless communications


A method for texture mapping an image includes passing an interpolating filter along a line of anisotropy in a texture map and computing a weighted sum of the outputs of the interpolating filter to compute pixel intensity values. The weighting of these output values can be computed using a one dimensional digital filter. The line of anisotropy is derived from the inverse transform, which describes the mapping of a point on the surface of a geometric primitive to a point in the texture map. A system supporting anisotropic filtering includes texture memory, a set-up processor, and a texture filter engine. The set-up processor parses a command stream and retrieves texture data into the texture memory. The texture filter engine determines the line of anisotropy for a pixel and computes a weighted sum of interpolated values sampled along the line of anisotropy.

Texture mapping is a process for mapping an image onto a surface of a graphical object to enhance the visual realism of a generated image. Intricate detail at the surface of an object is very difficult to model using polygons or other geometric primitives, and doing so can greatly increase the computational cost of the object texture mapping is a more efficient way to represent fine detail on the surface of an object. A "texture map" is a digital image, which we will also refer to as the "source image." The texture map is typically rectangular in shape and has its own (u, v) coordinate space. Individual elements of the texture map are referred to as "texels." In a texture mapping operation, a texture or "source image" is mapped to the surface of a graphical model as the model is rendered to create a target image.
As digital images, the source and the target images are sampled at discrete points, usually on a grid of points with integer coordinates. In the source image, texels are located at integer coordinates in the (u,v) coordinate system. Similarly, in the target image, pixels are located at integer coordinates in the (x,y) coordinate system.
The process of texture mapping generally includes sampling data from the source image to compute an intensity value for a pixel in the destination image. The texels to be sampled for a given pixel are typically identified by mapping a point in the destination image into the source image. Texels neighboring the mapped point in the source image are then sampled, weighted and summed to compute the intensity value for a pixel. This process is then repeated for additional pixels in the destination image.
While texture mapping is an effective technique for generating images with surface detail, present approaches often produce unacceptable amounts of distortion. Distortion results because, in practice, several approximations are made in computing pixel intensities. In real time graphics systems, the problem is particularly acute because each pixel value must be computed quickly so that the entire image can be generated within a fixed time period. Because of these rigorous timing constraints, real time systems either do not support texture mapping or make additional approximations that reduce image quality.
To simplify texture mapping operations, some systems make approximations in determining the shape of a sampling region in the source image. The sampling region is the area in the source image that defines which texels to sample in computing a pixel intensity, and is sometimes referred to as the filter footprint. The footprint will have a different shape in the source for each target point. Since the footprint can vary for each point, it is difficult to find the correct shape of the footprint and the weighting factors to apply to the points inside the footprint. Some systems make the approximation of using the same shape for the filter at every point, although they may allow the size of the filter to vary. This approach often leads to artifacts in the final image that degrade image quality.
Filters that produce either square or circular footprints of variable size are referred to as isotropic filters. A circle is truly isotropic since it has the same length in all directions. A square is essentially isotropic, since it has equal dimension horizontally and vertically.
Isotropic filtering can produce distortion because the same filter shape is used regardless of the extent to which the mapping is non-linear from destination to source image. In areas of the source image where the actual footprint is highly elongated, an essentially isotropic shape such as a square or a circle is a poor substitute for the footprint, even if the size is adjustable. Since an isotropic filter only has one shape, it can not accurately capture texels in an elongated footprint. For example, a square filter cannot accurately sample texel values from a quadrilateral footprint elongated in one direction. Sampling texels outside the actual footprint can cause blurring. Not sampling texels in the footprint, on the other hand, can cause the final image to sparkle due to aliasing.
In one approach called MIP (multum in parvo--many things in a small place) mapping, a number of texture maps are stored at different resolutions. For example, if the one texture is at 512.times.512 texels, textures at 256.times.256, 128.times.128, 64.times.64, etc. can also be stored. This "pyramid" of texture maps at varying resolution can be used to find the best fit for an isotropic filter on the footprint of the pixel mapped into the texture. The process begins by finding the two textures where the footprint is closest in size to the size of the filter. It then performs interpolation for the two textures that fit the footprint most closely to compute two intermediate values. Finally, it interpolates between the two intermediate values to find a value for the pixel.
While MIP mapping can provide improved results for isotropic filters, it produces artifacts where the filter footprint in the source image is contracted or elongated in one direction. This contraction or elongation can produce a high degree of anisotropy of a filter. For instance, if the transformation contracts the image in one direction much more than in another direction, then the inverse transformation will expand or elongate the footprint in the source along the direction of maximum contraction in the target. This can occur when viewing a planar surface from a perspective close to the edge. Using an isotropic filter, the final image appears distorted in this example because the filter cannot properly sample texel values in the elongated footprint.

Method and system for texture mapping images with anisotropic filtering


In a stock price chart in which “sticks” for a predetermined stock brand are arranged in time series on coordinates consisting of a price axis and a time axis, wherein the “sticks” are arranged such that an upper end and a lower end of the “stick” show one of an average closing price for the present evaluation period and an average closing price for the previous evaluation period, respectively, an indication showing a magnitude relationship between an average closing price for the previous evaluation period and an average closing price for the present evaluation period, and a “line” connecting a coordinate point showing a closing price of the present evaluation period and an upper end or a lower end of a “stick” showing an average closing price for the present evaluation period and an indication showing a magnitude relationship between them are added to the “line”.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stock price chart in which "sticks" for a predetermined stock brand are arranged in time series on coordinates consisting of a price axis and a time axis and, in particular, to a stock price chart in which "sticks" and "lines" are drawn using only closing price data as stock price information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Appropriate decision of timing for selling or buying a stock is a subject common to people participating in stock trading. For this purpose, habitual analysis of a trend of a stock price is indispensable. As an example of most popular means with which people can learn a trend of a stock price, there is a stock price chart that is drawn based on various "sticks" (a candlestick, the Sakata Method of stick analysis, a method of representing stick added in the chart when the price moves conversely exceeding the previous three consecutive sticks). Among them, a stock price chart using candlesticks has been known as a representative stock price chart in Japan for a long time and can be found most frequently on stock price information magazine, the Internet and the like.
In a candlestick, fluctuation of a stock price in a predetermined period is represented by a daily stick, a weekly stick, a monthly stick, an annual stick and the like that use four price data consisting of an 'opening price', a 'highest price', a 'lowest price' and a 'closing price'. More specifically, each stick consists of a rectangular body whose upper end and lower end indicate one of the 'opening price' and the 'closing price' and two "lines" extending in the vertical direction from this body of the stick or the bar which indicate the 'highest price' and the 'lowest price'.
In a candlestick, since four prices that are stock price indexes are simultaneously represented, it is suitable for analysis of a trend of a stock price. However, on the other hand, a problem has been pointed out in that, since each stick tends to be complicated and fluctuate largely, and further, adjacent sticks do not necessarily have a continuity, a beginner in stock trading experiences difficulty in reading the chart and is easily mislead by the fluctuations.
Thus, the applicant devised a new stock price chart in which a 'stick' is drawn using only an average closing price in a predetermined number of days. More specifically, the 'stick' in this stock price chart is drawn as a rectangular bar whose upper end and lower end indicate either one of an average closing price in a predetermined number of days until the present evaluation period (for example, the present day), or an average closing price in a predetermined number of days until the previous evaluation period (for example, the previous day). The applicant named this 'stick' as a 'Masuda stick'.
It has been confirmed that the following effects are obtained in the new stock price chart using this 'Masuda stick'.    (a) Since the 'Masuda stick' has a simple structure drawn with two prices (both of the prices are average closing prices) as upper and lower ends, a short-term line, a medium-term line and a long-term line are simplified compared with the conventional candlestick and can easily be read by even a beginner in stock trading.    (b) Since a price that is to be a stock price index is a moving-average price, a width of fluctuation in the Masuda stick is restricted compared with the conventional candlestick. In addition, since an average closing price for the present evaluation period becomes an 'average closing price for the previous evaluation period', in the next evaluation period, continuity is maintained between adjacent Masuda sticks. Thus, a short-term line, a medium-term line and a long-term line become smooth curves and even a beginner in stock trading can grasp a trend of past stock prices at one glance.
In this new stock price chart, an advantage is obtained in that even a beginner in stock trading can easily read the chart and can grasp a trend of a stock price at one glance as described above. However, it is still difficult to forecast a future trend depending only on this chart, in particular, deciding the timing for selling or buying stocks. For this purpose, complicated work such as observing charts everyday and making comprehensive judgment depending on experiences and intuition is still required.


In the case of an opening device for an open-end spinning machine, the rotating opening roller is arranged in a housing with a prevailing vacuum and has one front side which is exposed to the free atmosphere. In the area of this front side the opening roller is sealed off against the housing by means of a labyrinth seal. The labyrinth seal starts in the area of a peripheral combing structure of the opening roller with a first sealing gap and ends with a second sealing gap in the free atmosphere. The sealing gaps are formed by cylindrical collar surfaces of the opening roller and corresponding hollow cylindrical countersurfaces of the housing. In addition, the collar surfaces are provided with fly repulsing notches, whose direction of effect is such that the fly is repulsed at the first sealing gap towards the combing structure and at the second sealing gap, repulsed towards the free atmosphere. The front side of the open roller exposed to the free atmosphere is not covered by a lid.

This application claims the priority of German application 196 51 417.7 filed in Germany on Nov. 11, 1996, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to an opening device for open-end spinning machines comprising an opening roller which rotates in a housing under a vacuum and which is sealed from the housing in the area of a front side exposed to the free atmosphere by means of a labyrinth seal. The labyrinth seal starts in the area of a peripheral combing means of the opening roller with a sealing gap in the form of an annular clearance and ends with a second sealing gap arranged at a distance from the first sealing gap, said second sealing gap being connected directly to the free atmosphere and taking the form of an annular clearance, whereby these sealing gaps are formed by a first and second cylindrical collar surface of the opening roller and corresponding hollow cylindrical countersurfaces of the housing.
In the case of an opening device of this type (U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,520, FIG. 6), the sealing gaps of the labyrinth seal permit a certain small amount of air to flow from the atmosphere to the combing structure. As, however, experience has shown, single fibers tend, in the area at the open atmosphere and also in the area of the combing structure, to penetrate from the outside into the labyrinth seal and therefore there is the risk that the labyrinth seal may become blocked with fly accumulation after a time. The opening roller must then be stopped, disassembled and cleaned.
It is an object of the present invention to avoid this disadvantage to a large extent and to create an opening device wherein the fly accumulation is to a large extent kept away from the labyrinth seal.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the present invention in that the first collar surface arranged at the first sealing gap and the second collar surface arranged at the second sealing gap are provided with fly-repulsing notches, whose direction of effect is directed away from the labyrinth seal.
In particular, the direction of effect of the notches of the first collar surface is towards the combing structure and the direction of effect of the notches of the second collar surface is towards the open atmosphere. This results in the fly coming from the combing structure being knocked back again to the combing means and the fibers which are found flying around in the open atmosphere are returned thereto.
The fly-repulsing notches themselves take the form of grooves extending diagonally to the rotational direction of the opening roller, and have--in cross section--a striker surface on each side facing away from the rotational direction, which striker surface extends radially to the opening roller. For reasons of redressing the state of unbalance, a plurality of notches, preferably three or four, are arranged on each collar surface. In order that the sealing effect of the labyrinth seal is increased, the first and second collar surfaces comprising the notches have differing diameters. Hereby it can be provided that the first and second sealing gaps are separated by at least one expansion chamber in the form of an annular chamber.
In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the first and the second collar surfaces are arranged on the same component, which can be separated from the opening roller. This component is, for example, a tension disc, with which a ring, comprising the combing structure, is slid onto a base body of the opening roller.

Opening device for an open-end spinning machine

Spindelfabrick Suessen, Schurr, Stahlecker & Grill GmbH


A toilet cleaning device has an element which closes an outlet pipe of a toilet bowl so that water accumulates in the toilet bowl to clean it and then allows the water to flow out through the outlet pipe, and the element includes a base which closes the outlet pipe of the toilet bowl and a tube connected with the base and capable of being grabbed by a user.

The present invention generally relates to toilet cleaning devices.
More particularly the present invention relates to a toilet cleaning device that allows effective and comfortable cleaning and disinfection by the user, without direct use of hands.
In current status of techniques it is known that typical toilets or water bowls are used for hygienic needs of the user.
Those toilets, by self-nature of their use, are susceptible to need to proceed with their cleaning and disinfection, because otherwise, they are a foci of bad odors and dirtiness, not only in the household, but also particularly in places of transit and public use, such as hotels, ships, airplanes, etc.
The aforementioned cleaning and disinfection becomes especially problematic in the case of internal and lower edge area of the toilets, where water from the cistern is discharged.
It is therefore believed to be advisable to develop devices which will allow an effective cleaning and disinfection of known toilets and toilet bowls


A process for metallizing nanomaterial including subjecting nanomaterial in a metallizing solution to microwave radiation; nanomaterial made by such a process; and density gradient separation of such material. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to: nanomaterials; to nanotubes; to nanoribbons; to metallized nanomaterials; in one particular aspect, to metallized carbon nanotubes; and to methods for metallizing nanomaterials, e.g. nanotubes, graphene sheets, and graphene ribbon-like material.
2. Description of Related Art
A wide variety of nanomaterials are known, e.g. nanotubes and nanoribbons. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted much attention because of their extraordinary mechanical properties and unique electronic properties. A CNT is topologically equivalent to a two-dimensional graphene sheet rolled into a cylinder, with a cylinder diameter as small as 0.7 nanometers (nm) (and as large as several tens of nanometers) and with a cylinder length up to several microns (μm). A CNT can be single walled (SWNT) or multiple walled (MWNT) and can also be fabricated as a fiber or other structure. A CNT can be characterized by its chiral vector components (n, m), which help define tube diameter, electronic properties and other properties. Depending upon the chirality, a SWNT can be conducting (metal-like) or semiconducting.
Currently, attempts are ongoing to utilize CNT's to enhance the properties of a variety of polymers and composites. Significant mechanical, electrical, and thermal property improvements have been reported. However, in certain cases, there are significant processing obstacles that prevent full enhancement of polymers and composites using incorporated nanotubes. In certain methods, dispersion has been shown to be essential for property enhancement when nanotubes are blended with polymers. Due to the intrinsic van der Waals attraction the nanotubes have to each other, and by virtue of their high aspect ratio (e.g., about 1:1000), nanotubes are typically agglomerated along their lengths, e.g. together as bundles and ropes, that have very low solubility in most solvents. In many instances, despite processing to achieve individual particles, nanotubes tend to remain as entangled agglomerates and homogeneous dispersion is not easily obtained. Furthermore, due to the atomically smooth non-reactive surface of nanotubes, lack of interfacial bonding limits load transfer from the matrix to nanotubes. In this situation, nanotubes are often pulled from a matrix, rather than fractured, and play a limited role in mechanical reinforcement of a composite structure.
The potential for certain uses of nanotubes in these applications has, heretofore, not been realized because of difficulties in processing and limited CNT-to-matrix load transfer. Existing methods for overcoming these difficulties include chemical functionalization (addition of one or more specified chemical groups to a basic structure) and metallization (deposition of metal nanoparticles) on the CNT's. Development of enhanced polymers and composites may require functionalization of a collection of CNTs to allow the tubes to be dispersed more easily in a host polymer.
Certain current known CNT chemical functionalization processes require complex apparatus and processing, use wet chemical procedures, and involve liquids or vapors, to which the CNTs are exposed. An example is the use of hot flowing fluorine gas to bond fluorine atoms to CNTs, as reported by E. T. Michelson et al in Chem. Phys. Lett. vol 296 (1998) 188. Large quantities of chemical reactants and solvents are often required, with most of the chemicals becoming residues that must be disposed under hazardous substance guidelines. Recycling of the chemicals used is seldom an option.
Current processes for functionalization of CNT's by metallization include a physi-sorption technique that involves the separate preparation of metal nanoparticles involving a long sonication process to mix them with the carbon nanotubes, where dislodging of the metal particulates is often observed due to their loose attachment. Electroless deposition requires a harsh oxidative pretreatment (of the CNT's) followed by a complex activation-sensitization procedure, which is disruptive to the intrinsic CNT structure and properties.
Electrochemical deposition is challenging because of the need to establish reliable electrical contact with bulk CNT substrates. Current approaches to overcoming this challenge include CNT growth on a conducting template, microlithography, electrophoresis, sputtering and thermal evaporation, all of which involve complex apparatus and processing and are not amenable to scale-up for industrial manufacturing.
Known methods for metallizing nanotubes include, but are not limited to, those disclosed in U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 11/021,129 filed Dec. 22, 2004; Ser. No. 10/372,006 filed Feb. 21, 2003; Ser. No. 10/813,697 filed Mar. 31, 2004 and Ser. No. 12/232,818 filed Sep. 24, 2008; and in PCT Application Int'l Publication No. WO 2008/140623A1 published Nov. 20, 2008 (all said applications incorporated fully herein for all purposes).
There is a need for improved nanotube metallization processes that do not require complex apparatus or processes, produce relatively little residue for disposal, are efficient, selective, reasonably fast, and are scalable to large industrial scale production. The present invention recognizes these needs and provides solutions to these problems.


The invention provides for the use of at least one aromatic acid compound of formula i), or a salt thereof, as a water tracer; wherein n is 0, 1 or 2, R1 to R5 are each independently H, alkyl or alkoxy and wherein at least one of R1 to R5 is alkoxy. The invention further provides for a method of monitoring the flow of water within a structure having an inflow point and an outflow point, where the method comprises; a) introducing at least a one tracer of formula i) into said inflow point; b) collecting fluid at said outflow point; and c) measuring the presence and/or concentration of said tracer in said fluid collected at said outflow point over time.

In the oil industry, where water is co-produced with oil and/or gas, sustainable operations requires re-injection of produced water to preserve scarce water resources and prevent pollution. As the tracers will be re-injected with water, this water re-injection limits or prohibits re-use of tracers and thus leads to an increasing demand for new and unique water tracers. Furthermore, environmental concerns render many of the existing tracers less than ideal due to their isotopic or chemical composition.
Tracers are inert chemical or radioactive compounds that are used to label and track fluids. In oil field applications they can be used to monitor wells and production equipment, as well as fluid movement in the reservoir [1-27]. In the reservoir, tracers can be used to monitor single well operations, or in inter-well tracer tests to evaluate fluid movement between injectors and producers. A general review of tracers applied in petroleum reservoirs is given by Zemel (1994) [27] and a review of inter-well tracer testing can be found in Dugstad (2007) [7].
In the past, tracers applied in the petroleum industry were usually radioactive, but with the development of chemical tracer technology the last two decades, chemical tracers have largely replaced radioactive tracers. Typical chemical tracers are fluorinated benzoic acids for water (Galdiga et al. [8-11]), or perfluorocarbons for gas (Dugstad et al. [6]). Chemical tracers have obvious advantages for handling and disposal as well as avoiding radioactive contamination of the environment.
When analysing the suitability of tracers for oil reservoirs, several important characteristics should be fulfilled. A tracer has to be sufficiently thermally stable at relevant reservoir temperatures, it should be substantially chemically and biologically stable under reservoir conditions and sorption on the relevant rock surfaces should be negligible. Tracers must also be adequately stable during sample storage, have the necessary analytical sensitivity, be as environmentally acceptable as possible and be unique in the reservoir environment. If the objective of a tracer test is to monitor transport of a single phase (e.g. the water tracers presented here), an additional constraint is that partitioning between fluid phases must not occur to any significant extent.
Chemical tracer testing has been applied in a broad range of inter-well tracer testing (IWTT) applications and is now established and proven as an efficient technology to obtain information on well-to-well communication, heterogeneities and fluid dynamics.
During such tests, tracers are used to label injected fluids from specific injection wells. The tracers are then subsequently used to trace the fluids as they move through the reservoir together with the injection phase. One of the appealing features of IWTT is that at the first tracer breakthrough in a producer, immediate information on the injector-producer communication is given. In some cases tracers may be injected into specific reservoir zones, to reduce ambiguities in interpretation (cf. Dugstad, 2007 [7]).
Fluorinated benzoic acids (FBAs) were introduced for use as tracers in petroleum and geothermal reservoirs in the 1990s and have, since then, been among the most frequently applied chemical tracers for monitoring subterranean fluids [1-13]. The oil industry has chosen to focus on fluorinated benzoic acids because of their chemical and biological stability, low toxicity, good flooding properties and high detectability. One explanation for the stability of these tracers the carbon-fluorine bond, which is the shortest, and thus strongest and most stable, carbon-halide bond (Serres-Piole et al. [25]). About 20 different molecules of FBA are available and commonly used as water tracers in oil reservoirs. These tracers can be detected at concentrations in the parts-per-trillion (PPT) range, using modern analytical instrumentation.
The need for unique tracers is evident, because compounds present naturally or previously added to oil reservoirs will interfere with tracer signals recorded at producers. This introduces detrimental ambiguities in the interpretation, as the origin of the tracer fluid and the time taken for passage to the production point cannot be uniquely identified. Interference by previously used tracers is particularly severe in cases when produced water is re-injected, either to preserve scarce water resources or to avoid pollution of the environment.
There is therefore a continuous demand for development of new water tracers for oil field applications. The need for new unique tracers also increases because oil companies tend to monitor their water injection projects more extensively than previous practice (e.g. Prosvirnov et al., 2014).
In addition to the FBAs, a range of chemical compounds have been proposed for use as water tracers in oil reservoirs (see Serres-Piole et al. [25] for an overview). Unfortunately several of the tracers proposed for oil reservoirs are not well suited, due to interference with reservoir rock surfaces (e.g. fluorescent dyes), biodegradation (e.g. methyl benzoic acids) or insufficient thermal stability (e.g. fluorinated phenyl acetic acids). Moreover, any tracer must be detectable at low levels in the produced water. The reason for this is that small tracer amounts should be injected to avoid or minimise any influence on the physical properties of the reservoir fluids, to minimize environmental impact and reduce costs. An additional constraining factor in development of new tracers is the ambition to reduce the use of halogenated organic compounds due to the hazards of introducing such compounds into the environment. For this reason, even the existing FBA tracers may become difficult to use in the future.
The present inventors have now established that certain alkoxylated aromatic acid compounds provide many or all of the attributes of effective tracers. Such compounds may be stable in the reservoir environment, may cause little or no interaction with the rock of the reservoir and/or may be detectable at low levels in produced water.


A tire conveyance device is provided with at least two tire gripping devices spaced from each other at an interval in a front-rear direction and capable of gripping a horizontally situated tire from left and right sides of the tire in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance path along which the tire is conveyed in the front-rear direction. The front and rear tire gripping units are each provided with a pair of left and right tire support mechanisms facing each other across the conveyance path. The tire conveyance unit is also provided with a drive unit which moves the two tire gripping units together in the front-rear direction with a stroke equal to the interval between the two tire gripping devices in the front-rear direction.

The present invention relates to a tire conveyance devices used in, for example, tire production lines to convey tires.
Conventionally, roller conveyers are typically used as tire conveyance devices used in tire production lines, an example of which is disclosed in JP 2000-329658 A. The tire conveyance device disclosed in this document conveys a tire mounted on a conveyer by rotating a group of rollers.


A transparent picture frame allows artwork to appear more prominent relative to surrounding wall surfaces. The assembly includes a transparent cover plate having dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the artwork, a transparent inner mat portion having a cut-out dimensioned to receive the cover plate and artwork, and a transparent outer mat portion having a cut-out with dimensions less than those of the inner mat portion, resulting in a peripheral overlap. The assembly further includes a transparent back panel, wherein the inner mat portion, outer mat portion and back panel all have the same outer dimensions. One or more fasteners are provided for holding the assembly together in the following order from front-to back: the outer mat portion, the inner mat portion with the cover plate over the artwork, and the back panel. In the preferred embodiment, the inner mat portion, outer mat portion and back panel are made of plastic, whereas the cover plate is made of glass.

The way in which artwork is framed if often very important in terms of aesthetic appeal. For the work of old masters, ornate wooden frames may be the acceptable, whereas for modern prints, frames with straighter edges are probably more appropriate.
For certain types of works, including photographs, it may be advantageous to use a frame that more effectively blends in with surrounding wall surfaces.


A three-port converter with a wide input range and a control method thereof are provided, which relates to a technical field of power electronic converters. The converter is provided with three ports of a photovoltaic cell PV, a storage battery Bat and a resistance load R, and includes a boost circuit (Boost) and a reversible boost-buck circuit (Sepic-Zeta). The boost circuit is configured to connect the photovoltaic cell PV and the load R; and the reversible boost-buck circuit is configured to connect the photovoltaic cell PV, the storage battery Bat, the storage battery Bat and the load R. The three-port converter of the present disclosure has advantages of a small size, a wide input range, a high integration level, high stability, high conversion efficiency, etc.

With increasing environmental problems and a shortage of fossil energy, renewable energy power generation technologies such as solar power generation and wind power generation have attracted widespread attention. A conventional photovoltaic energy-storage power generation system generally transmits energy through a combination of multiple two-port converters, which causes problems of an excessive quantity of converters, a large size, a low power density, etc. A three-port converter can be adopted to replace the original multiple two-port converters, which enables the system to have a simpler overall structure, a smaller size, a higher power density, etc. The three-port converter can achieve power generation of new energy, energy storage and load connection and control simply through one combined converter, which therefore effectively improves efficiency and power density of the system.
However, most existing nonisolated three-port switching DC-DC converters limit the relationship between a voltage of a photovoltaic cell and a voltage of a storage battery to a certain degree. As referred to in [1] Wang Hui, Chen Yao, Zeng Qingdian, Li Shengqian, Zhu Binxin, A Multi-mode high-gain multi-port DC/DC converter [J]. Proceedings of The Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering, 2019,39(07):2155-2166, the three-port converter is only suitable for an application scenario where a voltage Vpv of the photovoltaic cell is less than a voltage VB of the storage battery, and in [2] Suresh, K. , et al. "Cost-efficient nonisolated three-port DC-DC converter for EV/HEV applications with energy storage." European transactions on electrical power engineering 29.10(2019):e12088.1-e12088.20., the three-port converters is only suitable for an application scenario where the voltage Vpv, of the photovoltaic cell is greater than the VB. The mutually-limiting relation between the voltage of the photovoltaic cell and the voltage of the storage battery causes a narrow application range, poor stability, and low conversion efficiency, thereby affecting the performance of the converter during long-term use.

Three-port converter with wide input range and control method thereof


A differential input comparator circuit comprises an input stage comprising dual polarity input voltages and an output stage adapted to output a differential voltage based on the input voltages, wherein the differential voltage is adapted to be transmitted to a comparator and wherein the circuit has high input impedance and works with high input voltage swings.

A comparator circuit typically receives two input signals and generates an output signal based on the comparison of the two input signals. The comparison is generally based on the amplitude or magnitude of the input voltages.
Various problems are associated with comparator circuits, in particular with the input stage of the comparator. For example, input voltage limitations exist. Such limitations are imposed by the voltage breakdown of PN junctions and gate oxides in an ordinary complementary MOS (CMOS) or bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS) fabrication process. Further, certain solutions to these problems associated with comparator circuits employ external components to the chip or make use of circuit configurations that lower the input impedance of the comparator.
It is the purpose of the present invention to overcome the problems described above and to provide means of comparing signals of high voltage amplitude and both voltage polarities while keeping the comparator high input impedance presented by the MOS input transistors.

Dual polarity, high input voltage swing comparator using MOS input transistors


A flow controllable unit includes a pair of spaced upper and lower sheets. A plurality of elongated partitions are sandwiched between the upper and lower sheets to define a plurality of fluid passages. The partitions have an intermediate region and opposite lateral sides. The partitions are secured to the upper and lower sheets so that the intermediate region is movable relative to the upper and lower sheets. When a pressure increase occurs within the passages, the intermediate region of the partitions is bent or deformed to allow the upper and lower sheets to be moved away from each other. This movement increases the effective cross sectional area of the passages to accommodate such a pressure increase. The partitions thus provide a pressure relief function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flow controllable units adapted to permit the flow of a fluid in a controlled manner. More particularly, this invention is directed to a flow controllable panel which directs a flowing fluid medium through a plurality of passages and which is capable of adjusting the flow rate of the flowing fluid medium. Such a flow controllable panel may be used as a heat exchanger, an evaporator or similar apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various attempts have been made to cause a fluid to flow over a flat sheet or through a panel. For example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 8-61784 discloses a flow controllable panel (see FIG. 12) which generally includes a flat substrate, an intermediate, hydrophilic layer attached to the substrate, and a plurality of partitions attached to the intermediate layer and arranged in parallel. By this arrangement, a plurality of fluid passages are defined in the intermediate layer between adjacent partitions. The partitions, typically made of resin, are attached to the intermediate layer by application of pressure and heat. However, such resin is likely to enter the fluid passages while the pressure is being applied to the partition. This results in a decrease in the cross sectional area of the passages and thus, impedes or limits the flow of a fluid through the passages.
Japanese utility model publication No. 7-8996 discloses an improved flow controllable panel (see FIGS. 13 and 14) designed to allow a relatively large amount of fluid to flow through passages in a controlled manner. To that end, a cover sheet is secured to the free ends of partitions and expandable so as to prevent the internal pressure of the passages from increasing. However, after repeated use, the cover sheet often becomes elongated as a result of thermal expansion. Such elongation also occurs where a vacuum is created in the bottom of the passages as a result of a reduced flow rate. Slackening of the cover sheet results, as seen in FIG. 14. Another problem is that the cover sheet tends to be attached to the substrate under the influence of a fluid remaining in the passages. Consequently, the passages partly close. In the case that the panel is used as a heat exchanger, slackening of the cover sheet and closing of the passages deteriorate the heat exchange or heat transfer capability of the panel. The panel is also susceptible to vertical loads which can also cause changes in the cross sectional area of the passages. Such changes prevent the flow rate of a fluid from being adequately controlled.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flow controllable unit wherein the effective cross sectional area of passages can be varied in response to a change in the flow rate of a fluid flowing through the passages to thereby accommodate changes in the internal pressure of the passages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a flow controllable unit which includes permeable partitions or pressure relief means to provide a fluid communication between adjacent passages.


A method for scheduling execution of an application is provided. The method comprises monitoring a usage state of resources of a first virtual machine that executes the application, so as to determine whether the usage state reaches a predetermined state. The method further comprises migrating an application module consuming the resources to a second virtual machine having corresponding resources, if the usage state reaches a predetermined state.

An Open Software Gateway initiative (OSGi) technique, a core of which is an OSGi framework, has been developed in a computer field. The OSGi framework is a modular system and service platform for a Java programming language, which is installed on an Operating System (OS) and realizes a complete and dynamic component model. The OSGi framework has been widely used for establishing infrastructures for enterprise-level applications because of its advantages of being easy to be reused, low development complexity, and so on.
A plurality of virtual machines, which form a cluster (or called workload), can be deployed on the OSGi framework. An OSGi application may be installed and executed on each of the virtual machines. The OSGi application comprises one or more modules. Generally, an entire OSGi application is deployed on one virtual machine, and when the application is executed, respective modules of the application consume resources of the virtual machine, e.g. CPU resources, memory resources, disk resources, network resources and the like, so as to perform corresponding functions.
With the development of the OSGi application (especially the enterprise-level application), there are more and more modules in the OSGi application, such that a size of the OSGi application becomes larger. The OSGi application with an over-large size not only has problems of starting and running slowly, having unstable runtime, having difficulty in finding errors and in deployment, and the like, but also may consume resources of the virtual machine executing the application significantly, so that the virtual machine is exhausted. At the same time, although other virtual machines in the cluster to which the virtual machine belongs have a lot of available resources, the available resources are in an idle state because these virtual machines do not execute applications. This renders that workloads of the respective virtual machines are unbalanced.

Policy-based workload performance optimization for dynamically distributed OSGi application

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A plasma addressed electro-optical display is disclosed which is capable of improving current resistance of discharge electrodes disposed below cover glass to be similar to that of discharge electrodes in an effective frame and which, therefore, is enabled to be free from disconnection the reliability to be improved. The plasma addressed electro-optical display has a plasma cell formed by disposing a thin dielectric plate on a first substrate having a main surface on which a plurality of substantially parallel discharge electrodes are formed in such a manner that a predetermined distance is provided between the first substrate and the thin dielectric plate and by hermetically sealing the periphery of the first substrate and the thin dielectric plate with a sealing portion; and a second substrate disposed on the thin dielectric plate and having electrodes intersecting the discharge electrodes at substantially right angles on an opposite surface thereof in such a manner that an electro-optical material layer is interposed between the thin dielectric plate and the second substrate, wherein barrier ribs for separating the plasma cell are formed on the discharge electrodes apart from the sealing portion, a cover glass layer covering the discharge electrodes is formed in at least a region between the barrier ribs and the sealing portion, and assuming that the thickness of each of the discharge electrodes is t, the width of the same in an effective frame is W.sub.1 and the width of the same below the cover glass is W.sub.2, a predetermined equation is satisfied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display (a so-called plasma addressed electro-optical display) using plasma whereby to activate an electro-optical material layer so as to display an image.
2. Description of Prior Art
The resolution and contrast of a liquid-crystal type display unit have been improved by, for example, a so-called active matrix addressing method, in which an active device, such as a transistor, is provided for each display pixel and the active devices are operated.
The foregoing method, however, must use a multiplicity of semiconductor devices, such as thin-film transistors, thus causing a problem of unsatisfactory low manufacturing yield to arise when a display having a large area is manufactured. Thus, there arises a problem in that the cost cannot be reduced.
To solve the foregoing problem, a method has been suggested which employs discharge plasma active devices in place of the semiconductor devices, such as MOS transistors and thin-film transistors.
An image display apparatus (hereinafter called a "plasma addressed electro-optical display") has a stacked structure composed of a liquid crystal layer, which is an electro-optical material layer, and a plasma cell, in which plasma discharge takes place. A thin and dielectric-material plate made of glass and the like is disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the plasma cell.
The plasma addressed electro-optical display has a structure that the plasma cell is divided into linear plasma chambers by barrier ribs. The plasma chambers are sequentially switched and scanned, and signal voltages are synchronously applied to transparent electrodes opposite to the plasma chambers in such a manner that the liquid crystal layer is interposed. Thus, the liquid crystal layer is operated.
The plasma addressed electro-optical display is different from a usual plasma display in that a technical limit is imposed that the thin dielectric plate is frit-sealed to form the plasma cell (a discharge cell). Therefore, there arises a necessity that the frit seal and ends of the barrier ribs (ribs) are apart from each other for a short distance. To prevent undesirable discharge in the provided region, a structure is employed in which discharge electrodes in the foregoing region are covered with cover glass.
In this case, there is a tendency that the electric resistance values of the discharge electrodes under the cover glass are higher than those of discharge electrodes in regions which are not covered with the cover glass, that is, in an effective frame.
Therefore, the regions under the cover glass easily encounter problems, such as disconnection occurring attributable to heat. In particular, an aging process for stabilizing discharge sometimes encounters a sudden flow of a large electric current. The foregoing problem easily arises in the above-mentioned case.

Plasma addressed electro-optical display