Halogenated polymers of vinyl aromatic monomers comprising styrene and divinylbenzene are provided for use in a chromatographic separation method of analytes, wherein said polymer further comprises a hydrocarbyl or halocarbyl substituent comprising from 1 to 1,000,000 carbon atoms, or combinations thereof. Methods of using the halogenated polymers are also provided. The polymers and methods are particularly useful in the separation of nucleic acids labeled with hydrophobic labels such as protecting groups, fluorophores, and the like.

Chromatography is a widely used method for analyzing and purifying mixtures of compounds from diverse sources such as natural products, combinatorial libraries, pharmaceutical agents and derivatives thereof, and nucleic acids. Purification and analysis of nucleic acids in particular poses challenging resolution difficulties due to the amphiphilic nature of nucleic acid molecules.
Further, synthesis of oligonucleotides requires fast and reliable purification methods in order to increase the speed and efficiency of the synthesis of the full length products. Synthesis of longer oligonucleotides adds considerably to the challenges in purification and synthetic efficiency. A decrease in the time and expense for purification of products is desired.
Current oligonucleotide purification technologies are adapted to purification of "trityl on" oligonucleotides or "trityl off" oligonucleotides, typically involving use of a reversed phase separation step, utilizing the hydrophobicity of the trityl tag to remove failure sequences and impurities. Short oligonucleotides (generally less than 40 bases) can be purified using reversed phase HPLC using this method, and then can be detritylated and desalted. However, there is a need for efficient separation of "trityl on" from "trityl off" oligonucleotides in order to obtain the full length synthetic product, uncontaminated with failure sequences.
The use of "long oligonucleotides," longer than a 50 mer (i.e., having 50 or more bases or base pairs), is becoming more prevalent and desirable because the longer oligonucleotides are ideal candidates for both microarrays and gene synthesis applications. Kane, M. D., et al., (2000) Nucleic Acids Res. 28, 4552–4557. However, current techniques for purification, for example high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and cartridge purification, are not effective for longer oligonucleotides. Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE) is more amenable for longer oligonucleotides, however this method is time and labor intensive and is not suitable for high throughput applications.
Similarly, the presence of dye or fluorescent molecules or modified nucleotides on the oligonucleotides complicates the separation and purification. For example, on some occasions, fluorescent probes are linked to PCR probes that are extended by polymerase, producing a long or full length gene sequence having a fluorescent probe attached. Using conventional purification methods, such labeled oligonucleotides are retained on purification media either too much or too little, and clean separation from unlabeled oligonucleotides is not provided.
Oligonucleotide separation methods are known in the art. For example, Bonn et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,236) describe a chromatographic method for separating nucleic acids using nonporous polymer beads having an average diameter of 1–100 microns for ion pair reverse phase chromatographic separation when the polymer beads are alkylated with alkyl chains having at least three carbon atoms. In addition, this group reported the advantages of high resolution liquid chromatography of detritylated oligonucleotides on nonporous alkylated polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymers, Huber, D. G., et al., (1993) Anal. Biochem. 212, 351–358.
Similarly, Gjerde et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,791) describe a nonpolar polymeric chromatographic separation media in the form of beads or monoliths for the separation of mixtures of polynucleotides when the surfaces are substantially free of multivalent cation contamination. The chromatographic separation media are reported to be particularly useful for Matched Ion Polynucleotide Chromatography.
Moore et al., in U.S. patent application No. 2003/0055241, describe a method for purifying oligonucleotides that involves treating a solution with an aggregating agent and a precipitation enhancer, and isolating the purified oligonucleotide.
Separations based on a "fluorous phase" approach, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,896 to Curran et al., involve the use of silica gel bonded with perfluoroalkyl chains, for purification of highly fluorinated compounds. This technology is commercialized by Fluorous Technologies, Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
None of the references mentioned above satisfied the need in the art for a fast and convenient method for separating labeled or protected oligonucleotides from unlabeled or deprotected oligonucleotides. In particular, there is a need in the art for a practical and fast method for separating tritylated oligonucleotides from non-tritylated oligonucleotides.

Functionalized polymer for oligonucleotide purification


A purified nucleic acid molecule capable of expressing a lysosomal enzyme, e.g., iduronidase or arylsulphatase, is provided. The molecule includes a promoter of the phosphoglycerate kinase gene to facilitate expression of the lysosomal enzyme in the brain. Expressing the lysosomal enzyme in the brain of patients with lysosomal storage diseases, such as mucopolysaccharidosis, provides treatment for the neurological aspects of these diseases. The invention also provides a method of gene therapy for lysosomal storage diseases by administering the nucleic acid molecule in the form of a vector.

This invention relates to a purified nucleic acid molecule, which is capable of expressing a lysosomal enzyme, wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises at least a sequence coding for the lysosomal enzyme and a promoter highly active in the brain inserted upstream from the sequence.
Lysosomal storage diseases form a group of more than 30 metabolic disorders in which the function of one or several lysosomal hydrolases is deficient. Although the prevalence of each disease is low, prevalence of lysosomal storage diseases as a whole may be equivalent to that of cystic fibrosis in the general population (1:2500). In France, the most frequent lysosomal storage diseases are Gaucher type I disease, Hurler disease (MPS I), Hunter disease (MPS II), Sanfilippo disease (MPS III) and metachromatic leucodystrophy (MLD). They represent 10 to 50 births every year. With the exception of Gaucher type I disease, Pompe disease, Fabry disease and mild forms of MPS I, there is no etiological treatment available for lysosomal storage diseases so far. Bone marrow transplantation (BMT), which may be an option in some MPS I patients, is not effective in MPS III and MLD.
Lysosomal enzyme deficiencies induce the accumulation of intermediate catabolites in lysosomes, which progressively alters cell function and survival. Although deficiencies affect every tissue, clinical expression varies depending on the missing enzyme. Neurological symptoms are often predominant. They include severe motor impairments and mental retardation. Histopathology reveals characteristic vacuolizations in both neurons, glia and perivascular cells, without known predominance in specific locations. Other frequent symptoms include hepatomegaly, skeletal abnormalities, corneal clouding and respiratory, cardiac or renal dysfunctions leading to premature death. There is a need in the art for a treatment of the central nervous system pathology in lysosomal storage diseases in which neurological symptoms are either predominant, as in MPS III and MLD, or highly determinant for the clinical prognosis, as in MPS I. MPS I and MPS IIIb are autosomal recessive lysosomal storage diseases classified among mucopolysaccharidosis. These diseases are caused by a defect in the degradation pathway of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). In MPS I and MPS IIIb, the degradation of heparan sulfates is interrupted by the deficiency of α-L-iduronidase (IDUA) and α-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NaGlu), respectively. Complete IDUA deficiency is associated with mutations W402X, Q70X and is responsible for severe forms of MPS I, in which skeletal abnormalities can be recognized at birth and neurological symptoms may occur before the age of 2–3 years. Milder forms exist in which the neurological disease is delayed and less severe (mild forms of MPS I or Hurler-Scheie disease) or even absent (Scheie disease). Except a frequent hepatomegaly, peripheral abnormalities are absent in MPS IIIb. Symptomatology appears in children between the age 2 and 6 as behavioral troubles, which progressively lead to a severe mental and motor degradation.
MLD is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder classified among the lipidoses. It is caused by a deficiency of arylsulphatase A (ASA) that leads to demyelination in the central and peripheral nervous system. Deficiency of ASA causes intralysosomal storage of the sphingolipid cerebroside sulphate. This lipid is abundant in myelin and its accumulation leads to the death of oligodendrocytes. ASA catalyses the first step in the degradation of the sphingolipid cerebrosisde 3-sulphate by removing the sulphate from the polar head of this lipid, which is a galactose 3-sulphate moiety. If this step does not occur, owing to a deficiency of ASA, this lipid cannot be degraded and accumulates into lysosomes. MLD may appear at any age. The three main clinical forms that correlate with the genotype can be distinguished: infantile, juvenile and adult forms. Allogenic BMT has no effect in the most frequent infantile form of MLD (>60% of the MLD cases) and limited effect in juvenile MLD.

Vector for expressing α-L-iduronidase and method of treating MPS I by stereotactic injection into the brain of a mammal


Systems and methods for indexing and retrieving images are described herein. The systems and methods analyze an image to determine its texture moments. The pixels of the image are converted to gray scale. Textural attributes of the pixels are determined. The textural attributes are associated with the local texture of the pixels and are derived from coefficients of Discrete Fourier Transform associated with the pixels. Statistical values associated with the textural attributes of the pixels are calculated. The texture moments of the image are determined from the statistical value.

The popularity of digital images is rapidly increasing due to improving digital imaging technologies and easy availability facilitated by the Internet. More and more digital images are becoming available every day.
Automatic image retrieval systems provide an efficient way for users to navigate through the growing numbers of available images. Some existing conventional image retrieval systems catalog images by associating each image with one or more human-chosen keywords. One problem with these keyword-based image management systems is that it can be difficult or even impossible for a person to precisely describe the inherent complexity of certain images. As a result, retrieval accuracy can be severely limited because images that cannot be described or can only be described ambiguously will not be successfully retrieved. Another problem with keyword-based image management systems is that each image has to be manually inspected and carefully annotated. These steps are extremely labor intensive and prohibitively costly, especially for a database with a large number of images.
Recently, some image management systems that use content-based image retrieval (CBIR) have begun to emerge. Typically, a CBIR system is capable of identifying visual (i.e. non-semantic) features of a reference image and finding other images with those similar features. These visual features include color correlogram, color histogram, and wavelet features. To obtain these visual features of an image, substantial computational power is required in order to obtain meaningful and useful results.
Thus, there is a need for a CBIR system that employs visual features that are simple to calculate and capable of yielding accurate image retrieval results.


The present invention relates to a digital device and a method for measuring the axial load of a torque-shear-type high strength bolt. One embodiment of the digital device of the present invention includes: a main body portion which is connected to an electromotive wrench fastening a torque-shear-type high strength bolt; a measurement portion disposed at the main body portion to measure the axial load of the torque-shear-type high strength bolt using a quantity of the electricity from the electromotive wrench; a power supply portion disposed at the main body portion and including a power lead-in portion for receiving an external power supply and a power lead-out portion for supplying power to the electromotive wrench; and a display portion displaying the axial force value measured by the measurement portion.

A torque-shear (TS)-type high strength bolt generally used in a bolt joint for a steel frame structure is regulated in the standard specifications for building construction, and is subjected to axial load introduction (fastening) and axial load test under torque management rules based on the standard.
It has been known that a proper axial load is introduced if a pintail of the torque-shear-type high strength bolt fastened by the torque management rules is fractured. Therefore, the axial load of the torque-shear-type strength bolt has been estimated and predicted by testing an actually introduced fastening axial load based on correlation between a torque coefficient and torque through an axial load tester in a conventional site.
However, the torque coefficient is varied depending on many external factors, such as a stored state of the bolt, nonuse of a provisional bolt, exposure to air and water penetration due to outstanding fastening of the day, attachment of foreign matter, product damage, etc.
Therefore, the actually introduced axial load is significantly different from an estimated value. Thus, there arise problems that the actually introduced axial load is not only inexactly determined but also frequently falls short of the design standard.
Also, there arises a problem that the high strength bolt falling short of the design standard is difficult to replace or be additionally fastened due to difficulty in measurement of the axial load immediately after fastening on site.
To secure the proof stress of the high strength bolt joint for the steel frame structure, it is necessary to introduce a stable axial load variable within a narrow range into the bolt. Accordingly, there is a need for solving the problem that the actually introduced axial load is significantly varied depending on change in the torque coefficient due to the foregoing external environmental factors.
Also, there is a need for immediately measuring the axial load of the high strength bolt after fastening in order to improve quality management regarding the fastening axial load.

Digital device and method for measuring the axial load of a torque-shear-type high strength bolt


An optical module include a first substrate including a first surface over which a light emitting element is mounted, an optical waveguide provided with a second surface of the first substrate, a mirror configured to reflect output light of the light emitting element to the optical waveguide, a second substrate, and a light receiving element configured to receive leakage light produced when the output light from the light emitting element is transmitted through the mirror disposed in the optical waveguide, the light receiving element being mounted over the second substrate different from the first substrate.

Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-141478 has disclosed a structure of a multi-channel optical transmitter in which a signal light condensed by a lens is branched, and is monitored by a monitoring PD for each channel.
However, in the technique in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-141478, a light emitting element and a light receiving element are provided with a same substrate, and thus the output wire lines of the light receiving element have to be provided with that substrate. In this case, the thickness of an optical transmitter increases, and the device becomes large in size.

Optical module with a light receiving element receiving leakage light and method of monitoring optical module by receiving leakage light


Disclosed is an apparatus for drying and conditioning sports equipment and apparel. A base contains an airflow generator, such as a motorized fan. Ambient temperature air is conveyed through a plurality of tubular members. Apertures in the tubular members allow for airflow to be conveyed to the surface of sports equipment or apparel. The sports equipment and apparel is maintained a distance from the apertures by pegs, pins or other support members. The base may contain a pad for conveying airflow with a fragrance or an antifungal agent.

Protective pads, helmets, gloves, special footgear, colorful clothing and other apparel and equipment have become more popular (and more expensive) for a variety of sports. Proper care and conditioning of such equipment is important so that the equipment lasts longer and is comfortable and safe to wear. Soccer, hockey, football, lacrosse and even inline skating are examples of sports that typically require protective elbow pads, knee pads, shin pads, gloves, helmets, special footwear, and, in the case of hockey and inline skating, skates, which are frequently made of leather. Through use, such equipment becomes damp from sweat. When the equipment is used frequently, such as for daily practice and games, unless it is stored and conditioned properly, it does not dry between uses, but stays damp and becomes smelly and unsanitary. This problem is compounded during periods when, for example, the equipment is used for a tournament or training camp, in which it is typically used several times a day, perhaps for several days in a row.
Another problem, particularly for junior sports, is storage and organization of the equipment. Many sports involve traveling and transportation of the equipment. When packing the equipment, it is easy to overlook and omit one piece of equipment. However, in many sports, if a player does not have all the equipment, he or she cannot participate in the sport.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,750 to Eichten discloses a portable clothing and equipment dryer that can be stored in a suitcase-like container. Eichten teaches using a warm air blower to dry the clothes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,849 to Martin discloses a sports equipment rack for storing equipment.
Such prior art devices, however, have various drawbacks. The Martin device does not provide for drying or sanitation of the equipment. The Eichten device teaches drying with warm air, which tends to increase the smell and unsanitary aspect of damp, sweaty sports equipment and apparel. Eichten also teaches placing articles to be dried directly on conduit members, an arrangement that would tend to block the flow of air to the articles. The present invention addresses the deficiencies of the prior art designs in that it provides a sports equipment conditioner that simultaneously serves as a movable equipment storage rack, dryer, and deodorizer and also provides an antifungal feature that can be used for a wide variety of sizes and types of sports equipment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A telephone handset for a broadband telecommunication system, whose housing is composed of an upper shell and a lower shell forming a joining edge, shall guarantee a reliable coupling of the resonance volume to the free field with a particularly low sound leakage. For this purpose, the joining edge is provided according to the invention with a number of coupling slots.

Telephone terminals connected to a broadband telecommunication system are usually provided with handsets, connected directly or cordlessly, which can send voice messages to, and receive them from, a user. For this purpose, such handsets are usually provided with integrated microphones for receiving the voice message and with loudspeakers for transmitting such a voice message to the user, which are arranged in a common housing of the handset. For reasons of production technique, this housing is usually composed of an upper shell and a lower shell forming a so-called joining edge, i.e. substantially of two housing halves.
To obtain a particularly good sound spectrum in the transmission of a voice message to the user, a resonance volume is usually provided inside the telephone handset in the area of the loudspeaker, because the acoustic signal of the voice message is amplified by resonance in the corresponding frequencies, in dependency of the volume available and in particular of the latter's spatial dimension, and is, therefore, more clearly perceptible to the user. The limited resonance volume in handsets, due to their construction, also limits the frequency range amplified by the resonance and, therefore, also the acoustically perceptible transmission quality of the system. The lower limit of the signal frequencies which can be transmitted well in this way is, therefore, for the usual dimensions of handsets, approximately 400 Hz.
To cover, however, the total frequency spectrum perceptible to the human hearing, which extends on the side of the deep frequencies down to frequencies of approx. 1 Hz, particularly well on the transmission side, in order to achieve a better hearing and transmission quality, handsets of the usual construction are provided with a number of coupling slots. These coupling slots connect the resonance volume inside the telephone handset with the free field outside the telephone handset. This coupling of the resonance volume with the outer air space makes it possible to enlarge the resonance volume in a simple manner. In this way, it is achieved that the frequency range below 400 Hz can also be reproduced or transmitted in an amplified manner, so that a particularly good sound of the voice message can be generated by the loudspeaker. For a reliable coupling with the free field, the coupling slots are usually arranged on the back of the telephone handset. Depending on the application, the handset back can alternatively even be of a completely open design to enable a maximum coupling of the free field. Depending on the configuration of the coupling slots and the coupling they achieve, an amplification of the frequency range down to 100 Hz or even down to 20 Hz can be achieved.
However, the provision of openings on the back of the telephone handset does not only restrict the generally desirable freedom of design in the optical configuration of the handsets, but also the comfort and the immunity from eavesdropping during the operation of such handsets for broadband telecommunication systems. Especially in view of the immunity from eavesdropping, the openings on the back of the telephone handset and the resultant undesired simple radiation of the sound, i.e. the sound leakage into the free field, can cause considerable restrictions. For example, in installations in call centers, this leads to an increased annoyance caused by noise and to an undesired eavesdropping on the part of third parties during confidential conversations.

Telephone handset for a broadband telecommunication system


An output buffer circuit for transferring a high speed signal between large scale integrated circuits includes a first inverter with first and second transistors of opposite conductivity type, a second inverter with third and fourth transistors of opposite conductivity type, and a switch circuit for controlling the gates of the first and second transistors in accordance with a test control signal so as to change a dividing power. The respective outputs of the first and second inverters are connected in common to an output signal having a predetermined signal level related to an input signal. The circuit includes a duty ratio adjusting circuit which controls the respective gates of the first and second transistors to substantially equalize the first delay time until the output signal changes from a first level to a second level in response to a transition of the input signal, and a second delay time until the output signal changes from the second level to the first level in response to a transition of the input signal. The output buffer circuit maintains the duty ratio at about 50%.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a output buffer circuit, and more specifically to a output buffer circuit used in an interface for transferring a high speed signal between LSIs.
2. Description of Related Art
With a recent advancement of a multi-function and a low power consumption of systems, an interface between LSIs (large scaled integrated circuits) are required to be a high speed and a small amplitude. In order to realize a high speed interface, it is necessary to make the amplitude of an output waveform small. However, since the amplitude is determined by a ground potential or a power supply potential as a reference, an internal operation threshold becomes different from an output signal threshold, with the result that a time ratio between a high level period and a low level period of the output signal waveform cannot be maintained at 1:1 (50%), and becomes apt to greatly vary. In addition, since many functions are incorporated in one LSI, the number of pins of a LSI package becomes large, and therefore, a noise becomes a problem at a testing time because a plurality of buffers operate concurrently. In order to avoid this problem, a noise suppressing circuit is inserted, but this circuit becomes a cause attributable to change of the duty ratio of the output signal waveform.
The change of the duty ratio is a factor lowering the data transfer speed. Therefore, in order to realize a high speed interface so as to elevate performance of the system, it is necessary to maintain the duty ratio of the output signal waveform of an output buffer around 50%
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown, as an example of a first prior art output buffer circuit, a circuit of a buffer circuit of a HSTL (high speed transceiver logic) interface standardized by E1A/JEDEC, which is recently used as one of interfaces for transferring a high speed signal between semiconductor integrated circuits. This first prior art output buffer circuit includes an inverter 1 responding to an input signal H01 to generate an inverted signal "a", an inverter 9 responding to an input signal TEST to generate an inverted signal "d", an inverter 2 responding to the signal "a" to generate an inverted signal "b", an inverter 3 responding to the signal "b" to generate an inverted signal P11, a transfer gate 4 formed of a P-channel transistor having a gate receiving the input signal TEST and an N-channel transistor having a gate receiving the inverted signal "d" for controlling passage/block of the signal P11 in accordance with the level of the signal TEST so as to output a signal P12, and a P-channel transistor MP5 having a drain receiving the signal P12, and a gate receiving the signal "d" and a source connected to a 2.5 V power supply voltage.
The first prior art output buffer circuit further includes an inverter 6 receiving the signal "a" to generate an inverted signal "d", an inverter 7 responding to the signal "c" to generate an inverted signal P13, a transfer gate 8 formed of a P-channel transistor having a gate receiving the input signal TEST and an N-channel transistor having a gate receiving the inverted signal "d" for controlling passage/block of the signal P13 in accordance with the level of the signal TEST so as to output a signal P14, and an N-channel transistor MN5 having a drain receiving the signal P14, and a gate receiving the signal TEST and a source connected to ground. Furthermore, the first prior art output buffer circuit includes a P-channel transistor MP10 having a gate receiving the signal P12, a source connected to a 1.5 V power supply voltage, and a drain for outputting an output signal N01, an N-channel transistor MN10 having a gate receiving the signal P14, a source connected to the ground and a drain connected to the drain of the P-channel transistor MP10, a P-channel transistor MP11 having a gate receiving the signal P11, a source connected to the 1.5 V power supply voltage, and a drain connected to the drain of the P-channel transistor MP10, and an N-channel transistor MN11 having a gate receiving the signal P13, a source connected to the ground and a drain connected to the drain of the P-channel transistor MP10. The inverters 1 to 3, 6, 7 and 9 are driven with the 2.5 V power supply voltage.
In addition, the transistors MP10 and MN10 constitute an inverter 10, and the transistors MP11 and MN11 constitute an inverter 11.
Now, an operation of the first prior art output buffer circuit will be described with reference to FIG. 5. First, when the input signal TEST is at a low level, the transfer gates 4 and 8 are on, and the transistors MP5 and MN5 are off. Therefore, the input signal H01 is supplied to the inverter 10 formed of the transistors MP10 and MN10, an to the inverter 11 formed of the transistors MP11 and MN11, so that these inverters 10 and 11 output the output signal N01 in accordance with the input signal H01.
On the other hand, when the input signal TEST is at a high level, the transfer gates 4 and 8 are off, and the transistors MP5 and MN5 are on, so that the transistors MP10 and MN10 of the inverter 10 are rendered off. Accordingly, the output signal N01 in accordance with the input signal H01 is outputted by only the inverter 11, namely, only the transistors MP11 and MN11. Therefore, the driving power is lowered, so that a switching noise is suppressed.
Next, an operation waveform of the first prior art output buffer circuit will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B, which are timing charts showing various operation waveforms of the first prior art output buffer circuit.
When the input signal H01 is brought to the high level, after the signal P11 inputted to the gate of the transistor MP11 is brought to the low level, the signal P12 inputted to the gate of the transistor MP10 is brought to the low level. Simultaneously, after the signal P13 inputted to the gate of the transistor MN11 is brought to the low level, the signal P14 inputted to the gate of the transistor MN10 is brought to the low level. This is because the potential of the signal P11 is transferred through the transfer gate 4 as the signal P12 and the potential of the signal P13 is transferred through the transfer gate 8 as the signal P14.
In the HSTL interface, a terminating method of a transmission path is divided into four classes (class 1 to class 4). Referring to FIG. 7 which is a block diagram for illustrating the construction of the HSTL class-2 interface, this HSTL class-2 interface includes an output buffer 101 driven with a 1.5 V power supply voltage to output an output signal N01 in accordance with an input signal H01, a resistor 102 of a resistance of 50.OMEGA. having one end connected to a 0.75 V power supply voltage and the other end connected to the output of the output buffer 101, a transmission path 104 having an impedance of 50.OMEGA. and one end connected to the output of the output buffer 101, another resistor 103 of a resistance of 50.OMEGA. having one end connected to a 0.75 V power supply voltage and the other end connected to the output of the transmission path 104, and a differential amplifier 105 having a non-inverted input connected to the output of the transmission path 104, an inverted input connected to a reference signal Vref of 0.75 V. Here, the output buffer 101 is constituted of the first prior art output buffer circuit mentioned above or a second prior art output buffer circuit which will be described hereinafter.
Referring to FIG. 8, which is a timing chart illustrating input and output signal waveforms in the HSTL class-2 interface using the first prior art output buffer circuit as the output buffer 101, since the output of the output buffer 101 is connected to the resistors 102 and 103 clamped to 0.75 V, the output signal N01 of the output buffer 101 can obtain the amplitude of 0 V to 1.5 V.
Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown a circuit diagram of the second prior art output buffer circuit used in the HSTL interface. In FIG. 9, elements similar to those shown in FIG. 5 are given the same Reference Numerals and Signs, and explanation will be omitted. This second prior art output buffer circuit includes, in addition to the inverters 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 in common to the first prior art output buffer circuit, a two-input NOR gate 12 receiving the input signal TEST and the output signal "a" of the inverter 1 for outputting a NOR output signal "f", an inverter 13 responding to the signal "f" to output an inverted signal "g" to the gate of the transistor MP11 of the inverter 11, a two-input NAND gate 14 receiving the output signal "d" of the inverter 9 and the signal "a" for outputting a NAND output signal "h", and an inverter 15 responding to the signal "h" to output an inverted signal "i" to the gate of the transistor MN11 of the inverter 11. In addition, the output signal P11 of the inverter 3 is supplied directly to the gate of the transistor MP10 of the inverter 10, and the output signal P14 of the inverter 7 is applied directly to the gate of the transistor MN10 of the inverter 10. The inverters 1 to 3, 6, 7, 9, 13 and 15, the NOR gate 12 and the NAND gate 14 are driven with the 2.5 V power supply voltage.
Now, an operation of the second prior art output buffer circuit will be described with reference to FIG. 9. First, when the input signal TEST is at the low level, the NOR gate 12 responds to the low level of this signal TEST received at its one input, to output the inverted signal "f" of the inverted signal "a" of the input signal H01 received at its other input. On the other hand, the NAND gate 14 responds to the high level of the signal TEST received at its one input, to output the inverted signal "h" of the input signal H01 received at its other input. Accordingly, the inverters 10 and 11 output the output signal N01 corresponding to the input signal H01.
When the input signal TEST is at the high level, the NOR gate 12 outputs the signal "f" of the low level in response to the high level of the signal TEST, and the NAND gate 14 outputs the signal "h" of the high level in response to the low level of the inverted signal "d" of the signal TEST. Accordingly, the transistors MP11 and MN11 of the inverter 11 are rendered off, so that the output signal N01 corresponding to the input signal H01 is outputted by only the inverter 10. Thus, the driving power is lowered, so that the switching noise is suppressed.
Referring to FIG. 10, there is shown a circuit diagram of a third prior art output buffer circuit, which is a buffer circuit of a SSTL (stub series terminated logic) interface standardized by E1A/JEDEC, and which is recently used as one of interfaces for transferring a high speed signal between semiconductor integrated circuits, similarly to the first and second prior art output buffer circuits. In FIG. 10, elements similar to those shown in FIG. 5 are given the same Reference Numerals and Signs, and explanation will be omitted.
This third prior art output buffer circuit includes, in addition to the inverters 1, 3, 7, 9, 10 and 11, the transfer gates 4 and 8, and the transistors MP5 and MN5 in common to the first prior art output buffer circuit, level shift circuits 22 and 26 receiving the output signal "a" of the inverter 1 for outputting predetermined level-shifted signals "j" and "k" to the inverters 3 and 7, respectively.
The inverter 1 is driven with the 2.5 V power supply voltage, and the other inverters 3, 7, 9, 10 and 11, the transfer gates 4 and 8, and the transistors MP5 and MN5 are driven with a 3.3 V power supply voltage.
Now, an operation of the third prior art output buffer circuit will be described with reference to FIG. 10. First, when the input signal TEST is at the low level, the transfer gates 4 and 8 are rendered on and the transistors MP5 and MN5 are rendered off, similarly to the first prior art output buffer circuit. Accordingly, the input signal H01 is supplied to the inverter 10 formed of the transistors MP10 and MN10 and the inverter 11 formed of the transistors MP11 and MN11, so that these inverters 10 and 11 output the output signal N01 in accordance with the input signal H01.
On the other hand, when the input signal TEST is at a high level, the transfer gates 4 and 8 are off, and the transistors MP5 and MN5 are on, so that the transistors MP10 and MN10 of the inverter 10 are rendered off. Accordingly, the output signal N01 in accordance with the input signal H01 is outputted by only the inverter 11, namely, only the transistors MP11 and MN11. Therefore, the driving power is lowered, so that a switching noise is suppressed.
This third prior art output buffer circuit is so configured to have an internal macro power supply voltage of 2.5 V, which is lower than 3.3 V of the output voltage, in order to reduce the power consumption of the LSI. Because of this, the output buffer requires the level shifting circuits 22 and 26 in order to elevate from 2.5 V to 3.3 V.
Referring to FIG. 11, which is a circuit diagram showing the construction of the level shift circuit 22, this level shift circuit 22 includes a P-channel transistor MP21 having a gate receiving the input signal "a", a source connected to the 2.5 V power supply voltage and a drain for outputting a signal P01, an N-channel transistor MN21 having a gate receiving the input signal "a", a source connected to ground and a drain connected to the drain of the transistor MP21, an N-channel transistor MN22 having a gate connected to the drain of the transistor MP21, a source connected to the ground and a drain for outputting a signal P02, a P-channel transistor MP22 having a gate receiving the output signal "j", a source connected to the 3.3 V power supply voltage and a drain connected to the drain of the transistor MN22, a P-channel transistor MP23 having a gate connected to the drain of the transistor MP22, a source connected to the 3.3 V power supply voltage and a drain for outputting the output signal "j", and an N-channel transistor MN23 having a gate receiving the input signal "a", a source connected to the ground and a drain connected to the drain of the transistor MP23.
Now, an operation of the level shift circuit 22 will be described with reference to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 which illustrates operating waveforms of various points. When the input signal "a" is brought to a high level (2.5 V), the transistor MN23 is turned on. At this time, the transistor MP23 of the last stage is also turned on, but since the size of the transistor MN23 is larger than that of the transistor MP23, a path-through current flows through the transistors MP23 and MN23, so that the output signal "J" becomes lower than a threshold of a next stage block, namely, becomes a low level. Thereafter, when the signal P02 reaches the high level of 3.3 V, the path-through current stops.
Then, when the input signal "a" is brought to the low level, the signal P01 is brought to the high level (2.5 V), and the transistor MN22 is turned on so that the signal P02 is brought to the low level, and therefore, the transistor MP23 is turned on. At this time, since the transistor MN23 has been turned off, the output signal "j" becomes the high level (3.3 V). Accordingly, a time TpdLH from the moment the input signal "a" is brought to the low level to the moment the output signal "j" is brought to the high level is longer than a time TpdHL from the moment the input signal "a" is brought to the high level to the moment the output signal "j" is brought to the low level. Namely, a delay time is long.
In accordance with the method for terminating the transmission path, the SSTL interface is divided into two classes (class 1 and class 2). Referring to FIG. 13, which a block diagram for illustrating the construction of the SSTL class-2 interface, this SSTL class-2 interface includes an output buffer 201 driven with a 3.3 V power supply voltage to output an output signal N01 in accordance with an input signal H01, a resistor 202 of a resistance of 50.OMEGA. having one end connected to the output of the output buffer 201, a transmission path 204 having an impedance of 50.OMEGA. and one end connected to the other end of the resistor 202, another resistor 203 of a resistance of 25.OMEGA. having one end connected to a 1.5 V power supply voltage and the other end connected to the output of the transmission path 204, and a differential amplifier 205 having a non-inverted input connected to the output of the transmission path 204, an inverted input connected to a reference signal Vref of 1.5 V. Here, the output buffer 201 is constituted of the third prior art output buffer circuit mentioned above.
Even in this case, similarly to the first prior art output buffer circuit, the output signal N01 of the output buffer 201 can obtain the amplitude of 0 V to 3.3 V because of the resistor 202 connected to the output N01 of the output buffer 201 and the resistor 203 connected to the resistor 202 and clamped to 1.5 V.
A first problem of the first, second and third prior art output buffer circuits as mentioned above is that in the output signal of the first, second and third prior art output buffer circuits which are high speed buffers, since the duty ratio (the ratio between the high level period and the low level period) changes from 50% (called a "duty distortion" hereinafter), if the operating frequency is elevated, the level change occurs in the level having a shorter period so that a waveform distortion occurs, and in an extreme cases the output waveform disappears. Thus, the speed-up cannot be realized.
The reason for this is as follows: In the high speed buffer of the HSTL interface such as the first and second prior art output buffer circuits, the power supply voltage of the final stage inverter is 1.5 V, but in for example a 0.25 .mu.m process, the power supply voltage of a pre-buffer is 2.5 V which is higher than 1.5 V. Therefore, at the rising time of the output signal of the buffer, the threshold of the final stage inverter is lower than the output signal waveform of the pre-buffer, and therefore, a long time is required until the output signal level of the pre-buffer becomes lower than the threshold of the final stage inverter. Namely, the delay time of the buffer becomes large. On the other hand, at a falling time of the output signal of the buffer, the output signal level of the pre-buffer immediately becomes higher than the threshold of the final stage inverter, and therefore, the delay time is small. Thus, the duty ratio of the output signal waveform becomes out of 50%.
Therefore, in order to effectively equalize the delay time in the rising and the delay time in the falling of the buffer output signal, it may be considered to adjust the size ratio between the P-channel transistor and the N-channel transistor in the output stage of the pre-buffer so as to minimize the duty distortion. However, since the difference between the pre-buffer output signal level and the threshold of the final stage inverter is as large as about 0.5 V, it is not possible to completely prevent the duty distortion of the output signal waveform.
In addition, in the high speed buffer as in HSTL, since the high level and the low level of the input and the output are prescribed in a DC standard, it is impossible to adjust the duty ratio by adjusting the size ratio between the P-channel transistor and the N-channel transistor in the output stage of the output buffer, since this results in change of the DC level. Accordingly, the duty distortion cannot be prevented by this adjustment of the size ratio.
Furthermore, in the buffer such as the first prior art output buffer circuit having the driving power control circuit for reducing the switching noise at the testing time, since the transfer gate is inserted between the pre-buffer and the final stage inverter, the output signal waveform of the pre-buffer is blunted by the on-resistance of the transfer gate so that the duty ratio changes. Therefore, if the size of the transfer gate is enlarged to reduce the on-resistance of the transfer gate, the diffused capacitance becomes large, with the result that the signal waveform of the pre-buffer is further blunted.
In the high speed buffer of the SSTL interface such as the third prior art output buffer circuit, the power supply voltage of the final stage inverter is 3.3 V, but in for example a 0.25 .mu.m process, the power supply voltage of the pre-buffer is 2.5 V which is lower than 3.3 V. Therefore, the level shift circuit for elevating from 2.5 V to 3.3 V. However, since the signal transfer path is different between the high level outputting time and the low level outputting time as mentioned above, the delay time is greatly different. In addition, since the high level and the low level of the input and the output in the SSTL buffer are prescribed in the DC standard similarly to the HSTL, the duty distortion cannot be improved by adjusting the size ratio between the P-channel transistor and the N-channel transistor in the final state inverter.
In the first, second and third prior art output buffer circuits as mentioned above, because the internal operation threshold is different from the threshold of the output signal, because there is inserted the circuit for reducing the noise in the concurrent operation of a plurality of buffers at the testing time in an LSI package having a number of pins, the duty ratio of the output signal waveform (the ratio between the high level period and the low level period) changes from 50% (called a "duty distortion" hereinafter). Therefore, if the operating frequency is elevated, the level change occurs in the level having a shorter period so that a waveform distortion occurs, and in an extreme case, the output waveform disappears. Thus, the speed-up cannot be realized.

Output buffer circuit for transferring a high speed signal between large scale integrated circuits


A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a ramp signal generator for generating first and second time-changing ramp signals during first and second analog-to-digital conversion periods, respectively; comparators for comparing a reset signal of a pixel with the first ramp signal during the first analog-to-digital conversion period, and comparing a pixel signal with the second ramp signal during the second analog-to-digital conversion period; and memories for storing, as first and second digital data, count values of counting from a start of changing the first and second ramp signals until an inversion of outputs of the comparators, during the first and second analog-to-digital conversion periods, wherein the ramp signal generator supplies a current from a current generator to a first capacitor element by a sampling and holding operation of a switch, and generates the first and second ramp signals based on the same bias voltage held by the first capacitor element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus and a method for driving solid-state imaging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A CMOS image sensor including an analog-to-digital (AD) conversion circuit has been used in an image input device such as a digital camera. The AD conversion circuit compares an image signal with a reference signal to obtain digital data. As a reference signal, a ramp signal having a time-changing signal level and generated by controlling a charging current for a capacitor element is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-33305.

Solid-state imaging apparatus and method for driving solid-state imaging apparatus


A fiber optic light which utilizes optic fibers to direct light from a single light source to a plurality of light emitting locations, thereby illuminating desired locations, while also providing an optical lighting system suitable for house, office or hospital use. The lighting apparatus reduces electricity and light bulb consumption, provides a system which does not require electrical wiring throughout the building and provides a central location for servicing the lighting needs and controlling light intensity for numerous locations throughout a building.

The development of optic fiber has spawned numerous innovations in areas such as communications and lighting. Optic fibers have previously been utilized for directing light sources to specific locations, although these prior devices are useful for vehicles, signs and other specializes purposes, they do not provide a lighting system suitable for home, business and hospital use and further do not provide an apparatus which saves electrical usage in buildings and consumables such as light bulbs. The inventor has found that it is extremely desirable to provide a lighting system with one central light source location with optic fibers directing light to desired locations within a room or building. Additionally, it is also desirable to be able to service the lighting needs for a building from a single location, while also minimizing the amount of electrical wiring needed for providing light within a building. The present invention provides a optic lighting system with a central light source contained within a housing which can be centrally located in a convenient location within the building, while the light source may be numerous light bulbs mounted within the housing and a means for concentrating the light from the bulbs to the ends of a plurality of optic fibers, while the optic fibers provide a means for transmitting the light to different locations throughout the building. A means is also provided to control light entering the light gathering end of each optic fiber and also for controlling the amount of light which enters each optic fiber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,186 discloses and claims an optic fiber light distribution system adaptable for use in a vehicle. This device utilizes a fixed single light source and a plurality of lighting tubes to direct light to specific locations. The device is very useful for lighting automobiles but it does not provide and is not adaptable to provide a lighting means for a building such as a house. Nor does the prior device provide a means for controlling the light operation or intensity at each optic fiber. The present invention provides a lighting source housing which is vented and dimensioned, allowing a plurality of lighting sources to be mounted in an isolated and convenient location within the building. Additionally, a lighting reflective means is contained within the housing which concentrates the light emitted from the source(s) and directs it to an optic fiber end and each end is fitted with a means for controlling light entry into the optic fiber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,894 discloses and claims a fiber optic lighting system for signs wherein the optic fiber light emitting end terminal at different points of a sign to create an image. The emitting ends are further enclosed within a housing fitted with lenses. This devise is very useful for illuminating signs, however it is not adaptable for house use and is not capable of adaptation to provide an optic fiber lighting device with a light source containing housing which may contain several light sources in communication with several optic fiber ends, and further wherein the optic fibers transmit light to different locations within a building, with each optic fiber having separate means for controlling light emitting intensity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,263 discloses a centralized lighting system employing a high brightness light which directs light to selected positions on an automobile. The device is very useful, like the 186 patent, however the prior device is not adaptable for building use. The need for a higher watt light source for building use leads to considerable heat buildup near the optic fiber thus requiring the optic fiber end to be placed at a distance from the fiber end to prevent fiber material degradation. The present inventions for use in automobiles are made compactly to be fit within the confines available in the automobile. The present invention uses a single or plurality of high wattage light bulbs which requires the light source to be positioned away from the optic fiber end, which then leads to the need of concentrating the light and focusing it to the end of the fiber. The present invention utilizes a pair of parabolic dishes to concentrate the light to the optic fiber end, this dual parabolic system allows the high wattage bulb to be used without damaging the optic fiber end. Additionally, the present device utilizes a means for controlling light intensity transmitted from each optic fiber.
The inventor has found that the present invention overcomes numerous problems associated with conventional light systems, namely the present invention provides a means to direct lighting within a house or building to numerous locations without the need for installation of wiring, and numerous electrical switches. The invention also allows the lighting needs of a house or building to be centrally located within the building while one or more light sources are utilized and maintained in a central location while the light is delivered to remote locations with optic fibers. Since fewer light sources are employed, fewer light bulbs must be replaced and less electricity is used to light a given area. The disclosed lighting system also allows for selectively controlling light intensity transmitted from each optic fiber, by utilizing a camera eye located at each optic fiber light gathering end the light entering the optic fiber is controlled and may also be adjusted depending upon the desired light intensity for each location.


Provided is a fuel cell catalyst layer including: a fibrous carbon material; catalyst particles; a particulate carbon material; and a proton-conductive resin, wherein a region A including at least the fibrous carbon material in a state of an agglomerated body and a region B including at least the catalyst particles, the particulate carbon material, and the proton-conductive resin are formed, the region A being disposed in an island form in the region B.

Fuel cells are highly efficient and clean power generation apparatuses that generate power through electrochemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant (hereinafter each simply referred to as a "gas") and produce water. A fuel cell includes, for example, an electrolyte membrane, two catalyst layers disposed so as to sandwich the electrolyte membrane, two gas diffusion layers disposed so as to sandwich the electrolyte membrane via the catalyst layers respectively, and two separators disposed so as to sandwich the electrolyte membrane via the gas diffusion layers respectively. The gases that have been diffused in the plane direction by the gas diffusion layers are oxidized or reduced in the catalyst layers. The efficiency of this electrochemical reaction increases when the gas diffusion in the catalyst layers is enhanced.
In order to enhance the gas diffusion in the catalyst layers, PTL 1 teaches a method in which carbon fiber is mixed in the catalyst layers, thus increasing the porosity. PTL 2 also teaches mixing carbon fiber in an anode catalyst layer.

Fuel cell catalyst layer, membrane electrode assembly, and fuel cell

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A bidirectional bus system that includes a bus master having a first transmitter coupled to a bidirectional bus. The first transmitter transmits a signal in a first voltage range onto the bus. The bus master has a first receiver coupled to the bus. A bus slave having a second transmitter coupled to the bus is included. The second transmitter transmits a signal in a second voltage range onto the bus, where the bus slave having a second receiver is coupled to the bus. The first receiver is configured to interpret the signal in the first voltage range to indicate an idle state while the second receiver interprets the signal in the first voltage range as indicating data. The second receiver interprets the signal in the second voltage range as indicative of an idle state while the first receiver interprets the signal in the second voltage range as indicating data.

Communication buses are many and varied, as exemplified in computer backplanes, board buses, buses inside integrated circuits, bus standards, local area networks, wide area networks, and ad hoc and proprietary buses connecting devices. One bus in widespread use is the CAN (controller area network) bus, originally developed for vehicles. The CAN bus is a multi-master broadcast serial bus, which may be implemented using balanced pair signals in twisted-pair wires, optionally in shielded cables. Other buses may employ differential line drivers and differential receivers. Many buses support two states, "1" and "0", or three states, "1", "0" and "Z" or high impedance. Yet, components for many of these buses may be more expensive than desired, have complex protocols, or may not function well in harsh environments such as the operating environment for automobiles.
It is within this context that the embodiments arise.


In a toner having toner particles which have toner base particles having at least a colorant and a binder resin, and an inorganic fine powder; the inorganic fine powder has a primary-particle average particle diameter of from 30 nm to 300 nm, and has particles having at least one of a cubic particle shape, a cube-like particle shape, a rectangular particle shape and a rectangle-like particle shape and having perovskite type crystals; and the inorganic fine powder has particles and agglomerates both having particle diameters of 600 nm or more, in a content of 0% to 1% by number.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a toner used in recording processes utilizing electrophotography or electrostatic recording. More particularly, this invention relates to a toner used in copying machines, printers or facsimile machines in which an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrostatic latent image bearing member is developed with a toner to form a toner image on the electrostatic latent image bearing member, the toner image on the electrostatic latent image bearing member is transferred to a transfer material via, or no via, an intermediate transfer member, and the toner image on the transfer material is fixed thereto to form a fixed image.
2. Related Background Art
The electrophotography is a process in which an electrostatic latent image bearing member formed of a photoconductive substance is electrostatically charged by various means and is further exposed to light to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearing member, the electrostatic latent image is then developed with a toner to form a toner image, the toner image is transferred to a transfer material such as paper, and the toner image transferred to the transfer material is fixed to the transfer material by the action of heat or pressure or heat and pressure to obtain a copy or a print.
However, when such an image formation process is repeated in a large number especially in a high-humidity environment, ozone produced in the step of charging where the electrostatic latent image bearing member is electrostatically charged may react with oxygen in air to turn into nitrogen oxides (NOx), and these nitrogen oxides may further react with water in air to turn into nitric acid to come to adhere to the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearing member, resulting in a lowering of surface resistance of the electrostatic latent image bearing member. This may cause smeared images on the electrostatic latent image bearing member at the time of image formation. As measures against such smeared images, a method is known in which particles having abrasive action are added to toner base particles to strip charge products having adhered to the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearing member to make an improvement. However, such an abrasive agent has a large particle diameter and a broad particle size distribution, and hence it has been difficult to uniformly abrade the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearing member.
As methods having made an improvement in this regard, methods are proposed as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-10770 and Japanese Patent No. 3047900 in which strontium titanate powder is added to toner base particles. The strontium titanate powder used in these methods has fine particle diameter and contain only a few coarse particles, and hence has good abrasive effect. The strontium titanate powder used in these methods is effective for preventing filming or melt adhesion from being caused by the toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing member. However, this powder has been insufficient for removing the above charge products.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-162812, a method is proposed in which toner base particles containing an abrasive substance and a fatty acid metal salt are used; in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-272132, a method in which a fatty acid metal salt and a titanic acid compound are externally added to toner base particles; and in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-296688, a method in which a metal oxide surface-treated with a lubricant such as a fatty acid metal salt is externally added to toner base particles. However, these methods have all been insufficient for removing the charge products.


An air bag for use in a motor vehicle and a fabric from which the air bag is constructed. The air bag has a plurality of panels connected together about their respective peripheries to define an interior cavity for receipt of an inflation medium therein. At least one of the panels is made from the disclosed fabric, which is an unscoured and uncalendered rapier woven fabric having an air permeability of less than approximately 5.0 CFM. The fabric also has a circular bend of less than approximately 2.2.

The present invention relates generally to air bags of the type utilized in vehicle occupant restraint systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to fabric suitable for use in such air bags.
For some time, vehicle manufacturers have been equipping their products with air bag systems to supplement the protection offered by seatbelts. These air bag systems utilize at least one folded air bag in fluid communication with a source of inflation gas. when a collision is detected between the vehicle and another object, the source of inflation gas is actuated to inflate the air bag.
Air bags have traditionally been of two types, i.e., driver side and passenger side. More recently, some vehicle manufacturers have also begun providing air bags designed for side-impact protection. Air bags of a particular type will be constructed to satisfy unique operating characteristics of that type. For example, driver side air bags have frequently been made from coated fabric or uncoated fabric of very low permeability. Passenger side air bags have often been made from uncoated fabric of slightly higher permeability.
Several primary fabrics have been utilized in the production of vehicle air bags. An early fabric widely employed for driver side air bags was woven from 840 denier yarn into a thread count of approximately 25.times.25 and coated with 1-2 ounces per square yard of neoprene rubber. As demand increased for reduced packaging in driver side applications, the industry moved toward smaller denier yarns of a higher thread count. For example, fabrics woven from 420 denier yarn into thread counts of approximately 49.times.49 or 46.times.46 were utilized.
As intended, these 420 denier fabrics successfully provided the reduced packaging sought by vehicle manufacturers. Because the denier and tensile strength of the yarn had been reduced, however, the yarn had to be slashed with a suitable sizing compound, such as polyacrylic acid (PAA), prior to rapier weaving. The greige cloth, stiff and boardy due to the sizing compound, then had to be scoured prior to use. Scouring was also necessary to remove residual spin finish which, along with the size, had a tendency to prevent good adhesion of the neoprene coating compound. With the additional processing of slashing and full scouring, the cost of the fabric was increased.
The additional cost of sizing and scouring was also seen in another important fabric. This fabric, which has been used primarily in passenger side applications, was woven into a 32.times.32 ripstop configuration from 840 denier yarn. Size was used despite the stout nature of 840 denier yarn because the beat-up at the fell of the cloth was very tight, often causing chafing of unsized yarn during the weaving process.
Much of the world market has traditionally been processed using conventional rapier weaving technology because of its versatility and quality. Typical rapier goods were very dense in construction, like the 49.times.49 420 denier fabric discussed above, as well as 60.times.60 315 denier or 41.times.41 630 denier fabrics.
Recently, some fabric makers began using water jet weaving as an alternative method of producing air bag fabric. An advantage of water jet weaving is that some normal process steps can be eliminated or reduced. For example, improvements in the overall quality of the yarns themselves often allow water jet looms to be run without size on the warp yarns. The chilled water holds and protects the unsized warp yarns during cloth formation, whereas these yarns could be bruised and frayed when run dry on a rapier loom machine. The scouring process can be eliminated since size was not used and the spin finish on the yarns is partially broken down during the weaving process and is brought down to previous market levels of acceptability through normal heat setting of the fabric.
Although water jet weaving has certain advantages, it also has various drawbacks. One significant drawback for air bag fabric is a relatively wide variation in air permeability across the fabric web. In particular, water jet weaving has a tendency to blossom the fabric, particularly at the edges. As such, the side-center-side permeability of the fabric will generally not be as consistent as rapier goods.
In addition, greige cloth produced on a water jet loom must be dried to prevent growth of mildew. In addition, water jet looms have traditionally required a more difficult changeover process when it is desired to weave a different type of fabric on a particular loom. Water jet looms also tend to be less flexible with respect to on-loom constructions and the quality of the fabric can be inconsistent.

Rapier woven low permeability air bag fabric

Safety Components Fabric Technologies, Inc.


An interbody spinal fusion assembly includes an interbody cage, planar metal pins and bone fasteners. The interbody cage includes a metal cage and a PEEK insert. The PEEK insert is inserted into a slot of the metal cage and is secured to the metal cage with a pin. The assembled interbody cage is inserted in the space between two adjacent vertebras and is secured in placed with the planar metal pins and the bone fasteners.

Fibula strut grafts have a proven history of effectiveness for anterior cervical corpectomies but are inherently vulnerable to complications such as early or late fracture, dislodgement, displacement, telescoping into the vertebral body, or nonunion. The settling and resultant segmental kyphosis after multi-level anterior cervical reconstruction have also been documented. The risk of graft migration, displacement, or fracture appears more likely with more vertebral bodies removed and longer grafts, and with corpectomies involving a fusion ending at the C7 vertebral body. Newer interbody stabilization options have emerged such as polyetherketone (PEEK) which have the advantages of greater endplate coverage leading to a more stable construct and with similar modulus of elasticity as bone. However, PEEK cages tend to move out of position and usually require separate fixation plates. Other options include metal expandable cages but these can be bulky, risk adjacent body fracture, and have limited room for bone graft, and therefore, do not provide the most ideal biologic environment.

System and method for an interbody spinal fusion assembly


Compounds, pharmaceutical formulations, and methods of treating anti-inflammatory conditions and/or helminth-associated diseases are disclosed.

Boron-containing molecules, such as benzoxaboroles, useful as antiinflammatories, have been described previously, such as in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/399,015. Generally speaking, a benzoxaborole has the following structure and substituent numbering system:
It has now been discovered that particular benzoxaborole classes are surprisingly effective antiinflammatory agents. This, and other uses of these benzoxaboroles are described herein.
Compounds which can inhibit the biological moieties described above, or treat diseases involving those biological moieties, would be a significant advance in the art.


A mailing machine that provides for permanent postage is described. Postage may be purchased at one point of time at a then prevailing rate and used in the future at the same effective purchasing power even if a new more expensive rate schedule is in effect. The mailing machine provides for the accounting of such rate purchased postage using a Postal Security Device and may include multiple rate-table based accounts each associated with a particular postage rate table.

Mailing machines for printing postage indicia on envelopes and other forms of mail pieces have long been well known and have enjoyed considerable commercial success. There are many different types of mailing machines, ranging from relatively small units that handle only one mail piece at a time, to large, multi-functional units that can process hundreds of mail pieces per hour in a continuous stream operation.
The larger mailing machines often include different modules that automate the process of producing mail pieces, each of which performs a different task on the mail piece. The mail piece is conveyed downstream utilizing a transport mechanism, such as rollers or a belt, to each of the modules. Such modules could include, for example, a singulating module, i.e., separating a stack of mail pieces such that the mail pieces are conveyed one at a time along the transport path, a moistening/sealing module, i.e., wetting and closing the glued flap of an envelope, a weighing module, and a metering module, i.e., applying evidence of postage to the mail piece. Since the mailing machine may be set to dispense postage in penny increments, and may also be set to appropriate standard or discounted rates as applicable given the weight of a mail piece and rate settings, the typical mailing machine user will save money by applying the correct postage as compared with a USPS customer who applies stamps of set denomination and thus, usually pays for excess postage.
On May 3, 2006, The Governors of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) proposed a "forever stamp" as part of a broader rate adjustment plan. USPS Customers will be able to purchase a special "Forever" First-Class stamp at current prices that would then be acceptable as sufficient First-Class postage for mailing any future one ounce letter, no matter how much postage prices might increase after the stamp was purchased. While such a First-Class "Forever" stamp may be desirable to retail USPS First-Class low volume letter mailers, it would not appear as useful to larger scale mailers.

Methods and systems for using multiple permanent postage rates in mailing machines


In a vehicle, a seatbelt extracted from a retractor is extended to and suspended by a webbing guide portion of a first rod, folded back in a predetermined direction by the webbing guide portion, and extended from a belt drawing-out portion. A load applied to the webbing guide portion when the seatbelt contacts it is dispersed by the first rod and one or more additional rods to prevent the load from concentrating at a portion of a body of the vehicle where the first rod is attached. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a large bracket for attaching the first rod to the vehicle body. With this arrangement, the weight and the cost of parts can be reduced while securing the strength thereof and realizing a belt folding-back function, and further a degree of design freedom of the layout can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a guide device of an automobile seatbelt for guiding a seatbelt drawn out from a retractor.
2. Related Art Statement
In recent years, there is a tendency to employ a three-point type seatbelt device also to a rear seat of vehicles such as automobiles and the like to improve the safety of passenger. As shown in FIG. 9, a shoulder belt, which is used in station wagons and the like to hold the chest of the passenger, is arranged such that a seatbelt (shoulder belt) 21 drawn out from a retractor 20 is attached by folding back with a sash guide stay 23 across a rear quarter glass 22.
Although this type of the sash guide stay 23 is disclosed as a shoulder anchor for a vertically adjusting mechanism in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 7-13619, it is not necessarily preferable for outside appearance because it is exposed to the side of a compartment.
In contrast, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-198755 discloses a seatbelt guide (guide device) disposed at a center portion of a rear tray although it is installed for a sedan type, and when this seatbelt guide is installed in the station wagon in the same manner, the good appearance of the compartment of the station wagon can be attained.
However, when the device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-198755 is installed along a body side, the weight of the device increases as the sizes of the components constituting the device are increase to secure strength, and design freedom in regard to component layout is reduced. In particular, since the space behind the rear seat is used as a baggage room in the station wagons, the space in which the device can be installed is limited. Thus, it becomes important to reduce the weight and the size of the device and to increase the design freedom.


A bump forming apparatus which carries out a temperature control of a type different from the conventional art in forming bumps to a semiconductor wafer, and a bump formation method executed by the bump forming apparatus are provided. A bonding stage, a load and transfer device and a control device are provided. A wafer, after having bumps formed thereon, is held by the load and transfer device and arranged above the bonding stage through control by the control device, so that a temperature drop of the wafer is controlled. Accordingly, generation of troubles such as a crack because of thermal stress and the like can be prevented to even compound semiconductor wafers sensitive to a temperature change.

In recent years, electronic components have been made more and more compact in accordance with miniaturization of devices, e.g., portable phones and the like on which the electronic components are mounted. Thus, there is a bump forming apparatus for this purpose which forms bumps to electrode portions at each circuit formation part on a semiconductor wafer without separating the circuit formation part from the semiconductor wafer. The bump forming apparatus of this kind includes a carry-in device for taking out a semiconductor wafer before bumps are formed thereto from a first storage container where the semiconductor wafers without bumps are stored, a second storage container for storing wafers with the bumps formed, a bonding stage where wafers without bumps are placed and heated generally to about 250-270° C. so as to join the electrode portions and bumps, a carry-out device for storing the wafers after the bumps are formed thereon into the second storage container, and a transfer device for transferring the wafers from the carry-in device to the bonding stage and from the bonding stage to the carry-out device.
Meanwhile, as a SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) filter used in the aforementioned portable phones and the like, there are some semiconductor wafers having a substrate of the wafer not formed of silicon as in the prior art but formed of quartz, or a compound semiconductor wafer such as lithium tantalum, lithium niobium, gallium arsenide or the like. Although the compound semiconductor wafer of this type is heated as well to approximately 150° C. at maximum in forming the bumps, it is necessary for the heating and cooling speed of the compound semiconductor wafer to be lowered in comparison with the conventional silicon wafer. Unless the cooling is carried out slowly, the compound semiconductor wafer is accompanied by a pyroelectric effect thereby breaking circuits, or the wafer is thermally deformed to crack in some cases.
As such, a bump forming apparatus for forming bumps to the compound semiconductor wafers needs a different way of temperature control from the control in the conventional bump forming apparatus which forms bumps to silicon wafers.
The present invention has for its object to provide a bump forming apparatus which executes temperature control different from the prior art before and after forming bumps to semiconductor wafers, and a bump formation method carried out by the bump forming apparatus.

Method of forming bumps on a wafer utilizing a post-heating operation, and an apparatus therefore

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A method and apparatus for applying a sealant material onto a surface. In one illustrative embodiment, an apparatus comprises a dispenser and an adjustment system associated with the dispenser. The dispenser is configured to receive a sealant material from a sealant source and dispense the sealant material through an output of the dispenser. The adjustment system is configured to change a configuration of the output.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a dispensing system, and in particular, to a dispensing system for sealant material. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing sealant material onto a surface in the form of a sealant ribbon having a desired width and depth.
2. Background
During the manufacturing and assembly of different types of objects, sealant materials are often used to seal various surfaces. Different types of sealant materials are currently available for use. These different types of sealant materials include, but are not limited to, acrylic sealant materials, silicone sealant materials, epoxy sealant materials, fibrin sealant materials, latex sealant materials, rubber sealant materials, conductive elastomer sealant materials, elastomeric sealant materials, and other types of sealant materials.
Oftentimes, a sealant material is dispensed onto a surface using a dispensing tool such as, for example, without limitation, a sealant tube, a sealant gun, or some other type of dispensing tool. These types of dispensing tools typically dispense the sealant material in the form of a sealant ribbon. This sealant ribbon may also be referred to as a sealant strip.
However, with some currently available dispensing tools, the amount of sealant that is dispensed is fixed and not adjustable. In particular, these dispensing tools may be unable to change the width or the depth of the sealant ribbon formed. Consequently, in some situations, excess sealant material may be dispensed. The dispensing of excess sealant may increase the cost of applying the sealant material more than desired.
In other situations, insufficient amounts of sealant material may be dispensed and repeated passes for applying the sealant material may be needed to achieve a desired depth and/or desired width for the sealant ribbon. These repeated passes may be more time-consuming than desired. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.


A method for manufacturing an IGBT, comprising: providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface and of a first or second type of electrical conductance; forming grooves at intervals on the first surface of the substrate; filling a semiconductor material of the second or first type of electrical conductance into the grooves to form channels, where the type of electrical conductance of the channels is different from the type of electrical conductance of the substrate; bonding on the first surface of the substrate to form a drift region of the second type of electrical conductance; forming a front-side structure of the IGBT on the basis of the drift region; thinning the substrate starting from the second surface of the substrate until the channels are exposed; and forming a rear-side metal electrode on the channels and the thinned substrate. The method has no specific requirement with respect to sheet flow capacity, nor requires a double-sided exposure machine apparatus, is compatible with a conventional process, and has a simple process and high efficiency.

IGBT is a composite full-controlled type of voltage-driven power semiconductor device composed of BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor) and MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor-Field-Effect-Transistor), which combines the high input impedance characteristics of MOSFETs with the low-saturation-voltage capability of BJT. The IGBT exhibits the features of high frequency, simple control circuit, high current density, and low on-state voltage, such that it is widely applied to the power control field. In the real practice, the IGBT is rarely used as an independent device, especially under conditions of inductive load, the IGBT requires a fast recovery diode freewheeling. Therefore, the conventional insulated gate bipolar transistor products usually employs a FWD (freewheeling diode) connected in parallel to protect the IGBT. In order to save the cost, the FWD can be integrated into the IGBT chip, thus forming the IGBT with a built-in diode or a reverse conducting IGBT.
In manufacturing a conventional reverse conducting IGBT, an implantation window of the back side of the P+ collector region is formed by double-sided photoetching after grinding. However, this method has two main drawbacks: first, a wafer grinding flow capacity is required, especially for those common IGBTs under 1200V which have a thickness less than 200 μm; second, a double-sided exposure machine is required to expose the wafer. In addition, the conventional reverse conducting IGBT is manufactured by a backside double photolithography technique.


A slide cover is movably attached to a camera body. The slide cover is moved to a photographing position when a picture is taken. At the time of photographing, the slide cover is utilized as a right-hand grip. A rear face of the slide cover is provided with a zoom operating member which is swingable around a horizontal shaft. An upper side of the zoom operating member is a telephoto operating portion, and a lower side thereof is a wide-angle operating portion. The telephoto operating portion and the wide-angle operating potion are vertically arranged so as to be perpendicular to a moving direction of the slide cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a lens cover, and more particularly to a camera in which a slidable lens cover is provided with a pair of operating portions for inputting two kinds of correlative operation signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
As described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-231376, there is a camera having a slide cover of a box-like shape. Such a camera is covered with the slide cover from a right-hand-grip side of a camera body. When the slide cover is slid toward the right to be moved from a closed position to a photographing position, a taking lens provided in the front of the camera body emerges. The moved slide cover is held by a right hand and is utilized as a grip. Owing to this, the right hand gripping the camera is separated from the taking lens so that it may be prevented to take a picture overlapped by a finger.
In the above-mentioned camera, a shutter button is attached to the slide cover so as to be easily pressed by a finger of the right hand gripping the camera. When the slide cover is moved to the photographing position, the shutter button is moved to a position where a release switch provided in the camera body is actuated. Thus, the shutter button is set in an operatable state. As to an operational member actuated at the time of photographing in watching through a viewfinder, for example as to the shutter button, it is advantageous to attach the operational member to the slide cover in view of its operating characteristics.
As the typical operational member pressed in watching through the viewfinder, there is a zoom operating member for varying a magnification of the taking lens. This zoom operating member is constituted of a pair of operating portions of a wide-angle side and a telephoto side. The wide-angle-side operating portion is actuated to vary the magnification toward the wide-angle side. The telephoto-side operating portion is actuated to vary the magnification toward the telephoto side. A photographer can actuate the operating portions, observing the change of the magnification through the viewfinder.
When the zoom operating member is attached to the slide cover, a pair of switches for detecting the zoom operating member are incorporated in the camera body, similarly to the shutter button. These switches are for detecting which of the operating portions of the wide-angle side and the telephoto side has been actuated. In such a case, it is required to move the operating portion to a position where the switch thereof is surely and smoothly actuated after moving the slide cover to the photographing position.
By the way, the respective operating portions of the wide-angle side and the telephoto side are advantageous to be arranged such as to be easily actuated by the same finger of the right hand gripping the camera. In view of this, when the operating portions are arranged on the slide cover, each of them should be disposed within a range of a predetermined distance from a grip edge of the slide cover. On the other hand, with respect to the switches for detecting the operating portions, there is a restriction that these switches should be incorporated into the camera body in consideration of a positional relationship which concerns the slide cover having been moved to the photographing position.
As a result, there arises a problem in that a space of the camera body for incorporating the switches becomes difficult to be obtained in accordance with an increase of a moving amount of the slide cover. In case the moving amount of the slide case is short or in case the operating portion is provided at a position separated from the grip edge, the space of the camera body for incorporating the switches may be easily obtained. However, in the former case, a picture overlapped with a finger is likely to be taken, and in the latter case, there is a problem concerning its operating characteristics.
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a camera in which a space for incorporating switches is obtained in a camera body even though a moving amount of a slide cover is comparatively extended when the slide cover is provided with a pair of operating portions for inputting two kinds of correlative operation signals, such as a zoom operating member.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a camera which has advantages relative to its operating characteristics when a slide cover is provided with a pair of operating portions for inputting two kinds of correlative operation signals, such as a zoom operating member.
In order to achieve the above and other objects, the camera according to the present invention comprises a pair of operating portions for inputting two kinds of correlative operation signals. These operating portions are arranged so as to be perpendicular to a moving direction of a slide cover.
When the slide cover is moved to a photographing position, the operating portions are moved to positions for actuating respective switches provided in a camera body. These switches may be arranged so as to be perpendicular to the moving direction of the slide cover similarly to the operating portions.
Thus, it is not caused that only one of the switches is biased toward a side of the camera body. Moreover, the pair of the operating portions are located at respective positions separated by an equal length from a grip side of the slide case so that its operating properties are improved.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is applied to a zoom operating member. In this case, it is preferable to use a single member of a teeter type, both sides of which are adapted to be a telephoto-side operating portion and a wide-angle-side operating portion respectively.
According to the present invention, the slide cover is provided with a pair of the pressed operating portions for inputting two kinds of the correlative operation signals. These operating portions are arranged in the perpendicular direction to the moving direction of the slide cover. Owing to this, when the slide cover is utilized as the grip, locations of the respective operating portions are adapted to be substantially equal from the grip end so that actuation thereof may be easily performed. Further, in accordance with this, the switches incorporated in the camera body are arranged in the same direction. Thus, the moving length of the slide cover may be extended despite a compact size, and gripping properties and handling properties may be improved.


A boot which has a tongue structure which includes at least first and second cables attached to the sides of the tongue, a guide channel associated with each cable, and a cable tensioning device connected to the cables and which is movable between first and second positions to respectfully tighten and loosen the cables. The tongue structure acts to maintain the foot in the boot and in a preferred embodiment, the tongue includes an outer somewhat rigid shell and an inner elastic layer.

Various types of footwear exist and such footwear has become more specialized in recent years. The present invention is directed primarily to footwear which may take the form of a boot structure although certain aspects of it are also applicable to other types of footwear. Boot type structures are used in, for example, ice skates, roller blades, ski and snowboard boots, cross country boots, work boots, etc. The present invention may be used in any of these different types of boots.
One sport which utilizes boots is hockey. Until recently, most boots have been made of plastic and have become so rigid that the natural bending ability associated with previous leather structures has become non-existent. As a result, skaters do not tighten their skates as much as previously.
Although other means have been proposed in the art including the use of various types of straps, it is still conventional to use laces to tighten shoes and boots. However, the tightening of the laces may create a pressure on a portion of the foot which can cause injuries. Minor injuries can include irritations and swelling while more major injury can occur to the tendons being torn after an impact. Sprained ankles and the like also occur.
One of the problem areas is the tongue structure and the lining of the skates. The lining can deteriorate quite quickly particularly when materials made of textiles which dry and do not have the required endurance.
A further problem encountered with ice skates is that the deterioration of various portions caused by the flexing can lead to a deformation of the sole and even the blade of the skate. The skate can also become deformed because humans frequently have a leg which is longer than the other. The pressure is then applied in an even manner when skating leading to a deformation of the skate.


A control system (10) for an automotive vehicle (50) has a remote object sensor (18) that generates an object signal in the presence of an object. A vehicle trajectory sensor (34) generates a signal indicative of the vehicle traveling on a curved road. A vehicle speed sensor (32) generates a speed signal corresponding to the longitudinal speed of the vehicle. A controller (12) is coupled to the object sensor (18), the vehicle trajectory sensor, and the vehicle speed sensor. When the remote object sensor (18) indicates the presence of an object with a minimum cross section in a pre-defined decision zone meeting pre-defined relative velocity criteria, and when the vehicle speed is above a first threshold and below a second threshold, and when said vehicle trajectory signal indicates the vehicle traveling on a curved road with a radius of curvature above a threshold value, a vehicle safety countermeasure system (40) is deployed.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to pre-crash sensing systems for automotive vehicles, and more particularly, to pre-crash sensing systems for enabling and disabling vehicle safety countermeasures operated in response to pre-crash detected imminent crash.
2. Background
Auto manufacturers are investigating radar, lidar, and vision-based pre-crash sensing systems to improve occupant safety. Current vehicles typically employ accelerometers that measure decelerations acting on the vehicle body in the event of a crash. In response to accelerometers, airbags or other safety devices are deployed.
In certain crash situations it would be desirable to provide information before forces actually act upon the vehicle when a collision is unavoidable.
Remote sensing systems using radar, lidar or vision based technologies for adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance and collision warning applications are known. These systems have characteristic requirements for false alarms. Generally, the remote sensing system reliability requirements for pre-crash sensing for automotive safety related systems are more stringent than those for comfort and convenience features, such as, adaptive cruise control. The reliability requirements even for safety related features vary significantly, depending upon the safety countermeasure under consideration. For example, tolerance towards undesirable activations may be higher for activating motorized belt pre-tensioners than for functions such as vehicle suspension height adjustments. Non-reversible safety countermeasures, including airbags, require extremely reliable sensing systems for pre-crash activation. However, the size of objects is typically not taken into consideration in the activation of such countermeasure devices. Also, such systems may generate unintentional or undesirable activations when acting at high speeds, low speeds, or in curve situations. When a vehicle is traveling on a curved road, for example, objects outside of the lane of travel may be determined to be potential crash objects.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a pre-crash sensing system that reduces unintentional or undesirable activations and improves the reliability of object detection and threat assessment. It would also be desirable to provide a system that takes into consideration the size of the object detected.
The present invention provides an improved pre-crash sensing system that reduces false activations and activates a countermeasure in response to the size of the object detected.
In one aspect of the invention, a control system for an automotive vehicle has a remote object sensor that generates an object signal in the presence of an object. A vehicle trajectory sensor generates a signal corresponding to the potential presence of a curved road. A vehicle speed sensor generates a speed signal corresponding to the longitudinal speed of the vehicle. A controller is coupled to the remote object sensor, the vehicle trajectory sensor, and the vehicle speed sensor. When the remote object sensor indicates the presence of an object with a minimum cross section in a predefined decision zone, and meeting relative velocity based criteria, and the vehicle speed is above a first minimum threshold and below a second maximum threshold and said road trajectory signal indicates a curved road with the radius of curvature over a pre-selected value, a countermeasure system is activated.
In a further aspect of the invention a method for operating a control system comprises:
establishing a first speed threshold and a second speed threshold;
generating a speed signal corresponding to a vehicle speed; and
disabling the countermeasure system when the vehicle speed is below the first threshold or above said second threshold.
One advantage of the invention is that the size and orientation of the sensed object may be taken into consideration. This is extremely useful if the object is another automotive vehicle such as a sport utility, car or truck. By knowing the size of the vehicle, different countermeasures and different countermeasure activation modes may be chosen. Another advantage of the invention is that unintentional or inadvertent activation of countermeasure devices is minimized.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and appended claims.

Method for operating a pre-crash sensing system in a vehicle having a countermeasure system