A position of a three-dimensional (3D) object relative to a display surface of an interactive display system is detected based upon the intensity of infrared (IR) light reflected from the object and received by an IR video camera disposed under the display surface. As the object approaches the display surface, a “hover” connected component is defined by pixels in the image produced by the IR video camera that have an intensity greater than a predefined hover threshold and are immediately adjacent to another pixel also having an intensity greater than the hover threshold. When the object contacts the display surface, a “touch” connected component is defined by pixels in the image having an intensity greater than a touch threshold, which is greater than the hover threshold. Connected components determined for an object at different heights above the surface are associated with a common label if their bounding areas overlap.

Several interactive displays are known in the prior art. For example, a user interface platform was developed in the MIT Media Lab, as reported by Brygg Ullmer and Hiroshi Ishii in "The metaDESK: Models and Prototypes for Tangible User Interfaces," Proceedings of UIST October 1997:14-17. This article describes how the metaDESK includes a near-horizontal graphical surface that is used to display two-dimensional (2D) geographical information. A computer vision system inside the desk unit (i.e., below the graphical surface) includes infrared (IR) lamps, an IR camera, a video camera, a video projector, and mirrors. The mirrors reflect the graphical image projected by the projector onto the underside of the graphical display surface to provide images that are visible to a user from above the graphical display surface. The article further teaches that the IR camera can detect a distinctive pattern provided on the undersurface of passive objects called "phicons" that are placed on the graphical surface. Thus, the IR camera detects an IR pattern (which is transparent to visible light) applied to the bottom of a "Great Dome phicon" and responds by displaying a map of the MIT campus on the graphical surface, with the actual location of the Great Dome in the map positioned where the Great Dome phicon is located. Moving the Great Dome phicon over the graphical surface manipulates the displayed map by rotating or translating the map in correspondence to the movement of the phicon by a user. Clearly, the IR vision-sensing system used in this prior art interactive display is able to detect objects like the phicon, based upon the pattern applied to it. There is no discussion of details involved in simply detecting an object without a pattern, or in determining a relative position of an object above the display surface.
A similar technique for sensing objects on a display surface is disclosed in several papers published by Jun Rekimoto of Sony Computer Science Laboratory, Inc., in collaboration with others. These papers briefly describe a "HoloWall" and a "HoloTable," both of which use IR light to detect objects that are proximate to or in contact with a display panel on which a rear-projected image is visible. The rear-projection panel, which is vertical in the HoloWall and horizontal in the HoloTable, is semi-opaque and diffusive, so that objects reflecting IR light back through the panel become more clearly visible to an IR camera as they approach and then contact the panel. The objects thus detected can be a user's fingers or hand, or other objects. Again, these papers are generally silent regarding the process used for detecting an object based upon the IR light reflected from the object and also fail to discuss determining the relative separation between an object and the display surface.
Clearly, it is known in the art to employ reflected IR light to detect an object placed on a diffusing display surface. The present invention also relates to sensing objects on the display surface of a novel interactive display system that is similar in some ways to the prior art interactive display systems discussed above. This new interactive display table employs a computer vision-based sensing system that produces a signal corresponding to an image of the display surface that indicates where objects that reflect IR light are placed on the display surface. In particular, the pixel intensity at each pixel location in this image indicates whether there is any IR reflective material at that location on the table, but it is still necessary to determine the precise location of an object on the physical display surface, particularly, since an object can appear in the image as a plurality of objects, particularly if the object is not fully in contact with the diffusing display surface. The actual number of objects and their location on the display surface are important to enable software applications to reason about objects on the table surface and to understand the objects' shapes and sizes. For example, a graphic image may be projected directly next to, under, around or in any appropriate relationship to an object on the display surface. It is therefore important to determine various shape characteristics of objects computed from the IR image of the display surface. This function is not provided by touch-sensitive surfaces or screens, for example, most of which are limited to reasoning about one or more discrete points on the surface that correspond to the user's touch. And, it is not clear that prior art interactive display systems determine a relative distance of an object away from the display surface. "Hover state" refers to whether an object is touching the surface of a display surface of an interactive display system ("not hovering"), or is disposed just above the surface of the table ("hovering"). Hover is used in a number of interfaces (e.g., the TabletPC™) to provide a user with pointing feedback without invoking selection, for example, particularly when the pointing device does not have a button for indicating selection. To recover hover state of an object such as the user's finger, it is important to make use of the diffusing display surface, which only reveals objects that are touching or are very close to the display surface of the table in the image produced by the IR vision-sensing system.
A given object will appear brighter in the IR image produced for the display surface, the closer the object is to the display surface. Thus, it would be desirable to determine the maximum brightness of an object, e.g., through a calibration, so that the brightness of the object's IR reflection can be related to the height of the object above the display surface. It would also be desirable to know precisely when an object changes state from hovering just above the display surface to actually touching the display surface.

Determining connectedness and offset of 3D objects relative to an interactive surface


A method of attaching an internal combustion engine piston oiler includes the step of removing a crank shaft from an internal combustion engine to expose a plurality of block main bearing surfaces, selecting a drill guide shaped to fit one of the engine block main bearing surfaces, which drill guide has a predetermined drill guide bore therethrough, and positioning the selected drill guide on the engine block main bearing surface. The method includes positioning a drill bit through the bore in the selected drill guide and drilling a predetermined bore through the engine block webbing from one main bearing surface into the rear of the engine cylinder and then tapping the bore drilled into the engine block and installing an oil metering jet into the drilled and tap bore. The method also includes drilling an aperture into the oil groove in the crank shaft main bearing generally aligned with the engine main bearing surface drilled opening and then replacing the crank shaft in the engine block with the engine oil jet installed to enhance the lubrication of the engine piston dome and wrist pin. The process is repeated for each of the engine cylinders.

The present invention relates to a method of attaching a piston oiler to an internal combustion engine and especially to attaching a piston oiler to spray the piston dome and wrist pin area of each piston in an internal combustion engine.
Engine oil serves many purposes in a racing engine including lubrication of the engine components and as an engine coolant. With the increasingly popular use of creating a vacuum inside the engine crank case, problems have developed from the lack of an oil filled air environment in the racing engine. One of the problems results from friction by the blueing or burnishing of the piston wrist pins. Another more well known problem is burning pistons. A racing engine enjoins the gains from a negative pressurized crank case but, at the same time, eliminates a great source of cooling for the piston dome because of the lack of oil droplets in the air contacting the bottom of the piston dome to help keep the dome cool. The oil is sucked from the crank case with a highly efficient pump scavenging system.
The present invention is directed towards a method of attaching an internal combustion engine piston oiler to oil the piston dome and wrist pin area. The system is internally plumbed into the crank shaft oil supply to make a fine oil spray available to the piston dome and wrist pin area without creating an oil heavy atmosphere inside the engine.
In the past, there have been variety of lubricating devices for internal combustion engines including a number of U.S. patents. The Tsai et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,896, is a lubricating device for a two-stroke gasoline engine in which the cylinder is furnished with one to three lubricant outlets which are placed just under the bottom piston ring upon the piston reaching its lowest point. In the Schubert patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,805, a wear reducing piston for a combustion engine is achieved with a new type of piston with a special channel for collecting lubricants and distributing the lubricants during the piston movement. The Crouse patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,025, is a lubricating oil permeable cylinder wall ring located on the inside surface of the cylinder. The Chiles et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,803, is a reciprocating internal combustion engine which has at least one lubricant discharge nozzle provided in the cylinder liner in communication with the annular groove and opening in the crank case side of the piston. The nozzle is angled towards the combustion chamber, such as to discharge lubricant onto the crank side of the piston. The Yamaguchi et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,455, is an internal combustion engine with a pair of oil ports provided in a wall member of the cylinder to provide oil to this base through the oil ports. The Sorg patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,011,833, is an internal combustion engine having a passageway for conducting lubricating oil from a lubricating chamber to a pin for connecting the rod to the cross head.
The present invention deals with a method of attaching an internal combustion engine piston oiler for oiling the piston and wrist pin area of each piston in an internal combustion engine utilizing the crank shaft oil supply in a racing engine where the oil level has been reduced in the engine having a vacuum created inside the engine crank case. This allows the lubrication of these components of a racing engine without a loss of power from an increased level of oil in the engine crank case.

Method of attaching an internal combustion engine piston oiler


An in-line inspection (ILI) tool 20 for use inspecting pipelines includes a plurality of collapsible guide centralizers 100 configured and sized to correspond to the inside diameter of the pipeline being inspected. The guide centralizes 100 include wheels 102 roll along the inside wall of the pipeline being inspected to maintain the guide centralizers “centered” within the pipeline. A collapsible exciter unit centralizer 200 is positioned between collapsible guide centralizers 100 to “center” the exciter unit centralizer relative to the interior of the pipeline. The exciter unit centralizer 200 generates signals in the form of an alternating magnetic field that travel along the wall of the pipeline which in turn generates eddy current signals. The eddy current signals undergo a change if a discontinuity in the pipeline is encountered by the inspection tool 20, which signal change or deviation is detected by a collapsible detector unit centralizer 300 positioned between the collapsible guide centralizers 100.

Corrosion and leaks in pipelines, especially in the water and the wastewater industry, are particularly serious problems. It has been estimated that on average in North America, only 70% of the water that is treated for drinking actually makes it to the taps of consumers. The 30% that is "lost" leaks out of joints that are not well sealed, or out of corroded-through holes in the pipes into the ground, causing contamination from the chlorine used to treat the water. Leaks from wastewater pipes are even more polluting due to the phosphates (from washing machines) and other chemicals that are flushed down our drains and mix with water from industrial users before reaching the treatment plant.
In order to detect the location of corroded areas and leaks, pipeline owners employ "in-line inspection (ILI) Tools" which use a variety of non-destructive testing (NDT) methods to interrogate the pipe. These ILI Tools use techniques such as Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL), Ultra-sonic Technology (UT), or Remote Field Technology (RFT).
To access the pipelines, especially in the oil and gas marketplace, the pipelines are equipped with "pig launchers" and pig receivers" which are connected to the pipeline through "riser pipes." The water and wastewater industry are not as advanced as the oil and gas industry, where ILI Tools have been in use for almost a century. Because of this, water and wastewater pipelines were not designed to have "pig launchers" and "pig receivers" fabricated and installed when the pipeline is first built, and it is very costly to install them after the pipe has been in service for many years.
For metallic pipelines (made of steel, cast-iron, ductile-iron, and concrete pressure pipe), the ravages of corrosion are the same as for oil and gas pipelines. While pipe wall thicknesses are generally thicker than pipe used in oil and gas applications, and the pressures are typically lower, the protection that is provided to the pipes to protect from soil side ground-water corrosion is usually quite limited, and therefore soil-side corrosion is common and causes many failures of these pipelines. In water pipelines in North America, the leakage rate due to corroded through holes can be as high as 30%, and thus never make it to the faucets of customers. This has environmental consequences through chlorinated water being introduced into the water table and extra costs for pumping and water treatment. In water-starved states such as Nevada and Arizona, this loss of water is a serious threat to sustaining sources of water for domestic use. Hence, the water industry is driven to inspect their pipes for corroded and weakened areas, and ILI tools are very good technology for that purpose, especially for large transmission mains.
Large water and wastewater transmission mains can vary in size from 16 inches to over 120 inches in diameter, and the larger mains are often equipped with manways, enabling inspection and internal repairs of the pipes periodically. Manways offer a low-cost means of accessing the pipelines; however, many ILI Tools cannot fit through the manway unless they are completely dis-assembled, passed through the manway in pieces, and re-assembled inside the pipe. This is a time-consuming exercise, which can take a full day for assembly and then another day for dis-assembly after the pipe is inspected.
The present disclosure seeks to address the forgoing short comings in current systems and methods for inspecting water and wastewater lines.

PICA Pipeline Inspection and Condition Analysis Corporation


The invention discloses a 3D laser measuring scanning apparatus. The apparatus comprises: a measurement scanning body; an -axial laser beam outlet and an X-axial reception lens arranged on a side wall of the measurement scanning body, and a Y-axial laser beam outlet and a Y-axial reception lens arranged on another side wall; a Z-axial laser beam outlet and a Z-axial reception lens arranged on the bottom of the measurement scanning body, wherein a groove being open at the side wall with the X-axial laser beam outlet and at the side wall with the Y-axial laser beam outlet is formed in the bottom; a control device placed inside the measurement scanning body and for controlling the emitting of the laser beams from the laser beam outlets when receiving a measurement instruction through a measurement button on the measurement scanning body. A bar code and 2-dimensional bar code scanning laser head, a laser reception lens and a camera are also placed at the bottom of the measurement scanning body. By using this utility model, the three dimensions of a transport box can be easily measured.

In the course of cargo transportation, it is generally required to use a transport box for transporting cargos. When using conveyances to transport a large quantity of goods, it is critical to obtain the volume and weight of transport boxes in advance for the carriage. The existing measuring devices are generally large-scale devices, and it is required to place a transport box onto the bearing platform of the measuring device when measuring, causing waste of time and energy. Moreover, if the volume of the transport box is relatively large and the weight of the transport box is relatively heavy, measuring the three dimensions of the transport box would be much more inconvenient.
Therefore, a device is needed to scan the bar code or 2-dimensional bar code information on the commodity and measure the weight of the commodity, the volume of the transport box and other information at the same time.


A zero-crossing detector for asynchronous detection of threshold transitions in a digitally sampled signal waveform. The Asynchronous Digital Threshold Detector (ADTD) receives a digitized self-clocking data readback waveform and provides the relative location of a zero-crossing within the sample period where it occurs. The digital output, which is useful for recovering data and clock signals, is in a digital form that can be used directly by a certain class of asynchronous digital phase detector systems. The ADTD is entirely digital and can be embodied in a low power configuration using CMOS technology.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to zero-crossing threshold detectors in general and, more specifically, to a digital zero-crossing detector for providing a digital output signal representing the detection location within an asynchronous sampling window.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the data storage arts, binary data is encoded and stored on optical or magnetic media as a series of optical or magnetic transitions. Retrieval of stored data requires a detecting and decoding system in the recording channel to reconstruct the original binary data and synchronous clock from the self-clocking analog signal waveform created by the magnetic or optical transducer adjacent to the storage medium. Practitioners in the art have proposed many solutions to the problems associated with extracting synchronous clock and data from a self-clocking data signal. These problems include discrimination between actual transitions and mere noise pulses and precise reconstruction of the synchronous data clock signal to permit accurate decoding of the phase-encoded data. An important element in such recording channels is the waveform transition or "zero-crossing" detector, which is necessary to accurately determine the precise relative timing or phase of each self-clocking waveform transition.
Analog pulse detectors known in the art suffer from the usual disadvantages of analog electronic apparatus. They are expensive, bulky and subject to calibration drift over time. Moreover, analog pulse detectors are generally suited to a narrow predetermined range of channel data rates, imposing severe channel data rate restrictions on storage media data retrieval systems. Digital implementations of data pulse or transition phase detectors known in the art usually rely on discrete-signal embodiments of the well-known analog detection techniques. For instance, the analog signal waveform is first sampled and digitized using well-known Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) techniques. These samples are then processed digitally to remove unwanted frequency components and to reconstruct the synchronous clock and data. There is a clearly felt need in the art for a fully digital implementation of a channel waveform transition phase detector that can accurately detect self-clocking data pulses in a recording channel data signal waveform over a wide range of data rates. The crucial need is for accurate synchronous data detection at moderate asynchronous sampling rates because high-speed sampling techniques are disadvantageously expensive.
Digital computer programs are known in the art for simulating the functions of analog recording channels but these techniques require high sampling rates, making implementation in real-time hardware expensive and difficult. Some of the difficulty involved in digital implementation can be overcome by reducing the asynchronous analog signal sampling rate. Unfortunately, a reduced asynchronous sampling rate results in increased uncertainty of the zero-crossing detection time. This leads to jitter distortion and increased Bit Error Rate (BER) in the recording channel.
Practitioners in the art have made efforts to reduce jitter at lower sampling rates by improving inter-sample interpolation. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,339, Peter H. Alfke et al disclose a zero-crossing interpolator intended to reduce isochronous distortion in a digital FSK modem. Alfke et al teach improving the precision of zero-crossing detection by adding a high-speed internal clock to step the detector along a linear slope between each input sample pair until a change in sign is detected. Thus, their technique requires the same high speed digital devices that make higher sampling rate disadvantageous. Moreover, although Alfke et al teach the use of digital devices, the output of their zero-crossing interpolator is a simple analog timing gate that is subject to the same sources of analog errors affecting analog zero-crossing detector embodiments.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,491, Arthur P. Geffon discloses a circuit for detecting zero-crossing points in a data signal in the presence of noise. Geffon teaches a pulse-qualification technique for eliminating zero-crossings that presumably arise from noise. He neither considers nor suggests methods for detecting zero-crossings in a digitally sampled signal.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,879, Donald S. Peterson et al disclose a signal transition detection method for finding signal waveform transitions in a binary-encoded analog signal waveform. Peterson et al teach the use of a second differentiation step to provide a second derivative signal that improves the noise immunity of their analog circuit. They neither consider nor suggest means for detecting threshold transitions in a digitally-sampled signal waveform. Other similar disclosures of improved analog detectors may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,593,166; 3,916,328; 3,955,102; 4,132,909; 4,151,427; 4,268,764; 4,480,200; 4,795,915; and 5,001,364. There is still a clearly felt need in the art for a digital zero-crossing detector that incorporates digital interpolation techniques to provide accurate transition timing outputs at relatively low asynchronous sampling rates. This requirement is especially important in modern digital recording channels that must be entirely implemented on low-power single-chip digital integrated circuits without analog components. The related unresolved problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the art and are solved by this invention in the manner described below.

Asynchronous digital threshold detector for a digital data storage channel

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus and method for interfacing with a hypervideo multimedia application when composing and playing same is disclosed. A novel hypervideo control and interface provides for either user-actuated or automatic transitioning between a plurality of video, graphics, textual, animation, and other types of multimedia files. A hypervideo control preferably transitions through distinct lifecycle phases and events as it is presented and removed from an interface display to visually convey to a user the present availability and impending removal of the control from the interface display, thereby providing an intuitive means for navigating a hypervideo application. In one embodiment, a hypervideo editing system includes a wordprocessing system and a separate video playback system. An author of a hypervideo application preferably identifies a particular frame of video displayed by the video playback system and creates an ASCII compliant mark video file that defines the type and functional characteristics of hypervideo controls, marks, and actions using the wordprocessing system. In a preferred embodiment, editing and playing of a hypervideo application is facilitated by a software-implemented hypervideo editing system that provides an intuitive graphical-user-interface (GUI) to facilitate rapid, real-time hypervideo application development, as well as playback capability. Object-oriented design principals are preferably employed to permit efficient linking and embedding of a hypervideo application or interface into an off-the-shelf software application or other parent application.

Advancements in digital video technology have resulted in the proliferation of computer-based video products in commercial and consumer markets. The continuing development of new generations of high-speed microprocessors has enabled software developers to develop motion video applications for use on the personal computer. One such emerging category of motion video applications includes software-implemented video editing systems.
Prior to exploiting the processing capability of desktop computers to facilitate the video editing process, a traditional editing approach typically involved physically splicing taped segments of video under a microscope using very expensive equipment. More recently, computer-based video editing systems were developed that increased the efficiency of the editing process, but provided limited functionality due to the inherent linear nature of such early computer-based editing systems. In general, such linear editing solutions required a user to constantly seek from one portion of a video tape to another portion in order to view various non-sequential segments of a video program. It can be appreciated that a linear editing approach is very time-consuming and severely limits the degree to which various special effects, such as dissolves and wipes, can be effectuated.
Presently, a number of hardware and software manufacturers have developed non-linear type video editing tools that provide a variety of special effects. With the advent of more powerful microprocessors and high-bandwidth bus architectures, desktop video editing has been made available to the consumer market. Such personal computer-based editing systems, however, generally provide only a limited degree of functionality and capability in comparison to their expensive, high-end mainframe counterparts.
Various software applications have been developed to play motion video files on personal computer systems. Two very popular desktop video playback applications are QuickTime.TM., which operates on Macintosh.RTM. compatible personal computers, and Video for Windows.RTM., which operates on AT-type compatible personal computers. Although these and other similar products provide a means for playing back motion video files on a personal computer, consumers and other video program developers continue to seek video editing tools to enable them to produce multimedia video applications efficiently and at a relatively low cost. A number of video editing software tools have been developed for consumer-grade personal computers. These systems generally employ digital video compression techniques to digitize and compress analog video in order to significantly reduce the amount of hard disk memory allocated for storing video files, and to permit random access to desired locations in a video program.
A conventional desktop video editing system typically provides a multimedia developer with a number of editing capabilities, including various special effects, transitions, and the capability to effectively splice together various independent video and audio clips. Such systems permit the development of multimedia applications that are often designed to follow a pre-established script or storyboard. A multimedia developer may also produce an interactive multimedia application in which a user can, to some degree, control the progression of application playback.
A traditional approach to providing a user-interactive interface for navigating a multimedia application storyboard involves prompting a user as to the existence of a deviation point in the presentation, and presenting available navigation options upon reaching the deviation point, typically by presenting to the user a list of question on the video display. Depending on the user's response to the questions presented on the display, the desired deviation from the current presentation or, if selected, continuation of the current presentation is effectuated.
It can be appreciated that this and similar methods for prompting a user as to the existence of a deviation point or other user-actuatable function through the interactive interface interrupts the continuity of the presentation, requires the user to read the displayed prompt message and respond accordingly, and generally disrupts the overall flow and effectiveness of the multimedia presentation.
Another significant deficiency associated with conventional desktop video editing systems concerns the inherent difficulty of modifying data associated with the video and audio signal components of a multimedia application. More specifically, a multimedia information signal or bitstream is typically comprised of a video signal portion, and audio signal portion, and a data signal portion which are multiplexed or interleaved into a composite multimedia bitstream. The video signal portion represents the visual content of the multimedia bitstream, while the audio signal portion represents the audio content of the multimedia bitstream. The data signal portion generally represents instructions and other information which, when interpreted by a computer, effect various multimedia functions, such as visual prompts to a user and effecting diversions from a current presentation.
Generally, the video, audio, and data signal portions are interleaved or multiplexed into an integral multimedia bitstream, and generally organized in accordance with a proprietary format. The incorporation of the data signal portion into a composite multimedia bitstream significantly increases the difficulty of efficiently modifying a multimedia application. The instructions associated with diversions, prompts, and other interactive functions in a multimedia application, which are typically defined in the data signal portion of the multiplexed multimedia bitstream, are generally indistinguishable and inaccessible from other signal portions, thereby virtually precluding the opportunity of efficiently modifying the data signal portion. Any such modifications may, if at all, be accomplished by recreating the effected portion of a multimedia application.
There exist a keenly felt need in the digital video industry for an intuitive technique for prompting a user as to the existence of an interactive function during a multimedia presentation without distracting the user or interrupting the continuity of the multimedia presentation. There exists a further need for a video editing format that permits access to, and efficient modification of, the data signal portion of a multimedia bitstream. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.

Interactive hypervideo editing system and interface


A printed circuit board includes a base and a signal trace laid on the base. The signal trace includes a plurality of straight line segments parallel to the first fibers. The signal trace is laid on the base in such a manner that the line segments of the signal trace mapped on the base partly superpose the first fibers and partly superpose gaps between two adjacent first fibers.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printed circuit board, and more particularly to a printed circuit board having high signal transmission quality.
2. General Background
A printed circuit board (PCB) typically consists of a base, resin, and copper foil. The base for the PCB is often constructed from woven glass fiber cloth. During the process of manufacturing the PCB, the base is treated by passing it through a dip pan containing resin. The treated base is then passed through a set of squeeze rollers, and then a drying oven to cure. Then, the base is cut into a desired PCB size. Once the base has been prepared, copper foil is applied to one or two sides of the base, typically by electrodeposition. The copper foil is etched to form different signal traces on the PCB.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a PCB 1 includes a base 10 which includes a set of first fibers 11 and a second set of second fibers 12. The PCB 1 defines an X-axis extending in a horizontal direction, and a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis. The first fibers 11 of the base 10 disposed in the X-axis direction are interlaced with the second fibers 12 of the base 10 disposed in the Y-axis direction. Resin is impregnated in gaps 13 among the fibers 11 and 12. Generally, each straight line segment of a signal trace 17 is arranged on the PCB 1 at an angle of 0, 45, 90, or −45 degrees relative to the X-axis. In a PCB, some line segments of the signal traces 17 cross the fibers 11 or 12 of the base 10 (such as the line segment of the signal traces 17 arranged at the angles of 45, −45 degrees of FIG. 1), and some line segments of signal traces are coincident with the fibers 11 or 12 of base 10 (such as the line segment of signal traces arranged at the angles of 0, 90 degrees of FIG. 1). There is delay between signals on different signal traces.
What is needed, therefore, is a PCB having little delay time of signals on signal traces laid thereon.


An assembly for anchoring a light post assembly with a ground anchor that secures to a ground box comprising a plate with a plurality of walls extending in a first direction to penetrate the ground and a plurality of fasteners extending in a second direction from the plate and receiving thereon a light post base having a plurality of openings for aligned receiving of the fasteners and receiving nuts thereon to secure the light post base to the ground box.

The lighting trade provides a range of lighting fixtures for ornamental and guidance illumination of yards, driveways, walkways, trees and shrubbery, and residential and other buildings. These lighting fixtures include low-placed spot lights, flood lights, and walkway lights, as well as elongated posts for elevated lighting fixtures. The low-placed lighting fixtures topically have a ground spike for securing the fixture in place. The elongated posts typically mount to threaded bolts that extend from a poured concrete foundation. Installation of poured concrete foundations for lighting posts involves the digging of a receiving hole in the ground, a foundation form, mixing and pouring of the concrete, and seating of threaded fasteners or brackets for fasteners in the wet concrete. After curing, the installer then seats and secures a light post base on the foundation, installs the light post to the base, and makes necessary electrical connections for the light fixture attached to the light post. While the poured concrete foundation adequately supports the installed light post, the drawback is the labor and extended installation time required.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved foundation and support for elongated light posts. It is to such that the present invention is directed.


A method for use with a light-sensitive integrated circuit includes applying different wavelengths of light to the integrated circuit to produce output signals in response to the different wavelengths of light, measuring the output signals to obtain measured values, comparing the measured values to setpoint values that correspond to the different wavelengths of light, obtaining correction values for the different wavelengths of light that are based on the comparison, and storing the correction values on the integrated circuit.

Light-sensitive integrated circuits, which provide an electric output signal, such as an electric current, when irradiated with light of a specific wavelength, are known. Interference at the surfaces of the light-sensitive integrated circuit facing toward the light source and further effects cause the electrical signal generated by the integrated circuit to be strongly dependent on the incident light wavelength. This effect is undesirable in the precise measurement of light using integrated circuits.
In order to reduce the wavelength dependence of the output signal, applying an antireflective coating to the surface of the light-sensitive integrated circuit facing toward the light source is known from the publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,488. Such a coating has the disadvantage that it requires an additional process step when manufacturing the light sensor.


A device and method for improving flow through a native blood vessel valve, such as the aortic valve, are provided. The present invention allows a miniature valve to be implanted into affected leaflets percutaneously, obviating the need for coronary bypass surgery. The method includes the cutting of small holes, on the order of 4 mm, in the leaflets of a targeted valve, thereby allowing blood to flow through the newly formed holes. The holes are used as attachment sites for the miniature valves of the present invention.

Blood vessel valves include flexible tissue leaflets that passively alternate between open and closed positions as the forces of a blood stream act upon them. As blood flows in a first direction, the leaflets are urged apart from each other, and allow the blood to pass. Between pulses, as the blood attempts to flow in a reverse direction, the blood acts upon upstream surfaces of the individual leaflets, causing the leaflets to move inwardly. As the leaflets move inwardly, the edges of the individual leaflets (two, in the case of bicuspid valves, and three in the case of tricuspid valves) abut against each other, effectively blocking the blood flow in the reverse direction.
Valves are also present within the heart. The heart contains four one-way valves that direct blood flow through the heart and into the arteries. Three of these valves, the aortic valve, the tricuspid valve, and the pulmonary valve, each have three leaflets. The fourth valve, the mitral valve, has two leaflets. By defining a direction in which blood can flow, these valves are responsible for the resulting pump effect a heart has on blood when the heart beats.
A number of diseases result in a thickening, and subsequent immobility or reduced mobility, of valve leaflets. Valve immobility leads to a narrowing, or stenosis, of the passageway through the valve. The increased resistance to blood flow that a stenosed valve presents eventually leads to heart failure and death.
Treating severe valve stenosis or regurgitation has heretofore involved complete removal of the existing native valve followed by the implantation of a prosthetic valve. Naturally, this is a heavily invasive procedure and inflicts great trauma on the body leading usually to great discomfort and considerable recovery time. It is also a sophisticated procedure that requires great expertise and talent to perform.
Historically, such valve replacement surgery has been performed using traditional open-heart surgery where the chest is opened, the heart stopped, the patient placed on cardiopulmonary bypass, the native valve excised and the replacement valve attached. More recently, it has been proposed to perform valve replacement surgery percutaneously, that is, through a catheter, so as to avoid opening the chest.
One such percutaneous valve replacement method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,614 (the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference) issued to Andersen et al. In this patent, the prosthetic valve is collapsed to a size that fits within a catheter. The catheter is then inserted into the patient's vasculature and moved so as to position the collapsed valve at the location of the native valve. A deployment mechanism is activated that expands the replacement valve against the walls of the body lumen. The expansion force pushes the leaflets of the existing native valve against the lumen wall thus essentially "excising" the native valve for all intents and purposes. The expanded structure, which includes a scaffold configured to have a valve shape with valve leaflet supports, is then released from the catheter and begins to take on the function of the native valve. As a result, a full valve replacement has been achieved but at a significantly reduced physical impact to the patient.
One particular drawback with the percutaneous approach disclosed in the Andersen '614 Patent is the difficulty in preventing leakage around the perimeter of the new valve after implantation. Since the tissue of the native valve remains within the lumen, there is a strong likelihood that the commissural junctions and fusion points of the valve tissue (as pushed against the lumen wall) will make sealing of the prosthetic valve around the interface between the lumen and the prosthetic valve difficult. Furthermore, in some patients, the deflection of the leaflets against the lumen walls could potentially obstruct the ostial openings of the lumen.
Although both the traditional open heart valve replacement surgery and the newer percutaneous valve replacement surgery replace a native valve in entirely different ways and both have their drawbacks, the paradigm of these two approaches is identical: Render the native valve useless, either through excision (open heart) or immobilization (percutaneous), and then implant a completely new replacement prosthetic valve to take over. In other words, both approaches rely entirely on the premise that the native valve must be entirely replaced (physically or functionally) by an entirely new prosthetic valve.
In contravention of the prior art, the present invention introduces an entirely different paradigm to valve replacement surgery, something neither taught nor contemplated by the open heart approach or the percutaneous approach (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,614) and something that largely avoids the drawbacks associated with both. More specifically, the present invention is premised on leaving the native valve in place, not on its excision or immobilization, and then utilizing the native valve as a platform for actually treating the diseased valve. This is a wholly new approach to treating diseased valves.
For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the physician diagnoses that the patient has a stenotic valve and then percutaneously mounts a plurality of small "leaflet valves" or "mini-valves" on one or more of the diseased native valve leaflets. In other words the native valve and its leaflets are used as a planar surface or a type of "bulkhead" on which new mini leaflet valves are mounted. The native valve remains in place but valve disfunction is remedied due to the presence of these new leaflet valves. As a result, the diseased valve is successfully treated without the complication associated with removing the native valve.
This leads to a much simpler and safer approach as compared to the prior art. It avoids the invasive nature of the open heart approach and avoids the sealing and ostial blockage problems of the percutaneous approach.


A design process for varying hole locations or sizes or both in an ion beam grid includes identifying a control grid to be modified; obtaining a change factor for the grid pattern; and using the change factor to generate a new grid pattern. The change factor is one or both of a hole location change factor or a hole diameter change factor. Also included is an ion beam grid having the characteristic of hole locations or sizes or both defined by a change factor modification of control grid hole locations or sizes or both.

One of the issues in the development and usage of broad beam ion sources is in the production of very uniform ion beam density profiles. Since electric discharge plasmas do not themselves have a uniform distribution of ion density, ion sources which utilize ions generated in the plasma typically have non-uniform ion beam density profiles. Though the discussion here references beam grids, for example for ion sources, it applies generally to any charged particle broad beam source including both positive and negative ion beam sources and electron sources.
In order to solve this problem and achieve higher uniformities of ion beam current densities, ion extraction grids of gridded ion sources have been developed with variations of grid open area fraction (grid transparency) over the entire grid pattern. Indeed many have discrete sections of grid patterns in each of which may be different hole-to-hole distances and/or different hole diameters. Such ion extraction grids have been provided as solutions for various applications. At higher requirements of ion beam current density uniformities, however, the boundaries of such discrete sections may still cause unwanted disturbances in ion beam current density uniformities.
FIG. 1 shows one example of an arbitrary conventional grid pattern which has multiple discrete radially defined zones for grid transparency (the concentric circles being indicative of, and demarcating the boundaries between zones). Within each zone, the grid design is typically filled with repeating patterns to obtain a constant grid transparency within that zone. At the boundaries of zones, however, the transition between one zone and another may not be smooth, resulting in local discontinuities in the grid hole density, and, if left uncorrected, in the beam current density. FIG. 2 shows typical irregularities at both radial and azimuthal zone boundaries (note, the small black circles show locations of holes if they were equally spaced). These zone boundaries may be radial and various azimuthal boundaries may appear as shown here or, depending on the particular design, there may be other boundaries where either the hole size or spacing changes discontinuously. (Note, the six areas unpopulated with holes that are observed at the second radial boundary from the center in FIG. 1 are a result of other design features not relevant to the subject of this disclosure.) Conventionally, any adjustment to smooth the transition at the boundaries has been done by design personnel on a hole-by-hole basis. Shown in FIG. 3 is a distribution of grid transparency using an arbitrary unit as a function of radius in another arbitrary conventional grid design. The scattered data points in FIG. 3 are associated with boundaries where the patterns do not match and holes have been manually adjusted.

Grid transparency and grid hole pattern control for ion beam uniformity


A multi-stage process is provided for treating a water to reduce its hardness. The feed water is initially heated to a thermal reaction temperature in a heating stage. The heated water is then maintained at or near the thermal reaction temperature for a sufficient residence time to thermally react the water, producing a first portion of a scale from the scale-forming ions in the water while discharging dissolved gases from the water. After the thermal reaction stage, one or more chemical additives in the form of a hydroxide ion donor and optionally a bicarbonate ion donor are added to the heated water in a chemical reaction stage. The chemical additive is chemically reacted with the water in the chemical reaction stage, producing a second portion of the scale from the scale-forming ions in the water. A treated water having a reduced hardness is recovered from a sludge settling stage and the scale produced by the thermal and chemical reaction stages is discharged from the water and accumulated in a sludge accumulation stage for withdrawal from the process.

One conventional method for softening hard water used in industrial applications is lime softening, wherein a suitable chemical additive, such as lime or soda ash, is introduced to the hard water. The chemical additive induces the formation of insoluble precipitates, such as calcium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide, that are readily discharged from the water to obtain a soft water product. Another conventional method for softening hard water is thermal softening, wherein the hard water is heated to a relatively high temperature, thermally inducing the formation of the insoluble precipitates. Lime softening and thermal softening have also been combined in a single process termed a hot lime treatment process, wherein the lime is added to the feed water and the feed water is heated thereafter to form insoluble precipitates and obtain a soft water product. The hot lime treatment process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,029,576; 4,518,505; and 4,366,066.
The hot lime treatment process achieves a relatively high quality soft water product, but has correspondingly high energy and chemical requirements. Consequently the operating costs for the process are excessive. As such, the present invention recognizes a need for a more cost effective process of treating water to reduce its hardness. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective process for treating a hard water to reduce the hardness thereof. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective process for reducing the hardness of an oilfield produced water. It is another object of the present invention to provide a process for reducing the hardness of an oilfield produced water that has relatively low chemical requirements. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a process for reducing the hardness of an oilfield produced water that has relatively low energy requirements. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a process for reducing the hardness of an oilfield produced water that reduces the amount of sludge that is produced as waste. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process for reducing the hardness of an oilfield produced water that also effectively removes dissolved gases from the water. These objects and others are achieved in accordance with the invention described hereafter.

Water treatment process for reducing the hardness of an oilfield produced water


Embodiments include a method for single cycle offset adjustment for a traffic signal includes receiving a current signal control plan and a new signal control plan. The method also includes calculating an offset between the current signal control plan and a new signal control plan and determining if the offset is less than a threshold percentage of a cycle length of the new signal control plan. If the offset is less than a threshold percentage of the cycle length, the method includes reducing a time period of each phase of a next cycle of the new signal control plan. If the offset is greater than the threshold percentage of the cycle length, the method includes increasing the time period of each phase of the next cycle of the new signal control plan. The method also includes executing the new signal control plan.

The present invention relates generally to a traffic management system and more specifically to, a single cycle offset adjustment for traffic signal controllers in a traffic management system.
In general, traffic management systems are utilized to control the operation of traffic signals along arterial roads. The goal of the traffic management system is to maximize vehicle throughput on the arterial road while minimizing delays. Traffic signal controllers are used to control the operation of traffic signals along the arterial roads and to adjust the signal phasing and timing based on the time and day of the week. In general, when a transition from one signal control plan to another occurs, the traffic signal controller resynchronizes the traffic signal settings by using an offset correction method.
Many currently available offset correction methods take several signal cycles to complete the offset correction and therefore the transition from one signal control plan to another may produce offset correction delays. This delay in transitioning to the new signal control plan is often counterproductive to the goal of implementing the new signal control plan. In addition, currently available offset correction methods often cause long delays by dwelling in a single phase for an extend period of time while transitioning from one signal control plan to another.

Single cycle offset adjustment for traffic signal controllers using a threshold percentage of the cycle length


A polymer membrane for water treatment composed of a vinyl chloride copolymer comprising a vinyl chloride monomer and a hydrophilic monomer.

Conventionally, polymer membranes for water treatment are used for purifying water, for example, for removing turbidity from river water and groundwater, clarification of industrial water, treatment of wastewater and sewage, and as a pretreatment for seawater desalination, and the like.
Usually, such polymer membranes for water treatment are used as separation membranes in water treatment devices that utilize porous hollow fiber membranes formed from various polymer materials such as, for example, polystyrene (PS), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), polyethylene (PE), cellulose acetate (CA), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), polyimide (PI), and the like. In particular, polysulfone resins are frequently used due to their superior mechanical and chemical properties such as heat resistance, acid resistance, alkali resistance, and the like, and from the additional perspective of the ease of making a membrane.
In general, examples of the properties that are required in a polymer membrane for water treatment, in addition to the goal of separation properties, include having superior water permeability and superior physical strength, high stability toward a variety of chemical substances (namely, chemical resistance), less likelihood of adhesion of impurities during filtration (namely, superior antifouling properties), and the like.
For example, cellulose acetate hollow-fiber separation membranes with a superior balance of mechanical properties and improved water permeability have been proposed (see Patent Document 1).
However, this cellulose acetate hollow-fiber separation membrane has low mechanical strength and its chemical resistance is inadequate. Consequently, there is a problem in that when the separation membrane becomes contaminated, cleaning employs physical means or chemical means using chemical products and is extremely difficult. In addition, due to degradability by microorganisms, it is problematic to use membrane bioreactors (MBRs), the applications of which in sewer water treatment have increased in recent years.
Additionally, polymer membranes for water treatment have been proposed using hollow fiber membranes formed from poly(vinylidene fluoride) resin that have both superior physical strength and chemical resistance (see Patent Document 2). Even when contaminated, these polymer membranes for water treatment can be washed using various chemical agents.
However, poly(vinylidene fluoride) tends to have comparatively little hydrophilic properties, with low antifouling properties.
Furthermore, the use of vinyl chloride resins can be considered for their superior mechanical strength and chemical resistance, but the antifouling properties of vinyl chloride resins are inadequate.
Thus, to improve the antifouling properties of porous membranes using vinyl chloride resins, a type of porous polymer membrane was proposed with a vinyl chloride resin in which a hydrophilic polymer that is a cellulose derivative is coated onto a blended non-woven fabric (see Patent Document 3).
Moreover, a porous membrane was also proposed in which an ethylenediamine-polyoxyalkylene polymer is blended into a vinyl chloride resin (see Patent Document 4).
However, there are problems when blending a hydrophilic polymer, such as that controlling phase separation when a porous membrane is manufactured is difficult, a uniform membrane cannot be obtained, and its performance is not stable.
Thus, membranes for use in water filtration have been proposed to include a comb-shaped polymer from graft polymerization of poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) onto vinyl chloride resin using a copper chloride catalyst coordinated to a tetramine compound (see Patent Document 5).
This reference document describes a polymer blend membrane with a grafted main chain homopolymer and a comb-shaped polymer, with the molecular weight of the comb-shaped polymer grafted side chains being increased to improve membrane hydrophilic properties.
However, compatibility decreased when the molecular weight of the comb-shaped polymer grafted side chains was increased, raising concerns of reduced mechanical strength. In addition, there are concerns about residues from the copper chloride and tetramine compound used in the catalyst.

Polymer membrane for water treatment and method for manufacture of same


Method for treatment of a disease in a patient characterized by accumulation of .beta.-amyloid. The method includes identifying a patient potentially suffering from such a disease and contacting a neuron of the patient with a therapeutically effective amount of a tachykinin agonist. Methods for screening for compounds useful for treating such a disease are also disclosed.

This invention relates to treating diseases characterized by an undesirable buildup of .beta.-amyloid protein (".beta.-amyloid").
.beta.-amyloid is a well characterized protein that is the primary constituent of senile plaques and cerebrovascular deposits in Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome. The form of .beta.-amyloid that is most prevalent in senile plaques contains 40-42 amino acids, but various other .beta.-amyloid forms are known, ranging from 28-43 amino acids in length.
.beta.-amyloid protein is encoded as part of a message that encodes a much larger precursor (the amyloid precursor protein, APP), carboxy terminal fragments of which are neurotoxic to hippocampal neurons in culture. Yankner et al., 245 Science 417, 1989. Whitson et al., 243 Science 1488, 1989, however, describe a peptide homologous to .beta.-amyloid which increases the survival of young undifferentiated hippocampal neurons in cell culture.
Patients with Alzheimer's disease exhibit reduced levels of neurotransmitter peptides: Beal et al., Science (1985) 229:289-291 (receptors for somatostatin); Davis et al., Nature (1980) 288:279-280 and Rossor et al., Neurosci. Ltrs. (1980) 20:373-377 (somatostatin); Whitehouse, et al. Anal. Neurol. (1981) 10:122-126 (acetyl choline); Quigley et al., Neurosci (1986) 17:70a and Quigley et al. (1991) Neurosci 41:41-60 (Substance P); Adolfsson et al. (1978) In "Alzheimer's Disease, Senile Dementia and Related Disorders (Aging)" Ed. Katzman et al., Vol. 7, pp. 441-451 New York, Rauer (noradrenalin).

Screening methods to identify neurotoxin inhibitors

The Children's Medical Center Corporation


A method for providing real time service of huge and high quality digital image on internet is disclosed, wherein data relevant to a general life such as a general photo, an advertising leaflet, and a pamphlet and professional image data exhibited in an art gallery, exhibition grounds, a pavilion are made into huge and high quality digital image or scanned and photographed to be digital, thereby processing real time service as an interactive browsing form. In the present invention, data are directly made, edited, constructed, and uploaded on internet, thereby providing various additional information with image through hyperlink and processing high quality digital image service on network without speed delay for huge image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a service of high quality digital image through internet, and particularly, to a method for providing various information through interactive user interface, wherein image data and each kind of professional data commonly used in daily life are provided to enhance utilization of image data.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the related art, since data such as an advertising leaflet, a propaganda is booklet, a handbill, a pamphlet, and etc. are almost used for one time, advertisement and publicity effect is not great and the data did not last for a long time. Also, professional data include each kind of works of art, photo works exhibited in an art gallery and a pavilion. The data provide simple information and there was an inconvenience to visit an art gallery or a pavilion to appreciate the corresponding works.
In the related art, even if an art gallery or gallery service are provided through internet and various internet-album services are performed, enormous image corresponding to hundreds of sheets or ten thousands of sheets and enormous image corresponding to scores of MB or hundreds of MB were not processed in a constant network bandwidth, thereby limiting quality and size of service image. That caused image quality to be degraded and made it almost impossible to provide additional information (moving image, sound, and etc.) with image. That is resulted from that a limitation about a method for providing huge image real time through network is not overcame. Also, since image information is downloaded and then displayed on a screen, it was impossible for users to appreciate high quality works real time.

Method for providing real-time service of huge and high quality digital image on internet


A method of bonding flying leads produces reliable bonds between the flying leads and substrate pads and can efficiently bond a plurality of flying leads and a plurality of substrate pads using a bonding tool. Flying leads are respectively aligned with a plurality of substrate pads disposed in parallel and a bonding tool applies ultrasonic vibration to the flying leads to bond the respective substrate pads and the flying leads. Bonding is carried out using a bonding tool in which (at least one contact member) a plurality of contact members that contact(s) the flying leads and apply (applies) the ultrasonic vibration thereto are (is) rotatably supported. The bonding tool is moved in a direction so as to cross the flying leads disposed in parallel with the plurality of contact members (at least one contact member) rolling while in contact with the flying leads, and the ultrasonic vibration is applied from the plurality of contact members (at least one contact member) to the flying leads to ultrasonically bond the respective flying leads to the substrate pads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of bonding flying leads, and in particular to a method of bonding flying leads to substrate pads using a method of ultrasonic bonding.
2. Background Art
FIG. 3 shows the overall construction of a carriage assembly used in a magnetic disk apparatus. The carriage assembly is formed by attaching suspensions 12, on which magnetic heads are mounted, to the front ends of a plurality of carriage arms 10 provided corresponding to the number of media. An actuator shaft 14 is provided at the base portions of the carriage arms 10 and the carriage arms 10 are rotated parallel to the surfaces of the media with the actuator shaft 14 as a support shaft.
There are a number of methods for electrically connecting the magnetic heads mounted on the suspensions 12 and a signal transfer circuit. FIG. 3 shows a connecting structure that uses so-called "long tail suspension substrates" where the end portions of suspension substrates provided on the suspensions 12 are formed so as to extend as far as attachment positions of a flexible substrate 16 attached to side surfaces of base parts of the carriage arms 10.
With a connecting structure that uses such long tail suspension substrates, substrate pads provided on the flexible substrates 16 and flying leads 18 that extend from base portions of the long tail suspension substrates are aligned and the flying leads 18 are bonded to the substrate pads using an ultrasonic tool. FIG. 4 shows a state where the flying leads 18 and substrate pads 17 provided on the flexible substrate 16 are ultrasonically bonded using a bonding tool 20.
Ultrasonic bonding is used when mounting a semiconductor chip on a substrate using flip-chip bonding or when bonding wires to leads, and a variety of methods have been proposed for reliably carrying out ultrasonic bonding.
Patent Document 1 discloses a method of wire bonding that presses a lead frame via a vibration suppressing member to prevent the lead frame from resonating. Patent Document 2 discloses a method of bonding that applies a conductive material onto substrate electrodes to form bonding electrodes and thereby provide sufficient bonding area. Patent Documents 3 and 4 disclose a method of bonding that interposes an anisotropic conductive film and applies ultrasound in a direction that causes tight attachment. Patent Document 5 discloses a method of bonding that roughens a bonding surface. Patent Document 6 discloses a method that applies a non-conductive bonding agent onto a bonding surface.
Patent Document 1
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H10-150137
Patent Document 2
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-136399
Patent Document 3
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H08-146451
Patent Document 4
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H110-189657
Patent Document 5
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H05-63038
Patent Document 6
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-93581
With the connecting structure that uses long tail suspension substrates shown in FIG. 3, since a large number of flying leads 18 are disposed in parallel at minute intervals, although it is possible to ultrasonically bond the flying leads 18 to the substrate pads 17 one at a time, as shown in FIG. 4, a method that ultrasonically bonds a plurality of the flying leads 18 in a single operation is more efficient.
In FIG. 4, the bonding tool 20 is placed in contact with two flying leads 18 to ultrasonically bond the leads. However, when a method that places the bonding tool 20 in contact with a plurality of flying leads 18 to ultrasonically bond the leads 18 is used, since the contact surface of the bonding tool 20 is formed as a flat surface, if convexes and concaves are present in the bonding surface, the bonding strength will differ at the respective bonding points, resulting in the problem of a lack of reliability for the bonds at the bonded parts.
FIG. 5 schematically shows a state where a bonding interface between the flying leads 18 and the substrate pads 17 is viewed from a cross-sectional direction (i.e., from the side). At the bonding interface, bonding is carried out with convexes in the surfaces of the bonded parts being crushed and an oxide film being damaged, resulting in a state including parts that are actually connected, parts that are connected via an oxide film, and parts A that are not connected.
The flying leads 18 and the substrate pads 17 both have external surfaces that are plated with metal and therefore are connected by bonding metal to metal. Such metal plating layers act so as to absorb any convexes and concaves in the surfaces of the flying leads 18 and the substrate pads 17. However, since the thickness of the metal plating layers is around 3 μm, the metal plating layers are not able to sufficiently absorb the convexes and concaves in the bonding surfaces.


The following relates to catheter-based devices, systems, and methods for minimally-invasively delivering an inflatable pericardial support into the pericardial space of a mammalian myocardium. The devices and systems include extending and positioning plural support members through a catheter into the pericardial space and then positioning the inflatable member on the epicardial surface of the myocardium. Once positioned, fluid can be delivered to the inflatable member to provide a confining pressure to the myocardium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices, systems, and methods for delivering a pericardial reinforcement device onto the epicardium of a mammalian myocardium, more particularly, to devices, systems, and methods for minimally-invasively delivering an inflatable pericardial "sail" into the pericardial space for attachment to the myocardium.
2. Background
For many patients suffering from, e.g., cardiomyopathy, progressive dilation of the left ventricle of the cardial muscle, i.e., the heart, can precede an end-stage disease. Dilation renders the heart less efficient as it struggles to maintain contractile function. Moreover, the mechanical burden of adverse remodeling is thought to increase wall stress and, further, to impair cardiac function. This is particularly problematic when dealing with the left ventricle, which is the heart's pump.
The medical world has sought with some success to treat cardial dilation with medication. However, many of the medications include undesirable side effects. As a result, medications do not offer a long-term solution for all patients.
In recent years, those skilled in the art have sought mechanical means to prevent or constrict dilation. For example, the CorCap Cardiac Support Device™ manufactured by Acorn Cardiovascular, Inc. of Minnetonka, Minn. was the subject of a study published in December 2004. The study reported the results of 48 patients who, as part of open-heart surgery, underwent an invasive implantation of a restrictive, mesh-like device, which was wrapped around the patients' hearts to slow left ventricle dilation. The findings of the study suggest that, by applying a restrictive mechanical force around the heart, adverse left ventricle remodeling in patients with cardiomyoplasty can be stabilized and, possibly, can be reversed. One shortcoming of the CorCap and similar devices is the invasive nature of the procedure.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide alternative minimally invasive, systems that will reduce risk and improve recovery time.


An electric drive includes a power component and an electric machine which is supplied with electrical energy via the power component. The power component is embodied as an inverter. When a starting condition is met, a drive controller for controlling the electric drive retrieves a configuration-specific parameter set from a data pool via a computer-to-computer interface, parameterizes itself in accordance with the retrieved parameter set and then determines control commands for the power component as a function of setpoint actuation states predefined for the drive controller, taking into account their parameterization, and actuates the power component accordingly. The setpoint actuation states are setpoint currents.

The present invention is based on an operating method for a drive controller for controlling an electric drive which comprises a power component embodied as an inverter and an electric machine which is supplied with electrical energy via the power component, wherein the drive controller determines control commands for the power component as a function of setpoint actuation states predefined for the drive controller, taking into account a parameterization determined by a parameter set, and actuates the power component accordingly, wherein the setpoint actuation states are setpoint currents.
The present invention is further based on a control program for a drive controller for controlling an electric drive which comprises a power component embodied as an inverter and an electric machine which is supplied with electrical energy via the power component, wherein the control program comprises machine code which can be processed by the drive controller, wherein the processing of the machine code by the drive controller causes the drive controller to execute such an operating method.
The present invention is further based on a drive controller for an electric drive which comprises a power component embodied as an inverter and an electric machine which is supplied with electrical energy via the power component, wherein the drive controller is embodied such that in operation it executes such an operating method, in particular is programmed with such a control program.
The present invention is further based on an electric drive,                wherein the electric drive comprises a power component embodied as an inverter and an electric machine which is supplied with electrical energy via the power component,        wherein the electric drive has such a drive controller, by which the power component is controlled.
Commissioning electric drives or drive controllers thereof is often complex and time-consuming. Furthermore, commissioning is often prone to error. This is particularly the case for larger systems in which a plurality of electric drives has to be commissioned. In addition, even in the case of formally correct commissioning, the parameterization of the electric drive is often not optimal and/or has to be amended in line with a changed operating situation or improved knowledge during the service life of the electric drive. Updating such parameterization is just as complex as the initial commissioning. There is therefore a need for a simple standardized way of commissioning electric drives, including the possibility of subsequent optimization.
In the prior art it is known for electric drives (or drive controllers thereof) to be parameterized in situ using software tools. In this case a plurality of parameters has to be amended application-specifically. The parameters are either amended individually manually or using prepared scripts. It is further known for a configuration engineer to forward such parameter sets to the manufacturer of the drive controllers, who then for their part parameterizes the drive controllers accordingly and delivers them in pre-parameterized form.
The advantage of the latter procedure is that the user is relieved of the commissioning work and the associated parameterization. However, it must be ensured that at each location in a larger system the "correct" drive is arranged with the "correct" drive controller. Furthermore, in this procedure too it is not easy to change a parameterization after it has been carried out.
A device and a method for managing flat objects is known from DE 10 2007 021 146 A1. The flat objects are transported via different conveying devices which are driven by drives. The drives are controlled by a control device.
The object of the present invention is therefore to create possibilities by means of which an optimum parameterization of the drive controllers of electric drives is possible in an easy and reliable manner.

Simplified parameterization of a drive controller


To provide an electro-optical device in which the fluidity of a material for forming the underlying layer of a gas barrier layer is controlled, and the volume-change of the underlying layer is suppressed, so that stress-concentration on the gas barrier layer is relaxed, and to provide a method of producing the same and an electronic apparatus. In an electro-optical device having, on a substrate, a plurality of first electrodes, a bank structure having a plurality of openings positioned correspondingly to the formed first electrodes, electro-optical layers arranged in the respective openings, and a second electrode covering the bank structure and the electro-optical layers, the device includes a buffer layer formed so as to cover the second electrode and have a substantially flat upper surface, and a gas barrier layer covering the buffer layer.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electro-optical device, a manufacturing method of the same, and an electronic apparatus equipped with the electro-optical device.
2. Description of Related Art
It has been one of the subjects in the field of electro-optical devices to enhance the durability of the devices against oxygen, water, and so forth. For example, in organic electroluminescence (hereinafter, abbreviated to organic EL) display devices, which are examples of the electro-optical devices, electro-optical materials (organic EL materials, hole-injection materials, electron-injection materials, or the like) for forming light-emitting layers (electro-optical layers) are deteriorated due to oxygen, water, or the like, and the conductivity of cathodes are reduced due to oxygen, water or the like, and thus, non-light-emitting regions called dark spots are formed. Therefore, problems occur in that the service life of the devices as a light-emitting device is decreased.
To solve the above-described problems, a method has been employed by which a lid made of glass or metal is fixed onto the substrate of a display device so that the substrate is sealed against oxygen, water, or the like. Recently, to cope with the increase in size, the light-weight, and the thickness reduction of display devices, a technique called thin-film sealing has been employed in which thin films made of silicon nitrides, silicon oxides, ceramics, or the like, which are transparent and have high gas barrier properties, are formed on light-emitting elements by high-density plasma vapor deposition methods (e.g., ion-plating, ECR plasma sputtering, ECR plasma CVD, surface wave plasma CVD, ICP-CVD, or the like).
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-284041

Electro-optical device, manufacturing method of the same, and electronic apparatus


A light emitting device can be used for light emitting diodes and laser diodes. The light emitting device includes a substrate, a first semiconductor layer on the substrate, a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a multi-quantum well structure including at least one well layer and at least one barrier layer between the first and second semiconductor layers. A carrier trap portion is formed in at least one layer within the multi-quantum well structure. The carrier trap portion has a band-gap energy that gradually decreases from a periphery of the carrier trap portion to a center thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to light emitting devices that can be used for light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a light emitting device that includes at least one carrier trap portion in at least one layer within a multi-quantum well structure.
2. Discussion of the Background
Group-III nitrides, such as GaN, AN, InGaN, and the like, have good thermal stability and direct transition type energy-band structure, and have received attention in recent years as materials for blue and UV light emitting diodes and laser diodes. Particularly, InGaN compound semiconductors are attracting attention for their narrow band-gap energy. LEDs employing GaN-based compound semiconductors have various applications including full color flat panel displays, light sources of backlight units, signal lamps, interior lighting, high-definition light sources, high-resolution output systems, optical communications, and the like.
Generally, the LED includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and an active region interposed between the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers. The n-type and p-type semiconductor layers may be formed of Group-III nitride semiconductor layers, for example, (Al, In, Ga)N-based compound semiconductor layers. The active region may have a single quantum well structure having a single well layer or a multi-quantum well structure having multiple wells and barrier layers. The multi-quantum well structure may include InGaN-well layers and GaN-barrier layers alternately stacked on top of each other. The InGaN-well layer may be formed of n-type or p-type semiconductor layer, which has a smaller band gap than the barrier layer, so that a quantum well layer can be formed to permit recombination of an electron and a hole therein.
The Group-III nitride semiconductor layer is grown on a heterogeneous substrate having a hexagonal structure, such as a sapphire substrate or a silicon carbide substrate, via metal organic chemical vapor deposition and the like. However, when the Group-III nitride semiconductor layer is grown on the heterogeneous substrate, the semiconductor layer undergoes cracking or warpage and dislocations due to differences in lattice constant and thermal expansion is coefficient between the semiconductor layer and the substrate.
To prevent such problems, a buffer layer is formed on the substrate before growing the semiconductor layer, so that crystal defects can be substantially prevented in the semiconductor layer grown on the buffer layer. Nevertheless, the active layer still has a high density of crystal defects, thereby providing a severe obstruction in application of the Group-III nitride semiconductor layer. Further, the crystal defects such as dislocations in the active region trap carriers introduced into the active region and do not emit light, thereby acting as a non-radiative center and significantly deteriorating internal quantum efficiency of the LED.


An outboard motor fuel vapor separator-venting system that vents fuel vapor from a fuel vapor separator through a vapor relief valve. The vapor relief valve allows vapor to gradually be delivered from the vapor separator to an air induction system depending on the amount of air entering the air induction system and/or engine speed. The vapor relief valve does not allow fuel vapor to vent from the fuel vapor separator to the air induction system when the engine is not operating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present inventions relate generally to a fuel vapor venting system for an outboard motor, and more particularly to a fuel vapor venting system that delivers fuel vapors from a vapor separator to an intake system in an improved manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the interest of improving emission control, many modern engines employ a fuel injection system for supplying fuel to the engine. The fuel injection systems can include a vapor separator.
The engines in outboard motors are operated often in a high speed and high load mode. The engine thus produces significant heat under such running conditions. In addition, such engines are generally enclosed in a protective cowling assembly and the heat can accumulate within the cowling. The ambient air around the engine, as a matter of course, is also heated. The fuel supply conduits, at least in part, extend within the protective cowling assembly and thus tend to absorb some heat from the engine.
Under some circumstances, bubbles or vapor can be formed in the fuel conduits and interfere with fuel flow therethrough, and thereby interfere with fuel injection control. Vapor lock can also occur in the fuel supply and/or fuel return conduits. If vapor lock occurs, the flow of fuel supply and/or return can be stopped, thereby causing the engine to stall.


A system and method that marks whenever a sector on a hard drive is altered. A protected archive bit is maintained for each sector on the hard drive in a secured fashion. Authenticated requests are able to reset the protected archive bit. When a file is changed, the hard drive marks the sectors of the program that have been altered. When the virus protection application executes, it retrieves the sectors that have been altered, identifies the files that correspond to such sectors, and scans the identified files. If a virus has attacked the computer and attached itself to one of the files, the file is identified and scanned and the virus is discovered with appropriate eradication actions performed. An authentication scheme is assigned to a hard drive with a secret that is shared between the drive and the virus protection program and stored in a secure location.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for reducing the time needed to scan a hard drive for viruses. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method securely marking files that have been altered and, therefore, need to be checked for possible viruses.
2. Description of the Related Art
The current network computing environment has provided a rich opportunity for a plethora of virus, worm, and Trojan horse programs to proliferate. Recent viruses, such as "mydoom.exe," often infect thousands, or even millions of computer systems. Some viruses, such as the "Melissa" virus cause considerable damage to computer systems and networks. In 1999, the Melissa virus forced Microsoft Corporation and other large companies to turn off their email systems until the virus could be contained.
Electronic infections include viruses, email viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. A virus is a small piece of software that piggybacks on real programs. For example, a virus might attach itself to a program such as a spreadsheet program. Each time the spreadsheet program runs, the virus also runs, and it has the chance to reproduce (by attaching to other programs) or wreak havoc on the computer system. An email virus moves around in email messages, and usually replicates itself by automatically mailing itself to other users found in the victim's email address book. A worm is a small piece of software that uses computer networks and security holes to replicate itself. A copy of the worm scans the network for another machine that has a specific security hole. A worm copies itself to the new machine using the security hole, and then starts replicating itself from there, as well. Finally, a Trojan horse is simply a computer program. The program claims to do one thing, such as a computer game) but instead does damage when it is executed (e.g., it may erase the user's hard disk). Trojan horses typically do not replicate automatically.
As used herein, the general term "virus" is used to include virus programs as well as email virus programs, worm programs, and Trojan horse programs. To respond to the thread of viruses, many companies have developed detection and removal software applications that, among other things, provide the ability to scan files on a computer system for the presence of viruses. Virus protection application software use "virus definitions" to identify viruses that may reside on a user's computer system. When a virus is identified, the virus protection software can often eradicate the virus by removing the malicious code from the software or, if removal is not possible, the program that has the virus can be quarantined so that it cannot be executed and cause damage to the computer.
One challenge in using virus protection software is that users delay running the software because a full scan of a large computer system can take a great deal of time. This is because a full scan generally requires the virus protection software to check every file on the computer system that may be hiding a virus. Of course, delaying the execution of the virus protection software exposes the user's computer to a greater chance of infection. Many users have dealt with this challenge by scheduling execution of their virus protection software at night or during a time that the user is not currently using the computer. While this solution may work in some situations, it is not always practical, or possible. For example, it is not always practical, or possible, to leave some computer systems running when the system is unattended. In addition, some systems, such as servers, do not have an "idle" period during which a full scan would not impact system usage.
Another approach to this challenge includes reducing the amount of data stored on a hard drive. However, this approach imposes an artificial limit on system capacity and results in increased costs as more hard drives are needed. Another approach that increase costs is to increase the computer resources to enable the scan to be performed more quickly. An additional approach has been to impose a limit on the resources that the virus scan software is able to utilize. However, this approach increases the time needed to run a full system scan.
A final approach has been to reduce the number of files that are scanned at one time so that only those files that have been altered since the last scan are scanned by the virus protection software application. One approach to performing an incremental scan would be to add a flag maintained by the file system, such as the "archive" flag found in many operating systems which is commonly used for performing incremental backups. Unfortunately, this approach also has a serious flaw. The flaw of this approach is that a virus can defeat the scheme, and thereby remain undetected, by mimicking the scanning program and marking the infected file(s) as "already scanned." Marking the infected files as already scanned would prevent the incremental virus protection software from scanning the infected files and discovering the virus.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method that securely marking files that have already been scanned so that a virus is unable to mimic the marking activity. Furthermore, what is needed is a system and method where a hard drive maintains alteration information on a sector-by-sector basis in a secure fashion.

System and method for reducing virus scan time


The light diffusion component in accordance with the present invention includes light transmission pieces that are juxtaposed at predetermined intervals in one direction and have a substantially trapezoidal section, and a light absorption piece that is juxtaposed alternately to the light transmission pieces and has a substantially wedged section. The upper base of the substantially trapezoidal section of each light transmission piece adjoins the base of the substantially wedged section of the light absorption piece. The area of the substantially wedged section of the light absorption piece is equal to or larger than one-third of the area of a trapezoid bordering the substantially wedged section, and equal to or smaller than two-thirds thereof.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for improving a contrast offered by an image display device that employs a display panel such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a plasma display panel (PDP), and alleviating moiré occurring therein.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Image display devices employing a display panel such as an LCD or a PDP are widely prevailing as a display device to be included in a television. Since the television is simultaneously viewed by multiple viewers, it is requested to offer a sufficiently wide viewing angle. Furthermore, since the television is often viewed under a bright environment, it is requested to suppress the degradation in a contrast caused by convergence of outside environmental light (for example, room lighting) on the display panel (in other words, it is requested to improve a contrast to be ensured in a bright room).
Technologies for improving a contrast to be ensured in a bright room despite convergence of outside environmental light have been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2005-338270 and 2006-189867.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-338270 has disclosed an idea that: outside environmental light is intercepted by an array of trapezoidal lenses and wedged pieces providing an effect of light absorption; and the refractive indices of the lenses and wedged pieces respectively are controlled in order to fully reflect part of a light beam.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-189867 has disclosed an idea that: outside environmental light is intercepted by a substrate made of a transparent resin material and an array of wedged black stripes; and the refractive indices of the substrate made of a transparent resin material and the wedged black stripes respectively are controlled in order to fully reflect part of a light beam.

Image display device and light diffusion component for use therein


A power converter is disclosed that includes multiple lower power boost converters interconnected to reduce the magnitude of the input current ripple and output current ripple by distributing the converter current draw over time, as compared to a single boost converter. The operating cycle of each of the multiple boost converters is phase shifted with respect to the others. The converter described converts a primary input DC voltage into an output DC voltage, wherein the output DC voltage is higher than the primary input DC voltage. The converter includes a primary input terminal for receiving the primary input DC voltage and a plurality of boost converter cells, each of which has an input connected to the primary input terminal, and each of which has an output. The converter additionally includes a master controller for causing each boost converter cell to operate in a predetermined phase relationship with respect to the other boost converter cells. An output filter is connected to the output of each boost converter cell for summing the outputs of the boost converter cells to produce the output DC voltage. A feedback from the converter output terminal through the master controller to each boost converter cell provides an error command to each boost converter cell to accomplish output voltage regulation.

The present invention is a boost switching power converter. More specifically, the present invention is a power converter for producing a DC voltage higher than that of the primary voltage source. The boost converter of the present invention is particularly adapted for use in high power applications.
A common primary electrical power found in aircraft is either +28 volt DC (VDC) or three phase 115 volt AC (VAC), which is rectified and filtered to approximately 270 VDC. Many types of equipment have been designed to operate from either of these power sources. The present invention may be used in applications in which +28 VDC is converted to +270 VDC.
Boost converters have been used for some time to convert a low DC voltage into a higher DC voltage. A common boost converter includes an inductor, a diode, an output capacitor, and a power switching device. These converters for producing a voltage higher than the voltage of the primary source are sometimes referred to as "step-up" converters.
A common, known boost converter, or step up voltage converter, is shown in FIG. 1. Operation of the illustrated boost converter is well understood in the art.
An input terminal 11 receives the input DC voltage (V.sub.in). An input capacitor 13 is connected between the input terminal 11 and ground. A current sense transformer 23 feeds a sample of the inductor current back into a regulator control 31. An inductor 21 having inductance L1 is connected to the input terminal 11 through the primary of the current sense transformer 23. A switch, such as a Field Effect Transistor (FET) 41, is connected between the "output" side of the inductor 21 and a second terminal, such as ground. The switching element 41 is controlled by a regulator control 31. The regulator control 31 governs the time the switch is on (conductive) or off (nonconductive). A rectifying diode 61 couples the output side of the inductor 21 to the converter output terminal 81. The converter output voltage V.sub.out is produced on the converter output terminal 81. An output filter capacitor 91 is connected between the output terminal and ground.
When the FET 41 is conductive, energy from the input terminal 11, passing through the current sense transformer 23, charges the inductor 21. When the FET 41 is not conductive, that energy is discharged through the diode 61 to charge the output capacitor 91. The regulator control 31 includes gate control circuitry and cycles the switch on and off. The regulator control governs the ratio of the time the FET is conductive (on) and nonconductive (off) so that the output voltage V.sub.out on the converter output terminal 81 remains constant. The regulator control adjusts the on/off cycle of the switch 41 by monitoring the voltage on the converter output terminal 81 through a feedback line 35.
As the regulator control 31 turns the transistor 41 off, the voltage at the drain of the FET 41 rises to the boost converter voltage V.sub.out, plus some overshoot due to unwanted parasitic elements.
The current drawn by the boost converter at particular times in its operating cycle can peak at a very high value, much higher than the DC input current or the DC output current. Even at moderate power levels, high peak currents make filtering difficult at both the input and the output.