A system is provided for adhesively attaching a first member to a generally planar portion of a second member. The system includes an attachment clip having a first, generally planar portion and a second portion remote from the first portion adapted for attachment to the first member. A generally planar base is sandwiched between the planar portion of the attachment clip and the planar portion of the second member. An adhesive is located between the base and the planar portion of the second member. A weld is provided between the base and the planar portion of the attachment clip. Therefore, "peel" stresses are eliminated between the base and the planar portion of the second member, as the weld develops a tensile load between the base and the planar portion of the attachment clip.

There are various environments wherein it is desirable or necessary to attach a pair of members, such as metal components, wherein the attachment is made at a generally planar portion of one of the members. A conventional form of attachment is by means of simple spot welds. However, if the generally planar attaching portion of the one member is of sheet metal material, spot welds cause blemishes in the sheet material on the side thereof opposite the location of the weld itself. Such blemishes are undesirable or unacceptable in applications wherein smooth, unblemished or polished surfaces are aesthetically required.
As an example, in the art of passenger conveyors, such as horizontal walkways or escalators, a passenger conveyor typically includes a series of passenger platforms or steps which are driven in an endless path between horizontally spaced landings. The conveyor includes a main body frame supported by the floors or other support structures of a building, for instance, and, usually, the overall passenger conveyor construction includes a balustrade about which hand rails are circulated in an endless path generally in synchronism with the movable platforms. Kick skirts run along opposite sides of the conveyor, with the passenger platforms being disposed between the skirts. The kick skirts usually are generally vertically oriented, and decks are inclined from the tops of the skirts, transversely outwardly to the bottoms of the balustrades on opposite sides of the conveyor. The decks are removable from the kick skirts to afford access to interior components of the conveyor so that the steps or platforms do not have to be removed. Various attachment systems are used to removably attach the decks to the skirts.
In this passenger conveyor environment, the kick skirts and decks typically are fabricated of sheet metal material, such as stainless steel. Escalators and walkways aesthetically require smooth, unblemished and polished surfaces on the inwardly exposed sides of the kick skirts and decks. When attachment clips are used between the skirts and decks, the attachment clips often are spot welded to one of the components and removably attached to the other component. Spot welding causes blemishes and requires significant polishing and finishing of the inwardly exposed surfaces to remove the blemishes. Such polishing and finishing is time consuming and is not cost effective.
As an alternative to spot welding attachment systems, adhesive glues provide potential for an "unblemished" attachment system. However, adhesive glues are very limited in strength when subjected to a "peel" type of loading which generates extremely high tensile stresses typical of the type of connections described above.
This invention is directed to solving the above problems by providing an adhesive attachment system which is designed such that, when a pair of members are attached, the system eliminates the extreme "peel" stresses and develops a more proportional tension stress in the attachment.


The present invention provides a method for inducing differentiation of an embryonic stem cell into a differentiated neural cell. The present invention further provides a method for producing differentiated neural cells, and a population of cells comprising the differentiated neural cells. Additionally, the present invention provides a method for repopulating a spinal cord in a subject, and a method for treating nervous tissue degeneration in a subject in need of treatment. The present invention further provides neural progenitor cells, differentiated neural cells, and uses of same. Also provided is a transgenic non-human animal containing the differentiated neural cells. The present invention is further directed to a method for isolating a population of differentiated neural cells. Finally, the present invention provides a method for identifying an agent for use in treating a condition associated with neuron degeneration.

Hundreds of distinct neuronal types are generated during the development of the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS), establishing a cellular diversity that is essential for the formation of neuronal circuits. The selective degeneration of specific types or classes of CNS neurons underlies many neurological disorders. This realization has generated interest in defining populations of progenitor cells that may serve as replenishable sources of neurons, with a view to treating neurodegenerative disorders. Directing such progenitor cells along specific pathways of neuronal differentiation in a systematic manner has proved difficult, not merely because the normal developmental pathways that generate most classes of CNS neurons remain poorly defined.
Studies of the neurogenic potential of progenitor cells have focused on three major classes of cells: (1) neural progenitors derived from embryonic or adult nervous tissue (Alvarez-Buylla et al., A unified hypothesis on the lineage of neural stem cells. Nat. Rev. Neurosci., 2:287-93, 2001; Gage, F. H., Mammalian neural stem cells. Science, 287:1433-38, 2000; Temple, S., The development of neural stem cells. Nature, 414:112-17, 2001; Uchida et al., Direct isolation of human central nervous system stem cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 97:14720-725, 2000); (2) non-neural progenitor cells derived from other tissues and organs (Brazelton et al., From marrow to brain: expression of neuronal phenotypes in adult mice. Science, 290:1775-79, 2000; Mezey et al., Turning blood into brain: cells bearing neuronal antigens generated in vivo from bone marrow. Science, 290:1779-82, 2000; Terada et al., Bone marrow cells adopt the phenotype of other cells by spontaneous cell fusion. Nature, 416:542-45, 2002; Ying et al., Changing potency by spontaneous fusion. Nature, 416:545-48, 2002); and (3) embryonic stem (ES) cells (Bain et al., Embryonic stem cells express neuronal properties in vitro. Dev. Biol., 168:342-57, 1995; Reubinoff et al., Neural progenitors from human embryonic stem cells. Nat. Biotechnol., 19:1134-40, 2001; Schuldiner et al., Induced neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. Brain Res., 913:201-05, 2001; Zhang et al., In vitro differentiation of transplantable neural precursors from human embryonic stem cells. Nat. Biotechnol., 19:1129-33, 2001; Rathjen et al., Directed differentiation of pluripotent cells to neural lineages: homogenous formation and differentiation of a neurectoderm population. Development, 129:2649-61, 2002). ES cells possess the capacity to generate both neurons and neuroglial cells, and, in some instances, express cell-type markers characteristic of specific classes of neurons, including midbrain dopaminergic neurons (Kawasaki et al., Induction of midbrain dopaminergic neurons from ES cells by stromal cell-derived inducing activity. Neuron, 28:31-40, 2000; Lee et al., Efficient generation of midbrain and hindbrain neurons from mouse embryonic stem cells. Nat. Biotechnol., 18:675-79, 2000). Despite these advances, however, it was not known, prior to the present invention, that ES cells can readily generate specific neuronal cell types, nor that they can recapitulate normal programs of neurogenesis.
Spinal motor neurons represent one CNS neuronal subtype for which many of the relevant pathways of neuronal specification have been defined (Jessell et al., Neuronal specification in the spinal cord: inductive signals and transcriptional codes. Nat. Rev. Genet., 1:20-29, 2000; Lee et al., Transcriptional networks regulating neuronal identity in the developing spinal cord. Nat. Neurosci., 4 Suppl.:1183-91, 2001). The generation of spinal motor neurons appears to involve several developmental steps. Initially, ectodermal cells acquire a rostral neural character—a process achieved through the regulation of BMP, FGF, and Wnt signalling (Munoz-Sanjuan et al., Neural induction, the default model and embryonic stem cells. Nat. Rev. Neurosci., 3:271-80, 2002; Wilson et al., Neural induction: toward a unifying mechanism. Nat. Neurosci., 4 Suppl.:1161-68, 2001). These rostral neural progenitors acquire a spinal positional identity in response to caudalizing signals that include retinoic acid (RA) (Blumberg et al., An essential role for retinoid signaling in anteroposterior neural patterning. Development, 124:373-79, 1997; Durston et al., Retinoids and related signals in early development of the vertebrate central nervous system. Curr. Top. Dev. Biol., 40:111-75, 1998; Muhr et al., Convergent inductive signals specify midbrain, hindbrain, and spinal cord identity in gastrula stage chick embryos. Neuron, 23:689-702, 1999). Subsequently, spinal progenitor cells acquire a motor neuron progenitor identity in response to the ventralizing action of Sonic Hedgehog protein (SHh) (Briscoe et al., Specification of neuronal fates in the ventral neural tube. Curr. Opin. Neurobiol., 11:43-49, 2001).
Specification of motor neuron progenitor identity by SHh signalling is mediated through the establishment of a dorsoventral pattern of expression of homeodomain (HD) and basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (Briscoe et al., supra). At a relatively high level of SHh signalling, a discrete progenitor domain—termed the pMN domain—is established; within this domain, cells appear committed to the generation of motor neurons rather than interneurons (Briscoe et al., A homeodomain protein code specifies progenitor cell identity and neuronal fate in the ventral neural tube. Cell, 101:435-45, 2000).
Progenitor cells in the pMN domain are characterized by the expression of two HD proteins (Pax6 and Nkx6.1) and a bHLH protein (Olig2) (Ericson et al., Pax6 controls progenitor cell identity and neuronal fate in response to graded SHh signaling. Cell, 90:169-80, 1997; Sander et al., Ventral neural patterning by Nkx homeobox genes: Nkx6.1 controls somatic motor neuron and ventral interneuron fates. Genes Dev., 14:2134-39, 2000; Vallstedt et al., Different levels of repressor activity assign redundant and specific roles to Nkx6 genes in motor neuron and interneuron specification. Neuron, 31:743-55, 2001; Novitch et al., Coordinate regulation of motor neuron subtype identity and pan-neuronal properties by the bHLH repressor Olig2. Neuron, 31:773-89, 2001; Mizuguchi et al., Combinatorial roles of olig2 and neurogenin2 in the coordinated induction of pan-neuronal and subtype-specific properties of motoneurons. Neuron, 31:757-71, 2001). Each of these three transcription factors has an essential role in the specification of spinal motor neuron identity (Ericson et al., Pax6 controls progenitor cell identity and neuronal fate in response to graded SHh signaling. Cell, 90:169-80, 1997; Sander et al., Ventral neural patterning by Nkx homeobox genes: Nkx6.1 controls somatic motor neuron and ventral interneuron fates. Genes Dev., 14:2134-39, 2000; Vallstedt et al., Different levels of repressor activity assign redundant and specific roles to Nkx6 genes in motor neuron and interneuron specification. Neuron, 31:743-55, 2001; Novitch et al., Coordinate regulation of motor neuron subtype identity and pan-neuronal properties by the bHLH repressor Olig2. Neuron, 31:773-89, 2001; Mizuguchi et al., Combinatorial roles of olig2 and neurogenin2 in the coordinated induction of pan-neuronal and subtype-specific properties of motoneurons. Neuron, 31:757-71, 2001; Zhou et al., The bHLH transcription factors OLIG2 and OLIG1 couple neuronal and glial subtype specification. Cell, 109:61-73, 2002; Lu et al., Common developmental requirement for Olig function indicates a motor neuron/oligodendrocyte connection. Cell, 109:75-86, 2002). Moreover, their combined activities drive motor neuron progenitors out of the cell cycle (Novitch et al., Coordinate regulation of motor neuron subtype identity and pan-neuronal properties by the bHLH repressor Olig2. Neuron, 31:773-89, 2001; Mizuguchi et al., Combinatorial roles of olig2 and neurogenin2 in the coordinated induction of pan-neuronal and subtype-specific properties of motoneurons. Neuron, 31:757-71, 2001), and direct the expression of downstream transcription factors (notably the HD protein, HB9) that consolidate the identity of post-mitotic motor neurons (Pfaff et al., Requirement for LIM homeobox gene Isl1 in motor neuron generation reveals a motor neuron-dependent step in interneuron differentiation. Cell, 84:309-20, 1996; Arber et al., Requirement for the homeobox gene Hb9 in the consolidation of motor neuron identity. Neuron, 23:659-764, 1999; Thaler et al., Active suppression of interneuron programs within developing motor neurons revealed by analysis of homeodomain factor HB9. Neuron, 23:675-87, 1999).
The above findings suggest that insights into normal pathways of neurogenesis can be applied in a rational manner to direct heterologous sets of progenitor cells, such as ES cells, into specific CNS neuronal subtypes. ES cells have been reported to generate cells with some of the molecular characteristics of motor neurons (Renoncourt et al., Neurons derived in vitro from ES cells express homeoproteins characteristic of motoneurons and interneurons. Mech. Dev., 79:185-97, 1998). However, prior to the present invention, neither the pathway of generation of these neurons, nor their in vivo developmental potential, has been adequately explored.

Methods for inducing differentiation of embryonic stem cells and uses thereof

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) serving as an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device having a vertical zener junction for triggering breakdown. The SCR includes a p-doped substrate having an n-doped well, spaced-apart p+ and n+ doped regions for cathode connection formed within the n-doped well, and spaced-apart p+ and n+ doped regions for anode connection formed with the p-substrate external to the n-doped well. The SCR further includes a vertical zener junction situated between the anode n+ doped region and the n-well. The vertical zener junction has a p+ doped region sandwiched between two n+ doped regions. The n+ doped region of the vertical zener junction closest to the n-well may extend at least partially within the n-well, or be totally outside of the n-well. The SCR may further include respective field oxides between the anode p+ and n+ doped regions, between the anode n+ doped region and the vertical zener junction, and between the vertical zener junction and the n-doped well. Also provided is an n-doped substrate version of the SCR. The SCR with the vertical zener junction is characterized as having a relatively low breakdown voltage, having improved current handling capability for more reliable and robust operations, and having a breakdown voltage dependent on the doping concentration of the lighter doped p+ or n+ doped region of the vertical zener junction.

This invention relates generally to silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) as used for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection in integrated circuits, and in particular, to an SCR structure having a breakdown voltage that is triggered by a vertical zener structure to provide much lower threshold voltage.
The protection of integrated circuits against electrostatic discharge (ESD) is an important design consideration for integrated circuits. Integrated circuits are often susceptible to electrostatic discharge. For instance, substantial electrostatic charges can accumulate on a person""s body during regular daily activities, such as walking on a carpet. If such a person subsequently comes in contact with a grounded integrated circuit, the charges on the person can discharge through that integrated circuit. Such a discharge produces a relatively large current which can cause damage to the integrated circuit.
In order to reduce the likelihood of damage to integrated circuits due to electrostatic discharge, ESD protection circuits or devices are designed into integrated circuits. One such device is a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR). An SCR is a semiconductor device consisting of an anode terminal followed by p-n-p-n doped layers and then a cathode terminal. The second p-doped layer typically serves as a control terminal for receiving a voltage which governs the current (or conduction) from the anode to the cathode.
As an ESD device, the control terminal typically is tied to the cathode of the SCR, and the SCR is typically connected across the integrated circuit input/output pad and ground potential. During an ESD event, sufficient amount of charges build-up on the integrated circuit input/output pad that causes the SCR to rapidly breakdown and conduct current with a very low intrinsic resistance. The rapid conduction of the SCR causes the charges on the integrated circuit input/output pad to discharge through the grounded cathode of the SCR. This action prevents the excessive charge from damaging the integrated circuit.
FIG. 1 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a prior art SCR 100. The SCR 100 comprises a p-doped substrate 102 and an n-doped well 104 formed within the substrate 102. The SCR 100 further includes spaced-apart p+ doped region 106 and n+ doped region 108 formed within the n-well 104. Additionally, the SCR 100 further includes spaced apart p+ doped region 110 and n+ doped region 112 formed within the p-substrate 102. A field oxide layer 114 separates the p+ doped region 110 from the n+ doped region 112, and another field oxide layer 116 separates the n+ doped region 112 from the n-well 104.
To serve as an ESD protection device, the p+ region 106 and n+ region 108 of the SCR 100 are typically connected to the input/output pad, and the p+ region 110 and n+ region 112 are typically connected to Vss. When an ESD event occurs, the SCR 100 breakdowns at the junction of the p-substrate 102 and the n-well 104.
A problem with the prior art SCR 100 is that its breakdown voltage is too high to provide adequate protection of the integrated circuit. It is a trend in the semiconductor field to reduce the size of device structures, also reducing gate oxide thickness. Although the size reduction of device structures makes better efficient use of integrated circuit area, the structures are more susceptible to ESD damage due to their smaller geometry and thinner gate oxide. Thus, in order to better protect these structures, an SCR with a lower breakdown voltage would be more desirable. Consequently, recent prior art SCRs have been developed that provides lower breakdown voltages.
FIG. 2 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a prior art SCR 200 that includes a mechanism for triggering breakdown at a lower voltage. The SCR 200 has been termed in the relevant art as a medium voltage triggered SCR (MVTSCR). Similar to SCR 100 discussed above, SCR 200 comprises a p-substrate 202 having an n-well 204, spaced apart p+ region 206 and n+ region 208 formed within the n-well 204, spaced apart p+ region 210 and n+ region 212 formed in the p-substrate 202, and a field oxide 214 separating the p+ region 210 from the n+ region 212.
To provide a lower breakdown voltage, the SCR 200 further includes an n+ region 218 which bridges the n-well 204 with the p-substrate 202. A field oxide 216 is provided between n+ regions 212 and 218. This SCR has an advantage of providing a lower breakdown voltage due to the added n+ region 218. However, the breakdown voltage is still not low enough to provide adequate protection. Also, the SCR 200 has a disadvantage of having the breakdown occur along a small region near the interface of the n+ region 218 and the field oxide 216, which limits its current handling capability.
FIG. 3 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of another prior art SCR 300 that also includes a mechanism for triggering breakdown at a lower voltage. The SCR 300 has been termed in the relevant art as a low voltage triggered SCR (LVTSCR). Similar to SCRs 100 and 200 discussed above, SCR 300 comprises a p-substrate 302 having an n-well 304, spaced apart p+ region 306 and n+ region 308 formed within the n-well 304, spaced apart p+ region 310 and n+ region 312 formed in the p-substrate 302, a field oxide 314 separating the p+ region 310 from the n+ region 312, and an n+ region 318 bridging the n-well 304 with the p-substrate 302.
To provide an even lower breakdown voltage, the SCR 300 further includes a gate polysilicon 320 to trigger breakdown. Similarly, this SCR has an advantage of providing a lower breakdown voltage due to the added gate polysilicon 320. However, the breakdown voltage is still not low enough to provide adequate protection. Also, the SCR 300 has a disadvantage of having the breakdown occur along a small region near the interface of the n+ region 318 and the gate polysilicon 320, which limits its current handling capability. Also, structure 300 makes the integrated circuit more difficult to design and to manufacture due to the newly added MOSFET device 320.
FIG. 4 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of yet another prior art SCR 400 that also includes a mechanism for triggering breakdown at a lower voltage. Similar to the previous SCRs, SCR 400 comprises a p-substrate 402 having an n-well 404, spaced apart p+ region 406 and n+ region 408 formed within the n-well 404, spaced apart p+ region 410 and n+ region 412 formed in the p-substrate 402, and a field oxide 414 separating the p+ region 410 from the n+ region 412.
To provide an even lower breakdown voltage, the SCR 400 further includes a lateral zener junction 417 comprised of p+ region 418 adjacent a deeper n+ region 420. The lateral zener junction is separated from the n+ region 412 by field oxide 416, and separated from the n-well 404 by field oxide 422. Similarly, this SCR has an advantage of providing a lower breakdown voltage due to the added zener junction 417 which triggers the breakdown of the SCR 400. However, the SCR 400 still has the disadvantage of having the breakdown occur along a thin plane region at the interface of the p+ region 418 and the deeper n+ region 420, which limits its current handling capability. Also, the process related to this structure could be more complex.
Thus, there is a need for an SCR that can be triggered at a relatively low voltage to provide better ESD protection of integrated circuit structures, including thin gate oxides. Also, there is a need for an SCR whose breakdown voltage can be easily set by a simple process procedure. In addition, there is a need for an SCR that has a higher current handling capability.
The above-identified needs are satisfied with a new and improved silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) in accordance with the invention. The SCR of the invention comprises a vertical zener junction which serves as a mechanism for triggering breakdown. The vertical zener junction can be easily designed to provide a relatively low breakdown voltage for the required protection, which typically lies above the maximum Vdd and below the gate oxide breakdown voltage. The vertical zener junction, which includes a p+ doped region sandwiched between two n+ doped regions, can be easily designed to trigger the breakdown at a desired voltage by adjusting the doping concentration of the region (either the p+ or n+ doped region) having the lesser doping concentration. Also, the SCR of the invention has improved current handling capability since the breakdown occurs throughout the p+ region, which makes the SCR more reliable and robust.
More specifically, the SCR of the invention comprises a p-doped substrate having an n-doped well, spaced apart p+ and n+ doped region formed within the n-doped well, and spaced p+ and n+ doped regions formed within the p-substrate external to the n-doped well. The SCR further includes a vertical zener junction to assist the triggering of the breakdown in the SCR. The vertical zener junction comprises a p+ doped region sandwiched between two n+ doped regions. The vertical zener junction is situated between the n-doped well and the n+ doped region of the SCR anode.
The n+ doped region of the vertical zener diode closest to the n-doped well, could be at least partially formed within the n-doped well or can be form outside of the n-doped well. In the exemplary implementation, the p+ doped region of the vertical zener junction extends deeper into the p-substrate than its two n+ doped regions. The SCR may further include respective field oxides between the anode p+ and n+ doped regions, between the anode n+ doped region and the vertical zener junction, and between the vertical zener junction and the n-doped well.

Vertical zener-triggered SCR structure for ESD protection in integrated circuits


Provided is a display device. The display device includes a first processor, a second processor, and a display screen. The first processor is configured to acquire at least two OSD images, and to form a combined image with at least two OSD images and send the combined image to the second processor. The second processor is electrically coupled to the first processor and is configured to receive the combined image, identify at least two OSD images from the combined image, acquire a first screen and acquire a second screen by superimposing at least two OSD images onto the first screen, and output the second screen to the display screen. The display screen is electrically coupled to the second processor and is configured to display the second screen.

In some scenarios in the display field, some display devices process images by two processing units. One processing unit is configured to render some interface images and to transmit the interface images to the other processing unit for processing the interface images, for example, superimposing the interface images onto other input images.

Display device and display method thereof


Disclosed herein is a golf ball with a cover formed from a polyamide composition and a method of making the same. More specifically, the golf ball has a cover which contains a combination of a polyamide component and an ionomeric component or a non-ionomeric terpolymer component. The cover composition has excellent durability and resistance to cracking, even at cold temperatures. The nylon-ionomer blend is a useful substitute for an ionomer golf ball cover, particularly when a low spin golf ball is desired.

Modern golf balls typically employ ionomeric resins as cover materials. lonomeric resins, as a result of their toughness, durability, and wide range of hardness values have become materials of choice for golf ball covers over traditional rubbers. lonomeric resins generally comprise an .alpha.-olefin and an .alpha., .beta. ethylenically unsaturated mono-or dicarboxylic acid neutralized with metal ions to the extent desired. Olefins which have been employed to prepare ionomeric resins include ethylene, propylene, butene-l and the like. Unsaturated carboxylic acids which have been employed to prepare ionomeric resins include acrylic, methacrylic, ethacrylic, o-chloroacrylic, crotonic, maleic, fumaric, itaconic and the like. lonomeric resins include copolymers of ethylene with acrylic acid such as those sold by Exxon Corporation under the trademark "IOTEK", as well as copolymers of ethylene with methacrylic acid such as those sold by E.I. DuPont Nemours & Company under the trademark "SURLYN". In some instances, a softening comonomer such as an acrylate ester has been included such that the ionomeric copolymer is an ionomeric terpolymer. Although various compositions have been employed to provide golf balls of varying playability characteristics, a need continues for compositions and covers which can be employed to provide golf balls which exhibit good playability and durability.
There are no commercially available golf balls which are generally known to contain nylon. Nylon alone would be too brittle for use in a golf ball cover. When efforts have been made in other fields to blend nylon with softer materials some degree of incompatibility often has resulted, rendering the blends susceptible to cracking and premature failure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,981, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, shows soft terpolymer ionomers of ethylene/unsaturated carboxylic acid/softening comonomer which are useful in injection-molded items such as ski boots, ice skate shells, as coatings for fabrics, and as a replacement for balata in golf balls. The unsaturated carboxylic acid may be, for example, acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.
The softening comonomer is, for example, an alkyl acrylate such as n-butyl acrylate. The '981 patent briefly mentions that the ionomers can be blended with other materials such as nylon, polypropylene, propylene-ethylene copolymers, linear polyethylene, and ethylene/unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymers. However, there is no indication that blends can be used for golf balls.

Nylon compositions for golf ball constructions and method of making same


An energy metering device (16) measures the energy consumption of a group of energy consuming devices (18, 20, 22), compares the measured energy consumption with an energy consumption threshold representing a level below which renewable sources are used for the generation of energy and indicates (I) to energy consuming devices (18, 20) of the group if the measured energy consumption is on one of the two sides of the energy consumption threshold. An energy consuming device (18) receives an indication (I), investigates if the energy consumption has crossed the energy consumption threshold using received indications and adjusts an own current energy consumption if it has.

A household or a company can be connected to a power supply grid in order to be supplied with energy from an electric retailer or power supplier for powering a number of energy consuming devices in the household or company. Such a combination of energy consuming devices may then be considered to form an energy consuming system.
Today when signing up a contract with an electricity retailer or power supplier, it is possible for a user having such an energy consuming system to choose a percentage of the electricity that should be green, meaning it is generated from for example solar, wind, rain, tides, waves, geothermal heat or other renewable energy sources. The incentive here is to encourage more investment on green energy. The aforementioned percentage can be of total consumption per month or day or momentary consumption such as per hour or minute or in terms of Watts.
However, as the purpose is to use more environmental friendly resources it would be of interest to use such a selection more actively in the energy consuming system in order to actually achieve a more environmental friendly use.

Method and energy metering device for adapting green energy consumption in energy consuming devices


The present invention relates to managing the administration of electronic resources accessible in an electronic network. Grid resources or services are enhanced with a presentation interface that provides an administration user-interface for configuring them. Resource-located logic configures the resource according to user inputs and actions imparted on user controls, which are sent from a respective resource to a portal server. On the portal server, a second user-interface software is implemented, able to aggregate the fragments or controls of different resources, to display such multiple controls to a user, to process user inputs imparted on those controls, and to send user control data entered via the user-interface fragments to a resource configuration interface of a respective one of the resources to perform the configuration of a respective resource via the respective resource configuration-interface.

Distributed resources and services are key to e-business-on-demand infrastructures, which are increasingly required, when competing with the rapidly developing communication within electronic networks, and in particular the Internet.
In order to introduce the most relevant terms used for the present invention, the following explanations are given first:                Resource                    Generalization for the consumption of CPU time, HD space, network bandwidth, applications, etc.                        Distributed Resource                    Resources that do not consume CPU, space, etc. on the same deployment as the client of the resource. Distributed resources often expose web services interfaces.                        Web Service                    Resource that exposes an interface that is accessible over a network, e.g. the Internet.                        Composite Service                    A service that adds value by orchestrating other services and/or resources.                        eBusiness-on-Demand                    Consists of compositions of a potentially large number of distributed resources.
WSRP is the abbreviation of Web Services for Remote Portlets, sometimes defined as "Dynamic plug-ins for portal pages". Officially ratified as an OASIS standard in September 2003, WSRP defines how to plug remote web services into the pages of online portals and other user-facing applications. This allows portal or application owners to easily embed a web service from a third party into a section of a portal page (a 'portlet'). The portlet then displays interactive content and services that are dynamically updated from the provider's own servers. Formerly known as Web Services for Remote Portals, WSRP is closely allied with WSIA (Web Services Interactive Applications).
The Web Services Description Language (WSDL) is an XML-based language used to describe the services a business offers and to provide a way for individuals and other businesses to access those services electronically. WSDL is the cornerstone of the Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI)-initiative spearheaded by Microsoft, IBM, and Ariba. UDDI is an XML-based registry for businesses worldwide, which enables businesses to list themselves and their services on the Internet. WSDL is the language used to do this.
WSDL is derived from Microsoft's Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and IBM's Network Accessible Service Specification Language (NASSL). WSDL replaces both NASSL and SOAP as the means of expressing business services in the UDDI registry.
The resources communicate with each other via data-oriented web services interfaces. More particularly, they provide data-oriented web service interfaces that allow client applications to access and use the interfaces. Composite services can be created and exposed as a new service that orchestrates existing services together. Each such service requires specific configuration that needs to be manageable by an administrator. Due to the possibly complex nature of the service the configuration process is generally also complex, demanding service specific business logic.
Approaching now to the focus of the present invention, creating a user-interface, further abbreviated as UI, for the management of such services is a complex task today because the UI portion (e.g. a prior art servlet or a portlet) needs to be specific for the service and needs to contain knowledge about the relationship of the configuration data it visualizes. If the UI portion is located on a different server than the resource itself, this tight coupling makes it hard to maintain and develop consistent and stable configuration U's. With the advent of e-business-on-demand infrastructures the number of services and resources that needs to be managed will become very large and dynamic. This makes the task of providing well integrated configuration UIs a tedious, if not impossible enterprise. A straight-forward way to solve this problem would be the definition of a set of interfaces and protocols that are suitable for representing configuration data and its internal semantic in a generic way. This would allow for the creation of generic U's for all types of configuration. However, such a protocol would be very complex. In addition, it could not account for resource or service specific UI requirements that cannot be expressed as relationship between data. An example is branding associated with the service.
The general problem underlying the present invention is thus as follows:
A human end-user needs to administer a series of remote resources of different kind that make up his grid. The end-user uses his UI platform, e.g. a desktop, a standard web browser or a portal server, as a front-end to the resources' administration UI.
The integration of service-specific UI elements according to prior art can be described as follows:
Each individual resource provides a resource specific UI-artifact that is installed onto the end-user's UI platform. In case this platform is a desktop based system, such an artifact could be a standalone application per single resource. The user needs to launch multiple applications, configure them with the identification of the remote resource (e.g. IP address and port) in order to administer the resource. The application uses a proprietary way to communicate the settings to the resource and displays the current settings using the desktop's widget set. In case the user is operating on a portal system the resource provides a resource-specific portlet. Although this portlet is integrated into the portal platform and thus participates in a common look-and-feel with other portlets, each resource requires its own administration portlet to be installed, because the portlet communicates in a proprietary way with the resource.
Both prior art scenarios have in common that there is a unique piece of software installed on the UI platform of the end user. If new resources get added to the e-business-on-demand infrastructure, respective new software needs to be installed on the UI platform. This fact tightly couples the topology of the e-business-on-demand infrastructure with the software basis on the UI platform, what imposes huge maintenance costs to keep both synchronized. In addition, updates to the remote resources can introduce new configuration options of these resources that in turn require software updates to the administration component. For large systems with hundreds of remote resources, such scenarios quickly become un-maintainable.
FIG. 1 depicts a respective prior art scenario. This Figure shows how distributed resources communicate with an UI framework by providing resource-specific administration UI artifacts. All artifacts are distinct and need to be installed on the UI framework.
The remote resources (above the horizontal line, in the "remote" area), i.e. a Shopping Web service 210, a composite Web service 220, a Supplier Web service 260, a Delivery Web Service 280 and a Rating Web Service 250 communicate with each other using data-oriented web services interfaces, denoted as "DATA/IF". Their plumbing forms the e-business-on-demand infrastructure. Each individual service however, needs administration, the "Shopping" service e.g. needs the setup of the offered products, the "delivery" service needs to be configured with the tracking database to user, the "composite" service contains information about the secondary services it orchestrates that need to be configured, etc.
The end user 240 uses a portal server 270 at the UI platform. In order to administer, i.e. manage e.g. the "Shopping" service 210 there needs to be a piece of code, e.g. a portlet be installed on the portal server 270 for this particular service, here denoted as the shopping proxy, 290. The administrator of the portal server needs to install this proxy 290 and update it, whenever the shopping service 210 is updated. In addition, as the administrator of the portal server 270 is in general different from the administrator of the e-business-on-demand infrastructure, both persons need disadvantageously to communicate and agree to an intended proposed maintenance or management action. The same is true for the administration work associated with the other services 220, 250, 260, 280 and their respective Administration Portlets 230, 265, 285, as far as they are depicted in the drawing.
According to prior art the administration of web services is achieved via a standardized, data-oriented API, as follows:
The Distributed Resource Management Application API (DRMAA) Working Group (see http://www.drmaa.org) has developed a specification that allows distributed resources to provide a data-oriented administration API, see the chapter: "Develop an API specification for the submission and control of jobs to one or more Distributed Resource Management (DRM) systems". The scope of this specification is all the high-level functionality, which is necessary for an application to consign a job to a DRM system including common operations on jobs like termination or suspension. The goal of this prior art specification is to facilitate the direct interfacing of applications to today's DRM systems by application's builders, portal builders, and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). This prior art specification allows the development of UI-artifacts, UI fragments, controls, etc., that are common to many (probably all) distributed resources and use the DRMAA interface to communicate. In contrast to the approach discussed in the previous section, such a common administration interface reduces the maintenance effort on the UI side significantly. The common UI artifact only needs to be installed once on the UI platform. It still needs to be configured to administer each individual resource, although changes or updates in the resource do not require updates on the client side artifact, as a modification in administrable data is communicated via the DRMAA interface. The shortcoming of this solution, however, lies in the fact that generic administration UIs will not meet the requirements of all resources for the following reasons:
First, resource providers want branding elements in their UI. This type of information—as not related to the administrable properties of a resource—cannot be covered with the DRMAA management interface.
Second, resource providers have constraints in how the administrable data is presented to the end-user. While data-oriented constraints such as interdependencies between values can be expressed programmatically, constraints that require the use of specific UI elements cannot be expressed. For example, the temperature of a heating system must only be displayed using a slider control and not be displayed as an editable value, in order to provide for error-free and consistent data input.
Third, and even quite important, resource providers do not want to expose the administrable data directly, but only want to allow end-users to manipulate the data. Reasons reach from security considerations to the protection of intellectual property.
It is an objective of the present invention to offer a facility for the administration of network resources, which is easier to use and alleviates the shortcomings sketched out above.

Managing resources through user-facing web services aggregated in portals

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for communicating with automatic meter reading (AMR) endpoints in adjacent cells, when the endpoints are arranged in a cell pattern similar to a cellular telephone system, is disclosed that substantially reduces the likelihood of signal interference. A Frame ID is identified as corresponding to a particular receive frequency that a system reader (receiver/collector) uses when listening for endpoint responses. In this example embodiment of the AMR network model, all endpoints in the network listen on the same control frequency to receive commands sent out from the readers. To allow for a relatively fast network read cycle, cells that are spaced far enough away from each other as to not interfere with each other are allowed to transmit at the same time. Cells with the same Frame ID are configured to be spaced a safe distance from each other so as not to interfere with each other's endpoint population.

Wireless automatic meter reading systems are well known. Typically, each utility meter is provided with a battery-powered encoder that collects meter readings and periodically transmits those readings over a wireless network to a central station. The power limitations imposed by the need for the encoder to be battery powered and by regulations governing radio transmissions effectively prevent direct radio transmissions to the central station. Instead, wireless meter reading systems typically utilize a layered network of overlapping intermediate receiving stations that receive transmissions from a group of meter encoders and forward those messages on to the next higher layer in the network as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,107. These types of layered wireless transmission networks allow for the use of lower power, unlicensed wireless transmitters in the thousands of end point encoder transmitters that must be deployed as part of a utility meter reading system for a large metropolitan area. In a related mode, the remote meter encoders are read via handheld reader/programmers vans that contain RF reading equipment.
Since a number of these devices operate on batteries, preserving battery life is one of the main concerns. By way of example, a battery operated RF encoder used to read gas utility meters typically goes to "sleep" between reads in order to conserve battery power. When a van passes through the area, it sends out a "wake-up" signal that causes the Encoder/Receiver/Transmitters (i.e., the endpoints) in the area to respond by transmitting encoded signals containing the metering data and any stored tamper signals. While at short distances it is possible to establish two-way RF communications with the automatic meter reading (AMR) system using a van or handheld devices, it would be more efficient to configure these fixed AMR systems into full two-way RF communication systems that remotely transmit the data to the central office of a utility company (such as through a network of concentrators located throughout the AMR system).
Complicating factors to reaching a goal of full two-way communication include: the great number and variety of devices that exist in the field (gas, water, electric) that have to communicate back to the central office; the different utilities that have to communicate with their respective devices within the different geographical locations and the types of data being requested; and interference and collisions caused by several reading devices communicating their data back to the central office. The increase in density of devices in relation to the geographic area and the need for simultaneous communication begin to approximate the issues already being faced by telecommunication companies with their cellular communication networks. Similarly, some fixed AMR systems are being geographically configured to simulate cellular communication systems in that they are comprised of different cells that transmit their data and communicate primarily over a single frequency channel.
Due to the number of transactions per cell, which is comparable to the number of utility meters in an AMR system, and due to the time it takes for a request/answer transaction to be processed, each concentrator will keep its RF frequency ("channel") busy for a period of time during which no other relatively close cells can use the same RF channel (thereby avoiding co-channel interference or collisions). Thus, when using the fixed network schemes of the prior art on a single channel, there are limitations as to the number of cells which could be read on any given day. Therefore, in certain geographical areas it is difficult to meet the requirements of simply performing the basic AMR operation in a reasonable amount of time.
One approach is to assign different frequencies to the different devices or to the different cells in the AMR system. However, this is only a short-term solution as the number of available frequency bands is inadequate to handle the increasing number of endpoint units that will be placed in a defined geographic location. Increasing the number of endpoints in the AMR system requires more efficient utilization of the limited available frequency spectrum in order to provide more total channels while maintaining communications quality. This is even more of a challenge where the endpoints are not uniformly distributed among cells in the system. More channels may be needed for particular cells to handle potentially higher local endpoint densities at any given time. For example, a cell in an urban area will include more endpoints requiring reading then a cell in a rural area.
For many of these same reasons, conventional cellular systems utilize frequency reuse to increase potential channel capacity in each cell and increase spectral efficiency. Frequency reuse involves allocating a frequency to each cell, with cells utilizing the same frequencies geographically separated to allow cellular phones in different cells to simultaneously use the same frequency without interfering with each other. By so doing, many thousands of subscribers may be served by a system providing only several hundred frequencies. One of the drawbacks to using frequency or cellular reuse in AMR systems is the limited number of available frequency bands.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system for collecting data from meter modules located in a wide area that has a high degree of accuracy and reliability without substantially increasing the costs of the AMR network. An approach that addresses the aforementioned problems, as well as other related problems, is therefore desirable.

System and method for optimizing contiguous channel operation with cellular reuse


Compositions, devices, methods of manufacture, and methods of delivery of a therapeutic substance across a surface of an eyeball via iontophoresis including a therapeutic media reservoir and a buffer system within an iontophoretic chamber. When energized, an electrode provides an electromotive force that transfers a dosage of the therapeutic substance from the iontophoretic chamber across the surface of the eyeball. The buffering system includes a buffer media and at least one buffer element, or agent that regulates pH during iontophoretic transfer of the therapeutic substance. The buffer media includes at least one of a foam, a gel (solid or liquid), a membrane, and a plurality of multiparticulates. The buffer media can be included within the iontophoretic chamber, together with the therapeutic media reservoir, in various arrangements including one or more layers and one or more concentric cylinders.

Ocular iontophoresis is the application of an electrical source to propel charged and/or active molecules from a reservoir into the intraocular tissues of a mammal, including a human or an animal. Positively charged ions can be driven into the ocular tissues by electro-repulsion at the anode while negatively charged ions are repelled from the cathode. The simplicity and safety of iontophoretic application includes enhanced targeted delivery of compound(s) of interest, and the reduction of adverse side effects have resulted in extensive use of iontophoresis in laboratory, clinical research and commercial use. Unlike ocular injections (intravitreal, retrobulbar, and peribulbar) and intraocular implants, iontophoresis is a noninvasive technique used to deliver compounds of interest into the anterior and/or posterior compartments of the eye. Iontophoretic delivery can be used to obtain intraocular concentrations and residence times that are equal to or greater than those achieved by conventional modalities such as topical drops, ointments, and gels.
Iontophoresis has been widely used in dermal applications in which therapeutic compounds are transported across a patient's skin using electrical currents. Due to the relative high impedance of the skin, the electrical currents are generally relatively low. Consequently, dosage times tend to be relatively long, for example being greater than an hour. In such applications, iontophoresis can be applied to the patient's skin with an active drug-containing adhesive patch.
Ocular iontophoresis devices are typically constituted by a direct current (DC) electric field source coupled to two electrodes, referred to respectively as "active" and "passive" electrodes. The active electrode provides an electromotive force, when energized, that acts on an electrolyte containing therapeutic composition(s) to transfer one or more therapeutic substance(s) across a surface of the eyeball, while the passive electrode serves as a return electrode and enables the electric circuit to be looped through the patient's body. The compound of interest is transported via the active electrode across the tissue when a current is applied to the electrodes through the tissue. Compound transport may occur as a result of a direct electrical field effect (e.g., electrophoresis), an indirect electrical field effect resulted from the bulk volume flow of solution from the anode to cathode (e.g., electroosmosis), electrically induced pore or transport pathway formation (e.g., electroporation), or a combination of any of the foregoing. Examples of currently known iontophoretic devices and methods for ocular drug delivery may be found in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,164,943; 6,697,668; 6,319,240; 6,539,251; 6,579,276; 6,697,668, and PCT publications WO 03/030989 and WO 03/043689, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Ocular iontophoresis, however, presents several unique challenges. For example, the applicator must conform to the spheroidal geometry of the eyeball. That is, the portion of the applicator in contact with a surface of the eye must be specifically formed to minimize loss of therapeutic substance and to reduce discomfort. Also, since the electrical impedance of the eye is relatively lower than that of the epidermis, higher currents can be achieved at still reasonably low current densities. Accordingly, dosage times tend to be relatively short, often much less than one hour.

System and method for ocular iontophoresis with buffering


A system for varying the width of a molded concrete slab on the fly as the slab is being molded. Position and height of the paving machine relative to an external reference system are determined and controlled using at least two 3D stringless reference objects. An additional sensor provides a signal corresponding to a frame width and thus a concrete slab width, and an actuator controls the frame width actively as the paving machine advances.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to control systems for slipform paving machines and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a system for controlling the position of the slipform paving machine while simultaneously controlling changes in paving width as the machine moves forward during a paving operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In construction machines for forming structures on a ground surface, such as a concrete slipform paving machine, important factors include the control of the height of the working implements and thus the grade or height of the concrete structure being molded, and the control of the steering direction of the machine.
Such slipform paving machines typically take a reference reading from a stringline which has been placed on one or both sides of the intended path of the machine. In the past, when it has been desired to create a molded concrete structure having a transition from one structure width to a second structure width, two stringlines have been laid out on either side of the desired path of the machine, and the change in width of the concrete structure is created by varying the width between the two stringlines.
Another previously used technique is to have a single stringline on one side of the slipform paving machine, and to manually telescope the machine to control changes in width on the second side of the machine. In this case the height on the second side might be controlled by a slope sensor.
There is a continuing need for improved systems to allow for transition in paving width during a slipform paving operation.


This disclosure describes computer-based techniques for controlling access to shipping information for packages by providing limited shipping information to a courier to advance the package to a next node along a transit route. An administrator computer generates a set of components for a transit state of and information about the package. The set of components represents constituent “tokenized” portions of a delivery address, such as a sender or recipient name, street number, street name, city, or zip code. The transit states of the package represent various transit functions of the courier, such as pick-up, correct handling, sorting, delivery, return, and exception. The administrator computer generates sets of components that enable the courier to advance the package to a next node, but that exclude shipping information that may not be useful for advancing the package. The administrator computer sends the set of components to the courier based on the current transit state of the package.

When a package is shipped via a carrier, shipping information regarding the sender and recipient of the package is included on the shipping label of the package. This shipping information may explicitly provide information as to the sender and recipient of the package, such as by associating a recipient's name with the recipient's address, as well as implicitly provide information as to the contents of the package, such as from the context of the sender's name. A person gaining access to the package may freely view this information from the shipping label. Either of the recipient or sender may wish for this information to remain private, such as for privacy reasons or package security reasons. While encoding this information, such as through a bar code, may limit the information a person intercepting the package may view, it may not limit the information decoded. For example, a person that is able to decode the information may still have access to all the information contained on the shipping label.

Computer-based systems for protecting shipping information


There is provided a method of controlling a computer system of an interactive display system, comprising: predetermining one or more positions on an interactive display of the interactive display system; displaying an image representing the predetermined one or more positions; receiving data identifying one or more detected positions selected on the interactive display; comparing the detected positions and the predetermined positions, wherein in dependence on a match the computer system registers the interactive display with the computer systems.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the registration of a display part of an interactive display system with a control part of such system. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with the registration of a wireless interactive whiteboard.
2. Background to the Invention
A typical example of an interactive display system is an electronic whiteboard system. An electronic whiteboard system typically is adapted to sense the position of a pointing device or pointer relative to a working surface of the whiteboard, the working surface being an interactive surface. When an image is displayed on the work surface of the whiteboard, and its position calibrated, the pointer can be used in the same way as a computer mouse to manipulate objects on the display by moving a pointer over the surface of the whiteboard.
A typical application of an interactive whiteboard system is in a teaching environment. The use of interactive whiteboard improves teaching productivity and also improves student comprehension. Such whiteboards also allow use to be made of good quality digital teaching materials, and allow data to be manipulated and presented using audio visual technologies.
A typical construction of an electronic whiteboard system comprises an interactive display forming the electronic whiteboard, a projector for projecting images onto the display, and a computer system in communication with the electronic whiteboard for generating the images for projection, running software applications associated with such images, and for processing data received from the display associated with pointer activity. In this way the computer system can control the generation of images to take into account the detected movement of the pointer on the interactive surface.
In prior art electronic whiteboard systems, the connection between the whiteboard and the computer system is typically provided by a wired connection. In order to simplify the installation of electronic whiteboard systems, and to make such systems more versatile, it is proposed to provide the connection between the electronic whiteboard and an associated computer system wirelessly.
In a wireless arrangement, a problem arises in establishing registration between the electronic whiteboard and the computer system. Whereas in a wired arrangement on power-up the whiteboard and the computer system are directly connected, and therefore the relationship between the two is effectively predefined, in a wireless system there is no dedicated connection between the computer and the whiteboard on power-up.
A further problem arises due to a typical environment in which an electronic whiteboard is used. As mentioned above, a typical application is in a teaching environment. In a teaching environment, a plurality of electronic whiteboards may be provided in a relatively small area, such as a plurality of whiteboards dispersed among a number of closely located classrooms. When a number of such whiteboards are positioned within the same locality, and such whiteboards are adapted to wirelessly communicate with computer systems, an additional complexity arises in establishing registration between computers located in the individual classrooms and the whiteboards in those classrooms. A computer can wirelessly communicate as easily with a whiteboard in any other classroom as that in the particular classroom in which it is located. An additional problem therefore arises in ensuring correct registration between a plurality of whiteboards and a plurality of computer systems in such a wireless environment.
It is an aim of the invention to provide an improved registration system for interactive systems, which is particularly advantageous in the registration of wireless interactive systems, and which preferably addresses one or more of the above-stated problems.


The present invention relates to evaporation apparatus (100) comprising manifolds provided with at least one nozzle (102), a tank unit (103) for a liquid, and a sample holder configured to be inserted into the tank unit. The sample holder is configured to hold at least one sample in a defined position relative the at least one nozzle a control unit (104) an inlet port (105) configured to be connected to a gas supply, a pressure regulator (106) arranged downstream the inlet port (105). A set value of the pressure regulator (106) is controlled by the control unit (104), a control valve (107) arranged downstream the pressure regulator (106), wherein each of the at least one manifold (101a-d) is connected to a corresponding output port of the control valve. The control valve is controlled by the control unit (104), and the control unit is configured to set the set value of the pressure regulator to a value that causes a predetermined gas flow from each of the at least one nozzle.

Evaporation systems can be found in virtually every type of laboratory, from drug discovery to analytical chemistry. One commonly used evaporation method utilizes a directed stream of gas from a nozzle. The directed stream of gas creates a directed vortex down the test tube to the liquid surface where it creates an increased gas/liquid interface and consequently faster evaporation than conventional methods.
In order to achieve an evaporation process that is fast and efficient in terms of gas and used energy, the orientation of the gas stream relative the test tube has been shown to be of importance.
Further, it has also been shown that the vortex movement of the gas flow from the nozzle impacts the evaporation efficiency.


A door intercom device for allowing a dwelling occupant to easily converse with an individual disposed on an exterior side of a dwelling door includes a thin sheet metal mounting bracket possessing a generally U-shaped clamp portion dimensioned to engage over the top edge of a conventional swinging door. An elongated interior portion of the bracket includes a terminal end portion upon which a master station of a two-station intercom system is mounted. A suction cup on a rear face of the terminal end portion of the mounting bracket secures the device in place on the interior face of a door. A second station of the intercom system is secured on a short leg portion of the U-shaped clamp, on an exterior face of the door. Electrical wiring connecting the intercom stations extends along the rear face of the mounting bracket, protected within an overfolded bead portion. The door intercom device may be easily installed on a conventional door in a matter of seconds, without the need for any modification to the door or dwelling structure, and without the use of any tools.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to door intercom devices, and more particularly pertains to a door intercom device of the type adapted to provide an additional measure of security to the occupants of a residential or commercial dwelling. A common mode employed by criminals to perpetrate robbery as well as other more serious crimes involves ringing the doorbell of a dwelling, or knocking upon the door. The criminal then initiates a conversation with the dwelling occupant, necessitating a slight opening of door by the occupant to facilitate the conversation. At this point, the criminal throws their weight against the door, forcing the door open and allowing easy access to the dwelling. In an attempt to overcome this problem, a variety of locking devices have been proposed in the prior art which allow the door to be only slightly open. The most common of these locks, a chain-type device, employs a relatively small sized chain having an end portion removably attachable in a bracket secured either to the door or the door frame. A typical method of securement is by the use of relatively small sized screws. Accordingly, when the criminal throws their weight against the door, the typical chain locking devices are either broken or the locking chain mounting brackets are torn from the door or door frame. Thus, there is a need for a more secure manner of allowing a dwelling occupant to conduct a conversation with an individual disposed on the exterior side of a door.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of intercom systems are known in the prior art for allowing a dwelling occupant to converse with an individual located remotely of the building, or the dwelling door. These conventional intercom systems require a great deal of work to install, frequently necessitating modification of the dwelling door and the installation of wiring through the exterior dwelling structure. As a result, such conventional intercom systems are relatively expensive, and impossible to transport to another location after initial installation.


A method an apparatus for treating waste, such as domestic garbage, industrial waste and the like, in which the waste is suspended in a liquid such as to obtain a slurry or a pulp. The constituents of the pulp or slurry are separated into different fractions in accordance with their density and/or magnetic properties or like features. Subsequent to having sorted (18, 24, 26) and removed objects from the pulp or slurry, the pulp or slurry is fed to a wet dryer (32) in which the pulp or slurry is kneaded. As a result, the composite material is separated into its respective constituents; for instance, plastic coatings are separated from their respective substrates, such as paper. The pulp or slurry is washed (36) downstream of the wet grinder (32), in order to remove plastic debris (40). The thus obtained fibre suspension is then led away for further treatment (44) or use. When producting the waste/liquid suspension, the suspension is heated to a temperature of at least 60.degree. C., by delivering hot water or steam thereto. Hot water or steam may also be delivered to the wet grinder, in order to maintain the material therein at a temperature of at least 60.degree. C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for treating waste, such as domestic garbage, industrial waste and the like, in which the waste is suspended in a liquid and the constituents in the resultant waste pulp are separated into mutually different fractions in dependence on their density and/or magnetic properties or like features.
2. History of the Related Art
Many methods of separating and sorting the constituents of waste, such as domestic waste or garbage are known to the art. These methods include screening, magnetic separation and disintegration of the waste constituents by crushing, hammering and shredding. The waste is treated either in a dry or a wet state, either by drying the waste prior to treating the same, or by applying liquid to the waste such as to soak its various constituents and to facilitate transportation of the waste between different treatment stations.
For instance, for the purpose of separating plastics from paper, it is known to separate the constituents of the composite waste material by soaking said material in a first stage and then separating the plastic ingredient from the waste suspension in a second stage. This method, however, cannot be suitably applied as an incorporate stage in a continuous process for treating such wastes as domestic garbage, and is only suitable when treating a particular composite waste material.
Other methods for treating specific types of waste, such as waste paper for recycling, etc., are also known to the art, in which the waste is soaked and treated in different ways in order to separate contaminants from the useful part of the waste.
It can be ascertained that even though there are many processes by means of which the constituents of waste material can be sorted and separated from one another, the end product is often one which can only be deposited in dumps for degradation or decomposition over long periods of time, or incinerated at low incineration efficiency. Even though the end product might contain a large proportion of organic material, this material exists in a form in which decomposition takes a very long time, or in a form which makes effective incineration combustion difficult to achieve or which even requires input of additional of energy.

Method and device for the treatment of waste


A solid-state image pickup apparatus of the type from which signal charge can be read out for two lines at a time, wherein the amount of smear is made equal at locations above and below a point light source on a screen and a correcting circuit for such smear amount can be constructed in a simplified structure. In the solid-state image pickup apparatus, in a first field, a vertical transferring section is driven, immediately after signal charge has been read out from light sensitive sections, to transfer the signal charge by a two stage distance. But in a second field, immediately before reading of signal charge from the light sensitive sections, the vertical transferring section is driven to effect transfer by a one stage distance and then driven, immediately after such reading of signal charge, to effect transfer by another one stage distance, whereafter it is driven to effect transfer by a two stage distance upon each transferring operation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solid-state image pickup apparatus, and more particularly to a solid-state image pickup apparatus from which signal charge for two lines can be read out at a time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A solid-stage image pickup apparatus is already known and disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 62-92587 which includes a plurality of light sensitive sections disposed two-dimensionally for individual picture elements in horizontal and vertical directions, a vertical transferring section including a plurality of vertical shift registers for transferring signal charge, read out from the light sensitive sections, in the vertical direction by two line for one horizontal blanking period, and a horizontal transferring section including a pair of horizontal shift registers connected in parallel to each other to output ends of the vertical transferring section for transferring two-line of signal charges, supplied from the vertical transferring section, at a time in the horizontal direction, and for reading out two-line of signal charges at a time. Here, a row of picture elements in the horizontal direction is referred to as line.
Where a solid-state image pickup apparatus is employed, for example, for a color video camera, a predetermined color filter is provided for each of a plurality of light sensitive sections so that each picture element may have a predetermined spectral sensitivity characteristic in order to obtain a color signal. Such color filters are arranged, in some conventional solid-state image pickup apparatus, in such a coding pattern that a color filter A and another color filter C are disposed alternately in each odd-numbered line while a further color filter B and a still further color filter D are disposed alternately in each even-numbered line as shown in FIG. 2.
With such solid-state image pickup apparatus of the type from which signal charge of two lines is read out at a time as described above, transfer in the vertical direction takes place, in each transferring operation, for two lines for part of a horizontal blanking period, but for any other period, signal charge stops in the vertical shift registers. Accordingly, for a portion of each horizontal blanking period in which vertical transfer is not performed, the solid-state image pickup apparatus is liable to be considerably influenced by a smear caused by light admitted in through openings in which the color filters are disposed. Thus, light may be introduced into a vertical shift register through a color filter A or C in an odd-numbered line, but through a color filter B or D in an even-numbered line. Consequently, the amount of such smear will be different for each line.
Here, reading of signal charge in an interlacing fashion is examined. Normally, in a first field, signal charge a from a picture element of a color filter A is transferred, upon transferring operation after it has read out into a vertical shift register, by a two step distance in the vertical shift register as seen from FIG. 4(A). In this instance, a smear component originating from light incident through the color filter A of the picture element for which the signal charge a has been read out is dominant as a smear component included in the signal charge. Meanwhile, in a second field, signal charge a of a picture element of the color filter A is transferred, due to interlacing reading, by a one step distance immediately after it has been read into the vertical shift register, and then transferred, upon each transferring operation, by a two step distance in the vertical shift register. In this instance, although a smear component originating from light incident through the color filter A is dominant, before reading, as a smear component included in the signal component a, since the signal charge a is transferred, after reading, by a two step distance from the position corresponding to a color filter B, a smear component originating from light incident through the color filter B is mixed principally, and consequently, such two smear components are finally included in a mixed condition in the signal charge being transferred.
In this manner, such conventional solid-state image pickup apparatus of the type which reads two lines at a time as described above is disadvantageous, in reading signal charge in an interlacing fashion, in that
(1) an amount of smear included in signal charge for a same picture element is different between first and second fields, and that
(2) in a second field, the level of a smear component is different whether a point light source is located at an upper location or a lower location of a screen.
The second disadvantage arises from the fact that, since a smear component is overlapped with signal charge which has passed a location around a point light source, when considered from a second field, a smear component at an upper location of a screen originates from light incident through the color filter before reading, but a smear component at a lower location of the screen originates from light incident through the color filter B after reading.
As a result, a smear component may be colored extraordinarily after signal processing, or an amount of smear may look different at upper and lower locations of a screen. Such phenomenon causes a problem that, particularly when correction to reduce an amount of smear is to be made, a circuit for such correction is complicated, and so forth.

Image pickup apparatus wherein output signals in one field are transferred two filter elements and in the other field they are first transferred one filter element and subsequently a second filter element


An electroluminescent polymer which has repeating units represented by formula (1) is obtained by polymerizing a bisfluorenylsilane compound which has specified substituent groups.

Conventionally, π conjugated polymers and σ conjugated polymers have been known as organic EL materials which are used to construct the light-emitting layers of organic EL elements.
Polymers represented by poly(paraphenylenevinylene)s (PPV), poly(paraphenylene)s (PPP) and the like are widely utilized as π conjugated polymers. Among such π conjugated polymers, poly(9,9-dialkylfluorene)s (PDAF) have actually been used as polymers that show blue light emission (Y. Ohmori et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 1991, 30, L1941).
Furthermore, the use of polysilanes (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-78060), polysiloles (S. Yamaguchi et al., Chem. Eur. J., 2000, 6, 1683) and the like as σ conjugated polymers has also been proposed.
Furthermore, polymers comprising fluorene derivative units (π conjugated system) and diarylenesilane derivative units (σ conjugated system) have also been proposed as π-σ conjugated polymers that have a π conjugated system and a σ conjugated system in a single molecule (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-55447).
However, in the case of π conjugated polymers, the following problem has been encountered: namely, the conjugate length system becomes long when the degree of polymerization increases; as a result, the HOMO-LUMO energy gap (Eg) becomes small, so that the emitted light is shifted toward the red end. Especially in the case of blue light-emitting polymers, the problem of a deterioration in the color purity has been encountered. Furthermore, since the proportion of aromatic rings in π conjugated polymers is extremely high, it cannot be said that the solubility of such polymers in organic solvents is sufficient; as a result, the following problem has also been encountered: specifically, there are cases in which simple film forming methods such as spin coating and the like cannot be used.
Furthermore, in the case of σ conjugated polymers, the electron transporting ability and electron injection ability of polymers are insufficient even though Hall mobility is large.
Meanwhile, in the case of π-σ conjugated polymers, although the drawbacks of σ conjugated polymers can generally be ameliorated, blue emitted light with a high color purity still cannot be obtained.
Objects of the present invention include the provision of a novel π-σ conjugated polymer in which the color purity of blue emitted light in particular is extremely high, the provision of a novel raw material for the manufacture of this π-σ conjugated polymer, and the provision of an organic EL element which uses this π-σ conjugated polymer.

Electroluminescent polymer, bisfluorenylsilane compound and organic electroluminescent element

Abstract: In spite of the fact that this electroluminescent polymer is a π-σ conjugated type fluorene polymer, the deterioration in the color purity of EL caused by excimer formation is suppressed, so that the color purity of blue emitted light in particular is extremely high. This electroluminescent polymer is extremely useful as a light-emitting material in organic electroluminescent elements.

Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation


A surgical device comprises a first horizontal flat spongy flexible layer having upper and lower surfaces. A second horizontal flat plastic layer also has upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of the second layer being secured to the lower surface of the first layer. A third horizontal flat spongy flexible layer also has upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of the third layer being secured to the lower surface of the second layer. A plurality of surgical cutting units are imbedded in the layers in spaced apart positions, each unit having a plurality of knife elements having downwardly extending cutting points disposed within the third layer adjacent the lower surface.

In order to implant hair elements into bald regions of the scalp of a patient, the hair elements are removed from other portions of the body of the patent and are surgically implanted into extremely small openings previously cut into the bald regions. Presently, such openings are surgically cut individually and sequentially.
The present invention is directed toward a surgical device which can be used by a surgeon to cut a plurality of such openings simultaneously in said bald regions, thereby enabling faster hair implanting operations.


To provide a resist which is excellent in the solubility in a resist solvent and little dependent on baking temperature and can form developed patterns reduced in line edge roughness. An acrylic polymer characterized by comprising units of the general formula (1), units of general formula (2), and units of general formula (3) and/or units of general formula (4), wherein R, R′, R″ and R′″ are each hydrogen, methyl, or trifluoromethyl; R1 is hydrogen, C1-4 linear or branched alkyl, alkoxy, or C1-4 linear or branched fluoroalkyl; X is a C7-20 polycyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group consisting of carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms; R2 and R3 are each independently C1-4 linear or branched alkyl; R4 is a C4-20 alicyclic hydrocarbon group; R5 is C1-4 linear or branched alkyl; and R6 and R7 are each hydrogen or C1-4 linear or branched alkyl.

In the field of microfabrication represented by the manufacture of integrated circuit elements, lithographic technology enabling microfabrication with a line width of about 200 nm or less using an ArF excimer laser (wavelength: 193 nm), F2 excimer laser (wavelength: 157 nm), and the like has been demanded in order to achieve higher integration in recent years. As a radiation-sensitive resin composition applicable to the excimer laser radiation, a number of chemically-amplified radiation-sensitive compositions utilizing a chemical amplification effect of a component having an acid-labile functional group and an acid generator which is a component generating an acid upon irradiation have been proposed. For example, a polymer for photoresist comprising a resin component with a specific structure which contains a monomer unit having a norbornane ring derivative as a resin component is known (Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 2002-201232 and No. 2002-145955).
A resist composition using a (meth)acrylic acid copolymer with narrow molecular weight distribution which contains an ester of a (meth)acrylic acid with a specific monocyclohexane, bicycloheptane carbolactone, or the like as a recurring unit is also known (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-84436).
However, to achieve a higher degree of integration in the field of semiconductor, a radiation-sensitive resin composition used as a resist is required to possess more excellent resolution. In addition, along with the progress of microfabrication there are a number of cases in which a minor defect during development results in a fatal defect in the design of devices. As a countermeasure against this problem, in addition to the effort for increasing a process margin such as increasing resolution as a resist and radiation dose-dependency, promoting solubility of the resist in a solvent is regarded as an urgent subject of development, since minute defects produced during development are supposed to originate from the resin which is a component forming the resist. Acrylic resins commonly used at the present time, possessing bulky side chains grafted on a rigid main chain are deemed to exhibits very low solubility in solvents commonly used for resists. Moreover, a good margin against variation of process conditions, in particularly, a minimal line width change due to the change in baking temperature is demanded along with progress of miniaturization.

Acrylic polymer and radiation-sensitive resin composition


Vector Field SLAM is a method for localizing a mobile robot in an unknown environment from continuous signals such as WiFi or active beacons. Disclosed is a technique for localizing a robot in relatively large and/or disparate areas. This is achieved by using and managing more signal sources for covering the larger area. One feature analyzes the complexity of Vector Field SLAM with respect to area size and number of signals and then describe an approximation that decouples the localization map in order to keep memory and run-time requirements low. A tracking method for re-localizing the robot in the areas already mapped is also disclosed. This allows to resume the robot after is has been paused or kidnapped, such as picked up and moved by a user. Embodiments of the invention can comprise commercial low-cost products including robots for the autonomous cleaning of floors.

Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to mobile robots, and in particular, to the localization of mobile robots.
Description of the Related Art
By choosing appropriate sensors, computing hardware, algorithms, and a process for setup, a mobile robot can be installed for autonomous navigation in almost any indoor space [1].
The question from a consumer perspective then becomes, how cheap can a system be designed, and how simple can the setup process be made. In the context of autonomous floor cleaning, the hardware costs should be as small as possible (within a few tens of dollars) and the setup should be minimal, e.g. the often suggested approach of first fully mapping an environment for the purpose of localization afterwards [2] will not be acceptable to many end consumers.
In this respect, approaches using vision or small laser range finders have become very successful within the last few years. Samsung's Hauzen is one of the existing autonomous vacuum cleaners showing systematic navigation. A camera pointing towards the ceiling is used for tracking the pose of the robot [3]. The same sensor configuration is used nowadays on many other robot vacuums, including those of Yujin Robotics, Philips and LG Electronics. In addition to the up-facing camera, LG's Roboking also uses an optical sensor observing the floor surface. A different sensing technology is employed in Neato's XV-11 vacuum robot: a miniature laser range finder [4]. Navigation using that sensor has been a research topic for more than two decades [5].


An adaptor for a shaving cartridge is provided. The adaptor is provided with a frame, a first shaving aid, and a second shaving aid. The frame includes a first wall and an opposite second wall. The first wall and the second wall extend along and define a longitudinal axis. The side walls extend from the first wall to the second wall, where the first wall has a first opening. The first and second shaving aids are releasably connected, respectively, to the first and second side walls of the frame. The first and second shaving aids are mounted on the shaving cartridge in a first position by being moved in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Cutting edges of shaving blades disposed in the shaving cartridge are uncovered and accessible through the first opening formed in the first wall when the adaptor is mounted on the shaving cartridge.

The embodiments of the invention is relate to a shaving cartridge and a shaving razor having a shaving aid directly attached on the shaving cartridge.
Such razors avoid the use of shaving preparation like shaving foam, gel or cream to be put on the skin before shaving. Besides, such shaving aid provided directly on the shaving cartridge allows shaving within a wet shaving environment, for instance, within a shower where a shaving preparation will be immediately removed by the water before the surface can be shaved.
Therefore, shaving cartridges have been provided with additional shaving aids attached on the shaving cartridge in order to improve the shaving.
However, the shaving cartridges provided with additional shaving aids are connected permanently to the shaving aids. As a result, when the shaving aid is outworn while the shaving blades are not dulled the entire shaving cartridge (with the additional shaving aid) needs to be thrown unless the shaving is to be achieved degraded.
Therefore, the known shaving cartridges do not allow shaving in good conditions as soon as the shaving aid is outworn unless changing the entire shaving cartridge. In addition, the user is given the option to remove one or more of the shaving aids, for instance when precision is needed or for hygiene reasons.

Shaving aid adaptor for a shaving cartridge


A disk drive for redirecting contaminating particulate matter away from an area bearing of a slider element. At least two etched channels are provided in the slider element of the disk drive. The at least two etched channels direct incoming air flow to a leading edge of the slider element from the leading edge towards respective sides of the slider element. Particulate matter that may be progressing towards the air bearing are redirected by virtue of the incoming air flow to the leading edge and expelled from the air bearing via the at least two etched channels.

In magnetic storage devices such as hard disk drives (HDD), read and write heads are used to magnetically read and write information to and from the storage media. In an HDD, data is stored on one or more disks in a series of adjacent concentric circles. An HDD comprises a rotary actuator, a suspension mounted on an arm of the rotary actuator, and a slider bonded to the suspension to form a head gimbal assembly. In a traditional HDD, the slider carries a read/write head, and radially floats over the recording surface of the disk under the control of a servo control system that selectively position the head over a specific track of the disk.

Air bearing area configuration for contaminating particle removal


A cap useful for protecting against either rainwater or shower water is at least partially of transparent material that can hang down over the front of the face, the cap body portion including air vents over which flaps to keep out water are disposed. The cap further includes an integral hair pouch into which long hair, such as a pony tail, may be placed to protect that hair likewise from water. The pouch with contained hair can be allowed to hang down the back, or alternatively a hair pouch in the form of an arc within the cap interior may be used to contain the long hair or pony tail within an arc surrounding the upper neck, and leaving the lower neck and shoulders uncovered. Either of such embodiments is easily pressed into a flattened form and placed into an envelope of appropriate size so as to permit convenient storage using a minimum of shelf space.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to caps worn on the head to protect from water falling into the hair, e.g., as when in the shower or from rain, and particularly to caps having a pouch for containment of long hair such as a pony tail or the like, and also having a shield to protect the face from water.
2. Background Information
It is well known to use a cap, hat or similar such device when outdoors for protection of the head against rain, and also to wear a cap in the shower in order that the hair may be kept dry. Typical such caps, however, extend only over the upper region of the head, so that significant portions of the neck and shoulders remain unprotected. As a consequence, persons who have long hair in the back, e.g., even extending to the waist or further, are not provided with means for preventing rain or shower water from drenching that long hair.
Also, occasions arise when, for example, a lady has carefully applied makeup to her face and would like to take a shower without disturbing that makeup. Similar needs may arise, for example, when a person suffers from medical conditions involving the face, or has had eye or ear surgery or the like, and may have bandages or dressings applied to the head or face that should not become wet by rain or in the shower. No prior art rain or shower caps of which this inventor is aware provide any means for protecting the face, as well as the hair, from either rain or shower water.
Typical of existing caps is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,830 issued Aug. 30, 1983, to Gaitan. A feature of this device is the inclusion of an upwardly-extending frame that maintains the crown of the device upwardly away from the hairdo. A related device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,970 issued Oct. 10, 1995 to Vance et al. has a pliable crown extending upwardly from a headband, the crown being adjustable in height so as to accommodate different styles of hairdo. Neither of such devices, however, nor any other of which the inventor is aware, is convenient for use by a person having a style of hairdo that is not formed atop the head but is instead allowed to hang freely down the back, whether naturally or as a pony tail or braids or the like, and neither do any such devices provide any protection for the rest of the head, including the face. It is the purpose of the present invention, therefore, to provide a shower or rain cap that has the advantages both of permitting convenient means for protecting either styled or naturally flowing long hair from rain or shower water, while also protecting the rest of the head, including the face.