To reduce a data-error rate caused by interpolation errors. An adder computes the sum of a sampled value Si+1 of a playback signal and a value 8.times.Si+1 produced by a bit shifter to output the sum 9.times.Si+1 to an adder. The adder adds the sum (9.times.Si+1) supplied thereto by the adder to a sum (9.times.Si) supplied thereto after being delayed by a delay element and outputs the result of the addition (9.times.Si+9.times.Si+1) to an adder. An adder computes the sum of a sampled value Si-1 supplied thereto after being delayed by delay elements and a sampled value Si+2 supplied thereto by an A/D converter and outputs sum (Si-1+Si+2) to the adder. The adder which is used as a subtractor computes the difference between the sum (9.times.Si+9.times.Si+1) supplied thereto by the adder and the sum (Si-1+Si+2) supplied thereto by the adder and outputs the difference (Si-1-9.times.Si-9.times.Si+1+Si+2) to a bit shifter. The bit shifter shifts the difference (Si-1-9.times.Si-9.times.Si+1+Si+2) supplied thereto by the adder by four bits toward the LSB and outputs the right-shifted value (Si-1-9.times.Si-9.times.Si+1+Si+2)/16 to a second interpolation circuit as a first interpolation value Si' along with the sampled values Si and Si+1. As a result, the number of sampled values seemingly appears increased.

In general, the present invention relates to a playback apparatus and a playback method. In particular, the present invention relates to a playback apparatus and a playback method for computing interpolation values of a given signal at a predetermined phase of a second clock signal as an ultimate playback signal by typically linear interpolation using first and second digital values as base points. The second digital values are found from the first digital values which are obtained by sampling the given signal at sampling times synchronized with a first clock signal. To put it in detail, the second digital values are each found by interpolation using the first digital values as base points at a time different from the sampling times at which the first digital values are found from the given signal in synchronization with the first clock signal. The interpolation is based on a function of at least a second order.
A compact disk, a representative recording medium for storing digital data, is becoming more and more popular in a wide range of applications.
When digital data is reproduced from such a recording medium like, for example, an optical disk or an opto-magnetic disk, in most cases, a clock signal is extracted from a signal detected from the disk and digital data is then reproduced from the detected signal in synchronization with the extracted clock signal. Synchronization of extracting data from a signal with a clock signal extracted from the same signal is referred to as the so-called self synchronization.
In such self synchronization, the clock signal is extracted from the detected signal by using a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) circuit.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical configuration of the conventional playback apparatus having an analog PLL circuit.
As shown in the figure, a read-out device 121 radiates a laser beam to an optical disk 201 such as a compact disk and receives a laser beam reflected by the optical disk 201, that is, a return light coming from the optical disk 201. An electrical signal representing the quantity of the incoming return light is then supplied by the read-out device 121 to a waveform shaping unit 122. The electrical signal is the so-called playback signal.
The waveform shaping unit 122 converts the playback signal supplied by the read-out device 121 into a binary signal and outputs the binary signal to a latch circuit 123 and an analog PLL circuit 124 as a playback signal.
The analog PLL circuit 124 extracts a clock signal from the playback signal supplied by the waveform shaping unit 122 and supplies the clock signal to the latch circuit 123. Values of the binary playback signal which are either 0 or 1 change at intervals each equal to a multiple of a predetermined bit period T. It should be noted that the intervals each correspond to a piece of data recorded on the optical disk 201. The analog PLL circuit 124 extracts the bit period T from the interval, generating a clock signal having a period corresponding to the bit period T.
In the analog PLL circuit 124, a phase comparator 141 computes a phase error between the playback signal supplied by the waveform shaping unit 122 and a clock signal (a PLL clock signal) oscillated by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 143. The phase error is output by the phase comparator 141 to a loop filter 142 for eliminating high-frequency components, that is, components in an unnecessary frequency band, from the phase error. The loop filter 142 then outputs the processed phase error to the VCO 143.
In accordance with the voltage of a signal supplied from the loop filter 142, the VCO 143 oscillates the PLL clock signal while adjusting the frequency thereof so that the phase error with respect to the playback signal supplied by the waveform shaping unit 122 is eliminated. The PLL clock signal is fed back to the phase comparator 141 and, at the same time, supplied to the latch circuit 123.
In this way, the analog PLL circuit 124 generates the PLL clock signal synchronized with the playback signal.
The latch circuit 123 outputs the playback signal supplied by the waveform shaping circuit 122 in synchronization with the PLL clock signal oscillated by the analog PLL circuit 124 to a playback circuit at the following stage which is not shown in the figure.
However, the analog PLL circuit 124 has a problem that it is easily affected by changes in environment, changes with the lapse of time and component variations. There is also raised a problem that it is difficult to put the analog PLL circuit in a highly integrated circuit chip due to the fact that the PLL circuit is an analog circuit.
In order to solve the problem, a digital PLL circuit has been developed.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a typical configuration of a digital PLL circuit.
As shown in the figure, the digital PLL circuit comprises a digital phase comparator 161, a digital loop filter 162 and a variable-frequency oscillator (VFO) 163 as a substitute for the VCO. The VFO 163 adjusts the frequency of an output signal thereof by adding or eliminating pulses to and from the output signal in accordance with the digital value of a phase error supplied by the digital phase comparator 161 to the VFO 163 by way of the digital loop filter 162. As an alternative, including two embedded oscillators with frequencies different from each other, the VFO 163 adjusts the frequency of an output signal thereof by switching the generation of the output signal from on e embedded oscillator to the other embedded one in accordance with the digital value of a phase error supplied by the digital phase comparator 161 to the VFO 163 by way of the digital loop filter 162.
In order to adjust the oscillation frequency smoothly in accordance with phase error, the VFO 163 generates an interim output signal with a frequency equal to a multiple of the frequency of a finally desired clock signal by adjusting the frequency of the interim output signal. The VFO 163 supplies the interim output signal to a frequency divider 164 for dividing the frequency thereof. The output of the frequency divider 164 is the finally desired clock signal which is fed back to the digital phase comparator 161 and, at the same time, supplied to a circuit at the following stage which is not shown in the figure.
In an apparatus for processing data at a high speed or in an apparatus having a high transfer speed, by the way, the frequency of the clock signal used in the apparatus is high. There is thus raised a problem that it is difficult to implement a VFO which is capable of oscillating an interim output signal with a frequency equal to a multiple of the high frequency of the clock signal and that, even if such a VFO can be implemented, the cost thereof will be high.
In order to solve the problem described above, the applicant of the application of the present invention for a patent disclosed an apparatus capable of operating at a relatively low frequency in documents such as Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei8-184428 wherein a second clock signal is generated in synchronization with a first clock signal while adjusting the clock frequency of the second clock signal in accordance with a phase error of a playback signal and an interpolation value at a predetermined phase of the second clock signal is computed from sampled values (referred to as first digital values) obtained by sampling the playback signal in synchronization with a first clock signal while adjusting the clock frequency of the second clock signal as shown in FIG. 3.
This apparatus includes an interpolation circuit, a circuit for computing an interpolation value at a predetermined phase of the second clock signal, as a configuration element of the PLL. Thus, in order to carry out PLL processing at a high speed, that is, in order to guarantee a good loop characteristic over a wide of range, a simple computing technique such as linear interpolation is adopted to compute interpolation values of the playback signal.
With a simple computing technique such as linear interpolation, however, errors are generated in the resulting data due to interpolation errors, giving rise to a problem that it is difficult to reduce the data-error rate.


The present disclosure provides an improved food preparation table. Cooled air is passed over the top of each food pan individually, preventing the food from spoiling at high ambient temperatures. The sides of the food pans are also cooled at the same time.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a prep table for storing and cooling food products. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a prep table with a pressurized chamber that provides enhanced cooling.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the food service industry, prep tables have pans placed therein for storing, displaying, or serving various food products. The pans are cooled by a refrigeration system often located in a compartment below the pans. These prep tables are also sometimes known as open-top refrigerators or pan-top modular units. At high ambient temperatures, for example 86° F. (degrees Fahrenheit) or higher, it can be extremely difficult to maintain the food pans at food-safe temperatures for long, which leads to food spoilage and loss. The present disclosure provides a device that overcomes these shortcomings.


Methods and apparatus for a language model and language recognition systems are disclosed. The method utilizes a plurality of probabilistic finite state machines having the ability to recognize a pair of sequences, one sequence scanned leftwards, the other scanned rightwards. Each word in the lexicon of the language model is associated with one or more such machines which model the semantic relations between the word and other words. Machine transitions create phrases from a set of word string hypotheses, and incrementally calculate costs related to the probability that such phrases represent the language to be recognized. The cascading lexical head machines utilized in the methods and apparatus capture the structural associations implicit in the hierachical organization of a sentence, resulting in a language model and language recognition systems that combine the lexical sensitivity of N-gram models with the structural properties of dependency grammar.

Speech recognition is a process by which an unknown speech utterance ("input signal") is identified. Speech recognition typically involves a signal processing stage in which a plurality of word string hypotheses, i.e., possible word sequences, are proposed for the input signal. The task is then to recognize or identify the "best" word string from a set of hypotheses, i.e., proposed word strings consistent with the input signal. Speech recognition systems utilize a language model for such a purpose.
Typical speech recognition systems may employ a quantitative language model. Quantitative models associate a "cost" with each hypothesis, selecting the lowest cost hypothesis as the recognized word string.
One example of a quantitative model is a probabilistic language model. Probabilistic models assign probabilities to word strings and choose the string that has the highest probability of representing a given input signal. The probability calculation can be performed using a variety of methods. One such method, referred to as the N-gram model, specifies the probability of a word that is part of a string conditional on the previous N-1 words in the string. See, for example, Jelinek et al., "Principles of Lexical Language Modeling for Speech Recognition," Adv. Speech Signal Processing, pp. 651-699 (1992). This article, and all other articles mentioned in this specification, are incorporated herein by reference. The N-gram model is lexically sensitive in that the parameters of the model are associated with particular lexical items, i.e., words. This sensitivity allows the model to capture local distributional patterns that are idiosyncratic to particular words.
A second method, referred to as stochastic context-free grammar, uses a tree-like data structure wherein words within an input signal appear as fringe nodes of a tree. Probabilities are assigned as the sum of probabilities of all tree derivations for which words in the candidate string appear as fringe nodes. See, for example, Jelinek et al., "Computation of the Probability of Initial Substring Generation by Stochastic Context-Free Grammers," Computational Linguistics, v. 17(3), pp. 315-324 (1991). In context-free grammars, structural properties are modeled, i.e., the probability that a phrase of a particular category, e.g., noun or verb phrases, can be decomposed into subphrases of specified categories.
Both of the aforementioned methods for assessing probability suffer from disadvantages. The N-gram model, while lexically sensitive, suffers as a result of its failure to capture meaningful long range associations between words. When grammar is ignored, useful information that can only be derived from grammatical relationships between words is lost. While a stochastic context-free grammar is sensitive to such grammatical relationships, it fails to capture associations between lexical items that reflect semantic information that makes one string much more likely than another. A language model that fails to consider both semantic and structural information inevitably suffers from a loss in accuracy.
The prior art probability models are typically compiled into one large state machine. The aforementioned drawback of the lexically-sensitive probability models are due, in part, to this structure. The machines usually implemented for speech recognition are typically limited to moving left to right through the word string hypotheses, processing word strings in a word-by-word manner. As a result, the long-range associations between words are lost.
Compiling stochastic context-free grammars, or, more properly, approximations of such grammars, into one large state machine does not limit the ability of those models to capture long-range associations. As previously discussed, such associations are captured due to the nature of the model. There is another drawback, however, related to the use of a single large state machine that affects both types of probability models. When compiling the model into one large state machine, the complete lexicon or vocabulary of the language model must be contained therein. In the typical case of a software implementation, such state machines become too large for computers with limited RAM memory.
Thus, there is a need for a language model that possesses both lexical and structural sensitivity, and when implemented in software, is compact enough to be installed on computers having limited RAM memory.

Method and apparatus for an improved language recognition system


An oscillator of a semiconductor memory device, wherein a reference voltage that flexibly shifts according to the shift in a power supply voltage is generated, and a reference clock is generated using the reference voltage. It is thus possible to generate the reference clock having a constant cycle regardless of the shift in the power supply voltage which can keep constant the duration period of internal control signals of devices, such as a timer and a pump circuit, which are synchronized to the reference clock.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an oscillator of a semiconductor memory device, and more specifically, to an oscillator of a semiconductor memory device, wherein the duration period of an internal control signal can be kept constant by generating a reference clock having a constant clock cycle regardless of variation in a power supply voltage.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In a semiconductor chip, an oscillator is used to generate a reference clock of a pump or a timer. The reference clock used for the timer plays an important role in deciding the duration period of a control signal used in the chip. As such, variation in the cycle of the reference clock has influence on specification of a product.
For example, in NAND type flash memory devices, variation in the cycle of the reference clock is closely connected with a read access time, which is a time taken to read data from memory cells. If the cycle of the reference clock reduces, the read access time reduces. In this case, however, there occurs a case where data of the memory cells are not exactly sensed because all control signals of an internal chip operation are reduced.
As described above, since the oscillator has a great effect on the operation of a chip, it must be designed to be less sensitive to variation in PVT (Process/Voltage/Temperature). In a conventional oscillator, however, a clock cycle frequently shifts according to variation in a power supply voltage. Therefore, it is very difficult to keep the duration period of internal control signals constant.


The yeast which has γ-glutamylcysteine-producing ability and is auxotrophic for pantothenic acid is proliferated in a medium containing a sufficient amount of pantothenic acid, and then it is cultured in a medium containing a limited amount of pantothenic acid to increase the γ-glutamylcysteine content in its cells, whereby the yeast in which γ-glutamylcysteine is accumulated is obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a γ-glutamylcysteine-producing yeast strain, to a method for culturing it, and to a food utilizing cells of that yeast strain. A material containing γ-glutamylcysteine and a material containing cysteine produced from γ-glutamylcysteine are useful in the field of foods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cysteine is used for the purpose of enhancing the flavor of foods or the like. Known production methods of cysteine include, for example, proteolysis method and semi-synthetic method, and these methods are currently used in the main. Although natural food materials having high cysteine contents have been demanded for the purpose of using them to enhance the flavor of foods, such natural food materials have been rarely known. On the other hand, it has been reported that heat- or enzyme-treatment of yeast extracts containing γ-glutamylcysteine may give rise to food materials having high cysteine contents (WO 00/30474).
γ-glutamylcysteine is synthesized from cysteine and glutamic acid as substrates by the function of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase. On the other hand, glutathione is synthesized from γ-glutamylcysteine and glycine as substrates by the function of glutathione synthetase. It has been reported that a yeast in which glutathione synthetase gene has been disrupted accumulates γ-glutamylcysteine (Otake et al., Agric. Biol. Chem., 54(12), 3145-3150, 1990).
Yeasts having high γ-glutamylcysteine contents have been reported in WO 00/30474, Otake et al., Agric. Biol. Chem., 54(12), 3145-3150, 1990, Chris et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell., 8, 1699-1707, 1997, Inoue et al., Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1395, 315-320, 1998, or the like. However, these reports has not disclosed the conditions for culturing the yeast, in which glutathione synthetase gene has been disrupted or weakened, to accumulate a large amount of γ-glutamylcysteine.
A method for culturing a yeast to accumulate a large amount of glutathione, a metabolic product of γ-glutamylcysteine, in its cells has been disclosed (JP 48-92579A and the like). This report describes that an amount of the accumulated glutathione has been increased when cysteine, a glutathione-constituting amino acid, was added during culturing a yeast. Therefore, it is considered that a large amount of γ-glutamylcysteine could be accumulated when cysteine is added during culturing the yeast in which glutathione synthetase gene is disrupted or weakened. However, it is not practical from an economical aspect to add cysteine during culturing a γ-glutamylcysteine-containing yeast for obtaining cysteine-containing materials, since γ-glutamylcysteine-containing materials are useful for producing cysteine-containing materials.
Further, Otake et al. has reported the γ-glutamylcysteine contents in the cells of the yeast YL1 strain, in which a glutathione synthetase gene has been disrupted, when 3 mM of cysteine was added during culturing the yeast (Otake et al., Agri. Biol. Chem., 54(12), 3145-3150, 1990). This report describes that the amount of the accumulated γ-glutamylcysteine was 0.533% when the YL1 strain was cultured in the presence of cysteine, while the amount was 0.518% when the strain was cultured in the absence of cysteine. This result implies that it is not practical to add cysteine during culturing the yeast in which glutathione synthetase gene has been disrupted or weakened.
It has also been reported that glutathione contents in yeast cells has increased when expression of a MET25 gene was enhanced. Further, as a method for increasing expression of the MET25 gene, a method by utilizing a mutant MET4 gene (Omura et al., FEBS Letters 387(1996) 179-183 and JP 10-33161A) and a method by utilizing a mutant MET30 gene (DOMINIQUE et al., MOLECULAR AND CELLUAR BIOLOGY, December 1995, p6526-6534) have been reported.
The mechanism of the expression of the MET25 gene is considered as follows. That is, the MET4 gene product functions as a positive regulator for the expression of the MET25 gene. In general, the MET4 gene product forms a SCFMET30 complex together with the MET30 gene product and other several proteins, and the MET4 gene product is ubiquitinated and decomposed together with the MET30 gene product by a proteolytic system of 26S proteasome, thereby, the expression of the MET25 gene is suppressed. On the other hand, when the function of the SCFMET30 complex is deteriorated, the MET4 gene product and the MET30 gene product are not decomposed and the MET25 gene is expressed (Patton et al., Genes Dev. 12: 692-705, 1998 and Rouillon et al., EMBO Journal 19: 282-294, 2000).
Based on these reports, it is suggested that γ-glutamylcysteine content could also be increased in a yeast having a high γ-glutamylcysteine content by enhancing the expression of the MET25 gene.
In addition, it has been reported that when "sake" yeast was cultured in a calcium panthotenate-deficient condition, the yeast has accumulated hydrogen sulfide in its logarithmic growth phase. This report pays its attention to the generation of hydrogen sulfide from cysteine, and it also describes that the phenomenon is further promoted in a pantothenic acid-deficient condition.


The invention relates to a method for the formation of renal tubules by embedding individual renal cells into a synthetic hydrogel, which is based on polyethylene glycol as a component, and the culturing of the cells until tubule structures are formed. The culturing can be continued until the obtained tubule structures correspond in terms of size, structure, morphology and functionality to adult human renal tubules or are at least similar thereto.

The invention relates to a method for the formation of renal tubules and thus for establishing an ex vivo model for renal tubules (renal tubules), with which development processes can be studied and drug toxicity tests can be performed.
The nephrons are a functional subunit of the kidney composed of renal corpuscles and renal tubules. The renal tubules, especially the proximal tubules, play an important role in the excretion of metabolic products (toxins) and the reabsorption of nutrients from the urine. Accordingly, the proximal tubules react very sensitively to metabolic products and drugs excreted via the kidney.
Currently used nephrotoxicity assays are based on either two-dimensional in vitro cultures or animal models. However, the 2D culture of cells is very artificial due to the lack of cell-cell and cell-matrix contact and thus far removed from the physiologically relevant environment. For this reason, kidney toxicity studies are mostly carried out in animal models. However, these studies show in about 50% of cases contradictory trends compared to the human response to drugs, such as disclosed, for example, in the publication Archibald K, Coleman R, Foster C. Open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron and Health Secretary Andrew Lansley on safety of medicines. Lancet. 2011; 377: 1915.
For this reason, kidney-specific organoid assays have been developed to replace the widely used renal toxicity assays, as described by Davies J., Engineered Renal Tissue as a potential platform for pharmacokinetic and nephrotoxicity testing. Drug Discovery Today (2014). It was shown here that 3D organoid models are better suited to reconstruct the nephrotoxic effects in vivo compared to the conventional use of immortalized cell lines (2D culture) (Astashkina A. I. et al., Comparing predictive drug nephrotoxicity biomarkers in kidney 3-D primary organoid culture and immortalized cell lines. Biomaterials (2012) 33 4712-21).
In addition, a renal tubular model based at least partially on synthetic materials known, inter alia, from the document Astashkina A. I. et al. A 3-D organoid kidney culture model engineered for high-throughput nephrotoxicity assays. Biomaterials (2012), which uses hyaluronic acid (HA) and polyethylene glycol diacrylates (PEGDA), and a tubular model based on a porous hydrogels of silk proteins filled with a mixture of collagen and Matrigel™. The model based on porous hydrogel utilized healthy or disease-specific modified embryonic murine renal epithelial cells. The model based on HA-PEGDA showed promising results with high-throughput-compatible assays. Overall, the 3D studies have provided evidence for the relevance of 3D cell culture models in the context of kidneys.
Furthermore, renal 3D tubule models based on collagen, Matrigel™ or combinations of both biopolymer preparations were developed, as described, inter alia, in DesRochers, T. M., Suter, L., Roth, A., Kaplan, D. Bioengineered 3D Human Kidney Tissue, a Platform for the Determination of Nephrotoxicity. Plos One 8, (2013).
The previously described organoid models according to the prior art have the following disadvantages, in addition to the abovementioned restrictions with respect to the artificial 2D environment in a conventional cell culture or the animal models, which are in some cases not very meaningful or even contrary due to large biological differences:
The organoid models use cells of animal origin as well as embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells, which are of limited use due to species differences, for ethical reasons, and due to the danger of the formation of a teratoma. In addition, the used biopolymer-based matrix systems have strong batch-dependent fluctuations and are therefore difficult to apply reproducibly. In addition, no defined variation in the mechanical and biomolecular properties and hence also no study of these parameters for tubulogenesis are possible.
Biologically, it is also disadvantageous that the dimensions, shape and morphology of the tubules-like structures are clearly different from those of the desired human renal tubules.
In particular, the HA-PEGDA hydrogel also utilizes fragments of proximal tubules derived from mouse kidneys and is therefore not suitable for describing the human situation or studying the process of human tubulogenesis.
The object of the invention was to produce a defined three-dimensional model system of human tubules with modulatable properties, which has a structure and function that is very similar to the model of the human proximal renal tubules and allows the formation of tubules and/or to examine their response to drugs.

Method for the formation of renal tubules

LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FÜR POLYMER-FORSCHUNG DRESDEN E.V.


A testing device may include a memory controller managing a transfer of data; and a plurality of interface boards. Each interface board includes a controller buffer. Each controller buffer transfers data between the memory controller and at least one memory module. The memory controller tests the at least one memory module. The testing device is operable to test the at least one memory module independent of an operating rate of the at least one memory module. The memory controller receives operating data of the at least one memory module.

Newly manufactured electronic devices are tested to create stimulus signals and capture responses. These measurements may be used to, for example, measure actual performance against expected performance. The proper operation of the electronic devices may then be proven or faults in the devices may be traced and repaired. In particular, memory modules including a plurality of memory devices are tested to ensure capabilities prior to introduction into markets. With advancements in memory device technology, the speeds in which the memory devices operate are increasing. Testing, repair, and programming of faster memory devices require difficult and expensive hardware investments to conventional testing devices when data rates increase above 400 Mhz. For example, additional testing hardware is required for these high rate devices.
Testing newly manufactured electronic devices on an individual basis is inefficient, both regarding time and costs. Testing systems have been created to test multiple electronic devices concurrently with common testing modules. However, the multiple electronic device testing systems also fall victim to the limitations of the individual testing devices when the operating speeds exceed a threshold rate. For example, conventional testing devices, both individual and multiple, are not scaling to increasing complex needs of improved memory devices. Difficult and expensive hardware investments are required for each site of the multiple electronic device testing system where a high operating rate electronic device is connected. Thus, there is a need to improve multiple electronic device testing systems to test multiple, newly manufactured electronic devices.

System and method for electronic testing of multiple memory devices


Open cell foamed articles including silane-grafted single-site inititiated polyolefin resins are described. The single-site initiated olefin polymer resin can be a polyethylene, a copolymer of ethylene, a C3-C20 alpha-olefin, or a copolymer of ethylene, a C3-C20 alpha-olefin and a C4-C20 diene. The open cell foamed articles have good cushioning properties and can be non-allergenic.

The invention relates to open cell foamed articles.
Open cell foams emulate the open or interconnected cell structure of the a marine sea sponge. Open cell foams can be used in many different applications. Open cell foams made from polymer resins can be flexible and elastomeric. In contrast, brittle open cell foams can be made from ceramic or glass structures.
The open cell structure permits the flow of a liquid or gas medium through the interconnecting cellular structure of the foam without destroying the foam structure. The liquid can be, for example, water or oil, or the gas can be air or nitrogen. The characteristics of a foam can be modified for specific applications. For example, the foam can act as an absorbent for a specific liquid (e.g., as a sponge). Open cell foams can act as a filtering mechanism, permitting the flow of a liquid or gas through the structure while separating out materials from that flow and retaining the materials in the foam structure. It is possible to impregnate the structure with an additive which can later be mechanically squeezed out for application onto another surface. Open cell foams can also be used in cushioning applications.
Synthetic materials have been developed for producing flexible open cell foams. Natural rubber latex foams provide soft materials for body contact and the application of cosmetics. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastisol foams can have a soft, durable feel that simulates leather to the touch. Open cell foams based on polyurethanes have been made suitable for many applications, such as cushions for packaging, automotive applications, home bedding, filters (e.g., for air conditioners), applicators (e.g., for shoe polish), or sound attenuating panels (e.g., for rooms or speakers). Open cell foams based on ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) can be made in a melt process to lower foam densities than earlier foams. The EVA-based foams have a high percentage of non-interconnecting cells yielding a primarily open cell foam. The EVA-based open cell foams can be soft and pliable.

Open cell foamed articles including silane-grafted polyolefin resins


Processes for forming dental materials that include applying a first hardenable dental composition (e.g., a dental adhesive) to a surface followed by applying a second hardenable dental composition (e.g., a dental composite) to the first hardenable dental composition on the surface. The first and second hardenable dental compositions are hardened such that the second hardenable composition is substantially completely hardened prior to complete hardening of the first hardenable composition.

Hardenable polymeric materials are used in a wide variety of dental applications, including composites, filling materials, restoratives, cements, adhesives, and the like. Often, such materials shrink upon hardening. This is particularly problematic when the material is in a constrained environment, as in a dental filling or restorative, for example. Dimensional changes upon shrinkage while in a constrained environment can generate a strain within the material that is typically converted into a stress on the surrounding environment (e.g., tooth). Such forces can result in interfacial failures between the tooth and the polymeric material resulting in a physical gap and subsequent microleakage into the tooth cavity. Alternatively, such forces can lead to fractures within the tooth and/or the composite.
Generally, conventional processes of hardening polymeric dental materials involve a composite held in place on an oral surface with an adhesive and involve hardening the adhesive and then subsequently hardening the composite material. More specifically, conventional methods utilize one or more of the following steps: surface treatment of the tooth (e.g., etching, priming), application of a hardenable adhesive to the tooth surface, curing of the adhesive, placement of a composite material (e.g., restorative) on the hardened adhesive, and curing of the composite material. Such methods also typically utilize a blue light source emitting between approximately 380 nm to 520 nm to induce hardening. Photocurable dental compositions are preferably polymerized within a range of about 380 nm to 520 nm for the following reasons: 1) photoactivation utilizing UV photoinitiators or sensitizers (such as benzoin alkyl ethers, acetophenone derivatives, benzophenone and the like) that absorb light at wavelengths less than about 380 nm are generally considered to be unsafe due to the shortwavelength radiation; 2) photoinitiators or photosensitizers (such as eosin dyes, rose bengal, methylene blue and the like) that absorb light at wavelengths greater than about 520 nm are generally unsuitable due to their highly colored nature (red to blue in color) in a spectral region which is esthetically unsuitable for teeth which are generally white to slightly yellow. 3) the preferred sensitizers and initiators for dental compositions which absorb blue light between about 380 nm to 520 nm are typically pale yellow to yellow in color which provides clinically acceptable materials in terms of the esthetics of the hard tissues. Therefore, the practical limitations described have led to nearly exclusive usage of blue light. Thus, there is a need for methods of hardening dental materials, e.g., dental adhesives and dental composites, that reduce the amount of stress placed on the dental material and the surrounding environment during or after hardening.

Processes for forming dental materials and device


A plasma display panel includes first and second substrates that face each other, a barrier rib structure that is disposed between the first and second substrates to divide a plurality of discharge cells, first and second electrodes that are formed to surround the discharge cells and that extend in a first direction. The first and second electrodes are buried in the barrier rib structure. Address electrodes are formed in a second direction crossing the first direction to correspond to the respective discharge cells, and phosphor layers are formed in the respective discharge cells, such that the discharge cells are divided into red, green, blue, and white discharge cells.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel that displays images using gas discharge, and more particularly, to a plasma display panel having an improved display electrode structure.
2. Related Art
In recent years, devices that use a plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as a "PDP") have attracted attention as next-generation flat panel displays because of their simple manufacturing method and ease of large screen manufacturing, as compared to other flat panel displays. PDPs also have superior characteristics such as a large screen, high image quality, reduced thickness, light weight, and a wide viewing angle.
PDPs are divided into a direct current (DC) type, an alternating current (AC) type, and a hybrid type according to a discharge voltage to be applied. Further, PDPs are divided into an opposed discharge type and a surface discharge type according to a discharge structure.
The DC PDP has a structure in which all electrodes are exposed to a discharge space and electric charges travel directly between opposing electrodes. In the AC PDP, at least one electrode is coated with a dielectric and a discharge is performed with wall charges, instead of direct traveling of the electric charges between the opposing electrodes.
In the DC PDP, the electric charges travel directly between the opposing electrodes, and thus there is problem in that the electrodes are seriously damaged. For this reason, in recent years an AC PDP using AC, in particular a three-electrode surface discharge type of structure, has been generally adopted.
FIG. 1 shows such an AC three-electrode surface discharge PDP, which has a front substrate 200 and a rear substrate 300.
Formed on the rear substrate 300 are address electrodes 330 for selecting discharge cells to be turned on, a rear dielectric layer 350 in which the address electrodes 330 are buried, a barrier rib 370 for dividing discharge cells, and phosphor layers 390 that are coated on the wall surfaces of the barrier rib 370 and bottom surfaces of the discharge cells.
Provided on the front substrate 200 facing the rear substrate 300 are electrodes 220 and 230 for performing the sustain discharge of the selected discharge cells, a front dielectric layer 250 in which the electrodes 220 and 230 are buried, and a protective film 290.
In the related art PDP, a pair of electrodes 220 and 230 are provided at an upper side of each of the discharge cells. The electrodes 220 and 230 are made of transparent electrodes so as to not shield light from the discharge cells. However, the transparent electrodes have high resistance, which results in a problematic increase in discharge voltage.
For this reason, in order to reduce resistance of the transparent electrode, an electrode made of a nontransparent metal is used. In this case, however, there is a problem in that light does not pass through the metal electrode and thus an aperture ratio of the discharge cell is degraded.
In addition, the electrodes formed in such a manner are protected while being covered with the dielectric layer and the protective film. In this case, transmittance of light emitted from the discharge cells is drastically degraded due to the dielectric layer and the protective film.
Further, in the related art surface discharge type of PDP, the electrodes for generating the discharge are formed at the upper side of the discharge space, that is, an inner surface of the front substrate 200 through which light passes. Accordingly, the discharge is generated at the inner surface of the front substrate 200 and is diffused, and thus there is a problem in that luminous efficiency deteriorates.
In addition, in the related art surface discharge type of PDP, when it is used for a long time, there is a problem in that a permanent afterimage is generated due to ion sputtering of charged particles of a discharge gas to a phosphor layer by an electric field.


A tissue approximation device and processes for using the device are provided. The device is an implantable, biodegradable construct (except for hernia repairs) that has attachment points emanating from a supportive backing. The device improves the mechanical phase of wound healing and evenly distributes tension over the contact area between the device and tissue. Processes for using the device include wound closure, vascular anastomoses, soft tissue attachment and soft tissue to bone attachment. Several variations are particularly applicable to facilitating tissue approximation in surgical cosmetic applications, particularly brow lifts. Generally, scalp tissue to be lifted may be set on a brow lift device via attachment points, and the device may then be secured to a patient""s cranium. Variations of the device are described along with a method of installing the brow lift device. Also described is a tool particularly useful for installing a brow lift device.

This invention is in the field of surgery. More particularly, it relates to a tissue approximation device. By xe2x80x9capproximationxe2x80x9d we mean to include variously the specific movement of two regions of tissue towards each other, the movement of one or more selected tissue regions or areas, the maintenance and/or fixation of one or more selected tissue regions in a selected position, and the maintenance and/or fixation of a selected area of tissue against shape variation due to tissue xe2x80x9cspringiness.xe2x80x9d We will also refer to these functions as xe2x80x9cstabilizationxe2x80x9d of a tissue region. For instance, the inventive device may be used to facilitate wound healing by holding soft tissue together under improved distribution of tension and with minimal disruption of the wound interface and its nutrient supplies. Generally, the device has multiple sites for grasping said tissue using tines or prongs or other generally sharp, projecting points, extending from and preferably affixed to a single, supportive backing. Various processes of using the inventive device are also a portion of the invention.
The inventive device is preferably used for the approximation, mobilization, or fixation of tissue. As noted above, these terms are meant variously to include the specific movement of two regions of tissue towards each other, the movement of one or more selected tissue regions or areas, the maintenance of one or more selected tissue regions in a selected position, and the maintenance of a selected area of tissue against shape variation due to tissue xe2x80x9cspringiness.xe2x80x9d Using our inventive device, a variety of approximation procedures may be achieved, variously from the movement of two tissue areas towards each other at a common wound margin to the maintenance of an area of tissue in a specific position during or after a surgical procedure, e.g. brow lifts or ACL regions.
For instance, our inventive device allows healing of soft tissue due to its maintenance of tissue position. The surgically induced healing of soft tissue wounds involves two phases, the mechanical phase of wound closure followed by the biochemical phase which involves protein bridging and scarring. In the mechanical phase, the edges of soft tissue are held in contact by essentially two components: 1) The physical properties and device-tissue interactions of the materials holding the tissue edges in contact, e.g. sutures or staples; and 2) An early deposition of proteinaceous material that has adhesive characteristics, e.g. fibrin glue.
Only in the biochemical phase, which occurs after the mechanical phase, do tissue components replace the mechanical components adhering the wound surfaces. During the biochemical phase, the inflammatory cascade generates signals which induce fibroblasts to migrate into the wound and synthesize collagen fibers.
Collagen is the primary constituent of connective tissue and ultimately determines the pliability and tensile strength of the healing wound. Tensile strength is gradually recovered; 60% of ultimate wound strength is achieved after approximately 3 months. However, this process is successful only if the previous mechanical phase has proceeded normally.
The surgeon""s goal is to optimize the strength and often the cosmetic appearance of a wound closure or tissue coaptation. For this to happen, tissue is mechanically approximated until the wound has healed enough to withstand stress without artificial support. Optimal healing requires the application of appropriate tissue tension on the closure to eliminate dead space but not create ischemia within the tissue. Both of these circumstances increase the risk of wound infection and wound dehiscence.
Although the biomaterial composition of sutures has progressed considerably, the sophistication of manual suture placement in wounds has advanced relatively little since the original use of fabrics several thousand years ago to tie wound edges together. The wide tolerance ranges for suture placement, tension, and configurations, both amongst different surgeons and for different implementations by the same surgeon, result in a significant component of sub-optimal technique. Yet, the technique used for wound closure forms the foundation for all subsequent events in the healing process. It is during this mechanical phase that tissue tension is high, edema and inflammation are intense, wound edge ischemia is greatest, and that one can already observe the complication of wound failure.
Soft tissue is well known for its inability to hold tension. Even when optimally placed, sutures gradually tear through soft tissue, producing gaps in wounds and possibly leading to the eventual failure or sub-optimization of wound healing. Furthermore, since sutures require the implementation of high levels of tension to counteract the forces acting to separate tissues, they may strangulate the blood supply of the tissues through which they are placed, thus inhibiting the delivery of wound nutrients and oxygen necessary for healing.
There have been many attempts to construct wound closure devices that decrease closure time and improve cosmesis. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,421,193 and 2,472,009 to Gardner; U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,998 to Harvey et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,772 to Sheehan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,026 to Barrett; U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,964 to Cook; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,760 to Alwafaie suggest such devices. However, these devices are not useful in surgical or deeper wounds. They only approximate the skin surface, joining skin edges variously through external approaches, using adhesives or nonabsorbable attachment points that penetrate tissue. The devices minimally improve the biomechanics of wound closure, and do not adequately approximate the deeper layers of the closure, i.e. fascia or dermis. Externally placed attachment points that puncture the skin lateral to the wound also interfere with long-term cosmesis and provide a possible conduit for infecting micro-organisms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,692 to Wilk et al., discloses a device for hernia repair that utilizes mesh with pin-like projections to cover hernia defects. This device, however, is used in a laparoscopic hernia repair in conjunction with an inflatable balloon. Closure devices for deeper tissues are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,610,250 to Green; U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,859 to Brozt et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,959 to Walker. However, these devices either work in conjunction with sutures, are made of materials that do not suggest biodegradability, or are designed in such a way as not to impart uniform tension on the closure, increasing the risk of wound separation and failure of wound healing.
The present invention is a biodegradable tissue approximation device. The device includes a plurality of attachment points, e.g. tines, prongs, or other generally sharp or blunt parts, connected to a backing that can be manipulated to close wounds, join soft tissue or bone, or create anastomoses. This multi-point tension distribution system (MTDS) device may be placed with minimal tissue trauma. The present invention typically incorporates the deeper layers of tissue within the closure, and the multiple attachment points distribute the resulting tension, often uniformly. Approximation from the internal aspect of the wound minimizes the potential for dead space in the closure, thus decreasing the risk of sub-optimal healing. Moreover, because the device is absorbed, a second procedure is not typically needed to remove the device.
Thus, the present invention improves the mechanical phase of healing by facilitating wound closure and/or the coaptation of tissues prior to initiation of the biochemical phase of wound healing. Placement of the device maximizes the chance for a good cosmetic result and is not heavily dependent on surgeon skill. Closure time is also shortened, decreasing overall cost and risk of operative complications.
The present invention is a device that improves the mechanical phase of wound healing. In the preferred embodiment, tissue edges are stabilized by a plurality of attachment points that extend from and are affixed to a supportive backing. The density, shape, length, and orientation of attachment points on the backing may be varied to suit the procedure, type of tissue being approximated, and/or area of the body involved. The flexibility of the backing is also variable and dependent on the materials used and dimensions of the backing. In function, the forces or tension placed upon the tissues by the inventive device are mirrored in the backing of the device. Said another way, the shape of the tines relay any forces to the backing of the device. The backing is generally in shear along its length. In the preferred embodiment, the device is biodegradable, and the attachment points uniformly distribute tension over the contact area between the device and tissue.
Processes of using the present invention are also provided. The device may be used to close wounds and create vascular anastomoses. The. device may also be manipulated to approximate soft tissue and soft tissue to bone. The device may be used to mobilize, move, or stabilize a selected region or area of tissue, as noted above.
A further application may include approximation of soft tissue in brow lift and other craniofacial and maxillofacial surgical procedures. Such a device may be optimized to distribute loads over the device while the device remains attached to the patient""s cranium. The brow lift device may further include multiple variations of the device and is preferably biodegradable and absorbable by the patient. The device may also be made from biological materials. A device variation may be installed into a patient by first creating an incision in the patient""s scalp. This incision is preferably a predetermined length corresponding to the length of scalp or tissue desired to be lifted. At one end of the incision, preferably the end farthest away from the scalp or tissue to be lifted, the doctor or surgeon would drill a hole into the cranium. At the opposing end of the incision, the device may be inserted under the scalp or tissue which is then set on the device via attachment points affixed to the device surface. The surgeon may then lift the scalp or tissue via the device, which may then be secured to the cranium by inserting an anchoring post into the drilled hole. Alternatively, after the incision is made and the hole drilled in the cranium, the device may first be inserted into the hole via the post. The surgeon may then lift the scalp or tissue into position over the device and then set the lifted tissue onto the attachment points.
In either case, the procedures may be accomplished by a variety of methods. One particularly useful tool may comprise a manipulatable handle having opposing grasping arms. The grasping arms may be used to secure and handle the device via the anchoring post. The tool may include a slidable block which may be angularly disposed relative to the handle so that the block may press down and secure a portion of the scalp or tissue to be lifted. The block is preferably disposed angularly such that the angle of the block is similar to the angle of the attachment points affixed to the brow lift device. Angling the block may allow the tissue to be optimally set against the attachment points and may provide the least resistance to piercing the scalp or tissue. Alternatively, the tool may omit the slidable block completely and the tissue may be set against the attachment points by other methods such as simply pressing against the tissue by hand.

Multi-point tissue tension distribution device, a brow and face lift variation, and a method of tissue approximation using the device


Disclosed is storage system, that is, an array-type disk apparatus which is provided with an error monitor section which monitors the status of error occurrence in a disk drive and instructs initiation of mirroring between the disk drive and a spare disk drive when the number of errors occurred of the disk drive exceeds a specified value, and a mirror section which performs mirroring between the disk drive and spare disk drive. Storage system, that is, the array-type disk apparatus may be provided with an error monitor section which monitors the status of error occurrence in a disk drive and gives such an instruction as to set the status of the disk drive in a temporary blocked state, and a data restoring section which executes data restoration by reading data from the temporary blocked disk drive when reading from another disk drive constituting a disk array group is not possible during data restoration.

The present invention relates to a disk drive which is an external memory device for a computer, and, more particularly, to a technique for preventing a plurality of disk drives in an array-type disk apparatus constituting a disk array from failing simultaneously and a technique for improving the host I/O response and improving the reliability at the time of data shifting among disk drives constituting a disk array group having a redundancy.
An array-type disk apparatus is one type of memory device systems which are to be connected to computers. The array-type disk apparatus is called a RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) and is a memory device which has a plurality of disk drives laid out in an array and a control section to control the disk drives. In the array-type disk apparatus, a read request (data read request) and a write request (data write request) are processed fast by the parallel operation of the disk drives and redundancy is added to data. As disclosed in Non-patent Publication 1 ("A Case for Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID)", David A. Patterson, Garth Gibson, and Randy H. Katz, Computer Science Division Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California Berkeley), array-type disk apparatuses are classified into five levels according to the type of redundant data to be added and the structure.
It is typical for array-type disk apparatuses available on the market that spare disk drives are mounted beforehand in the same array-type disk apparatus on the assumption that disk drives used may fail. In case where an array-type disk apparatus decides that a disk drive which is a member of the RAID of the array-type disk apparatus or a disk array group has failed, the array-type disk apparatus restores the same data and parity of the failed disk drive in the associated spare disk drive based on the data and parity of another disk drive. After restoration, the spare disk drive operates in place of the failed disk drive.
Further, if the data and parity of a disk drive are restored after the disk drive fails, an access is made to all the disk drives constituting the RAID group, lowering the on-line performance. As a solution to this problem, there is a technique which predicts a disk drive which is likely to fail, copies data in the paired spare disk drive before the disk drive fails and becomes inaccessible, and keeps the disk operation using the spare disk drive. Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147112/1996) discloses a technique which copies data of a disk drive to its spare disk drive and restores the data in the spare disk drive in case where the number of errors occurred in that disk drive exceeds a specified value.
Further, the conventional array-type disk apparatus has an operational flow such that when a data read failure occurs frequently in a disk drive from which data is shifted (hereinafter called "data-shifting disk drive") at the time of shifting data to the spare disk drive of the disk drive due to preventive maintenance or so, data read from the data-shifting disk drive is attempted and after a data read failure is detected, the data in the data-shifting disk drive is restored by the disk drive that has redundancy using the data restoring function of the array-type disk apparatus. It is therefore expected that the prior art drive suffers a slower response to the data read request from the host computer. To avoid the response drop, it is typical to perform the process of coping with the data read request from the host computer using only the system which isolates the data-shifting disk drive from the array-type disk apparatus when a data read error has occurred frequency in the data-shifting disk drive and restores the data in the data-shifting disk drive by means of the redundant disk drive by using the data restoring function of the array-type disk apparatus.

Array-type disk apparatus preventing lost data and providing improved failure tolerance


An approach to the design of the set of filters which allows for the collection of a larger portion of the optical signal while still distinguishing the presence of the various fluorophores is described. In some embodiments, the filter sets of the invention each block a smaller portion of the spectrum, allowing for a larger portion of the emitted light to be detected. The combined information from the light passing through two or more of the filters is then used to determine the presence of a given fluorophore. The filter sets of the invention can be particularly useful in integrated devices in which the light from a single molecule reaction in a small reaction region is directed to a detector or to a specific portion of a detector.

Analytical technologies continue to advance far beyond the test tube scale evaluations of the 19th and 20th centuries, and have progressed to the point where researchers can look at very specific interactions in vivo, in vitro, at the cellular level, and even at the level of individual molecules. This progression is driven not just by the desire to understand important reactions in their purest form, but also by the realization that seemingly minor or insignificant reactions in living systems can prompt a cascade of other events that could potentially unleash a life or death result.
In this progression, these analyses not only have become more focused on lesser events, but also have had to become appropriately more sensitive, in order to be able to monitor such reactions. In increasing sensitivity to the levels of cellular or even single molecular levels, one may inherently increase the sensitivity of the system to other non-relevant signals, or 'noise'. In some cases, the noise level can be of sufficient magnitude that it partially or completely obscures the desired signals, i.e., those corresponding to the analysis of interest. Accordingly, it is desirable to be able to increase sensitivity of detection while maintaining the signal-to-noise ratio.
There is a continuing need to increase the performance of analytical systems and reduce the cost associated with manufacturing and using the system. In particular, there is a continuing need to increase the throughput of analytical systems. There is a continuing need to reduce the size and complexity of analytical system. There is a continuing need for analytical systems that have flexible configurations and are easily scalable.
The present invention provides devices, systems and methods for overcoming the above problems in addition to other benefits.

Filter architecture for analytical devices


A navigation apparatus and method for a three-dimensional graphical user interface are provided. The apparatus includes an input unit that has a plurality of trackballs, in a space containing a certain plane and an-axis crossing the plane at a right angle, for navigation in a direction of the plane and the-axis, a detecting unit that detects a combination of the plurality of trackball movements and generates an input signal, a mapping table that defines the relationship between the input signal and the command for the navigation, and a graphics object control unit that performs the navigation corresponding to the input signal.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to navigation, and more particularly, navigation using a three-dimensional graphical user interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
In digital devices, graphical user interfaces (hereinafter, referred to as "GUIs") are used to provide an easy and efficient way to use the digital device and information. A user usually moves a pointer using an input unit such as a keypad, keyboard or a mouse, and can command a digital device to perform a desired operation by selecting a graphics object indicated by the pointer.
GUIs are typically divided into a two-dimensional GUI and a three-dimensional GUI. The two-dimensional GUI is planar and static, while the three-dimensional GUI is cubic and dynamic compared to the two-dimensional GUI. Therefore, the three-dimensional GUI is a more attractive interface. Accordingly, the three-dimensional GUI is slowly replacing the two-dimensional GUI.
Although the three-dimensional GUI is replacing the two-dimensional GUI, an input unit such as one having four direction keys and a joystick of conventional digital devices still has a function for navigating only the two-dimensional GUI.
Accordingly, a problem occurs when a user navigates a three-dimensional graphical user interface using a two-dimensional input unit. Additionally, only limited three-dimensional GUIs for two-dimensional devices have been provided.
It is difficult to navigate three-dimensional GUIs using the conventional input units. Several inventions (for example, Korean Unexamined Patent No. 2004-009013: "Ball-Type Direction Indicator for Mobile Phone) have been disclosed. However, the above-described problem still remains to be solved.
Thus, an input unit and a three-dimensional GUI that can overcome the inconveniences of three-dimensional GUI navigation are needed.

Apparatus and method for navigation in three-dimensional graphical user interface


A voice coil motor is disclosed, the motor including: a mover including a bobbin including a first bobbin having a lens secured therein and a plurality of second bobbins intermittently protruded from an upper surface of the first bobbin, and a coil block secured to a periphery of the first bobbin; a stator including a magnet facing the coil block and a yoke securing the magnet; a case including a bottom case formed with the bobbin and an upper case coupled to the bottom case and having a portion that is correspondingly opened to the bobbin; and an elastic member elastically supporting the bobbin, wherein any one of the yoke and the upper case is formed with a rotation prevention unit extended to the plurality of second bobbins in order to prevent the bobbin from rotating.

1. Field of the invention
The present disclosure relates to a voice coil motor.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, various optical devices such as a miniature digital camera on a mobile phone or a high resolution digital camera have been developed. In a case of a miniature digital camera applied on a mobile phone, a distance between an image sensor and a lens adjusting a magnification and a focus was uncontrollable in a conventional technology. However, an actuator adjusting the distance between the image sensor and the lens such as a voice coil motor has been recently developed to adjust the function.
A voice coil motor uses a repulsive force and an attractive force generated by a magnetic field of a magnet and a magnetic field of coil to adjust a distance between the image sensor and the lens. The voice coil motor includes a bobbin storing the lens and a leaf spring elastically supporting the bobbin, where the lens is mounted to the bobbin using a screw thread formed at an inner surface of the bobbin.
In mounting the lens to the bobbin using a screw thread formed at an inner surface of the bobbin, the bobbin is generated with a rotational force by rotation of the lens, whereby the lens and the bobbin are rotated by the rotational force.
If the bobbin is rotated, a leaf spring of an extremely thin metal plate coupled to the bobbin and elastically supporting the bobbin is simultaneously rotated, and the leaf spring is thereby damaged or bent to the disadvantage of frequently generating a bad assembly of a voice coil motor.


A method for the characterization of large scale wafer topography is applied to improving yields in the manufacture large scale integrated (LSI) devices. First, the heights at the center, the edge and an intermediate point are measured on eight equally spaced radii. This provides eight values each for Y.sub.s and Y.sub.e which are averaged. Then the shape angle .alpha. is computed using the following equation: ##EQU1## The shape magnitude M is also computed using the following equation: ##EQU2## The thus computed values of .alpha. and M are correlated with individual wafer characteristics as to device performance and yield. Based on these results, the wafer processing is controlled to provide optimal wafer yield and isolation characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the manufacture of integrated circuits in silicon wafers and, more particularly, to the correlation of the large scale topography of a semiconductor wafer to the characteristics of devices subsequently formed on the wafer. Where significant correlations are found, the large scale topography of subsequent wafers are modified to optimize device characteristics and yield.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of large scale integrated (LSI) circuits, there are various factors which contribute to increased circuit density. Among these are reductions in feature size and an increase in device and circuit complexity. The greater circuit densities are being achieved with the use of several types of transistors on a single chip, allowing for greater design flexibility. The varying transistor types as well as their closer proximity require improvements in device isolation. Current technology, however, does not explain isolation and device junction leakage related failures in some device structures. It is important to address this problem since it is an important factor in both increased circuit density and product yield.

Control of large scale topography on silicon wafers

International Business Machines Corporation


A deterrent device for delivering an electric shock to an animal, pest or bird to be deterred, having the typical components of a non-conductive base to which the electrically conductive elements are attached. Instead of the typically-used copper wire, however, the braided elements comprise smaller strands of a conductive material, such as copper, aluminum or stainless steel wire, is used and is mechanically attached to the non-conductive base. The braided elements can be mechanically attached using a simple sewing operation in which the braid is sewn to the base. Because of the mechanical attachment and the ability of the braided elements to flex in both contraction and extension, the device of this invention can be used in tight corners and other contorted locations without having the wires of the typical prior art device pull free of the base.

Ever since electricity was first put to commercial and residential use in the United States in the late 1800's to solve the age-old problem of darkness, the ability of electrical current to deliver an electric shock to a person or animal has been recognized, and electricity utilized as a result for things other than powering lights and motors. Non-lethal applications of electricity for use in encouraging animals to do something or not do something soon followed the use of electricity for lights and motors. The electric cattle prod is perhaps the best known of those devices. Today, however, electricity is used in many ways with animals, such as electric fences to keep farm animals in and predators out, and even dog trainers sometime use an electrical stimulus in a dog collar to assist in their training.
Another age-old problem that has been perplexing mankind since long before the discovery and harnessing of electricity is the propensity of pests in general, but particularly birds, to land in areas where their human neighbors would prefer they didn't. Since the very first bird deterrent device used by man—undoubtedly a thrown rock—an incredible array of devices have been used to dissuade birds from landing or roosting in areas desired by the birds but undesirable to humans. Metallic spike-like, coil or rotating devices, sound-emitting devices, imitation predators, and even real predators, are just a few examples of bird deterrent devices that have been used. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that devices using lethal and non-lethal electrical shock would also be employed along the way.
A typical device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,048, in one embodiment of which a pair of copper wires connected to a power source are embedded in opposites sides of a cable of appropriate diameter such that when the birds of choice (in this case, starlings) land on the cable, their feet touch both wires, closing the circuit and thereby delivering a lethal shock to the birds.
The much more recently-issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,064 discloses another version of a bird and pest deterrent device in which a pair of crimped copper wires are appropriately spaced apart so that the bird's or other pest's feet will touch both wires, resulting in a short circuit and delivering a shock to the bird or other pest.
Other devices for carrying electric charges for discouraging birds and other pests are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,294,893; 3,336,854; 3,717,802; 4,299,048; and 5,850,808, for example. Each of these necessarily include the broad concept of appropriately spaced-apart wires which will both be contacted by the bird (or other pest's) feet (or other part of their anatomy) so as to deliver the appropriate electric shock.
While all of these devices work, at least initially, to an acceptable degree in some installations, the problem that prior art devices of this type have long encountered has been in providing such a device that can be used in something other than relatively straight-line, flat applications and that have a sufficiently long expected useful life in that application. These problems arise from the fact that these devices inherently need two things—1) the conductive elements, typically metal wires, that carry the electrical current; and 2) a non-conductive base element, to which the wires are attached. Most typically, the metal wires are held by friction and/or glue within an appropriately sized channel in the base. See, for example, the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,850,808; 4,299,048 and 3,366,854. Because the metal wires and the non-metallic bases have different coefficients of expansion and contraction, and different degrees of flexibility, however, there is a tendency for the wires in these devices to become detached from the base over time since these devices are typically used in locations that are directly exposed to the weather. This problem is exacerbated if the location to which the device is applied is other than a straight, flat surface, as any twisting or bending of the device places unequal stresses on the base and the wires causing them to become loose or even pop out of their holding channels.
These two problems have been addressed in different ways, and continue to cause problems in the industry, as those skilled in the art continue to seek to find ways to solve the problems. For one recent example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,064, the base "has spaced notches along each edge to provide flexibility to the base, whereby the base may be bent both out of the plane and within the plane" (id., Col. 1, lines 64-66) and the "wires are crimped in undulating fashion along their length, to provide them with give so that they will not disassociate from the base when it is bent or when the wires and base expand and contract at different rates." (Id., Col. 2, lines 7-11).
While the prior art devices are useful to a degree, they still suffer from certain drawbacks, including limitations on the degree to which they can be bent without inducing potentially disabling stresses, and relatively higher cost. Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved electrical shock deterrent device that solves these problems, and does so in an efficient, reliable, low cost way.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for separating an integrated circuit formed by a thin film having a novel structure or a method for transferring the integrated circuit to another substrate, that is, so-called transposing method, has not been proposed. According to the present invention, in the case that an integrated circuit having a thin film having a novel structure formed over a substrate via a release layer is separated, the release layer is removed in the state that the thin film integrated circuit is fixated, the thin film integrated circuit is transposed to a supporting substrate having an adhesion surface, and the thin film integrated circuit is transposed to another substrate having an adhesion surface with higher strength of adhesion than that of the supporting substrate.

A method for separating an integrated circuit using the conventional silicon wafer (hereinafter, IC chip) from a substrate has been proposed (Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-209073). The Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-209073 disclosed that a protective tape is adhered to a circuit surface of a semiconductor wafer, a dicing tape is adhered to a reverse surface, and the semiconductor wafer is diced with the protective tape to form a chip, then, a release tape is adhered to the diced protective tape, and then, the protective tape is heated to be deformed, lastly, the protective tape that is diced with the release tape is separated from the chip.
As a method for mounting an optical device chip on an electronic circuit board, a method for making a crystal growth of a buffer layer and an active layer over a semiconductor device, forming a plurality of optical devices, forming a separation groove by etching the active layer till the active layer reaches to the buffer layer, removing the semiconductor substrate by covering the surface of the active layer by the protective film, adhering the reverse side of the buffer layer to an extensible film with adhesive capable of being separated, breaking the buffer layer along with the separation groove, providing a space between adjacent devices by extending the extensible film, and fusion bonding and fixating a driver electrode of the optical device to the electronic circuit board by using the extensible film as a support jig (Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-30209).

Method for manufacturing integrated circuit

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A misfire detecting apparatus for an internal combustion engine which detects the occurrence of misfire in the engine on the basis of a rotation signal outputted in accordance with the rotation of the engine at every predetermined rotational angle a crank shaft of said engine. The apparatus successively calculates a time taken for revolution of the engine by a predetermined crank angle on the basis of the rotation signals outputted from the rotational angle sensor and then sets first and second decision values on the basis of the calculated times in connection with two cylinders of the engine which successively take explosion strokes. The second decision value is set at 360 degrees in the engine rotational angle previous to the setting of the first decision value. The apparatus detects the occurrence of misfire on the basis of the first and second decision values. This arrangement can accurately detect the occurrence of misfire irrespective of the difference in average speed between the respective cylinders.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the occurrence of misfire in an internal combustion engine.
As a means for detecting the occurrence of misfire in an internal combustion engine there is known as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 61-258955 where, under the fact that the occurrence of misfire can disturb the complete combustion within combustion chamber of the engine to lower the engine speed, the engine speed is detected at at least two points in the one-ignition cycle to obtain the variation of the engine speed which is in turn compared with a misfire detection value set on the basis of the state of the engine so that the occurrence of misfire is decided when the engine speed variation exceeds the misfire detection value. In this misfire detection apparatus the misfire decision is effected on the assumption that, when the misfire does not occur, the average speed .omega..sub.n at every ignition period (combustion period) is always constant as illustrated in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, the dotted line shows the instantaneous speed characteristic of the engine and the solid line shows the average speed .omega..sub.n characteristic within each ignition period. However, in the case of a V-type internal combustion engine in which the cylinders are disposed about the crank shaft so as to have a V-configuration, since the connecting rod for connecting the piston to the crank shaft is disposed to have a predetermined angle with respect to the crank shaft, even if the combustion normally occurs, the average speed .omega..sub.n does not become constant due to the inertial force of each cylinder and the like but the average speed .omega..sub.n varies at every 360.degree. CA period as illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows the average speed .omega..sub.n characteristic of each of the cylinders of a V-type 6-cylinder internal combustion engine in which 6 cylinders are disposed to form a V-configuration by sets of 3 cylinders. For example, the average speed .omega..sub.n obtained when the third cylinder takes the explosion stroke is plotted at the top dead center position (#3TDC position) of the third cylinder on the horizontal axis. Similarly, in the case of an in-line type internal combustion engine, there is possibility that the aforementioned 360.degree. CA period variation occurs due to the difference between the crank angle sensors in the manufacturing process, the mechanical looseness of the crank shaft and others. Accordingly, when the average speed .omega..sub. n variation as illustrated in FIG. 4 occurs, there is the possibility that a decision error appears regardless of no occurrence of misfire.

Apparatus for detecting misfire in internal combustion engine


A headphone. The headphone includes at least three speakers. Two of the speakers are held to the ears and the other speaker is in contact with parts of the head other than the ears so that sound from speakers is audible by the ears. A signal line having a conductor and a power line are both coupled to each speaker so that external signals are sent to the speakers through the conductor and an external electrical power of source is applied to the speakers through the power line respectively.

The present invention relates to headphone and more particularly to an improved headphone having several speakers.
Recently, electronics technology has known a rapid and a spectacular development leading to an availability of more inexpensive electronic products to consumers. In the example of audio products, a good quality is always the target of manufacturers. A Dolby effect disclosed by Dolby Company is a most frequently used audio processing format. Further, Dolby effect has evolved from mono sound to Dolby Stereo, Dolby Surround, Dolby Surround Pro Logic, and Dolby Digital. In response, the number of speakers of a stereo is increased in addition to requirements about locations of speakers and others. As a result, an optimum sound may be realized. In the case of Dolby Surround technique a front left, a front right, a rear left, and a rear right speakers are disposed around a stereo so as to form a sound surround effect. As to the coded playing of sound, signals of surround portion of sound are coded into left and right sound signals. Further, a decoding circuit is enabled to fetch such signals of surround portion of sound as stereo is playing. Hence, the front left, front right, rear left, and rear right speakers can output sound respectively. At the same time, complimentary portions of left and right sound channels may be processed by a predetermined circuit so as to enhance the surround effect and the orientation of sound. Moreover as to Dolby Surround Pro Logic technique, a central speaker is added into a stereo configured to play in a Dolby Surround environment wherein the coded playing of sound may increase the coding of the central portion of sound. As to existing AV devices such as VCRs, TVs, LDs, DVD players, etc. Dolby Digital technique is employed to record sound into six channels. Further, a destructive compression is performed to store sound signals in the channels in a digital manner so as to increase sound articulation. And in turn a better orientation and moving effect of sound may be obtained. Furthermore, such technique increases the surround range. In the example of playing a movie, each speaker installed in various locations of a theater may make a sound respectively. As a result, a stereo effect is brought onto viewers. Moreover, in the case of digital AV device, a Digital Theater System (DTS) is employed which is advantageous over Dolby Digital with respect to sound regeneration. Hence, such DTSs have been widely employed in Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs).
However, a sufficient space is required for disposing speakers in one of Dolby Surround, Dolby Surround Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, and DTS environments so as to obtain an optimum surround sound. Otherwise, the desired effect may be compromised. Further, powers of speakers must be suitably configured for obtaining an optimum sound effect. Otherwise in the case of excessive large powers of speakers, nearby people may be annoyed. In another case of excessive small powers of speakers, people may not hear the surround sound clearly. This may be best illustrated when a person alone listens to music or watches a movie wherein powers of speakers are adjusted to a minimum. As a result, a desired sound effect is compromised, thus frustrating the person who alone listens to music or watches a movie.
Moreover, signal lines between speakers and the stereo/AV device are required for signal communication. It may be messy. Hence, signal lines may be broken accidentally by person walking in the environment. In the case of connecting a computer to several speakers having Dolby Digital effect, signal lines are typically extended from computer ports to ground vertically prior to coupling to speakers. The signal lines are subject to break in the narrow space accordingly. Thus improvement exists.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a headphone comprising at least three speakers wherein two of the speakers are held to the ears and the other speaker is in contact with parts of the head other than the ears so that sound from speakers is audible by the ears; a signal line having a conductor and a power line both coupled to each speaker so that external signals are sent to the speakers through the conductor and an external electrical power of source is applied to the speakers through the power line respectively; and at least one signal receiver element formed on a headband being connectable to a sound reproducing device for receiving signals. By utilizing this, a surround sound effect is obtained.

No. 22, Lane 129, Yun Hsiang Shan Chuang, Sheng Kao Village


An automatic changer for playing digital discs containing music or other digitally encoded information has a loading station, a play station and a discard station. A robot arm individually engages the top disc of a stack of discs stacked at the loading station through the center hole in the disc and lifts and transports the disc to the play station where it lowers the disc over a reading head for play. After play, the robot arm raises the disc from the play station and transports the disc to the discard station and releases it there. In an alternative embodiment, a carousel containing a plurality of discs rotates sequentially to position the discs over the reading head. When changing discs the carousel is lifted to raise a played disc from the reading head, rotated to position the next disc to be played over the reading head and lowered to lower the disc to be played into playing position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to digital disc changers capable of reading or writing on discs and, more particularly, to digital disc changers capable of playing back music and video information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Disc changers capable of automatically playing a plurality of digital discs are known. One type of such known changer utilizes cartridges that can each receive a plurality of discs. A cartridge is loaded with discs and inserted into the changer and the discs are sequentially played in any desired order.
In another type of disc changer, a carousel that is loaded with a plurality of discs is employed to position individual ones of the discs sequentially in a position over a play mechanism. Once the disc is in position, the play mechanism is raised from below the carousel and raises the disc from the carousel to a playing position where the disc is played. Such carousels may be accessible from the top of the changer, for example, by opening a dust cover, or may be located in a movable drawer or tray. Other types of disc changers utilize a plurality of individual trays that extend and retract like drawers and each receive a single disc to be played in a selected order. Still other changers utilize such a single disc tray for single play and a cartridge for playing multiple discs.
While these changers provide a way to play multiple discs, the systems employing a cartridge require that the cartridge be loaded before a disc is played even if only a single disc is being played. Also, systems employing a cartridge require that play be interrupted when the discs in the cartridge are being changed. In addition, it is difficult to remember the order in which the discs are arranged in the cartridge.
Systems that utilize a carousel that is contained in a drawer or tray also require play to be interrupted when a disc is being removed from or added to the carousel, and all carousel systems require a mechanism to move the playing mechanism with the reading head up and down during a changing cycle. Also, the carousel becomes relatively large when it is designed to accommodate a large number, e.g. more than three, discs.


The subject invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates contact- or people-based organization of messages. A list of contacts can be generated based on the people or groups who have communicated with the user (mailbox owner) via email or otherwise. To view desired messages, a user can select one or more contacts that participated in the desired messages as either a recipient or sender. Following the selection, messages between the selected contacts and the user can be displayed in a window. Any items or information shared in the messages can be viewed in a separate window. A link can be maintained between any shared item and its message of origin. The user can also view messages that include third parties. The contact list is dynamic and due to limited display space, contacts communicating the most frequently with the user can be listed on a top level.

As the volume of information exchanged electronically grows, so does the need to organize it in a way that facilitates storage and future retrieval. Communication clients, particularly email clients, have become a repository of valuable data. Productivity of knowledge workers depends on the ability to find a requested piece of information that very often has arrived as an email or attachment.
The traditional way to organize email data uses a folder hierarchy, similar to the folder hierarchy of conventional file systems. In theory, the folder hierarchy is the ultimate classification—being completely user defined, it has the potential to be the best representation of user intentions. Unfortunately, it does not always work so well in practice.
The main problem with the folder classification system is that it does require an explicit user action, whether it is filing the message in the appropriate folder, or creating a rule to do so automatically. With the current volume of email communication, the job quickly becomes a chore that few users can maintain. Some user surveys have shown that many users simply give up on folder classification, keeping all or most of their incoming messages in the inbox and finding requested items by sorting and searching.
Even for those users who do file all the mail items on a regular basis, the folder system does not often work as well as expected. The problem is the discrepancy between the dynamic nature of interpersonal contacts and the static folder structure. Even the best designed folder hierarchy (and few real users are experts in the taxonomy necessary to create the "best" hierarchy,) becomes partially obsolete after a period and should be redesigned. However, the labor cost of re-classifying all the items, especially those in the archives, is very high and usually not justified by the added benefit of the new organization. Some users complained that in the end, the obsolete folder structure often becomes an obstacle rather then an advantage, as the user does not always remember where the item was placed.
There have been many attempts to organize email communications automatically. Many email clients allow creating automatic rules to move new messages into appropriate folders, but automatic removal of new messages from inbox also removes them from user focus.
Another approach is to use standing queries. For example, a query may look for all mail items involving a given person as a sender or recipient. Standing queries allow grouping messages without taking them out of the inbox. Some authors proposed a predefined set of standing queries that can be used to organize the inbox. However, the drawback of a predefined set is in the limited number of categories: it does not scale well when the number of contacts grow.


The present invention provides a novel method for producing a 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole derivative. The present invention also provides a method for producing a compound by using the 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole derivative obtained by the production method, and a composition that contains the compound. The present invention also provides a polymerizable composition that is useful in producing film-shaped polymers and contains the compound obtained by the production method. The invention of the present application provides a method for producing a compound represented by general formula (I-C), the method including a step of reacting a compound represented by general formula (I-B) with a compound represented by general formula (I-A) in the presence of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of metal amides, metal hydrides, metal alkoxides, and organic alkali metals. A compound derived from the compound produced by the production method, and a composition that contains the compound are also provided.

In order to improve the viewing angle of liquid crystal displays, it is required to decrease or reverse the wavelength dispersibility of the birefringence of a retardation film. Various compounds having reverse wavelength dispersibility or low wavelength dispersibility have been developed to serve as the materials therefor. An example of such a compound known heretofore is a compound that has a hydrazone moiety in which a substituent, such as an alkyl group, is introduced into a nitrogen atom, and a benzothiazole moiety. An example of the key intermediate for producing this compound is a 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole derivative having a substituent, such as an alkyl group, on a nitrogen atom. In the production of the key intermediate, there has been used a method that involves reacting 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole with a halogenated alkyl etc., in the presence of potassium carbonate, cesium carbonate, or lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (PTL 1 to PTL 3). However, according to this existing method, the isolated yield of the target substance has not always been satisfactory.

Method for producing 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole derivative


A system and method for selecting and customizing advertisements to be provided to a user includes monitoring user interactions within a virtual gaming environment and indirectly determining user characteristics based on the monitored user interactions. A user profile is generated from the user characteristics. An advertisement is selected and customized for the user based on the user profile. The advertisement is provided for display to the user in the virtual gaming environment.

Advertisements can be customized to target specific consumers to enhance the likelihood of a consumer response to an advertisement. Information about the consumer, such as user profiles, purchased items, web page views, and item reviews are analyzed to target advertisements. Typically, this information is used to group consumers into general categories for purposes of targeting specific advertisements. Unfortunately, advertising providers are capable of only collecting limited information, and the information collected only allows for targeting a general group of consumers and does not allow for targeting individuals.