A food slicer for slicing a food product is provided. The slicer may have an adjustable surface and a stationary surface with a blade interposed therebetween. The food product may be sliced with a specific thickness via the blade by traversing the food product from the adjustable surface to the stationary surface. A trailing edge of the adjustable surface and an edge of the blade may define a gap distance which determines a slicing thickness of the food product. A cam may contact an underside of the adjustable surface to set the gap distance. The gap distance may be reset by rotating the cam. More particularly, the cam may have a plurality of cam surfaces. Each of the cam surfaces may have a different distance to a rotating axis of the cam. The gap distance may be changed by rotating the cam such that a different cam surface contacts the adjustable surface's underside.

The present invention relates to food slicers.
Commercial and residential food preparers may prepare a meal for business patrons, loved ones, and the like. To this end, chefs must prepare the individual ingredients such that the prepared meal is aesthetically pleasing to the patron. For example, carrots and cucumbers may have to be cut into small bite size pieces such that they are easily eaten and more appetizing. In another example, the individual ingredient may have to be sliced into varying thicknesses. One method of slicing food is to manually cut the food product (e.g., tomato, cucumber, carrot, etc.) with a chef knife and a cutting board. However, slicing food products with a chef knife requires a great deal of skill and practice. Otherwise, the sliced food product may be uneven and aesthetically unpleasing. Unfortunately, lay people are not as skillful with their chef knife to produce aesthetically pleasing sliced food products. Moreover, slicing food products with a chef knife is very time consuming.
Prior art food slicers have been manufactured to assist the lay person in quickly and efficiently slicing food products. These prior art food slicers may have a working surface upon which the food product may be cyclically slid upon to slice the food product. In particular, the working surface at a central portion thereof may have a blade with its knife edge directed toward a proximal end of the slicer. When the food product is traversed downward into the blade's edge, the food product is sliced and the sliced food product is urged under the slicer. The user may cyclically slide the food product up and down the working surface to produce aesthetically pleasing sliced food product.
Prior art food slicers may also have the ability to adjust the thickness of the sliced food product. For example, the slicer may be sold with a plurality of blades. Each of the blades when attached to the slicer may slice the food product at a different thickness. The user may cut different thicknesses of the food product by changing out the blade for a different blade to slice the food product at a particular thickness.
More particularly, the thickness of the sliced food is dependent upon a gap distance between the blade's knife edge and a trailing edge of an upper portion of the working surface. Each of the plurality of blades each have a knife edge that is further away or closer to the upper portion trailing edge when the blade is engaged to the slicer enabling the user to cut different thicknesses of food products. The working surface may be defined by the upper portion and a lower portion. The blade may be attached to the lower portion with the blade's knife edge directed toward a proximal end of the slicer. In this regard, as the food product is slid downward from the upper portion to the lower portion and downward pressure is applied to the food product as the food product passes over the blade's knife edge, the food product is sliced and the sliced food product is urged under the slicer (i.e., under the blade). Changing the blade for a different blade changes the gap distance between the blade's knife edge and the trailing edge of the upper portion of the working surface thereby changing the thickness of the sliced food product.
Unfortunately, the user's fingers are exposed to the sharp knife edge of the blade as the blade is being exchanged for another blade. Additionally, the time to change out the blades may be excessive because the blade already attached to the slicer must be removed, then the selected blade attached to the slicer. Moreover, since the plurality of blades are not always attached to the slicer, the blades may be lost or misplaced.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved food slicer.


A head lamp for a vehicle is provided. In particular, the head lamp includes a first light source, a first reflector configured to reflect light generated from the first light source, a first optical shield disposed at a front side of the first light source and configured to block a portion of the light, a second optical shield disposed at the front side of the first light source and configured to block another portion of the light so as to form a first shaded line on a front light distribution pattern of the vehicle; and a first lens configured to emit the incident light toward the front side.

The present invention relates to a head lamp for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a head lamp for a vehicle, capable of displaying a vehicle width line of a vehicle.
In general, a vehicle is provided with various lamps for illuminating various areas around and within the vehicle. These lamps allow a driver to easily identify objects within the periphery of the vehicle when the vehicle is driven at night, and provide a signal function that informs other drivers or persons around the vehicle of a driving state of the vehicle. For example, a head lamp, a fog lamp, and the like are mainly provided for the purpose of providing light, and a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp, a brake lamp, a side marker, and the like are provided for the purpose of signaling.
In general, as the lamp for a vehicle, a light source such as a halogen lamp or a high intensity discharge (HID) is commonly used. Recently, however, as the light source, light emitting diodes have started to be used which have a color temperature of about 5,500 K, which is close to a color temperature of sun light, so as to reduce eye strain that causes fatigue. In addition, light emitting diodes minimize the size of the lamp that is required thus increasing the degree of design freedom of the lamp, and also increasing the economic efficiency because light emitting diodes typically have a semi-permanent lifespan.
In particular, light emitting diodes are help to reduce the complexity of the head lamp, increase the lifespan of the light source and are much smaller in size, thus being able to be used in must smaller spaces. Thus, when a light emitting diode is used, one or more light emitting diodes may be used in order to irradiate light in each beam pattern and secure a sufficient quantity of light.
Meanwhile, when the vehicle is driven at night, there may be a case in which the vehicle passes through a narrow alley, passes through a narrow width between the vehicles, or is parked in a narrow parking lot. When the driver is inexperienced in driving the vehicle, or the driver does not have a proper understanding of the width of the vehicle that is being driven by the driver, there is a high possibility that a minor collision will occur when the driver drives the vehicle in narrow environments.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in a case where a bicycle, a motorcycle 20, or the like is driven at the periphery of a road, when the driver intends to pass the corresponding bicycle or the motorcycle 20 but miscalculates the vehicle width of a host vehicle 10, the vehicle may unintentionally come into contact with or collide with the bicycle and the motorcycle 20, and as a result, there is a likelihood that an accident causing injury to the bicyclist or motorcyclist will occur.
In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when a plurality of vehicles are parked in a narrow space, when the driver miscalculates the vehicle width of the host vehicle or the driver erroneously and unreasonably drives the vehicle to pass through a narrow space in a process in which the host vehicle 10 passes close to an oncoming vehicle 30, there is a possibility that a minor collision will occur between the host vehicle 10 and the oncoming vehicle 30 or other stopped vehicles 40.
In general, minor collisions make up a major part of the vehicle accidents, and a major reason for the minor collision is that the driver erroneously calculates the vehicle width of the host vehicle. Therefore, a countermeasure, which allows the driver to easily identify and comprehend the vehicle width of the vehicle that is being driven by the driver, is required.
Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the host vehicle 10 may be unintentionally change lanes from a traffic lane in a driving path L1 on which the host vehicle 10 is driven, and this may lead to a serious accident. Particularly, when the vehicle is being driven at night, due to various reasons such as driving while drowsy, the driver may not maintain the driving path on which the vehicle is driven. Therefore, it is necessary for the driver to immediately be notified when the vehicle is biased to one side of the driving path or the vehicle crosses over the traffic lane.


A door for a RF shielded and acoustically insulated room. The door includes a door panel and door frame adapted to electrically and pivotally contact the door panel. The door panel includes a noise absorbing material and a noise insulating gap disposed between outer sections of the door panel. The door frame includes a noise absorbing material and a perforated region adjacent to the noise absorbing material. The perforated region includes a number of apertures spaced apart at varying distances along the door frame.

The power of magnetic resonance imaging ("MRI") equipment is continually increasing to meet the demand in the medical community for better and faster images. However, as the power of MRI equipment increases, an increased amount or level of audible noise is generated due, in part, to the coil assembly of the MRI equipment. As a result, the level of noise may increase to the extent that it exceeds health and safety regulatory and industry standards which seek to protect the worker from increased noise levels. Such MRI equipment must, therefore, be properly contained within a RF shielded and acoustically insulated room to protect the MRI equipment from stray electromagnetic radiation and to protect the medical staff or operators of the equipment from continuous undesirable noise levels.
An important feature of the RF shielded and acoustically insulated room is the door. While having to fulfill its primary task of shielding RF fields and insulating noise, the door must also be easy to operate, durable and aesthetically pleasing to operators and patients. Attempts have been made to address the problem of providing a door which acts to shield RF fields and insulate noise without compromising its performance. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,206 to Industrial Acoustics Company, Inc. is directed to a room that is RF shielded and acoustically insulated. The room includes a door that is acoustically sealed by acoustic seals associated the door frame.
It is desirable to provide improved RF shielded and acoustically insulated doors which have higher attenuation characteristics and better noise insulation capabilities.

Radio frequency shielded and acoustically insulated door


A method for determining one or more vital signs of a person includes recording video images of a scene with an egocentric camera coupled to the person's body, detecting and magnifying image frame-to-image frame movements in the video images of the scene, representing the magnified image frame-to-image frame movements in the video images of the scene by a one-dimensional (1D) amplitude-versus-time series, and transforming the 1D amplitude-versus-time series representation into a frequency spectrum. The method further includes identifying one or more local frequency maxima in the frequency spectrum as corresponding to one or more vital signs of the person.

Vital signs are measures of the body's most basic functions. The vital signs of a person can include, for example, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), blood oxygen saturation, and core temperature, etc. Measurements of the vital signs are necessary to assess the clinical situation of a person. The vital signs of a person may be intrusively measured, for example, several times a day, by nurses in a clinical or hospital setting, or at home, or at the site of a medical emergency, etc. Early warning scores (EWS) based on the measured vital signs are generally calculated three times a day in clinical settings, but these may not capture early deterioration.
Wearable devices or sensors for measuring the vital signs provide an opportunity for remote monitoring of clinically relevant vital signs in non-clinical settings. The devices may allow patients to self-monitor, track, and assess human physiological data, while also providing interfaces (e.g., wireless interfaces) for communicating vital signs data to healthcare providers. Having a wearable device or sensor for measuring the vital signs decreases the restrictions placed on the patients' mobility and daily activities, and allows monitoring in the patients' natural environments (e.g., at home, at work, or during other activity). Such monitoring of the vital signs with wearable devices or sensors might detect clinical deterioration at an earlier stage and allow prompt corrective actions.

Measurement of vital signs based on images recorded by an egocentric camera


The invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing the variance of critical dimensions in a semiconductor device, by providing a method and apparatus for measuring lens and reticle error and then providing a method and apparatus for compensating for the error. The critical dimension of a die is measured and used to create a critical dimension function CD(x,y), where y is the direction of scan and x is perpendicular to the direction of scan, for a stepper scanner. CD(x,y) is used to determine the energy distribution E(x,y). E(x,y) is separated into orthogonal functions E(x) and E(y). Changes in the exposure energy or Gray filters or other means are used to compensate for the changes in E(x) and E(y).

The present invention relates to the manufacture of semiconductor devices. More specifically, the invention relates to lithographic exposure in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
Wafer steppers are called the working horses of optical lithography for semiconductor manufacturing. Recently, step and scan systems (scanners) were introduced into manufacturing, which do not expose an image by one single step (as is done by steppers), but instead use a synchronized scanning of the wafer and the reticle through a fixed slit within the associated optics. Step and scan systems are especially used for printing patterns of 200 nm (nanometers) or less in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
Critical dimensions (CD) of a semiconductor device are the widths of lines and spaces of critical circuit patterns as well as areas of contacts of the semiconductor device. To obtain a good operating semiconductor device, the critical dimensions of the semiconductor device must be very accurate. The CD distribution for gates of transistors must be especially tight over the complete exposure field of the scanners. Every nanometer of a tighter CD-distribution gives a higher operation speed for the resulting semiconductor device.
In practice, there are many contributing factors that cause a greater deviation from the target CD, and therefore a less tight CD-distribution. Some of these factors are the variations in resist thickness and development uncertainties (like variations in development time or temperature). Imperfections in the lens and reticle and also synchronization errors between the wafer and the reticle carriers (stages) add to the deviation from the target CD.
One method of reducing CD-distribution known in the art is optical proximity correction.
The transition from using steppers to scanners also has helped to reduce the effect of imperfections in the reticle on variations from the target CD. In addition, lenses and reticles have been improved to reduce CD-variations. However, reticles still have imperfections (e.g. typical CD-variations of 30 nm on the reticle), so that a 4 times reduction ratio of the lens would cause a CD variation of about 7.5 nm on the wafer. In addition, reticle errors can get enhanced by nonlinearities of the lithographic process. This effect is described by the Mask Error Enhancement Factor (MEEF). In an example, a MEEF of 2 would lead to a reticle induced CD variation of 15 nm instead of 7.5 nm. Defocus further may increase the MEEF. In addition, it is still impossible to manufacture error free lenses and exposure systems. As a result, every reticle and lens combination has a distinctive error signature, which increases CD-distribution. The error that is created by the reticle and lens combination is repeated from die to die and wafer to wafer.
It would be advantageous to be able to compensate for exposure system error, such as reticle error and lens error, to reduce CD-distribution.
It is an object of the invention to compensate for exposure system error to reduce CD-distribution.
Accordingly, the foregoing object is accomplished by creating from the resist exposure system an exposure pattern with a distribution of the exposure pattern across an exposure field, measuring the distribution of the exposure pattern across the exposure field, and correcting exposure from the resist exposure system according to the measured distribution of the exposure pattern across the exposure field.
Other features of the present invention are disclosed or apparent in the section entitled: xe2x80x9cDETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.xe2x80x9d

Critical dimension control improvement method for step and scan photolithography


Method and structure for mounting a torsional hinged device, such as a mirror, having a first TCE (thermal coefficient of expansion) on a substrate having a second TCE different than said first TCE. The structure comprising a plurality of compliant support posts between the substrate and the torsional hinged device that deform when the contraction and/or expansion of the torsional hinged device is different than the corresponding contraction and expansion of the substrate.

In recent years, MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) torsional hinged mirror structures have found significant application in telecommunication and free space optic systems such as optical switches and fiber optic replacement for broadband communications. Strides have also been made as replacements for spinning polygon mirrors used as the engine for high speed printers and some types of display systems. Such torsional hinged mirror structures have certain advantages over the systems they replace including high bandwidth, lower cost, and smaller volume. However, every new technology has its own set of problems and using torsional hinged mirrors in precision applications is no exception. One problem experienced by torsional hinged devices, such as mirrors, is excessive compressive loads or stresses on the torsional hinges due to the combination of temperature changes and significant differences in the TCE of the devices, and the TCE of the structure that supports the device. For example, the device is likely to be silicon, which has a very low TCE of approximately 3×10−6/° C. On the other hand, traditional substrate materials used for supporting devices, such as mirrors, have somewhat higher TCEs of approximately 6 to 20×10−6/° C. The silicon devices are typically assembled or bonded to the substrate with an adhesive, which is cured at approximately 125° C. However, when the silicon substrate assembly cools to the minimum specified temperature, the substrate shrinks substantially more than the silicon device, causing the device to be put in significant compressive loading. Sometimes, the low temperature exposure causes the hinges of the device to fail because of compressive buckling.
Previous efforts to solve these problems used ceramic substrates, which have a very low TCE somewhat comparable to the TCE of the silicon device itself. However, these ceramic substrates are expensive compared with other types of substrates and distract from the otherwise cost advantages of torsional hinged devices. Therefore, it will be appreciated that a method of controlling the TCE low temperature compressive loading and hinged device buckling while using inexpensive type substrates would be advantageous.

Structure and method for reducing thermal stresses on a torsional hinged device


The disclosure provides an interlocking device and a three-phase interlocking device for a DC to AC converter (DAC). The interlocking device includes a first interlocking circuit and a second interlocking circuit. The first interlocking circuit couples with a first switch and a second switch, controls whether to conduct the first switch according to the logic levels of a first signal, a second signal and a third signal, and controls whether to conduct the second switch according to the logic levels of the first signal and the second signal. The second interlocking circuit couples with a third switch and a fourth switch, controls whether to conduct the third switch according to the logic levels of the first signal, the third signal and a fourth signal, and controls whether to turn on the fourth switch according to the logic levels of the third signal and the fourth signal.

Generally, a neutral-point-clamped (NPC) DAC can be applied to distributed energy or renewable energy and can convert DC power into usable AC power. Because the power stage of the NPC DAC supplied with a high DC input voltage can employ low-voltage switching devices, the power loss of the switching devices can be reduced. Moreover, the NPC DAC has a low electromagnetic interference (EMI) and a low voltage harmonic distortion. Therefore, the NPC DAC has been widely applied to renewable power converter products recently.
The NPC DAC supplied with a high DC input voltage converts DC power into AC power by turning on or off switching devices, and malfunctions or noises may occur on the switching devices because the switching devices are being switched. This will cause short circuits in the DC end which will damage the switching devices.

Interlocking device and three-phase interlocking device for DC to AC converter

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A free piston type compressor includes a piston slidably fitted within a cylinder. A compression chamber is defined in the cylinder on one side of the piston, and a balance chamber is defined in the cylinder on the other side of the piston. A piston rod is connected to the piston and axially extends out of the cylinder through the balance chamber. A valve mechanism includes a suction valve, a discharge valve, and a valve plate, and is disposed on the end portion of the cylinder that faces the compression chamber. Since the piston rod extends out of the cylinder without passing through the compression chamber, the seal between the cylinder and the piston rod is not subjected to the high pressure working fluid, and the volumetric efficiency of the compressor is increased by reducing the dead clearance in the compression chamber.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,781,546 and 4,836,757 to Curwen, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference, disclose a conventional free piston-type compressor having a piston reciprocally fitted within a cylinder. An electromagnetic motor reciprocates the piston within the cylinder, and as the piston reciprocates, working fluid is compressed on both sides of the piston. A piston rod extending through the compression chamber has one of its ends connected to the piston member. A balance chamber is disposed opposite to the compression chamber relative to the piston. As the piston reciprocates, its inertia is balanced by the recoil strength of a coil spring acting on one side thereof and by the compression load of the balance chamber acting on the other side thereof.
Since the compression chamber is disposed on the side of the piston chamber through which the piston rod extends, there is a resulting reduction in the total volume of the compression chamber. Consequently, the volumetric efficiency of the compressor is reduced. Moreover, the high pressure in the compression chamber must be contained and sealed by, among other things, a seal disposed around the reciprocating piston rod. Since the seal abuts the piston rod, and is, therefore, subjected to reciprocating movement, it must be suitably designed to withstand a relatively harsh environment in addition to the high pressure of the compression chamber.
Furthermore, the arrangement of the valve mechanism, which includes a valve plate, suction and discharge holes, and suction and discharge valves, must accommodate the piston rod extending therethrough. Accordingly, the arrangement of the valve mechanism is limited.


A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a cell well formed in the semiconductor substrate; a first sub cell array including part of a cell array of NAND cells arranged in array in the cell well; a second sub cell array including the remainder of the cell array and arranged in the same cell well as that for the first sub cell array; a first sense amp corresponding to the first sub cell array; a second sense amp corresponding to the second sub cell array; a first bit line group including one of portions of a bit line group divided on the way extending from the first sense amp to the second sense amp and corresponding to the first sub cell array; and a second bit line group including the other of the portions of the bit line group divided on the way and corresponding to the second sub cell array.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrically data-rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory device such as a NAND-type EEPROM.
2. Description of the Related Art
An EEPROM has been known in the art as electrically erasable programmable one of semiconductor memories. Among those, a NAND-type EEPROM, comprising NAND cells, each including a plurality of serially connected memory cells, each serving as the unit of one bit storage, has received attention because it can be highly integrated. The NAND-type may be utilized in a memory card to store image data output from a digital still camera, for example.
A memory cell in the NAND-type EEPROM has an FET-MOS structure that includes a floating gate and a word line stacked, with interposition of insulator films, on a semiconductor substrate that serves as a channel region. A NAND cell includes a plurality of serially connected memory cells in such a manner that adjacent ones share a source/drain (see JP-A 2002-313089, FIG. 32, for example). The source/drain is an impurity region that serves as at least one of a source and a drain.

Non-volatile semiconductor memory device


The method for laser-assisted image formation in transparent specimens consists in establishing a laser beam having different angular divergence values in two mutually square planes, followed by focusing the lase beam at a present point of the specimen. In the course of image formation the specimen is displaced with respect to the point of radiation focusing in order to change an angle between the plane with a maximum laser beam angualr divergence and the surface of the image portion being formed so as to suit the required contrast of the image portion involved.

Known in the prior art is a method for marking glass products by irradiating them with a focused laser beam having an intensity exceeding the glass destruction threshold (cf. RU #1,620,428, IPC C03C 27/12, 1989).
Another method for fancy patterning glass- and crystalware is known, wherein a pattern is made with a laser beam in an air medium at a temperature of from 223.degree. to 253.degree. K, and focusing a laser spot in the bulk of the object under process, spaced apart from the object outer surfaces a distance equal to at least 100 laser spot diameters (cf. RU #1,818,307, IPC C03C 33/00, 1990).
The closest to the proposed method as to its technical essence and attainable results is a method for laser-assisted formation of images in solid media by focusing laser radiation at a preset point of the object and displacing the latter with respect to laser beam in a predetermined manner. The object is irradiated with an energy density exceeding the threshold value of the volumetric disruptive strength of the material, and the objects is displaced in three mutually square directions (cf. RU #2,008,288, IPC C03C 23/00, 1991).
However, images produced by the aforementioned methods are of low contrast. Thus, in order to attain an adequate artistic expressiveness of an image it is necessary to substantially increase the power of laser radiation and the number of radiated pulses required for processing one object. These factors sophisticate much the equipment used for image formation and affects its service life.

Method for laser-assisted image formation in transparent objects


A bistable display system includes a plurality of pixels arranged in pixel rows and pixel columns. Each pixel has a bistable material between first and second transparent and conductive substrates. A bistable display method includes driving the plurality of pixels having at least one target pixel and at least one non-target pixel and applying a voltage difference across at least one target column and at least one target row to switch the at least one target pixel between transparent and opaque states.

Bistable display devices may include smart glass. Smart glass generally refers to glass materials that change transparency upon an application of a voltage, heat, or light. Active chromogenic materials are a class of materials that may change light transmission properties when voltage is applied. Active chromogenic materials may be used in products such as smart glass, smart film, smart windows, switchable glass, and intelligent glass devices.
Types of smart glass devices may be differentiated based on fabrication technology; liquid crystals, polymer dispersed liquid crystals, electrochromic, suspended particle devices, reflective hydrides and others, as is known in the art.
Smart glass may be used in a range of industry sectors, including construction, transportation, aerospace, electronics, consumer products, optics, energy and sensors.
Smart glass devices may be powered by an appropriate power source. Power requirements may depend on the type of smart glass device. In some applications a knob or switch is used to regulate the voltage applied to the smart glass device. This gives users the ability to control light transmission properties of the smart glass device through a physical interface located on or near the smart glass device.
Monochrome display devices display images, text, and/or patterns in one colour or in shades of one colour. Images using only shades of grey (with or without black and/or white) are grayscale or black-and-white images. A monochromatic image may be black and white, grayscale, or other combinations containing only tones of a single colour.
Monochrome display devices may include bistable displays such as electronic paper or e-paper. Electronic paper can switch between black and white states in order to display the monochromatic image. As bistable displays can maintain the display state without requiring a continuous electrical field, costs of operating such display devices may be reduced. Due to the properties of electronic paper, electronic paper lacks the ability to become transparent.
Conventional display devices such as polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) may not be bistable. Instead, the liquid crystals are by default in an opaque state. The liquid crystals align in parallel to achieve a transparent state when an electrical field applied to them. In these devices, the transparent state remains only as long as electrical current is being applied. Once the electrical field is turned off, the liquid crystals resort back to a random arrangement resulting in scattering of light and an opaque, "milky white" appearance occurs.


A system for generating digital postage stamps wherein a PC requests digital postage stamps from a data center. The data center generates a digital book of postage stamps, which the PC downloads to its hard drive. The digital book of postage stamps includes a read-only software module that prints each digital postage stamp using stamp related information contained within the software module. The software module on the PC verifies that the signature of the PC is identical to the PC signature that was stored in the software module when the software module was configured at the data center. If verified, the software module generates the digital postage stamp and then initiates printing on a printer coupled to the PC. The software module renders the data associated with the digital postage stamp being printed unusable for subsequent generations of digital postage stamps.

Postage metering systems have been developed which employ encrypted information that is printed on a mailpiece as part of an indicium evidencing postage payment. The encrypted information includes a postage value for the mailpiece combined with other postal data that relate to the mailpiece and the postage meter printing the indicium. The encrypted information, typically referred to as a digital token or a digital signature, authenticates and protects the integrity of information, including the postage value, imprinted on the mailpiece for later verification of postage payment. Since the digital token incorporates encrypted information relating to the evidencing of postage payment, altering the printed information in an indicium is detectable by standard verification procedures. Examples of systems that generate and print such indicium are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,725,718, 4,757,537, 4,775,246 and 4,873,645, each assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Presently, there are two postage metering device types: closed system and open system. In a closed system, the system functionality is solely dedicated to metering activity. Examples of closed system metering devices, also referred to as postage evidencing devices, include conventional digital and analog (mechanical and electronic) postage meters wherein a dedicated printer is securely coupled to a metering or accounting function. Typically, in a closed system, the printer is securely coupled and dedicated to the meter, and printing evidence of postage cannot take place without accounting for the evidence of postage. In an open system, the printer is not dedicated to the metering activity, freeing system functionality for multiple and diverse uses in addition to the metering activity. Examples of open system metering devices include personal computer (PC) based devices with single/multi-tasking operating systems, multiuser applications and digital printers. An open system metering device is a postage evidencing device with a non-dedicated printer that is not securely coupled to a secure accounting module. An open system indicium printed by the non-dedicated printer is made secure by including addressee information in the encrypted evidence of postage printed on the mailpiece for subsequent verification. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,725,718 and 4,831,555, each assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Recently, the United States Postal Service ("USPS") has approved personal computer (PC) postage metering systems as part of the USPS Information-Based Indicia Program ("IBIP"). The IBIP is a distributed trusted system which is a PC based metering system that is meant to augment existing postage meters using new evidence of postage payment known as information-based indicia. The program relies on digital signature techniques to produce for each mailpiece an indicium whose origin can be authenticated and content cannot be modified. The IBIP requires printing a large, high density, two-dimensional ("2-D") bar code on a mailpiece. The 2-D bar code, which encodes information, is signed with a digital signature. A description of the IBIP PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR INFORMATION-BASED INDICIA AND SECURITY ARCHITECTURE FOR OPEN IBI POSTAGE METERING SYSTEMS (PCIBI-O), a published draft specification dated Apr. 26, 1999, which is referred to herein as the "IBIP Specification". The IBIP Specification defines the proposed requirements for a new indicium that will be applied to mail being created using IBIP, defines the proposed requirements for a Postal Security Device ("PSD"), which is a secure processor-based accounting device that is couple to a personal computer to dispense and account for postal value stored therein to support the creation of a new "information-based" postage postmark or indicium that will be applied to mail being processed using IBIP, and defines the proposed requirements for a host system element (personal computer) of IBIP.
The IBIP Specification defines a stand-alone open metering system, referred to herein as a PC Meter, comprising a PSD coupled to a PC, which operates as a host system with a printer coupled thereto. The PC runs the metering application software and associated libraries and communicates with the attached PSD. The PC Meter processes transactions for dispensing postage, registration and refill on the PC. Meter processing is performed locally between the PC and the PSD coupled thereto. Connections to a Data Center, for example for registration and refill transactions, are made locally from the PC through a local or network modem/internet connection. Accounting for debits and credits to the PSD is also performed locally, logging the transactions on the PC. Several application programs running on the PC, such as a word processor or an envelope designer, may access the metering application software. At the present, the USPS has approved for one PC Meter product E-Stamp® Internet Postage which is distributed by E-Stamp Corporation of Houston, Tex. Other PC meter products are currently in beta test with the USPS.
The USPS has approved an alternative version of the PC Meter in which the PSD function is performed at a server that is remote from the PC and accessible through the Internet. This alternative version, which is referred to herein as a "virtual meter", is a network metering system, has many client PCs without any PSDs coupled thereto. The client PCs run application software for requesting and formatting postage indicia, but all PSD functions are performed on server(s) located at a Data Center. The PSD functions at the Data Center may be performed in a secure device attached to a computer at the Data Center, or may be performed in the Data Center computer itself. The client PCs must connect with the Data Center to process transactions such as postage dispensing, meter registration, or meter refills. Transactions are requested by the client PC and sent to the Data Center for remote processing. The transactions are processed at the Data Center and the results are returned to the client PC. Accounting for funds and transaction processing are centralized at the Data Center. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,454,038 and 4,873,645, which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The virtual meter does not conform to all the current requirements of the IBIP Specifications. In particular, the IBIP Specifications do not permit PSD functions to be performed at the Data Center. However, it is understood that a virtual meter configuration with each mailer's PSD located at the Data Center may provide an equivalent level of security as required by the IBIP Specifications.
In conventional closed system mechanical and electronic postage meters, a secure link is required between printing and accounting functions. For postage meters configured with printing and accounting functions performed in a single, secure box, the integrity of the secure box is monitored by periodic inspections of the meters. More recently, digital printing postage meters typically include a digital printer coupled to a metering (accounting) device, which is referred to herein as a postal security device (PSD). Digital printing postage meters have removed the need for physical inspection by cryptographically securing the link between the accounting and printing mechanisms. In essence, new digital printing postage meters create a secure point-to-point communication link between the PSD and print head. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,218, issued to Christopher B. Wright et al. and now assigned to the assignee of the present invention. An example of a digital printing postage meter with secure print head communication is the Personal Post Office™ manufactured by Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn.
Although the IBIP provides a viable system and method for printing postage on a PC, there are requirements inherent in the IBIP that limit the desirability for use by small office home office users whose use of the PC metering may not include mailing in a volume sufficient to warrant costs above and beyond the costs of stamps purchase from the Post Office. For example, non-business users may balk at the additional cost associated with requiring the rental of a PSD or the administrative cost for maintaining an account at a Data Center. For the virtual meter, in addition to the cost, non-business users may balk at the need to connect to the Internet every time postage is needed.
At the present, the IBIP includes sampling verification, which is not a reliable method for detecting fraud. A more robust verification system must be implemented. A key component of any verification system for the IBIP is verification that addressee information contained in the 2-D bar code of the indicium is matched to addressee information contained in the addressee block of the mailpiece or in the postnet bar code on the mailpiece. It is not clear at this time how soon a reliable verification system will be in place to verify the volume of mailpieces that are produced by an IBIP PC meter. This problem is accentuated by the fact that IBIP verification of open system indicia, which includes verifying correct addressee information is in the indicia, must take place at the same time that verification of closed system indicia, which does not have addressee information in the indicia, is also being performed. The total verification process is even more complicated considering that there are different indicia created by traditional flatbed (i.e. non-digital) printer meters and digital printer meters.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A solid-state imaging device 5 is equipped with sets of pixel cells 53(1)-53(4), each set assuming a Bayer arrangement. A G pixel cell 53(2) is located right-adjacent to a G pixel cell 53(1). A G pixel cell 53(3) is located bottom-adjacent to the G pixel cell 53(2). A G pixel cell 53(4) is located right-adjacent to the G pixel cell 53(3).

In recent years, with the increase of the resolution of solid-state imaging devices such as CCD (charge-coupled device) image sensors and CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) image sensors, the demand for information apparatus having a shooting function such as digital still cameras, digital video cameras, cellphones, and PDAs (personal digital assistants) has increased rapidly. Such information apparatus having a shooting function will be referred to as imaging apparatus.
To realize high-image-quality still image shooting in such imaging apparatus, it is necessary to increase the number of pixel cells. On the other hand, to realize high-image-quality moving image shooting, it is necessary to increase the rate of signal reading from an imaging device.
However, when the number of pixel cells is increased, the number of signals to be read out increases and hence it becomes difficult to increase the reading rate. That is, to realize both of high-image-quality still image shooting and high-image-quality moving image shooting, it is necessary to simultaneously attain mutually contradictory objectives, that is, increase of both of the number of pixel cells and the signal reading rate.
Among known driving methods of an imaging device for increasing the signal reading rate are what is called pixels summation reading in which output signals of plural pixel cells are added together in an imaging device and a resulting signal is output and decimation reading in which signal reading pixel cells are determined through decimation.
For example, Patent documents 1 and 2 disclose imaging apparatus using an imaging device which employs Bayer-arranged blocks each consisting of four (2×2) pixel cells having the same color. Reading is performed by adding together signals of the pixel cells of each block.

Solid-state imaging device, imaging apparatus, and driving method of a solid-state imaging device


A magnetic screwdriver device includes a pad without magnetism, a driving shaft, and a driven shaft. The two shafts, magnetically attracted to each other, are disposed on opposite sides of the pad. The driving shaft is used to transmit a torque to rotate the driven shaft. When the torque exceeds a predetermined value to overcome a friction force between the driven shaft and the pad, the driven shaft would be stopped.

It is known that, while in working, various types of magnetic screwdriver devices, including electric magnetic screwdrivers, are able to attach components such as caps/lids or screws. Because of complex structuring and large sizes of these screwdriver devices, they are not suitable for processing a large number of tiny caps or lids simultaneously.
For example, for multiple micro sample tubes arranged into an array format with small intervals to be simultaneously capped or de-capped (or locked or unlocked), it is obvious that, due to substantial occupations, the conventional screwdriver devices cannot be applied to work synchronously. In addition, since most of the conventional screwdriver devices are not furnished with torque-limiting mechanisms, thus, as a cap for an airtight structure is over tightened, an excessive torque applied for uncapping would be highly possible to damage the airtight structure, and might not be able to achieve successfully the uncapping. On the other hand, if the conventional screwdriver device is furnished with a torque-limiting mechanism, then the price for such a complicate-structured screwdriver driver would be inevitably higher. Also, replacing a driver head is not an easy task for the conventional screwdriver device with the torque-limiting mechanism.
Therefore, there is a need for a magnetic screwdriver device, that can be safe from overlocking, miniaturized, suitable for an array arrangement, and integrated into a screwdriver assembly for handling capping and/or uncapping upon multiple tiny sample tubes synchronously.

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE H


Apparatus and method are disclosed for the welding of thermoplastic endless belts (28). Direct current is passed through a ni-chrome wire (27) to produce enough heat such that the thermoplastic melting point of the belt material is reached. The wire is mechanically moved through the abutting thermoplastic belt. The free ends being welded are securely held together with clamping members (2) and (4). In another embodiment a ni-chrome ribbon (54) is embedded in an electrically insulated screen to produce a heated planar surface. The invention is particularly suitable for the welding of polyurethane thermoplastic belts. Because the invention is hand held and it uses battery power, it is especially adapted for welding belts in the food processing industry.

Endless belts made from entirely thermoplastic, or fabric reinforced composite belts with thermoplastic ends for splicing, are well known in the art. Handrails such as those used with escalators also utilize an endless belt that is known to be spliced onto itself through thermoplastic welding. See for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,806 to Weatherall, et al., where a heated mandrel and a T-shaped mold are used to melt thermoplastic terminal portions of an endless belt. The melted ends of the thermoplastic material congeal together within the mold and form an integral structure.
Another prior art example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,304 to DeGroot et al. Free ends of thermoplastic material, such as polyurethane, are softened with a wand or other means and the softened ends are pressed together. The device of DeGroot is large, relatively non-portable, and difficult to control temperature wise. It also cannot operate using ordinary batteries for a power source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,776, issued to Anderson, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein, shows a belt splicing tool for thermally joining first and second ends of thermoplastic belts. The tool includes a position control means and first and second clamping mechanisms cooperatively engaged and diametrically opposed along a longitudinal axis. The first clamping mechanism holds a first end section of a belt and the second clamping mechanism holds a second end section of a belt. The position control means repositions the clamping mechanisms relative to one another along the longitudinal axis between a first position where the longitudinal spacing between the clamping mechanisms is minimized, and a second position where the longitudinal spacing between the clamping mechanisms is maximized. The tool retains and aligns both belt ends in an opposed abutting relationship while permitting longitudinal movement of the belt ends relative to one another. Splicing is accomplished by (i) placing the belt end sections in the tool, (ii) melting the end portion of at least one of the belts, and (iii) holding the end portions together until the material solidifies. Unlike the instant invention, however, no mechanism is provided as an integral part of the combination to weld the free ends of the belt together.
Many drawbacks are associated with the prior methods and devices for splicing thermoplastic belts. First, the devices are large and difficult to manage, particularly with smaller belts. Additionally the prior art devices do not securely clamp the free ends of the belt and simultaneously press them into a mechanical engagement while the softened thermoplastic interface congeals into a homogeneous weld. The prior art devices are relatively expensive as compared to the instant invention. Also the prior art devices have no mechanism to precisely control the area of heat application. None of the prior art devices operates using only an ordinary flashlight battery.
Basically, the prior art method involves heating the free ends across the entire surface of the free ends until they are softened as determined by visual inspection, and subsequently holding them together by hand until the free ends harden together as determined again by visual inspection.
Conventional devices use alternating 110 volt current from electrical outlets to weld belts together. Because food processing facilities must be constantly sterilized using such fluids as bleach, 110 volt outlets are impractical, since they are difficult to sterilize with fluids. For this reason, the prior art devices use long extension cords, usually wrapped on spools. The instant invention uses only battery power, and can be used on site without the need of 110 volt power. This saves not only time and considerable effort, but also affords easy storability of the device.


A crystal resonator having reduced acceleration sensitivity in which the resonator blank having one or more electrodes thereon has stiffening cover plates mounted to its top and bottom faces and spaced from the resonator blank by sidewalls.

A need exists for crystal oscillators and crystal resonators having low acceleration sensitivity, see the article entitled "The Acceleration Sensitivity of Quartz Crystal Oscillators: A Review," IEEE Transactions On Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, Vol. 35, No. 3, published in May 1988. As is known, piezoelectric resonators, especially devices such as AT and SC cut quartz crystal resonators, are used in a number of applications in which they are subjected to acceleration. This acceleration can be low frequency periodic and/or random vibration to which resonators are subjected while operating. Acceleration causes the resonance frequency of a crystal resonator to change and this is undesired.
It is known from the above cited article that for accelerations which are not too large, the frequency change is the scalar (dot) product of two vector quantities, the acceleration sensitivity of the resonator and the acceleration.
The acceleration sensitivity of a piezoelectric resonator depends upon two factors--the deformation produced by the acceleration and the mode shape. While the mathematical analysis is complex, the basic idea is rather simple, see, Forty-Fourth Annual Symposium on Frequency Control--1990, pps. 452-460, entitled: "On the Influence of a Fabrication Imperfection on the Normal Acceleration Sensitivity of Contoured Quartz Resonators with Rectangular Supports". At each point in the resonator, acceleration-induced deformation alters the effective elastic stiffness of the resonator, thereby incrementally affecting the resonance frequency of each mode of vibration by an amount that depends upon the mode amplitude and sign and upon the amplitude and sign of the deformation at that point. While, in the interest of simplicity, mode amplitude is treated as if it were a single quantity, it should be recognized that the mode of vibration employed may have two or even more components, all of which may contribute to the total acceleration sensitivity. Similarly, the acceleration-induced deformation will, in general, have more than one component.
The total effect on the resonance frequency of the particular mode is the algebraic sum of the incremental effects taken over the entire volume of the resonator. An important aspect of the summation is that, due to symmetry, a high degree of cancellation takes place. That is, the sum of the positive increments is very nearly equal to the sum of the negative increments. As a consequence, even small changes in the resonator mode amplitude can result in quite large changes in acceleration sensitivity.
In a conventional thickness-mode quartz crystal resonator unit, a suitable dimensioned and electrode-carrying blank, platelet, or wafer of quartz, is supported at two or more points on its periphery by metal ribbons or clips. These, in turn, are fastened to a header or base.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art resonator 10 of conventional construction having a circular quartz blank 12 with one or more electrodes 14 thereon, both on the top and bottom of the blank (bottom not shown). Each electrode 14 has an input provided by a terminal 16 which extends to the edge of the blank to which contact is made by a mounting clip 18 mounted to the base 19 of a header 20 through an insulator 21. Mounting pins 22 extend outwardly from the header, each pin making contact with one of the mounting clips 18 in its respectively connected electrode tab terminal 16. The cover 20 is hermetically sealed to the base or header 19. The enclosed volume is often filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen, or may be evacuated.
Under acceleration, the inertial forces on the blank are counteracted by the reaction forces of the support structure. Thus, the support structure directly influences the acceleration-induced deformation of the blank. Because of fabrication and manufacturing limitations, variations in support geometry from resonator to resonator are unavoidable. Since the resonator acceleration sensitivity is the difference of two nearly equal quantities, small changes in the resonator, such as would occur due to normal manufacturing tolerances, can cause large changes in resonator acceleration sensitivity, as is borne out by experience. See the article entitled "The Acceleration Sensitivity of Quartz Crystal Oscillators: A Review "IEEE Transactions On Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, Vol. 35, No. 3, published in May 1988.

Crystal resonator having reduced acceleration sensitivity


The present invention relates to the production of large quantities of a novel chimeric TGF-.beta., termed TGF-.beta.1/.beta.2, by eucaryotic host cells transfected with recombinant DNA vectors containing the TGF-.beta.1/.beta.2 precursor coding sequence controlled by expression regulatory elements. Simian TGF-.beta.1 cDNA (Sharples et al., 1987, DNA 6:239-244) was modified so that the nucleotides encoding amino acid residue numbers 9-13, 17, 19, 25 and 26 of the mature TGF-.beta.1 sequence were hanged to the nucleotides encoding the corresponding amino acids of the mature TGF-.beta.2 structure. Simian codon usage was maintained. The chimeric TGF-.beta.1/.beta.2 of the invention induces effects on the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells equivalent to those induced by TGF-.beta.1.

Transforming growth factor-Beta (TGF-.beta.) is a member of a recently described family of polypeptides that regulate cellular differentiation and proliferation. Other members of this family include Mullerian inhibitory substance (Cate et al., 1986, Cell 45:685-698), the inhibins (Mason et 1985, Nature 318:659-663) and a protein predicted from a transcript of the decapentaplegic gene complex of Drosophila (Padgett et al., 1987, Nature 325:81-84).
Four types of TGF-.beta. have been identified and designated TGF-.beta.1, TGF-.beta.2, TGF-.beta.1.2, and TGF-.beta.3. The first described type, TGF-.beta.1, consists of two identical disulfide linked subunits having molecular weights of 13,000 (Assoian et al., 1983, J. Biol. Chem. 258:7155-7160; Frolik et al, 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80:3676-3680; Frolik et al., 1984, J. Biol. Chem. 260:10995-11000). It has been purified from several tissue sources including placenta (Frolik et al., 1983, Nature 325:81-84), blood platelets (Childs et al., 1982, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79:5312-5316; Assoian et al., 1983, J. Biol. Chem. 258:7155-7160) kidney (Roberts et al., 1983, Biochemistry 22:5692-5698), and demineralized bone (Seyedin et al., 1985, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:119-123). cDNA clones coding for human (Derynck et al., 1985, Nature 316:701-705), mouse (Derynck et al., 1986, J. Biol. Chem. 261:4377- 4379) and simian (Sharples et al., 1987, DNA 6:239-244) TGF-.beta.1 have been isolated. DNA sequence analysis of these clones indicates that TGF-.beta.1 is synthesized as a large precursor polypeptide, the carboxy terminus of which is cleaved to yield the mature TGF-.beta. monomer. Strong sequence homology has been found throughout the TGF-.beta.1 precursor protein from all of the above sources.
In the presence of 10% serum and epidermal growth factor, TGF-.beta.1 promotes the anchorage independent growth of normal rat kidney fibroblasts (Roberts et al., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:5339-5343; Roberts et al., 1982, Nature 295:417-419; Twardzik et al., 1985, J. Cell. Biochem. 28:289-297); in the presence of 10% serum alone, it is able to induce colony formation of AKR-2B fibroblasts (Tucker et al., 1983, Cancer Res. 43:1518-1586). TGF-.beta.1 has also been shown to cause fetal rat muscle mesenchymal cells to differentiate and produce cartilage specific macromolecules (Seyedin et al., 1986, J. Biol. Chem. 261:5693-5695).
In contrast to its effect on cell proliferation, TGF-.beta.1 purified from human platelets has been shown to inhibit the growth of certain cells in culture (Tucker et al., 1984, Science 226:705-707). TGF-.beta.1 has also been shown to inhibit the growth of several human cancer cell lines (Roberts et al., 1985, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:119-123). This inhibitory/stimulatory effect of TGF-.beta.1 may depend on several factors including cell type and the physiological state of the cells (for review see Sporn et al., 1986, Science 233:532-534).
TGF-.beta.2, like TGF-.beta.1, is a polypeptide of molecular weight 26,000 composed of two identical 13,000-dalton subunits which are disulfide linked (Chiefetz et al., 1987, Cell 48:409-415; Ikeda et al., 1987, Biochemistry 26:2406-2410) and has been isolated from bovine demineralized bone (Seydin et al., 1987, J. Biol. Chem. 262:1946-1949), porcine platelets (Cheifetz et al., 1987, 48:409-415), a human prostatic adenocarcinoma cell line, PC-3 (Ikeda et al., 1987, Biochemistry 26:2406-2410), and a human glioblastoma cell line (Wrann et al., 1987, EMBO 6:1633-1636). cDNA clones coding for human and simian TGF-.beta.2 have been isolated (Madisen et al., 1988, DNA 7:1-8; Webb et al., 1988, DNA 7:493-497). The mature TGF-.beta.2 monomer is cleaved from one of two larger precursor polypeptides, the mRNAs of which may arise via differential splicing (Webb et al., 1988, DNA 7:493-497).
TGF-.beta.1 and TGF-.beta.2 share 71% amino acid sequence identity in their mature regions, and 41% identity in their precursor structures. TGF-.beta.3, the amino acid sequence of which has very recently been deduced from cDNA clones, appears to contain a C-terminal 112 amino acid sequence with about 80% homology to the mature monomers of TGF-.beta.1 and TGF-.beta.2 (Dijke et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4715-4719). TGF-.beta.1.2 is a heterodimeric form comprising a .beta.1 and .beta.2 subunit linked by disulfide bonds (Cheifetz et al., 1987, Cell 48:409-415).

Methods using novel chimeric transforming growth factor-.beta.1/.beta.2


A multiple level security system and method for encrypting data within documents is disclosed. The method includes one or more different encryption algorithms, and can employ the one or more different encryption algorithms to achieve the multiple levels of encryption. More particularly, a first encryption algorithm is based upon multiple rearrangements of bits representing data to obtain encoded data. A second encryption algorithm is based upon performing multiple XOR operations on bits representing data so that each data word is at least encoded with previous data words. Either encryption method or a combination of both encryption methods can be repeatedly applied to portions of data within a document to selectively encrypt each data portion within the document in accordance with the authorization level associated with the data portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cryptography. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multiple level security system and method for encrypting data within documents.
2. Background Information
The science of cryptography has existed for thousands of years. However, it is only within the last one hundred or so years that cryptography has become important to the general public, for example, first with the telegraph, then with radio and telephone communications, and presently in the information age that is typified by electronic communications over the Internet and computer networks of all kinds, both wired and wireless.
Given the long history of cryptography, many methods are available for generating cipher text from plain text, ranging from the simple to the very complex. The terms "cipher text," "encrypted information," "encrypted data," and "encrypted transmission" are used interchangeably herein. Similarly, the terms "plain text," "unencrypted information," "unencrypted data," and "unencrypted transmission" are used interchangeably herein. Regardless of the complexity of any individual cipher system, all seek to encode plain text as cipher text to prevent access to the encoded data or message by unauthorized parties. The terms "encode" and "encrypt" are used synonymously herein, as are the terms "decode" and "decrypt."
Two common approaches to cryptography can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,539 to Ehrsam et al., entitled "Product Block Cipher System For Data Security", and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,829 to Rivest et al., entitled "Cryptographic Communications System and Method". The Ehrsam patent describes what is conventionally known as the Data Encryption Standard (DES), while the Rivest patent describes what is conventionally known as the RSA algorithm.
DES is based upon secret-key cryptography, also referred to as symmetric cryptography, and relies upon a 56-bit key for encryption. In this form of cryptography, the sender and receiver of cipher text both possess identical secret keys, that are, in an ideal world, completely unique and unknown to the world outside of the sender and receiver. By encoding plain text into cipher text using the secret key, the sender can send the cipher text to the receiver using any available public or otherwise insecure communication system. The receiver, having received the cipher text, decrypts it using the secret key to arrive at the plain text.
The security of data encrypted using DES depends largely upon the length of the secret key and, as alluded to previously, the secrecy of the secret key. DES encryption, as originally devised, utilized a 56-bit key. With the processing power of desktop computers ever increasing, the difficulty of divining a secret key from cipher text is rapidly decreasing. DES encryption, therefore, is a less secure form of cryptography than it was several years ago.
One solution that has been implemented to resolve the security issues surrounding DES is to encrypt data two or more successive times using the DES algorithm. Each successive level of encryption can use the same or different DES keys. If different keys are employed, careful selection of the keys is important, as some key combinations actually result in a less secure encryption than encryption using a single 56-bit key. Such a method of encryption, however, has been primarily employed as a stop-gap measure until the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), that supports keys up to 256 bits in length and utilizes a different encryption algorithm, becomes more widely employed.
RSA encryption is based upon public-key cryptography. Two asymmetric keys are generated using two large prime numbers and a predefined mathematical relationship. The first key is kept private to a recipient, and the second key is made available to those who send data to the recipient. The mathematical relationship between the public and private keys enables the recipient of data encrypted with the public key to decrypt that data using the private key. The security of RSA is based upon the difficulty of factoring a very large number to discover the private key.
A commercial implementation of RSA is available from PGP Corporation of Palo Alto, Calif., and open source implementations are available at http://www.pgpi.org and http://www.gnupg.org (collectively, these RSA implementations are referred to herein as "PGP encryption").

Multiple level security system and method for encrypting data within documents


Compounds capable of, or usable in, killing cancer cells, and/or modulating a biological activity of a chemokine, and/or inhibiting a kinase, and/or treating diseases and disorders associated with a biological activity of a chemokine and/or cell migration, and/or treating disease and disorders such as cancer and inflammatory diseases and disorders, are provided herein. The compounds are listed in Tables 2, 4 and 5, and/or are represented by Formulae I, IV, V and VI, as defined in the specification. Methods utilizing these compounds are also provided.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to therapy and more particularly, but not exclusively, to compounds, compositions and methods useful in inhibiting a kinase, in modulating a biological activity of a chemokine, in inhibiting cancel cells, in inhibiting chemokine-dependent cell migration and/or in treating diseases and disorders associated with kinase activity, biological activities of chemokines and/or cell migration, such as cancer and inflammatory diseases and disorders.
Chemokines are among the many biological factors that are involved in the inflammatory disease process. Chemokines belong to a group of small, about 8-14 kDa, mostly basic, heparin-binding proteins that are related both in their primary structure and the presence of 4 conserved cysteine residues.
The chemokines are chemotactic cytokines that have been shown to be selective chemoattractants for leukocyte sub-populations in vitro, and to elicit the accumulation of inflammatory cells in vivo. In addition to chemotaxis, chemokines mediate leukocyte de-granulation [Baggiolini and Dahinden, Immunol Today 1994, 15:127-133], up-regulation of adhesion receptors [Vaddi and Newton, J Immunol 1994, 153:4721-4732], and suppression of human immunodeficiency virus replication [Cocchi et al., Science 1995, 270:1811-1815].
Chemokines play an essential role in the recruitment and activation of cells from the immune system. They also have a wide range of effects in many different cell types beyond the immune system, including for example, in various cells of the central nervous system [Ma et al., PNAS 1998, 95:9448-9453], and in endothelial cells, where they result in either angiogenic or angiostatic effects [Strieter et al., J Biol Chem 1995, 270:27348-27357]. Particular chemokines may have multiple effects on tumors, including angiogenesis, promotion of growth and metastasis, and suppression of the immune response to cancer, while other chemokines inhibit tumor-mediated angiogenesis and promote anti-tumor immune responses.
Chemokine receptors have received increasing attention due to their critical role in the progression of inflammation and associated conditions such as asthma, atherosclerosis, graft rejection, AIDS and autoimmune conditions (e.g., multiple sclerosis, arthritis, myasthenia gravis, lupus).
SDF-1 (stromal cell-derived factor 1), also known as CXCL12 (C-X-C motif chemokine 12), is a chemokine which is strongly chemotactic for lymphocytes. SDF-1 plays an important role in angiogenesis, including angiogenesis associated with tumor progression, by recruiting endothelial progenitor cells from the bone marrow, an effect mediated by the CXCR4, the receptor for SDF-1 [Zheng et al., Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2007, 50:274-280; Kryczek et al., Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2007, 292:C987-C995]. In addition, cancer cells that express CXCR4 are attracted to metastasis target tissues that release SDF-1.
Plerixafor, an antagonist of CXCR4, is used in combination with G-CSF (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells in cancer patients, particularly lymphoma and multiple myeloma patients. The stem cells are subsequently transplanted back to the patient after chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
In animal studies, plerixafor has also been reported to reduce metastasis Smith et al., Cancer Res 2004, 64:8604-8612], to reduce recurrence of glioblastoma associated with vasculogenesis [Kioi et al., J Clin Investigation 2010, 120:694-705], and to counteract opioid-induced hyperalgesia [Wilson et al., Brain Behav Immun 2011, 25:565-573].
Kinases are a family of enzymes that mediate the transfer of a phosphate moiety from a high energy molecule (such as ATP) to a substrate. Kinases are involved in many cell-signaling pathways. Protein kinases act on proteins, phosphorylating serine, threonine, tyrosine, or histidine residues in the protein, and thereby affecting the protein's activity.
Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) constitute a family of proline-directed serine/threonine kinases that activate their substrates by dual phosphorylation. The p38 MAPKs (p38α, p38β, p38γ and p38δ), for example, are responsible for phosphorylating and activating transcription factors (such as ATF-2, MAX, CHOP and C/ERPb) as well as other kinases (such as MAPKAP-K2/3 or MK2/3), and are themselves activated by physical and chemical stress (e.g. UV, osmotic stress), pro-inflammatory cytokines and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) [Stein et al., Ann Rep Med Chem 1996, 31:289-298; Herlaar & Brown, Molecular Medicine Today 1999, 5:439-447]. The products of p38 phosphorylation have been shown to mediate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
The implication of kinases pathways on various diseases and disorders, and an anti-inflammatory activity of kinase inhibitors have been described in the art. For example, anti-inflammatory activities have been reported for p38 kinase inhibitors [Badger et al., J Pharm Exp Thera 1996, 279:1453-1461; Griswold et al., Pharmacol Comm 1996, 7:323-229]. In particular, p38 kinase inhibitors have been described as potential agents for treating rheumatoid arthritis, and to exhibit beneficial effects in models of airway diseases such as COPD and asthma [Haddad et al, Br J Pharmacol 2001, 132:1715-1724; Underwood et al., Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol 2000, 279:895-902; Duan et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2005, 171:571-578; Escott et al., Br J Pharmacol 2000, 131:173-176; Underwood et al., J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2000, 293:281-288]. The implication of the p38MAPK pathway in various diseases has been reviewed by Chopra et al. [Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs 2008, 17:1411-1425].
The compound 8-(2,4-dihydroxy-6-(2-oxoheptyl)-phenoxy)-6-hydroxy-3-pentyl-1H-isochromen-1-one was isolated from oakmoss, and reported to exhibit potent antibacterial activity against Legionella, but not against other bacteria [Nomura et al., Biol Pharm Bull 2012, 35:1560-1567].
Arjunolic acid [Ramesh et al., Nat Prod Res 2012, 26:1549-1552], auraptene [Epifano et al., Phytother Res 2013, 27:784-786; Genovese & Epifano, Curr Drug Targets 2011, 1:381-386] and falcarindiol [Huang et al., Molecules 2014, 19:6142-6162; Wang et al., Phytomedicine 2013, 20:999-1006] have been reported to inhibit cancer cells. Auraptene has also been reported to suppress MCP-1 expression in adipocytes [Kuroyanagi et al., Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2008, 366:219-215].


An analysis unit analyzes a source code representing design data of a semiconductor device, and generates information (CDFG information) indicating the data and control flow of the semiconductor device. A high-level synthesis data generation unit acquires intermediate data (an object file), which is obtained by compiling the source code, generates intermediate data (an object file) by incorporating the CDFG information generated by the analysis unit into the acquired intermediate data, and outputs the generated intermediate data as high-level synthesis data.

Recently, integrated circuit density has been growing exponentially every year in accordance with Moore's law, so that circuit designs have become more and more complex. Today, the mainstream of integrated-circuit design is register-transfer level (RTL) design using a hardware description language (HDL). RTL design provides a higher level of design abstraction compared with gate-level design, but it is becoming more difficult to handle the circuit size that is increasing year by year.
Thus, high-level synthesis (also referred to as "high-level design") which provides a still higher level of abstraction than RTL is now increasingly being used. The input languages (for example, high-level languages) that are often used in high-level synthesis are software languages. In particular, C, C++, and SystemC as a class library for hardware description are most often used. There are also other input languages, such as Java (registered trademark), BASIC, assembly language, and the like. In high-level synthesis, other than a high-level language, an HDL such as VHDL (Very High Speed Integrated Circuit (VHSIC) HDL), Verilog HDL, SystemVerilog, and the like is created by referring to constraints and technology libraries.
In high-level synthesis, the provider provides a source code representing design data of a semiconductor device (or a semiconductor circuit) to the user, and the user performs high-level synthesis and simulation based on the source code.
In RTL design using an HDL, the original HDL is not easily reproduced from a netlist generated by logic synthesis. Further, since a mechanism for encrypting as compiler identifiers for HDL is supported, it is possible to directly use the encrypted HDL in RTL simulation and logic synthesis by electronic design automation (EDA) tools. Accordingly, the provider provides a netlist and encrypted HDL to the user, instead of providing non-encrypted HDL describing the design data.
Examples of the related art are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications No. 2003-99409, No. 2011-170602, and No. 2010-146577.
In high-level synthesis, design is made using a software language having a higher level of abstraction than RTL. Therefore, a source code representing the design data is easily readable by humans. In the case of conventional high-level synthesis, such a source code that is easily readable by humans is provided to the user, which might result in the outflow of know-how (intellectual properties) of the provider.

High-level synthesis data generation apparatus, high-level synthesis apparatus, and high-level synthesis data generation method


One embodiment is a microprobe. An example of the microprobe comprises a housing having an aperture. This example of the microprobe also comprises an ISFET attached to the housing. The ISFET may have a gate located proximate the aperture. This example of the microprobe further comprises a reference electrode attached to the housing proximate the aperture. Another embodiment is a microsensor system. Another embodiment is a method for measuring a characteristic of tissue. Yet another condition embodiment is a method for monitoring tissue pH.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to monitoring data, and in some embodiments may concern assessing the medical condition of a patient. More particularly, some examples of the invention concern using a subcutaneous sensor to measure a characteristic of tissue in a patient, and in some examples may be used to measure tissue pH to detect shock, or to determine if tissue is viable.
2. Description of Related Art
Improved casualty/patient care is vital to military operational practices, and is also of great importance in many civilian environments. For example, frequently it is important for a medical care provider to be able to quickly and accurately assess the medical condition of a patient in a combat environment, during disaster relief, at an accident scene, during patient transport, in an emergency room, at a hospital, or at any other location during a medical emergency or the general treatment of a patient.
Shock is one of the body's biochemical reactions to an injury. The presence of hypoglycemic or hemorrhagic shock, which frequently occurs in combat casualties and accident victims, must be rapidly and accurately assessed, and must be monitored, to ensure the best prognosis, final patient disposition, and maximum survival rates.
Detecting depression of a patient's vital signs (blood pressure, respiration and heart rate), is a known method for detecting shock. This technique may be used in the field and other environments. However, this method is imprecise and is not favored if other methods are available.
Two methods are known that generally have been used for monitoring the shock state of a patient in a hospital environment. In the first method, global blood flow assessments are made by measuring arterial Pa(O2) oxygen delivery to the body. In the second method, arterial blood lactate concentrations and oxygen consumption are measured. Both of these techniques are invasive and hence may negatively impact the patient's health, because they generally require drawing blood with a catheter (perhaps from the stomach), and also require sophisticated equipment, and consequently cannot be used in the field.
Tissue tonometry is a tissue oriented approach to measuring and diagnosing the shock state of a patient. Tissue P(O2) levels, tissue P(CO2) levels, and tissue pH, have been shown to be reliable estimates of a compensated shock state. However, the use of these approaches has been hampered by the lack of a reliable and noninvasive method of obtaining accurate measurements.
In combat, disaster, and accident scenarios, the extent of injury to a patient may be so severe as to require amputation of gangrenous tissue. Gangrenous tissue is tissue that has died due to lack of blood supply. Dead tissue may also be present on frostbite victims. Generally, the goal of an amputation is to remove all dead tissue. The extent of tissue removal during an amputation may be excessive, because medical personnel lack an accurate means of determining the demarcation between viable and non-viable tissue.
In summary, known methods of measuring the shock state of a patient are inadequate because they are invasive, non-portable, and/or inaccurate. Further, known methods for identifying and monitoring the border between viable and non-viable tissue are not sufficiently accurate to preclude needless amputation of viable tissue. Additionally, there is no known means of monitoring the continued viability of tissue after an amputation.

Microsensor system and method for measuring data

United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A computer system includes a main power, a backup power, an input/output (I/O) board, a main board, a computer host, and controls signal transmission and signal detection with a control device. The control device controls the main power and the backup power according to a power status. When one of the main power or the backup power fails, the control device controls the other functioning power to supply power to the I/O board and the main board and prevents the computer system from shutting down.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer system and a related control device, and more particularly, to a computer system and a related control device which controls power supply based on a power status.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the information era when computers can be found in almost every household, desktop computers can no longer satisfy the growing requirement by most users. As lightness, mobility and convenience is required, notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, and other mobile electronic devices have become more and more popular. For such mobile electronic devices, a steady and lasting power supply is one of the most important features.
Please refer to FIG. 1 for a diagram of a prior art computer system 10 including a power supply. The computer system 10 includes a main power 11, a backup power 12, an input/output board (I/O board) 13, and a computer host 14. The computer host 14 can be coupled to a connecting end 15 of the I/O board 13 via a connecting end 16. When the connecting end 16 of the computer host 14 is electrically isolated from the connecting end 15 of the I/O board 13, the backup power 12 supplies power to the computer host 14 and the main power 11 supplies power to the I/O board 13. When the connecting end of the computer host 14 is electrically connected to the connecting end 15 of the I/O board 13, the main power 11 supplies power to the I/O board 13 and to the computer host 14 through the connecting ends 15 and 16, while the backup power 12 does not supply power.
When the connecting end of the computer host 14 is coupled to the connecting end 15 of the I/O board 13, current flows from the main power 11 to the computer host 14 via the I/O board 13, the connecting end 15 and the connecting end 16 sequentially. When the main power malfunctions and fails to supply power, the backup power 12 can still provide power to the computer host 14. However, in the prior art computer system 10, the connecting ends 15 and 16 can only provide a one-way current path. Therefore, the backup power 12 cannot supply power to the I/O board 13 via the connecting ends 15 and 16. As a result, a user cannot access data stored in the I/O board 13 from the computer host 14 when the main power 11 breaks down. In addition, the pin number of the connecting ends is limited. If a part of the pins provide a current path in a certain direction, and the other part of the pins provide a current path in another direction, the amount of current is not enough due to the insufficient number of pins.

System and related control device and method for controlling power supply according to a power status


An apparatus and method for sending an emergent rescue signal using a mobile communication terminal can perform its operation as follows. A rescue requester requests emergent rescue using a mobile communication terminal and an emergent rescue center which received the emergent rescue-requesting checks an approximate position of the rescue requester, and dispatches an emergent rescuer to the position. The emergent rescuer who arrived the approximate position of the rescue requester sends a remote control signal to the mobile communication terminal of the rescue requester so that the mobile communication terminal can send an emergent rescue signal. Then, the mobile communication terminal sends the emergent rescue signal according to the received remote control signal so that the emergent rescuer can rapidly detect an exact location of the rescue requester.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and particularly, to an apparatus and method for sending an emergency rescue signal using a mobile communication terminal.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, there are various methods for estimating a position of a terminal in a mobile communication system. Among those methods, a method which can be applied to a cellular system based on CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) can be classified into a method which needs to modify a terminal and a method which does not need to modify a terminal.
First, a representative method in the above method which needs to modify the terminal is a plotting method based on a terminal, and this method requires a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver to be installed in a mobile communication terminal carried by a user.
In case a user of the terminal is under an emergency condition, when the GPS receiver is operated by pushing a predetermined button (for instance, a rescue requesting button) on the mobile communication terminal in order to transmit position information of the mobile communication terminal, the GPS receiver installed in the mobile communication terminal receives a signal from three or more GPS satellites (four or more satellites, in case of estimating a position on a three dimension) to calculate distances between the mobile communication terminal and respective satellites and estimates the position of the mobile communication terminal using additional information received from the GPS satellite.
After that, the calculated position is automatically transmitted to a position that needs the position information of the user using the CDMA cellular network.
On the other hand, there are many methods which do not need to modify the terminal and a TOA (Time of Arrival) method using arrival time, an AOA (Angle of Arrival) method using arrival angles and a TDOA (Time Difference of Arrival) method using arrival time differences are commonly used.
First, with the TOA method using arrival time, a plurality of base stations around a mobile communication terminal receive a signal transmitted from the mobile communication terminal, and then, the respective base station measures the arrival time of the transmitted signal to calculate distances between the mobile communication terminal and the base station. And a virtual circle is made centering around the base station as making the distances as the radiuses, and then, a position where the circles are crossed to each other are estimated as the position of the mobile communication terminal.
Then, with the AOA method using an arrival angle, a plurality of base stations around a mobile communication terminal receive a signal transmitted from the mobile communication terminal, and the respective base station measures the direction of the transmitted signal. In addition, a virtual line toward the above direction is drawn, and a position where the lines are crossed with each other is estimated as the position of the mobile communication terminal.
With the TDOA method using arrival time difference, a plurality of base stations around a mobile communication terminal receive a signal transmitted from the mobile communication terminal. In addition, a hyperbolic curve is drawn using the arrival time differences of the signal transmitted to the respective base stations and a position where the hyperbolic curves are crossed to each other is estimated as the position of the mobile communication terminal.
However, according to the position estimating method using the GPS, the GPS receiver should be installed in the terminal additionally, a size and a weight of the terminal are increased. In addition, the GPS receiver also uses the power of a battery for the terminal, the power consumption of the terminal is increased.
Also, with the position estimating method using the GPS, the signal transmitted from the GPS satellite is very weakened when the signal is arrived at the terminal on the earth, and therefore it is difficult to receive the GPS signal in case that there are obstacles between the terminal and the GPS satellite such as in an urban area or indoor, whereby the function is lowered.
On the other hand, the TOA method using the arrival time and the TDOA method using the arrival time difference should use at least three base stations around the mobile communication terminal, and the AOA method using the arrival angle should also use at least two base stations. However, if the user is in a suburban area, there is little chance that there are two or three base stations around the user. Therefore, the signal from the mobile communication terminal is difficult to reach the other base stations, and even if the signal arrives at the other base stations, the signal is very weak and there may be a lot of error. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the position of the mobile communication terminal.
As described above, it is difficult to estimate the position of the mobile communication terminal using only one estimating method using such the arrival time, arrival angle, or arrival time difference of signal in the suburban area.
Also, with the above conventional method, a position can be estimated approximately, but much time is required to estimate the position exactly. Accordingly, a new method for detecting an exact position of a rescue requester is required, under the condition that rapid and exact position detection is required, as in the emergency rescue.

Apparatus and method for sending emergency rescue signal using mobile communication terminal


Provided is an optical module including a light source for generating an optical signal, a waveguide for waveguiding the optical signal, a photodetector for detecting the optical signal, a first reflecting mirror on the light source for reflecting the optical signal generated by the light source to a side of the waveguide, and a second reflecting mirror on the photodetector for reflecting an optical signal emitted from the waveguide in a vertical downward direction. The photodetector detects an optical signal reflected by the second reflecting mirror.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an optical module having an optical waveguide structure, and in particular, to an optical module using an optoelectronic mixed Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or a flexible PCB in which an optical waveguide and an electrical printed circuit are integrated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, there is an increasing demand for a technique for implementing high-speed data transmission over a short range for a compact device enabling transmission of video data using low power consumption. In addition, to solve electromagnetic wave inteference and wiring space problems occurring in electrical connections, a structure in which a transmitting module and a receiving module are optically connected is desired.
A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) of a vertical light emitting type and a photodetector of a vertical light receiving type are typically used for achieving high-speed transmissions at low cost using low power. Such active optical elements of the vertical light emitting type or the vertical light receiving type are connected by a waveguide and a horizontal structure.
FIG. 1 illustrates a waveguide 100 applied to a conventional optical connection structure. Referring to FIG. 1, the waveguide 100 includes a board 110, a lower clad 121a, a core 122, and an upper clad 121b that are sequentially deposited on the board 110, and a light receiving element such as a photodetector 130 placed on the end portion of the upper clad 121b. A light source or optical elements of various forms in addition to the photodetector 130 may be placed on the end portion of the upper clad 121b.
A groove for reflecting an optical signal traveling inside the core 122 to a light receiving surface of the photodetector 130 is formed under the waveguide 100 on which the photodetector 130 is placed. The groove includes a reflecting surface 123 inclined with respect to the core section that is perpendicular to the traveling direction of the optical signal. In other words, the reflecting surface 123 is inclined with respect to the section of the core 122 in order to reflect an incident optical signal from the core 122 to the photodetector 130.
A paper "Design and Development of Optoelectronic Mixed Signal System-on-Package" disclosed by Lyer et al. in IEEE Transactions on Advanced Packaging, vol. 27, no. 2, 278-285 in May 2004 describes another optical module including a two-branch waveguide, an optical fiber, and an Si mirror on a sub mount, and a photo diode on the Si mirror.
However, the conventional optical module requires a complex process, such as forming an inclined groove in a waveguide and forming a reflecting mirror in the formed groove, thus resulting in degradation in yield. Moreover, the optical module suggested by Lyer et al. integrates a two-branch coupler in a waveguide form and optical elements capable of receiving and emitting light on a sub mount, increasing its volume and causing a loss due to intervals between elements. As a result, there is increase in power consumption due to the loss.


A liquid crystal display includes a substrate; a first electrode on the substrate; a second electrode on the first electrode and separated from the first electrode; a cavity defined between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first protection layer on the second electrode; a cover layer on the first protection layer; and a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules in the cavity. The second electrode includes metal oxide and zinc oxide.

1. Field
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display is one of a number of display devices that have been widely used. The liquid crystal display is a display device that can adjust the quantity of light penetrating therethrough by applying a voltage to two opposite electrodes (e.g., a pixel electrode and a common electrode), and controlling an arrangement of liquid crystal molecules of a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two electrodes.
Typically, a space is maintained between two substrates of a liquid crystal display so that a liquid crystal layer is provided between the two substrates. For this, spacers are disposed between the two substrates. However, since the spacers are adhered to one of the two substrates such as with an adhesive, the liquid crystal display fabricating process is complicated and the manufacturing cost is increased. Therefore, there remains a need for an improved liquid crystal display in which a space between two substrates thereof is maintained, and a manufacturing process and costs are reduced.

Liquid crystal display and method for fabricating the same