Cabinets, methods for making cabinets, and aircraft including cabinets are provided. In one example, a cabinet includes a cabinet body that at least partially surrounds a cabinet space and that defines a cabinet opening that allows access to the cabinet space. A cabinet door at least partially covers the cabinet opening when in a closed position and extends upward from a lower edge portion to an upper edge portion. The cabinet door has an outer exposed surface facing generally in a first direction away from the cabinet space when in the closed position. The cabinet door is operatively coupled to the cabinet body for opening from the closed position to an open position including the lower edge portion moving generally upward and the upper edge portion moving generally upward and towards the first direction to expose the cabinet opening.

The commercial and/or military transportation industries, e.g., aircraft industry, motor vehicle industry, and the like, often include storage compartments for stowing items. For example, aircraft often include one or more cabinets, such as galley upper cabinets or the like, for stowing dishware, glassware, or the like. Such cabinets include a cabinet body with a storage space inside and a cabinet opening that provides access to the storage space. One or more cabinet doors may be movably disposed over the cabinet opening to prevent any stowed items from falling out and/or to provide an aesthetically pleasing outer surface that covers the storage space.
When a cabinet door is opened, for example pivoted in a downward direction to a horizontal position near the bottom of the cabinet, the door protrudes out into the interior area of the aircraft, for example into the cabin area, galley area, or the like, making it awkward for a passenger or crew member to work around the protruding door to reach into the storage space. Additionally, many aircraft include a headliner that is disposed just over the upper portion of the cabinet preventing the cabinet door from being opened vertically upward without obstruction (e.g., via contact with) from the headliner.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide cabinets including cabinet doors that overcome one or more of the foregoing issues, methods for making such cabinets, and aircraft including such cabinets. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the various embodiments described herein will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.

Cabinet and method for making the same, and aircraft including a cabinet


A low molecular weight lignin fraction having a pre-selected molecular weight range prepared from lignin solution by ultrafiltration. The invention also relates to phenol-formaldehyde resin modified by the lignin fraction, adhesive comprising the modified resin, and a method for producing the lignin fraction and the resin.

Phenol, one of the main components of phenolic resins, is a relatively expensive petrochemical. Because phenol is a petrochemical, its market price fluctuates with crude oil prices. Since crude oil prices have been and are expected to remain high, there continues to be an impetus to find non-petrochemical based replacements for raw materials, such as phenol, derived from crude oil.
A major use of phenol is in the manufacture of phenol-formaldehyde resins. Such resins are used in large quantities as adhesives, coatings, fillers and the like in the manufacture of plywood, particle board and other composite wood products. Due to the high cost of the raw materials derived from petrochemical sources, such adhesives, coatings, fillers and the like are relatively expensive, relative to the value of the finished product. For these reasons, there is a strong economic incentive to replace as much of the phenol as possible with a less costly modifier that does not detract from the resin performance.
Because of the similarity of its chemical structure to phenolic resins, numerous proposals have been made to modify kraft lignin, among other lignins, by reaction with chemicals which promote cross linking of the lignin molecules. Kraft lignin is a by-product of a particular alkali wood pulping process, the Kraft process. Such cross linked lignins may be used as modifiers in phenolic resins. One of the drawbacks of the prior art, which has limited the use of such modified lignins, is that large amounts of phenol still must be used to produce a resin with suitable properties. Large amounts of phenol are required because the reactivity of the lignin molecules is relatively low. It also has proved difficult to effect sufficient cross linking between the lignin and the phenol-formaldehyde resin to achieve good resin properties, and in particular properties of composite wood products certified for exterior use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,303 describes the use of purified alkali lignin as a modifier for phenolic plywood resins. U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,638 discloses lignosulfonate as a phenol replacement in an adhesive resin made by co-condensing lignosulfonate, phenol and formaldehyde. U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,291 describes a plywood adhesive made by reacting black liquor of the kraft or soda alkaline pulping processes with formaldehyde and then blending this adduct with a phenol-formaldehyde resin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,675 similarly describes an adhesive prepared by reacting lignin from kraft or soda black liquor with formaldehyde under alkaline conditions followed by cross linking with a phenol formaldehyde resin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,562 describes an alkali lignin-based adhesive prepared by adding a phenol-water-lignin solution to a partially condensed phenol-formaldelhyde resin and then reacting the mixture under alkaline conditions. Unfortunately, with all of the above methods the low level of lignin reactivity severely limits the relative amount of lignin that can be added to the resin (and correspondingly the amount of phenol that can be replaced).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,606 purportedly overcomes this problem by using a high molecular weight alkali lignin isolated for example by ultrafiltration. According to the '606 patent, the initial lignin should be treated to recover a lignin fraction in which at least 40 wt. percent of the lignin has a molecular weight in excess of that of Glucagon as determined by gel chromatography. Stated in an alternative fashion, the patent teaches the removal of the low molecular weight lignin fraction and the use of the remaining high molecular weight lignin fraction (at least 45 percent of the lignin should have molecular weights in excess of 5,000) as an improved lignin modifier for phenol. There is no discussion as to any utility of the low molecular weight fraction. In fact, with the disclosure of "at least 35 percent, properly over 40 percent or 45 percent, and preferably over 50 percent by weight of the alkali lignins shall have molecular weights in excess of 5,000 as determined by gel chromatography" (or alternatively, "at least 40 percent, properly over 45 percent or 50 percent and preferably over 55 percent by weight of the alkali lignins have molecular weights in excess of that of Glucagon") this patent indicates that the lignin molecular weights should be as high as possible.
The use of ultrafiltration to remove or recover constituents from black liquor also is known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,405 describes a process using ultrafiltration to remove color from black liquor. The liquor is ultrafiltered through a membrane with a pore size of from about 0.01 to 0.05 micron and the color components are recovered in the concentrate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,845 describes a process wherein the waste wash liquor of chlorine bleaching and sodium hydroxide bleaching operations is ultrafiltered after the addition of a flocculating agent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,098 describes a pulping process in which the pulping liquid is subjected to ultrafiltration during the pulping operation to remove constituents having a molecular weight above 3,500, preferably above 2,000 and most preferably above 1,500. The pulping liquid, from which the higher molecular weight constituents have been removed, is returned to the pulping process. The recovered concentrate, which contains the higher molecular weight constituents, is said to contain mostly lignin materials and is said to have various uses. The solids content of this concentrate, obtainable by evaporation or spray drying, is said to be useful, inter alia, in the preparation of adhesives.
Low molecular weight lignin-containing by-products obtained by pulping of wood, typically hardwood, in an aqueous ethanolic liquor have been substituted for phenol in phenol-formaldehyde resins used for bonding maple blocks. An aqueous mixture of the lignin was reacted with the quantity of phenol required to form the resin. Then, the formaldehyde was added. The resulting resin was used as the bonding agent for the blocks.


A level tool comprising a body and a clamping portion disposed at one end of the body. The clamping portion includes a first arm having a plurality of spaced-apart contact surfaces and a second arm having a fastening member. The first and second arms define an opening for receiving a portion of a workpiece. The plurality of spaced-apart contact surfaces and the fastening member cooperate to releasably clamp the portion of the workpiece received in the opening.

The invention relates generally to a level tool for indicating the orientation of a workpiece. More specifically, the invention relates to a level tool configured to clamp to a workpiece.
As is known in the art, level tools are used to indicate the orientation of a workpiece, a surface or a structure with respect to a reference axis, such as a horizontal reference axis that is generally parallel to the horizon, a vertical reference axis that is perpendicular to the horizontal axis and is generally aligned with the direction of the force of gravity, or a reference axis having another orientation.
A typical level tool generally includes an elongated body that defines at least one external working surface and one or more vial openings with bubble vials secured therein. The vials may be aligned in different directions relative to the working surface for indicating the orientation of a workpiece. For example, a plumb vial may be aligned in a direction perpendicular to the working surface, and a level vial may be aligned in a direction parallel to the working surface. As a result, when the working surface engages a generally vertical workpiece, an air bubble is generally centered within the plumb vial. Similarly, when the working surface engages a generally horizontal workpiece, an air bubble is generally centered within the level vial.
Some currently known level tools also include means for clamping an end of the level to a workpiece so that a user can manipulate the workpiece without having to simultaneously hold onto the level, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,973 and U.S. Pat. No. D509,158. For example, such a level tool may be used in the bending of electrical conduit, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,973. In a bending operation, it is desirable to secure the level to the end of the electrical conduit so that a user can bend the electrical conduit into a desired configuration and monitor the bending angles without having to simultaneously hold and manipulate the level. However, known level tools fail to provide the most effective and secure means for clamping an end of the level to a workpiece.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved level tool that can be more securely clamped to a workpiece.


When the surface of a semiconductor device having at least two different films formed on a substrate is flattened by chemical mechanical polishing, the abrasion resistance upon polishing is detected by strain gauges provided close to the surface of the semiconductor device to be polished. In addition, the end of the polishing process is determined on the basis of the amount of change of the detected signals produced from the strain gauges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flattening method and apparatus for semiconductor device, and particularly to a flattening method and apparatus with the improved precision of detecting (or determining) a polishing end point for polishing the surface of semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, as the elements in the semiconductor device have been highly integrated and fine patterned, the multilayering technique such as polycrystalline silicon wiring has been progressed to realize faster operation and higher electric performance of the semiconductor device. In the manufacturing process for semiconductor device, when an irregular portion, or uneven level is produced on the surface of the silicon wafer substrate with a lower wiring conductor formed thereon (which is hereinafter referred to as "device wafer"), an upper wiring conductor formed on the surface of the device wafer may cause a short circuit between the conductors or the control of focusing on the surface of the device wafer upon exposure may be difficult in a fine patterning operation such as photolithography process.
In the prior art, the surface of the device wafer is flattened by CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing). However, in order to assure a suitable degree of polishing or correct depth of polishing, it is necessary to precisely determine a polishing end point which means the time or timing when the polishing process ends.
A polishing end point detector disclosed in JP-A-6-315850 measures the torque of at least one of the first shaft for driving the polishing table, on which an object to be polished such as a silicon wafer is placed, and the second shaft for rotating the polished object, and then detects that at least one of the measured torque and the differentiated value of the measured torque with respect to time has changed to a predetermined value or above, thus producing a polishing end signal which determines the polishing end point.
In this conventional polishing end deciding method based on the torque change of the shaft, the information for the decision is obtained from the torque change over the entire wafer, and thus the decision is not always exact. In other words, it is uncertain if a torque change in the shaft is caused by part of the wafer or by the entire wafer, and hence such decision is unavoidably macroscopic and rough.
Other conventional polishing methods as given below are disclosed which employ a strain gauge helpful for precisely polishing the surface of semiconductor device.
(1) Semiconductor substrate polishing control method in JP-A-2-257630
During polishing, the amount of deformation of the lower surface of a holder which supports and presses a semiconductor substrate thereon is measured by a strain gauge, and the upper and lower portions of the holder are held at different temperatures in proportion to the measured amount of deformation, thereby regulating the surface shape of the lower surface of the holder. In addition, during polishing, the amount of deformation of the polishing cloth (or the abrasive cloth) is measured by a displacement meter, and the temperature of the polishing liquid (or the abrasive liquid) poured on the polishing cloth is determined in accordance with the measured amount of deformation, thereby regulating the surface shape of the polishing cloth. Moreover, the amount of deformation of the lower table with the polishing cloth attached on the surface is measured by the displacement meter, and the upper and lower portions of the lower table are held at different temperatures according to the measured amount of deformation, thereby regulating the surface shape of the lower table.
(2) Heat deformation control type surface polishing method in JP-A-4-53671
A plurality of heaters and a plurality of strain gauges are provided on the opposite surface to the polishing side of the upper table, and the heaters are turned on and off in accordance with the amount of deformation of the upper table measured by the strain gauges during polishing, thereby stabilizing the deformation of the upper table due to heat.
However, none of the two conventional methods given above improves the precision in determining the polishing end point by use of strain gauges.

Flattening method and apparatus for semiconductor device


An energy storage device, includes a terminal; an electrode assembly having a body portion and a tab portion projecting from the body portion; and a current collector electrically connecting the terminal and the tab portion with each other. The current collector is configured such that a plate portion and a second plate portion which opposedly face each other are continuously formed with each other with curved portion interposed therebetween, and a thickness of the curved portion is set smaller than a thickness of the first plate portion and a thickness of the second plate portion.

Conventionally, there has been known an energy storage device where a tab portion of an electrode assembly and a terminal are electrically connected to each other through a current collector. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration where a current collector connected to a tab portion is bent and, thereafter, the current collector is connected to a terminal.

Energy storage device and method for manufacturing energy storage device


A rotary-cam type reclining device comprises a base fixedly connected to a seat cushion, a toothed arm fixedly connected to a seat back and rotatably supported on the base via a pivot, a toothed block slidably disposed between the base and the arm and having an outer toothed portion and a cam-contour surface and slidably guided by two parallel side walls of a recessed toothed-block guide defined in the base, a rotary cam for producing outward and inward sliding motions of the toothed block to mesh and unmesh the outer toothed portion of the toothed block with and from the inner toothed portion of the arm by a rotary motion of the cam, and an operating lever mechanically linked to the cam for producing the rotary motion of the cam. Also provided between the arm and the toothed block is an auxiliary interlocking member, which is responsive to a deformation of the toothed block resulting from impact force applied to the arm for interlocking the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary-cam type reclining device suitable for use in automobile reclining seats, and more specifically to a rotary-cam type seat reclining device lockable by way of a rotary motion of the rotary cam mechanically linked to a reclining lever to ensure forward-and-backward angular adjustment of a seat back relative to a seat cushion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there have been proposed and developed various rotary-cam type reclining devices. A typical rotary-cam type reclining device includes a base fixedly connected to a seat cushion and having a recessed portion formed with two opposing parallel side walls, an arm fixedly connected to a seat back and rotatably supported by the base via a pivot shaft, two or more toothed blocks each slidably guided in the two opposing parallel side walls in the base, a reclining lever integrally connected to the pivot shaft, and a rotary cam usually fixedly connected to the pivot shaft of the reclining lever and acting to mesh or unmesh the toothed blocks with or from the inner toothed portion of the arm by way of rotation of the rotary cam. One such conventional rotary-cam type reclining device has been disclosed in Japanese Patent First Publication No. 6-125821 (corresponding to French Patent Application No. 91 02590 filed on Mar. 5, 1991). A conventional rotary-cam type reclining device disclosed in the Japanese Patent First Publication No. 6-125821 includes a stationary flange portion, often called a base, fixedly connected to a seat cushion, a rotatable flange portion, often called an arm, fixedly connected to a seat back, and a rotary cam. The rotatable flange portion is formed with an inner toothed portion on its inner periphery. On the other hand, the stationary flange portion is formed with a plurality of cup-like recessed portions, each radially guiding and slidably accommodating therein a toothed block. A plurality of block pushers are interposed between the rotary cam and the respective toothed blocks. Each of the toothed blocks can be meshed with or unmeshed from the inner toothed portion of the arm via radially outward sliding motion of each of the block pushers being in cam-connection with the rotary cam. One rotational movement of the rotary cam, equivalent to a pull-up motion of the reclining lever, produces a radially inward sliding movement of each block pusher and the inner toothed portion of the arm is unmeshed from the outer toothed portions of the toothed blocks, thus allowing an angular adjustment of the rotatable flange portion relative to the stationary flange portion. If the rotary cam is rotated in the other rotational direction together with the reclining lever with the seat back set at a desired angular position determined by the vehicle occupant, the outer toothed portions of the toothed blocks are brought again into meshed-engagement with the inner toothed portion of the rotatable flange portion by virtue of a radially outward sliding motion of each block pusher, resulting from the other rotational movement of the cam. Assuming that an excessively large external force such as impact force is applied to the rotatable flange portion connected to the seat back under such a fully-locked condition of the device where the toothed blocks are meshed with the rotatable flange portion, the rotatable arm is heavily loaded in a certain rotational direction and as a result a relatively large bending moment and a shearing force are produced in the toothed blocks which may be subjected to an excessively large load, transmitted from the rotatable flange portion via the plural meshing pairs to the toothed blocks. In case of application of excessively large impact force, each of the toothed blocks could be brought into collision-contact with the associated side walls of the cup-like recessed portions, with the result that a bearing pressure or bearing stress, acting on the side walls of the cup-like recessed toothed-block guiding portion, may be abruptly risen or there may be result in stress concentration on the side walls. This results in undesired deformation of the side walls of the cup-like recessed portion of the stationary flange portion. As is generally know, it is important to lighten the entire weight of the device, while insuring a required mechanical strength of the device. Additionally, to insure a smooth sliding motion of each toothed block within the cup-like recessed guide portion, there is less friction between the side wall of the recessed guide portion and the side wall of the toothed block, in sliding-contact and there is less play between the two opposing side walls. To avoid undesired deformation of each toothed block and a rotary cam in case of application of an excessively large load, it is necessary to properly increase the thickness in each side wall of the recessed guide portion and/or a thickness in each toothed block, to increase the mechanical strength of the reclining device. Alternatively, to enhance the mechanical strength, a material having a high mechanical strength, such as a high-strength steel, can be used. To lighten the device and reduce the production costs, the previously-noted two methods for the mechanical-strength enhancement is unpreferable.


There is provided a driving circuit capable of driving current flowing in cathode electrodes with high accuracy and displaying without brightness variation. For driving a cathode electrode in a display panel, a first current mirror circuit is fabricated by connecting a gate of first FET and a gate of second FET and a second current mirror circuit is fabricated by connecting a gate of a third FET connected in series to the second FET and a gate of a fourth FET. A brightness signal controls the magnitude of current flowing in the first FET, so that the current flowing to the cathode electrode via the fourth FET can be controlled with high accuracy.

With a recent trend toward a thin display, a display using a field emission device (hereinafter, referred to as "FED") and a display using an organic electroluminescent (hereinafter, referred to as "EL") device are expected to be widely applied as displays for household and industrial use. In these displays, display devices are arranged in a two-dimensional space to form a display panel, and the display panel thus formed is driven by a driving circuit. Although a driving circuit for the FED is different in circuit parameters from a driving circuit for the EL device, both have a common driving principle. In the following description, a driving circuit for the FED will be mainly explained. However, this description can also be applied to the EL device.
In the FED, electrons are emitted through a tunnel effect from a metal surface or a semiconductor surface of which electric field strength is about 109 V/m. FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of a spindt type FED. This FED is fabricated by forming on an insulating substrate 100 a cathode electrode 101, a gate electrode 102 and a molybdenum cone-shaped emitter 103 electrically connected to the cathode electrode 101, each of which is formed of a conductive material. Further, an SiO2 film is formed between the cathode electrode 101 and the gate electrode 102 to insulate them from each other and maintain a predetermined distance therebetween.
Moreover, in order to capture electrons emitted from the FED, an anode electrode 104 coated with phosphor is disposed in a position separated with a gap from the gate electrode. When a gate-cathode voltage VGC is applied between the cathode electrode 101 and the gate electrode 102, electrons are emitted. Further, an anode voltage VA is applied between the cathode electrode 101 and the anode electrode 104, so that the electrons emitted from the emitter 103 collide with the phosphor of the anode electrode 104 to thereby emit light. At this time, a cathode current Ic flows between the anode electrode 104 and the cathode electrode 101.
FIG. 11 illustrates a cathode current Ic as a function of (a gate-cathode voltage VGC of a spindt type FED. When the gate-cathode voltage VGC is greater than a threshold value VTH, the cathode current Ic starts to flow. As the gate-cathode voltage VGC increases, the cathode current Ic increases. The increase in the cathode current Ic leads to the increase in the amount of light emitted from the phosphor. Therefore, the amount of light emitted from the phosphor can be controlled by controlling the gate-cathode voltage VGC. VOP and IOP in the figure represent operation VGC and Ic.
FIG. 12 depicts an equivalent circuit of the spindt type FED shown in FIG. 10. A resistance Rc indicates a resistance between the cathode electrode 101 and the emitter 103. As shown in FIG. 12, a pulse voltage VC is applied to the cathode electrode 101 (not shown in FIG. 12) connected to the resistance Rc, and a pulse voltage VG is applied to the gate electrode 102. Depending on the combination of the pulse voltage VC and the pulse voltage VG applied, the gate-cathode voltage VGC is controlled, so that the electric field emission can be controlled.
FIG. 13 schematically shows a part of a display panel forming a display by using FEDs as display devices arranged in a two-dimensional space. In the display panel, a plurality of cathode electrodes and a plurality of gate electrodes are arranged in a matrix shape to intersect with each other. The SiO2 layer shown in FIG. 10 is omitted in FIG. 13 for the sake of simplicity. Although only cathode electrodes 1011 to 1013 and gate electrodes 1021 to 1023 are illustrated in FIG. 13, the numbers of cathode electrodes and gate electrodes are properly determined depending on the use. An FED having, e.g., nine emitters, is formed at each intersection point of the cathode electrodes with the gate electrodes.
FIG. 14 provides a conceptual diagram for explaining how to drive the display panel by a driving circuit 120. Here, high levels of the pulse voltage VG and the pulse voltage VC generated by the driving circuit 120 are respectively set to about 50 V and 30 V, and low levels thereof are set to 0 V. Since a voltage difference between the pulse voltage VG and the pulse voltage VC is applied as a gate-cathode voltage VGC to each FED, four gate-cathode voltages VGC of 50 V, 20 V, 0 V and −30 V can be applied to each FED corresponding to a single dot (hereinafter, one or more emitters disposed at each intersection point are referred to as a "dot").
When a threshold value is set to be greater than 20 V, e.g., 30 V, electrons are emitted only from dots to which a gate-cathode voltage VGC of 50 V is applied. For instance, in the example of FIG. 14, electrons are emitted only from dots positioned at the intersection point of the gate electrode 1023 and the cathode electrode 1011 and that of the gate electrode 1023 and the cathode electrode 1013. Accordingly, light is emitted only from the phosphors corresponding to the dots. The hatched dots in FIG. 14 correspond to those from which electrons are emitted. Further, in order to adjust emission brightness, the pulse voltage, e.g., VC or VG is adjusted such that the gate-cathode voltage VGC is set to be greater than or equal to the threshold voltage (e.g., 30 V) and correspond to the desired emission brightness. Moreover, a voltage of about 3 KV with respect to the cathode electrode is applied to the anode electrode (not shown in FIGS. 13 and 14) coated with phosphor.
The above description on the FED can also be applied to an EL, even though the EL does not include gate electrodes, by forming a panel structure in which cathode electrodes and anode electrodes corresponding to gate electrodes of the FED are made to intersect with each other and distributing potentials between the anode electrodes and cathode electrodes of the EL in a similar way as in VGC of the FED.
In accordance with the above method, it is possible to control electron emission from dots by controlling voltages of the gate electrodes and the cathode electrodes arranged in a matrix shape. However, the above method has following drawbacks. FIG. 15 shows a comparison between characteristics obtained when accumulated operation time is short (initial characteristics) and those obtained when accumulated operation time is long (after-use characteristics). The current emission performance of the emitter deteriorates due to use for a long period of time. Thus, even if the gate-cathode voltage VGC is set to be the same, lower cathode current Ic flows when the accumulated operation time is long compared to the case when the accumulated operation time is short. Further, since almost no current flows from the cathode electrode to the gate electrode, a magnitude of cathode current of an FED corresponding to a current contribution from a single dot is substantially the same as that of anode current.
FIG. 16 compares current emission performances from different dots in the display panel of the display. In FIG. 16, curved lines indicated as dots A to C represent cathode current Ic flowing at the corresponding dots formed at different intersection portions between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode.
The relationship between the gate-cathode VGC and the cathode current Ic may be varied in time depending on an accumulated operation time of a display (hereinafter, referred to as "temporal variation in characteristics") and may also be varied depending on dot position (hereinafter, referred to as "spatial variation in characteristics"), so that the emission brightness may vary in time and space (hereinafter, referred to as "brightness variation").
The temporal variation in characteristics due to accumulated operation time is believed to occur when contaminants are adhered or when the gate electrode or the emitter deteriorates due to use for a long period of time. Further, the temporal variation in characteristics varies depending on dots. The spatial variation in characteristics of dots is considered due to the variation in a dimension of a gate hole formed in the gate electrode or a cone shape of the emitter produced during the manufacturing process.
In order to solve the problem of brightness variation, there are employed a voltage control type that controls emission brightness by adjusting a voltage between a cathode electrode or an anode electrode or a current control type that controls emission brightness by adjusting a magnitude of a cathode current flowing in a dot directly related to the emission brightness to be controlled. Further, as a driving method suitable for the current control type, an active matrix type is employed. In the active matrix type, a circuit is added to each dot positioned at an intersection portion of a cathode electrode and a gate electrode and to thereby adjust a magnitude of a cathode current flowing in a dot.    [Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H9-305139    [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2000-173445
However, the active matrix type can be realized by adding circuits to respective dots of the display panel in a same semiconductor fabrication process during which the display panel is fabricated. Therefore, the active matrix type requires a high-level technique and a high manufacturing cost. Further, the display panel and the driving circuit are fabricated as a unit, so that the combination of the display and the driving circuit is restricted. Accordingly, a product cannot be made by adding a new driving circuit to a conventional display panel or by adding a new display panel to a conventional driving circuit and, also, a long period of time is required from designing to shipping of the product. Moreover, although a current needs to be controlled with high accuracy, it is difficult to secure sufficient current accuracy in a conventional circuit.

Driving circuit for a display panel and a display having same


A system and methods are provided for melting curve genotyping analysis of nucleic acids. Melting curves are generated by plotting fluorescence of a sample as a function of temperature. In one illustrative example, an exponential algorithm is employed to remove the background from generated melting curves and thereby perform comparative analysis to other melting curves. Additional illustrative examples provide for measuring the differences between two or more melting curves and clustering the genotypes of the provided sample nucleic acids.

Methods for analyzing DNA sequence variation can be divided into two general categories: 1) genotyping for known sequence variants and 2) scanning for unknown variants. There are many methods for genotyping known sequence variants, and single step, homogeneous, closed tube methods that use fluorescent probes are available (Lay M J, et al., Clin. Chem 1997; 43:2262-7). In contrast, most scanning techniques for unknown variants require gel electrophoresis or column separation after PCR. These include singlestrand conformation polymorphism (Orita O, et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1989; 86:2766-70), heteroduplex migration (Nataraj A J, et al., Electrophoresis 1999; 20:1177-85), denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (Abrams E S, et al., Genomics 1990; 7:463-75), temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (Wartell R M, et al., J Chromatogr A 1998; 806:169-85), enzyme or chemical cleavage methods (Taylor G R, et al., Genet Anal 1999; 14:181-6), as well as DNA sequencing. Identifying new mutations by sequencing also requires multiple steps after PCR, namely cycle sequencing and gel electrophoresis. Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (Xiao W, et al., Hum Mutat 2001; 17:439-74) involves injecting the PCR product into a column.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are by far the most common genetic variations observed in man and other species. In these polymorphisms, only a single base varies between individuals. The alteration may cause an amino acid change in a protein, alter rates of transcription, affect mRNA spicing, or have no apparent effect on cellular processes. Sometimes when the change is silent (e.g., when the amino acid it codes for does not change), SNP genotyping may still be valuable if the alteration is linked to (associated with) a unique phenotype caused by another genetic alteration.
There are many methods for genotyping SNPs. Most use PCR or other amplification techniques to amplify the template of interest. Contemporaneous or subsequent analytical techniques may be employed, including gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and fluorescence. Fluorescence techniques that are homogeneous and do not require the addition of reagents after commencement of amplification or physical sampling of the reactions for analysis are attractive. Exemplary homogeneous techniques use oligonucleotide primers to locate the region of interest and fluorescent labels or dyes for signal generation. Various PCR-based methods are completely closed-tubed, using a thermostable enzyme that is stable to DNA denaturation temperature, so that after heating begins, no additions are necessary.
Several closed-tube, homogeneous, fluorescent PCR methods are available to genotype SNPs. These include systems that use FRET oligonucleotide probes with two interacting chromophores (adjacent hybridization probes, TaqMan® probes, Molecular Beacons, Scorpions), single oligonucleotide probes with only one fluorophore (G-quenching probes, Crockett, A. O. and C. T. Wittwer, Anal. Biochem. 2001; 290:89-97 and SimpleProbes®, Idaho Technology), and techniques that use a dsDNA dye instead of covalent, fluorescently-labeled oligonucleotide probes.
PCR methods that monitor DNA melting with dsDNA fluorescent dyes have become popular in conjunction with real-time PCR. Because PCR produces enough DNA for fluorescent melting analysis, both amplification and analysis can be performed in the same tube, providing a homogeneous, closed-tube system that requires no processing or separation steps. dsDNA dyes are commonly used to identify products by their melting temperature, or Tm.
The power of DNA melting analysis depends on its resolution. Studies with UV absorbance often required hours to collect high-resolution data at rates of 0.1-1.0° C./min to ensure equilibrium. In contrast, fluorescent melting analysis is often acquired at 0.1-1.0° C./sec and resolution is limited to 2-4 points/° C. With recent advances in electronics (e.g., 24-bit A-to-D converters), high-resolution melting can be performed rapidly with 10-100 times the data density (50-100 points/° C.) of conventional real-time PCR instruments, as recently demonstrated for probe and PCR product melting. Furthermore, saturating DNA dyes, such as LCGreen® Plus (Idaho Technology, Salt Lake City, Utah), that maximize detection of mismatched duplexes (heteroduplexes) are now available (see, e.g. U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2005/0233335 and 2006/0019253, herein incorporated by reference in their entireties). These two developments dramatically increase the power of fluorescence-based DNA melting for robust identification of single-base changes within PCR products.
High-resolution melting analysis for gene scanning relies primarily on the shape of the melting transition of the PCR products. An available method for screening for heterozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within products up to 1,000 bp has a sensitivity and specificity of 97% and 99%, respectively. In many cases, high-resolution analysis of the melting transition also allows genotyping without probes. Even greater specificity for variant discrimination over a smaller region can be obtained by using unlabeled probes. Specific genotypes are inferred by correlating sequence alterations under the probe to changes in the probe Tm. With the recent advances with dyes and instrumentation, high-resolution gene scanning and genotyping with unlabeled probes can optionally be done simultaneously in the same reaction. Both PCR product and probe melting transitions may be observed in the presence of a saturating DNA dye. In addition to screening for any sequence variant between the primers in the PCR product, common polymorphisms and mutations can be genotyped. Furthermore, unbiased, hierarchal clustering can accurately group the melting curves into genotypes. One, two, or even more unlabeled probes can be used in a single PCR.
In simultaneous genotyping and scanning, product melting analysis detects sequence variants anywhere between two primers, while probe melting analysis identifies variants under a probe. If a sequence variant is between the primers and under a probe, both the presence of a variant and its genotype are obtained. If product melting indicates a variant but the probe does not, then the variation likely occurs between the primers but not under the probe, and further analysis for genotyping is necessary. Probes can be placed at sites of common sequence variation so that in most cases, if product scanning is positive, the probes will identify the sequence variants, greatly reducing the need for sequencing. With one probe, the genotype of an SNP can be established by both PCR product and probe melting. With two probes, two separate regions of the sequence can be interrogated for genotype and the rest of the PCR product scanned for rare sequence variants. Multiple probes can be used if they differ in melting temperature and if each allele presents a unique pattern of probe and/or product melting.
In one illustrative example, a population is screened for cystic fibrosis mutations. Since only 3.8% of Caucasians are cystic fibrosis carriers, one would expect 96.2% of randomly screened individuals to be negative by complete (exon and splice site) sequencing. With 27 exons, the percentage of sequencing runs expected to be positive is less than 0.14%. That is, only about 1 in a 1000 sequencing runs would be useful. This is why sequencing is not recommended for cystic fibrosis screening. Instead, a selected mutation panel is usually performed that detects 83.7% of cystic fibrosis alleles.
Alternatively, consider simultaneous scanning and genotyping for cystic fibrosis screening by high-resolution melting. If the amplicon length is kept under 400 bp, the sensitivity of high-resolution scanning approaches 100.0%. If common mutations and polymorphisms are analyzed with unlabeled probes in the same reaction, then about 80% of mutations will also be genotyped. Compared to screening by de novo sequencing, the sequencing burden can be reduced by 99.97%.
Closed-tube genotyping methods that use melting analysis have the capacity to scan for unexpected variants. Melting methods also use less complex and fewer probes than allele specific methods that require one probe for each allele analyzed. Allele discrimination by Tm or curve shape is an interesting option to fluorescent color. Dyes that generically stain double-stranded DNA are attractive for simplicity and cost. Although the reliability of genotyping by amplicon melting is controversial, a recent study found that 21 out of 21 heteroduplex pairs tested were distinguishable by high-resolution melting of small amplicons (Graham R, Liew M, Meadows C, Lyon E, Wittwer C T. Distinguishing different DNA heterozygotes by high-resolution melting. Clin Chem 2005; 51).
Although common sequence variants can usually be genotyped with one or two unlabeled probes in the same reaction, more than two probes and/or sequential reactions can also be used. For example, multiple overlapped probes can locate unexpected rare variants to within the region covered by one probe. Additional probes can be designed to identify the exact position and sequence of the variation. However, DNA sequencing is a more direct approach for identifying new, previously unknown variations, particularly when the amplified region is highly variable. Nevertheless, in the vast majority of genetic analysis, the amplified wild type sequence is known and potential common variants are limited. In these cases, scanning and genotyping can be performed in one step by DNA melting with simple oligonucleotides. No fluorescent probes or separations are required, and both amplification (15 min) and melting analysis (1-2 min) can be rapid.
As discussed above, simultaneous genotyping and scanning, as well as other genotyping techniques that employ melting analysis have been promising areas of research. However, the melting curve analysis prior to high-resolution capabilities provided a lack of specificity and accuracy. With the advent of high-resolution melting curve analysis, background fluorescence noise can interfere with the use of melting curves to accurately genotype SNPs, detect sequence variations, and detect mutations. Depending on the amplicon, previous background fluorescence removal techniques have led to some erroneous calls. By example, the baseline technique uses linear extrapolation as a method for normalizing melting curves and removing background fluorescence. This technique works well with labeled probes. However, this and other previous normalization techniques have not worked as well with unlabeled probes (Zhou L, Myers A N, Vandersteen J G, Wang L, Wittwer C T. Closed-Tube Genotyping with Unlabeled Oligonucleotide Probes and a Saturating DNA Dye. Clin Chem. 2004; 50:1328-35) multiplex small amplicon melting (Liew M, Nelson L, Margraf R, Mitchell S, Erali M, Mao R, Lyon E, Wittwer C T. Genotyping of human platelet antigens 1-6 and 15 by high-resolution amplicon melting and conventional hybridization probes. J Mol Diag, 2006; 8:97-104) and combined amplicon and unlabeled probe melting (Zhou L, Wang L, Palais R, Pryor R, Wittwer C T). High-resolution melting analysis for simultaneous mutation scanning and genotyping in solution. Clin Chem 2005; 51:1770-7, hereby incorporated by reference), nor do they work as well for small amplicons. At least in part, this is because unlabeled probe and small amplicon melting methods often require background subtraction at lower temperatures (40-80° C.) then is usual for standard amplicon melting at 80-95° C. At these lower temperatures, the low temperature baseline is not linear, but a curve with rapidly increasing fluorescence at low temperatures. When linear extrapolation is used, the lines can intersect before the melting transition is complete, and when this occurs the previous techniques do not provide the most accurate means for melting curve analysis, in part due to their mathematical reliance on absolute fluorescence.
It would be advantageous for a system and method to genotype SNPs, detect sequence variations, and/or detect mutations with high accuracy in double stranded nucleic acids through use of high resolution melting profile techniques. It would be further advantageous if the background fluorescence could be automatically and accurately separated from a double stranded nucleic acid sample melting profile. It would be a further advantage if the system and method performed accurate melting curve analysis for small and large amplicons, as well as with unlabeled probes.

Melting curve analysis with exponential background subtraction


An example for processing patient image data workflows can temporarily serially arrange a set of semantic labeling modules in a patient image data workflow pipeline responsive to receiving an event trigger. The example can also remove the set of modules from the patient image data workflow pipeline responsive to receiving an event completion trigger.

Medical imaging technologies, such as x-rays, ultrasound, CT scans, and MRIs, are continually being improved and/or developed. These imaging technologies can produce vast amounts of image data. Sorting through this image data can be overwhelming to clinicians. Automated processing of image data is not readily available since the image data generally is opaque to computers when compared to other forms of patient data. Accordingly, image data remains under-utilized in patient care, among other scenarios.


The invention relates to the detection of vitamin D metabolites. In a particular aspect, the invention relates to methods for detecting derivatized vitamin D metabolites by mass spectrometry.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient with important physiological roles in the positive regulation of calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis. Vitamin D can be made de novo in the skin by exposure to sunlight or it can be absorbed from the diet. There are two forms of vitamin D; vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D3 is the form synthesized de novo by animals. It is also a common supplement added to milk products and certain food products produced in the United States. Both dietary and intrinsically synthesized vitamin D3 must undergo metabolic activation to generate the bioactive metabolites. In humans, the initial step of vitamin D3 activation occurs primarily in the liver and involves hydroxylation to form the intermediate metabolite 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (calcifediol; 25OHD3). Calcifediol is the major form of Vitamin D3 in circulation. Circulating 25OHD3 is then converted by the kidney to form 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol; 1α,25(OH)2D3), which is generally believed to be the metabolite of Vitamin D3 with the highest biological activity.
Vitamin D2 is derived from fungal and plant sources. Many over-the-counter dietary supplements contain ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) rather than cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Drisdol, the only high-potency prescription form of vitamin D available in the United States, is formulated with ergocalciferol. Vitamin D2 undergoes a similar pathway of metabolic activation in humans as Vitamin D3, forming the metabolites 25OHD2 and 1α,25(OH)2D2. Vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 have long been assumed to be biologically equivalent in humans, however recent reports suggest that there may be differences in the bioactivity and bioavailability of these two forms of vitamin D (Armas et. al., (2004) J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 89:5387-5391).
Measurement of vitamin D, the inactive vitamin D precursor, is rare in clinical settings. Rather, serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, and total 25-hydroxyvitamin D ("25OHD") are useful indices of vitamin D nutritional status and the efficacy of certain vitamin D analogs. The measurement of 25OHD is commonly used in the diagnosis and management of disorders of calcium metabolism. In this respect, low levels of 25OHD are indicative of vitamin D deficiency associated with diseases such as hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, elevated alkaline phosphatase, osteomalacia in adults and rickets in children. In patients suspected of vitamin D intoxication, elevated levels of 25OHD distinguishes this disorder from other disorders that cause hypercalcemia.
Measurement of 1α,25(OH)2D is also used in clinical settings. Certain disease states can be reflected by circulating levels of 1α,25(OH)2D, for example kidney disease and kidney failure often result in low levels of 1α,25(OH)2D. Elevated levels of 1,25(OH)2D may be indicative of excess parathyroid hormone or can be indicative of certain diseases such as sarcoidosis or certain types of lymphomas.
Detection of vitamin D metabolites has been accomplished by radioimmunoassay with antibodies co-specific for 25OHD2 and 25OHD3. Because the current immunologically-based assays do not separately resolve 25OHD2 and 25OHD3, the source of any nutritional deficiency of vitamin D cannot be determined without resorting to other tests. Reports have been published that disclose methods for detecting specific vitamin D metabolites using mass spectrometry. In some of the reports, the vitamin D metabolites are derivatized prior to mass spectrometry, but in others, they are not. For example Holmquist, et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/946,765, filed Dec. 28, 2007; Yeung B, et al., J Chromatogr. 1993, 645(1):115-23; Higashi T, et al., Steroids. 2000, 65(5):281-94; Higashi T, et al., Biol Pharm Bull. 2001, 24(7):738-43; Higashi T, et al., J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2002, 29(5):947-55; Higashi T, et al., Anal. Biochanal Chem, 2008, 391:229-38; and Aronov, et al., Anal Bioanal Chem, 2008, 391:1917-30 disclose methods for detecting various vitamin D metabolites by derivatizing the metabolites prior to mass spectrometry. Methods to detect underivatized vitamin D metabolites are reported in Clarke, et al., in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/101,166, filed Apr. 6, 2005, and Ser. No. 11/386,215, filed Mar. 21, 2006, and Singh, et al., in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/977,121, filed Oct. 24, 2004.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Vitamin D metabolite determination utilizing mass spectrometry following derivatization

Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated


Composite switches comprising multiple mosfets arranged in cascode which achieve higher efficiency and faster switching are revealed. The gate of a lower mosfet, a low voltage small die size mosfet, is driven with a conventional control circuit for modulation of the composite switch. The upper mosfet, a large die size high voltage mosfet, is controlled at its source terminal by the smaller mosfet while the gate of the upper mosfet is connected to a capacitor whose voltage remains fixed such that no net drive power is required by the gate circuit to drive the upper mosfet. The composite switch simultaneously achieves the low conduction losses of a large die device with the gate drive losses and fast switching of a small die device.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally pertains to electronic power conversion circuits, and more specifically to high frequency, switched mode power electronic converter circuits.
2. Description of Related Art
The most common device used for high speed switching in high frequency power converters is the power mosfet. For some high power applications bi-polar devices or combination MOS/bipolar devices are used, but these are used at lower switching frequencies due stored charge effects. To achieve the highest power densities mosfets are required because achieving high power densities requires operation at high switching frequencies. Also, at high voltages a soft switching mechanism is often used to eliminate first order switching losses. The zero voltage switching (ZVS) phase shifted full bridge forward converter is a common choice for high power off line applications.
The power mosfet is the best choice for high frequency, high power, and high density applications,:but it is not a perfect switch. The on resistance of the switch is higher than bi-polar devices so that conduction losses may be the dominant loss mechanism, for ZVS applications, and, although the mosfet switch is fast there are still some switching losses. In order to achieve higher efficiencies one can parallel power mosfets or use very large dies which, in both cases, amounts to using more silicon. Using more silicon reduces conduction losses in the switch but also increases switching losses. The switching losses are increased with larger silicon because gate capacitance increases with large silicon and the increased gate capacitance results in both higher gate drive energy and slower switching. The slower switching does not matter so much for the ZVS turn on transition except that the timing of the turn on transition is often critical and faster switching makes the turn on transition timing less critical, but switching losses during the turn off transition depend on switching time. During the turn off transition as the channel turns off the current shifts from the channel of the mosfet to the parallel capacitance. Current in the channel creates losses and current in the parallel capacitance is lossless so that the faster the current in the channel can be transferred to the parallel capacitance the lower the switching losses will be.
An object of the subject invention is to provide a composite switch with lower conduction losses than a single mosfet switch or parallel combination of mosfet switches.
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a composite switch with reduced gate drive losses.
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a composite switch with reduced control input capacitance and faster switching.
Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
These and other objects of the invention are provided by a novel circuit technique that uses two mosfets arranged in cascode and two capacitors. One of the mosfets is a low voltage device with a small die size and low on resistance, the other mosfet is a higher voltage device with higher on resistance and a larger die. One of the capacitors provides a fixed voltage for driving the high voltage mosfet. The second capacitor is used to limit the voltage applied to the smaller low voltage mosfet.

Composite mosfet cascode switches for power converters


The present invention describes a self-contained omni-directional imaging device. The device is designed to contain within it all mechanic, electronic, optic and electro-optic components required for its operation, namely: omni-directional optics, image capture device, power source, illumination sources, transmitters, receivers and additional optional elements for enhanced capabilities. A preferred embodiment of the invention describes such a device housed inside a durable spherical structure, designed for deployment to potentially hazardous environments, enabling omni-directional view to those environments without endangering the viewer. The device is capable of acquiring and transmitting still or video images and audio streams to a remote, control and display unit located near the operator. Among the typical uses for such a device are: security and surveillance, search and rescue operations, anti-terrorism and situation assessment in hostage situations and a variety of civilian and domestic uses, such as remote baby monitoring.

Methods for performing omni-directional imaging in a single shot are known in the art and are based on the use of axi-symmetric reflective surfaces, which reflect an omni-directional scene towards an image capture device. The image that is acquired by the image capture device is however distorted and therefore requires processing in order to be suitable for human viewing. Several such methods have been presented in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,719, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference, presents a method of acquiring a nearly spherical field of view by using a single axi-symmetric reflective surface with a hole in its center. The surface is directed towards an image capture device, allowing capture of two scenes simultaneously—a panoramic scene and an additional upper sector, both of which together comprise a nearly spherical scene. An improved method for nearly spherical view imaging is provided in published International Patent Application WO 02/069676 by the same applicants hereof, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference. In WO 02/059676 two reflective surfaces with holes in their centers, directed towards each other, coaxially with each other, are used to capture a nearly spherical view. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,774 is presented a method of using two reflective surfaces to acquire a panoramic image (cylindrical field of view). All said references are based on the use of axi-symmetric reflective components, which are fabricated separately and combined together after fabrication.
The art has also presented several methods and designs of solid monolithic optical lenses, which allow omni-directional field of view coverage. These designs provide a single molded optical block, which incorporates, from within, all reflective and refractive surfaces required for acquiring the omni-directional image. Further reference to those designs will be made as the description proceeds.
In the reality of the present times there arise many situations which require real time information concerning the activity that is taking place inside dangerous, hazardous, or potentially dangerous or hazardous environments. Typical of such situations are search and rescue operations (especially in confined spaces such as caves, mine disasters, etc.), anti-terrorism activities, and situation assessment in hostage situations. In such situations, it would be extremely advantageous to be able to deploy, from the outside, a portable, self-contained device that could be introduced into these environments and that would be able to automatically orient itself properly and then begin to capture and transmit panoramic or spherical images showing everything that takes place within the environment. Such a device does not exist in the prior art.
It is therefore a purpose of this invention to provide a self-contained panoramic or spherical imaging system.
It is another purpose of this invention to provide a self-contained panoramic or spherical imaging system which comprises an essentially omni-directional lens.
It is yet another purpose of this invention to provide a self-contained panoramic or spherical imaging system which is housed inside a durable essentially spherical structure.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a self-contained panoramic or spherical imaging system which can be deployed in potentially hazardous environments, enabling omni-directional viewing of those environments without endangering the viewer.
It is a still further purpose of this invention to provide a self-contained panoramic or spherical imaging system which is capable of acquiring and transmitting still or video images and audio streams to a remote, control and display unit located near the operator.
Further purposes and advantages of this invention will appear as the description proceeds.

Self-contained panoramic or spherical imaging device


A system for supporting a seat-pan on a chair and for providing movement to an armrest on the chair. The system includes a mounting assembly with an upper rail having a front portion, a mid portion and a rear portion, and a lower rail having a front portion, a mid-portion and a rear portion. The upper rail is pivotally connected to the lower rail in a manner which allows g generally parallel motion of the rails relative to one another. An armrest support is pivotally attached to the mounting assembly, and includes a linkage for indexing movements of the armrest support relative to motion of the position of the upper rail relative to lower rail, so that motion of the upper rail relative to the lower rail produces a corresponding tilt of the armrest support.

A) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a variable posture work chair with a displaceable armrest assembly which maintains a constant user defined spatial relationship to a moveable seat pan and backrest.
B) Known Art
The proliferation of computer terminals at the modern workstation has spawned a variety of attempts to provide a more comfortable environment for seated workers. The general discomfort that afflicts the legs, lower back, neck, shoulders and wrists of seated workers can be partially offset by building better seating devices, particularly those that conveniently allow a wide range of posture changes. An in depth discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of various seating designs is contained in my previous patent.
The builders of work chairs face several key challenges in effecting their designs. Among the most important:
Comfort and utility. A work chair must be adaptable to a wide range of work place requirements while maintaining ergonomically correct comfort for a seated user.
Ease of use. A seated user should be able to transition smoothly from one position to another with a minimum of mechanical intervention. The most efficient way of achieving this is by building a chair mechanism that effects its changes through a controllable rocking movement.
Adjustability. A single design platform should be able to accommodate a wide range of human body sizes while easily adapting to the changing needs of the workplace.
Integration of components and their movements. Interconnecting a moveable seat pan, backrest and armrest assembly so that they function in a synergistic fashion while effecting utilitarian variable posture remains a key focus of invention in the field of work chair design.
Engineering and production costs. A design must be relatively simple to engineer and cost effective to build, or it stands no chance of succeeding in the marketplace.
In addition much design emphasis is now being placed on the aforementioned term "variable posture", and while the term is important in the ergonomic sense it lacks any mechanical definition. A simple way to measure the degree of variable posture in any chair design is to assess the useable range of seat pan tilt the design provides. The greater the range of useable tilt (up to a maximum) the greater the shift in body footprint and center of gravity, this being variable posture. By "useable" is here meant that a seated user should be able to tilt the seat pan to a chosen inclination/declination from the horizontal, lock that inclination/declination in place and work comfortably from that position for extended periods of time. Obviously, for this scenario to succeed the other elements of the chair design must function in harmony with the movement of the seat pan.
A detailed discussion of the variable posture issue and several relevant patented designs is contained in my aforementioned patent. Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,577,802 to Cowan and Kmicikiewicz and 5,540,481 to Roossien et al show chair designs which attempt to effect easy adaptation to the movements of a seated user. While Cowan shows armrests they are not crucial to the central design; for Roosien et al the armrests are superfluous. U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,070 to Lemmen shows an ergonomic armrest assembly but attempts no real integration with the seat pan and backrest. U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,102 to Aaras et al describes a chair with individually supported armrests. Various armrest assemblies are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,439,267 to Peterson et al, 5,407,249 to Bonutti, 5,393,124 to Neil, 5,380,065 to Rohrer, 5,369,805 to Bergsten et al, 5,366,276 to Hobson et al, 5,215,282 to Bonutti, 5,056,863 to DeKraker et al, 5,009,467 to McCoy, and 4,887,866 to Rusin.
Several observations come to light when examining the prior art in this field. First, and in general, when chair designers attempt to build a relationship between a seat pan and a backrest they fail to adequately integrate armrest assemblies into their designs. Even when the appearance of attention to detail is given, armrest assemblies are usually dispensable add-ons to the basic chair assembly. Conversely, the designers of armrest assemblies show little interest in integrating the functions of their designs with the movements of a variable posture seat pan and backrest. Armrests, whether built individually or interconnected on a frame, are designed to be added onto, and not integrated into, a pre-existing chair.
More specifically, current design practice almost always fixedly attaches armrest assemblies to a tiltable seat pan or its mount without adequately separating and then integrating the functions of the two assemblies. If one posits that the chief a function of a work chair armrest assembly is to align a user's forearms with a keyboard or other work surface it can be seen that this alignment is constantly being upset by the movements of the seat pan to which it is locked, movements which are necessary to effect variable posture. Further, if one attempts to lock the armrests into an aligned position the seat pan can only follow, thus affording a position which may not be the most comfortable for the user's needs.
It is to the aforementioned issues that the substance of the current invention is therefore addressed.
Objects and Advantages
The objects and advantages of my previous patent are incorporated into the present invention.
Further, it is the general objective of the present invention to provide a variable posture chair assembly that integrates and synchronizes the functions and movements of a seat pan, a backrest, two armrests and, optionally, a leg-rest for a seated user. The chair will be adaptable to a wide variety of workplace requirements, comfortable in all positions, easy to use, adjust to varying body sizes and be relatively simple and cost effective to build.
Specifically
A significant advantage of the present invention is its implementation of a compound lever mounting assembly to effect a differential in tilt among an armrest assembly, a seat pan and a backrest. A seated user will enjoy several key benefits by effecting this differential tilt. Chief among these is the ability to vary the angle of the seat pan and backrest to the maximum practical extent while simultaneously keeping the armrests, and thus the forearms, aligned with a work surface such as a keyboard. Only a rocking motion and operation of a braking assembly are necessary to effect basic changes in alignment. Simple controls allow further manual adjustments that remain part of the configuration.
The compound lever mounting assembly consists in part of two upper and two lower side rails that act as two levers mounted to a central dual fulcrum. Other elements of the chair are a seat pan assembly, a backrest assembly, an armrest assembly and an appropriate base. Elements may be linked to one or both of the levers. The key functions of the assembly are summed up as follows and are detailed later in the specification:
Two upper and two lower side rails are connected by a plurality of axes so that the four tilt in tandem as one upper and one lower lever. The levers are mounted to a dual fulcrum positioned near their center; the fulcrum may be moved to the forward end of the lever assembly. A seat pan assembly is attached to one end of the lever assembly and the armrest and backrest assemblies are attached to the other. The lever assembly may rock freely or be locked down; its total range of tilt is herein referred to as "tilt range".
The dual axles of the seat pan mount are connected to the forward end of the compound lever so that the axles share the same constant vertical axis as that of the non-moving central dual fulcrum. The seat pan itself is hinged to the upper of the two axles and is loaded by a spring at a constant forward inclination that changes only when counter loaded by a seated user. The maximum range of seat pan tilt is herein shown to be 33-40 degrees. A forward stop and the available rearward tilt of the compound lever assembly limit this range. It is anticipated that most users of the chair will find approximately 18 degrees of loaded seat pan tilt and 15 degrees of free tilt to be adequate for daily use.
The armrest assembly is also referenced by the two levers to the non-moving vertical axis of the central dual fulcrum. The vertical axis of the armrest assembly mount may be referenced in the same fashion as that of the seat pan or it may be offset. offsetting the mount is the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The degree of armrest assembly fore-aft tilt created by the interaction of its mount with the compound lever is herein referred to as "linked tilt range". This range will be shown to be variable depending upon the method of mounting the armrest assembly to the lever assembly. The fore-aft tilt of the armrest assembly may also be manually adjusted, herein referred to as "positional displacement".
The adjustable backrest assembly is referenced to the upper of the two levers only. It tilts in tandem with a single, not a dual lever. Thus the variable movements of the backrest are synchronized with the tilt of the loaded seat pan.
The difference in the default range of tilt between the lever assembly and the armrest assembly is determined by subtracting the linked tilt range from the tilt range. The difference is herein referred to as "differential tilt". The differential tilt of the assembly is determined by the method of attaching the armrest assembly to the compound levers and the degree of tilt range.
This assembly allows a seated user to precisely align his or her forearms with a keyboard or other work surface while simultaneously adjusting the angle of the seat pan and lock that alignment into position. Necessary height compensations can be achieved through central chair height adjustment, the armrests themselves or the use of a detached adjustable keyboard desk. If a desk assembly is mounted directly to the armrest assembly no height compensation is needed. Further, a user may set the horizontal tilt of the armrest assembly to satisfy a specific need; this preset (positional displacement) determines a resulting default range of armrest movement. If the user locks the mounting assembly into a specific position the armrests remain at a solidly fixed position while the user enters into and exits from the chair and the seat pan continues to tilt over its available range of movement. This facilitates entering into or exiting from a seated position, particularly one of reclining. The user can also effect a rocking and stretching motion consistent with variable posture, this because the seat pan and backrest are pivotally fixed to their mounts.
A further significant advantage of the present invention is the use of a single integrated armrest assembly to be used in conjunction with a seat pan, a backrest, and, optionally, a leg-rest. This assembly has the following advantages:
It synchronizes easy user effected lateral adjustment of two armrests from a single control, thereby accommodating a wide range of shoulder widths.
It synchronizes easy user effected fore and aft tilt of two armrests from a single control by mounting the assembly so that it pivots controllably on its long axis within the mounting frame.
It allows for simple height and horizontal adjustment of the armrests.
It is relatively easy to engineer and cost effective to build.
The advantages of using a keyboard desk or an abdominal rest when attached to an armrest assembly were thoroughly covered in my previous patent. The present design incorporates these advantages and facilitates the use of these accessories by providing for easy mounting to and removal from the assembly.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

Compound lever and armrest mounting assemblies


A method of facilitating learning of correspondence between one or more letters and one or more speech characteristics, is disclosed. The method may include receiving, using a processing device, at least one letter indicator corresponding to at least one letter. Further, the method may include analyzing, using the processing device, the at least one letter indicator. Further, the method may include identifying, using the processing device, at least one orientation indicator corresponding to the at least one letter indicator based on the analyzing. Further, the method may include displaying, using a display device, the at least one letter with the at least one orientation in relation to a reference axis based on the at least one orientation indicator. Further, the displaying of the at least one letter may be representative of at least one speech characteristic associated with the at least one letter.

Imparting knowledge about reading and writing a language to a child requires elementary teaching methodologies which aim to deal with learning about distinct sound pattern associated with each letter. A pre-school child falling under the age group of three to five years cannot read written text until he/she learns that how to pronounce each letter in a word. Hence, a method of phonics is used to help learn the language while using phonetics (sounds) of each letter or word that is formed. The word phonics is the preferred method for imparting knowledge about the sounds of letters and letter groups to beginners so they can proficiently read, spell and pronounce new words. Taking the case of the English language, there are pre-defined rules which determine the sounds of the letters and the letter groups.
In the current English phonics method, 44 English phonemes are preferably used to represent distinct sound patterns that can be applied to form distinguished words having distinct sound patterns. For example, the English words "hot" and "hat" are distinguished by the phoneme /o/ and the phoneme /a/ along with /h/ and /t/. However, it has been observed that in an earlier stage of the English language learning process, a learner may find difficulty to grasp 44 phonemes and their respective meanings because of irregularities in spelling of a word and its respective sounds. For example, father should phonetically be spelled "father". To impart better learning techniques, there may be a need of the phonics system to minimize the number of phonemes to an appropriate number and use age appropriate pictures on top of the letters (in particular, the first two letters of the consonant-vowel-consonant words like "hat"). Further, in the current English phonics method, the preference is given to a correct spelling of the word while teaching the sound pattern of the word. This sometimes creates confusing outcomes and the level of understanding may become open-ended. For example, the English word "word" may be used in the current phonics method to describe an r-controlled "ur" sound which may be slightly confusing to the learner since it can be spelled phonetically spelled as either "werd", "wird" or "wurd".
Further, a letter or groups of letters in a given context logically should not have more than one sound where as in English, the letter or the same group of letters can have multitude of sounds and there is no particular rationale why it should be that way. Further, existing systems and methods to facilitate learning of correspondence between one or more letters and one or more speech characteristics in one or more contexts is complex and requires a complete knowledge of phonetics of one or more letters in a word. Hence, there is a need for the system and method facilitating learning of correspondence between one or more letters and one or more speech characteristics.

Method and system for facilitating learning of correspondence between one or more letters and one or more speech characteristics


A method comprises computing an interference pattern between a simulated design input optical signal and a simulated design output optical signal, and computationally deriving an arrangement of at least one diffractive element set from the computed interference pattern. The interference pattern is computed in a transmission grating region, with the input and output optical signals each propagating through the transmission grating region as substantially unconfined optical beams. The arrangement of diffractive element set is computationally derived so that when the diffractive element set thus arranged is formed in or on a transmission grating, each diffractive element set would route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal incident on and transmitted by the transmission grating. The method can further comprise forming the set of diffractive elements in or on the transmission grating according to the derived arrangement.

The field of the present invention relates to optical devices incorporating distributed optical structures. In particular, distributed optical structures designed by computed interference between simulated optical signals and formed in or on a transmission grating are disclosed herein.
One or more distributed optical structures (i.e., sets of diffractive elements) in a transmission grating can be used in a variety of devices for spectral filtering, laser frequency control, spectral multiplexing, optical sensing, or other functions. It is often desirable that such devices be optimized, or nearly so, for routing, mapping, or coupling optical signals between input and output optical ports with minimal optical loss. Distributed optical structures designed by computed interference between simulated optical signals and formed in or on a transmission grating are disclosed herein that may enable such optimized routing, coupling, or mapping.
Various embodiments, implementations, and adaptations of diffractive element sets are disclosed in:
application Ser. No. 11/423,856 filed Jun. 13, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,224,867);
application Ser. No. 11/277,491 filed Mar. 25, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,190,856);
application Ser. No. 11/277,423 filed Mar. 24, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,643,400);
application Ser. No. 11/383,494 filed May 16, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,401);
application Ser. No. 11/376,714 filed Mar. 14, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,349,599);
application Ser. No. 11/371,339 filed Mar. 7, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,327,908);
application Ser. No. 11/361,407 filed Feb. 23, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,116,453);
application Ser. No. 11/334,039 filed Jan. 17, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,499,612);
application Ser. No. 11/298,290 filed Dec. 9, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,330,614);
application Ser. No. 11/280,876 filed Nov. 15, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,773,842);
application Ser. No. 11/239,540 filed Sep. 28, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,009,743);
application Ser. No. 11/213,345 filed Aug. 25, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,120,334);
application Ser. No. 11/210,439 filed Aug. 23, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,359,597);
application Ser. No. 11/155,327 filed Jun. 16, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,190,858);
application Ser. No. 11/076,251 filed Mar. 8, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,062,128);
application Ser. No. 11/062,109 filed Feb. 17, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,103);
application Ser. No. 11/055,559 filed Feb. 9, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,123,794);
application Ser. No. 11/021,549 filed Dec. 23, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,260,290);
application Ser. No. 10/998,185 filed Nov. 26, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,993,223);
application Ser. No. 10/989,244 filed Nov. 15, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,961,491);
application Ser. No. 10/989,236 filed Nov. 15, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,965,716);
application Ser. No. 10/923,455 filed Aug. 21, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,054,517);
application Ser. No. 10/898,527 filed Jul. 22, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,164);
application Ser. No. 10/857,987 filed May 29, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,276);
application Ser. No. 10/842,790 filed May 11, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,987,911);
application Ser. No. 10/798,089 filed Mar. 10, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,115);
application Ser. No. 10/794,634 filed Mar. 5, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,985,656);
application Ser. No. 10/740,194 filed Dec. 17, 2003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,224,855);
application Ser. No. 10/653,876 filed Sep. 2, 2003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,417);
application Ser. No. 10/602,327 filed Jun. 23, 2003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,318);
application Ser. No. 10/229,444 filed Aug. 27, 2002 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,429);
application Ser. No. 09/843,597 filed Apr. 26, 2001 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,965,464); and
application Ser. No. 09/811,081 filed Mar. 16, 2001 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,879,441).
These references indicate the state of the art available for forming diffractive elements, and may be applicable to formation of diffractive elements of a transmission grating according to the present disclosure. A publication entitled "Planar holographic optical processing devices" (T. W. Mossberg, Opt. Lett. 26 414 (2001)) is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
For one or more of the references listed hereinabove, it may be the case that the devices, structures, embodiments, implementations, adaptations, procedures, or techniques disclosed therein may be employed, within the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims, for implementing a transmission grating.

Transmission gratings designed by computed interference between simulated optical signals and fabricated by reduction lithography


Object-oriented data storage. A system and method is disclosed for enhanced data storage. A system for object-oriented data storage may comprise an intelligent object editor capable of accessing data content and a destination storage device coupled to the intelligent object editor. The intelligent object editor can link associated information to data content to create a storage object. The storage object can then be stored to the destination storage device.

As data storage devices become available in increasingly large capacities, managing the performance and management of the data storage becomes increasingly difficult. With very large capacity data storage, simply accessing the information (storing and retrieving data) can become more complicated and less efficient. In part, this difficulty may be viewed as presenting a hardware issue that might be addressed by developing the most efficient access circuitry and physical layout of the data storage components as possible. In addition, however, the problem could also be viewed as a software issue that might be addressed by enhancing the organization and management of the data stored in the data storage device.
Computer software has also followed a similar trend of increasing size and complexity. As the software complexity and size increases so does the difficulty in creating, modifying, and maintaining the software. In an attempt to address these issues, the field of software engineering has proposed more efficient software development models. In particular, object-oriented programming has emerged as a software schema that can speed the development of new programs and, if properly used, may improve the maintenance, reusability, and modifiability of software.
When object-oriented programming first arrived, it was viewed as a rather revolutionary concept that changed the rules in computer program development. Object-oriented programming is organized around "objects" rather than "actions," data rather than logic. Historically, a program has been viewed as a logical procedure that takes input data, processes it, and produces output data. The programming challenge was seen as how to write the logic, not how to define the data. In object-oriented programming, the emphasis is on the objects to be manipulated rather than the logic required to manipulate them.
In general, object-oriented programming is understood in the art as a type of programming in which programmers focus on data as opposed to the actions or logic of the program being developed. The programmers can define not only the data type of a data structure, but also the types of operations (functions) that can be applied to the data structure. In this way, the data structure becomes an object that includes both data and functions. In addition, programmers can create relationships between one object and another. For example, objects can inherit characteristics from other objects.
Given that similar issues of complexity and size are currently being faced in the world of data storage, it would be desirable to apply some of the precepts of the object-oriented paradigm to the emerging issue of balancing performance and management of data storage devices having ever-increasing capacity.

Hewlett-Packard Development, Company, L.P.


System, method and computer program product for recovering from a failure of a computing device. Start up of a first component of the device is monitored and a determination is made whether the first component has started successfully. If so, a second, higher level component of the device is started. Operational data received from the second component is monitored. If the operational data falls outside of an operational boundary, an action is performed on the second component to enable the second component to operate within a preferred operational boundary. If the first component does not start up successfully, a determination is made if start up of the first component is critical to operation of the second component. If so, a corrective action is performed relative to the first component and afterwards, an attempt is made to start up the second component.

The invention relates generally to autonomic computing and more particularly to a recovery technique for a computing device.
Laptop computers, PDA's and mobile phones along with improved telecommunications have enabled mobile computing. There are also embedded computing devices in many products. With both embedded computing devices and certain types of mobile computing devices, the user may not have a direct interface to enter commands or learn the status of the computing device.
Mobile computing devices, despite their limited resource availability, offer a high level of functionality. A typical example is a mobile phone which comprises a camera, gaming software and PDA software. To provide this functionality, many software components and hardware components are required to operate and interact with each other. Inevitably hardware and software faults occur.
An IBM Tivoli™ program, using a centralized system, is known to perform fault monitoring and detection. In order for the Tivoli program to communicate with an application installed on a remote device, network connectivity is provided between the centralised system and an application located on the remote device. The centralised system periodically sends a message to the application located on the remote device. The centralised system waits for a response message. Receipt of the response message indicates whether the application is running. If the centralised system receives a "not responding" message, the centralised system can, under the guidance of an operator, perform some form of corrective action such as rebooting the device or applying a software fix.
A problem occurs when fault monitoring and maintenance need to be undertaken on a mobile computing device. A centralised system requires a constant network connection for prompt action; however, the mobile computing device may only be connected to a network for five minutes a day or for twenty minutes once a week. Consequently, a centralised fault monitoring model is unable to effectively and promptly support a mobile computing device.
An example of a mobile computing device can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,572. This patent discloses a programmable decision unit located in an unmanned vehicle which is capable of managing and controlling the execution of a mission by utilising a plurality of subsystems. The programmable decision unit includes a mission plan for accomplishing the execution of a mission. The programmable decision unit carries out its mission by following a pre-designed mission plan. A mission plan is downloaded before each mission commences. The mission plan allows for exceptional events to occur and corrective actions are taken based on the directives stated within the mission plan. Updates to the mission plan are carried out by applying a code fix to one or more mission plans. The mission plan is therefore a static entity and can only be updated by developing a new piece of software which replaces the existing plan. Installation of a software fix is not easy.
Therefore, it would be beneficial if the mobile computing device could take some form of corrective action itself without any assistance from a centralised system or a software fix is installed.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the ability of a computing device to correct problems with itself.

System, method and program product for recovering from a failure

International Business Machines Corporation