An anode lead (11) is embedded at one end thereof in a sintered body in a capacitor element (1), and is welded at the other end thereof to a first outside lead (2). A cathode (12) is electrically connected to a second outside lead (3). The capacitor element is covered with a resin, thereby forming a resin package (5). The tip end of the first outside lead, to which the other end of the anode lead 11 is welded, is configured in such a manner as to have a capacity greater than those of other portions of the first outside lead: namely, the tip end of the first outside lead is widened or thickened in such a manner as to increase the volume of the first outside lead per unit length. Thus, it is possible to provide a solid electrolytic capacitor having the structure in which inclination of the welded portion of the anode lead can be eliminated or the welding reliability of the anode lead can be enhanced without reducing the size of the sintered body in the capacitor element or increasing the size of the package.

The present invention relates to a solid electrolytic capacitor including a sintered body composed of powder of valve acting metal such as tantalum. More particularly, the present invention relates to a solid electrolytic capacitor having the structure in which it is possible to enhance the reliability of welding between an anode lead embedded in a sintered body and a tip end of an outside lead.
As shown in FIG. 3, a solid electrolytic capacitor in the prior art is configured such that an anode lead 11 of a capacitor element 1 is electrically connected to one outside lead 3, and further, a cathode 12 formed at the outer periphery of the capacitor element 1 is electrically connected to another outside lead 3 via a fuse 4, wherein the entirety is molded with a resin to be covered with a resin package 5. Reference numeral 13 designates a water-repellent insulation ring. The anode lead 11 of the capacitor element 1 is formed by embedding a wire made of tantalum in a sintered body composed of powder of valve acting metal such as tantalum, aluminum or niobium. The tip end of the anode lead 11 of the capacitor element 1 is resistance-welded to the tip end of the first outside lead 2, as described above, to be electrically connected to the first outside lead 2 formed of a lead frame. After the formation of the resin package 5 by molding, the outside leads 2 and 3 are cut and separated from the lead frame, followed by forming, to be thus formed into the above-described structure.
In the solid electrolytic capacitor in the prior art, the sintered body in the capacitor element is as remarkably small as about 1 mm cubic, the anode lead embedded in the sintered body is formed of a wire having a diameter as fine as about 0.2 mm, and a length of the anode lead projecting from the sintered body is as short as about 1 mm as requested for miniaturization of a part. Consequently, the contact area between the anode lead and the outside lead becomes remarkably small. Moreover, the anode lead is made of a material having a high melting point such as tantalum, as described above, so that the anode lead is hardly melted by welding: namely, it is poor in weldability. Additionally, even if a current in welding is increased or a welding time is prolonged for the purpose of sufficient welding, only the outside lead is melted and sunk in since the outside lead, in contrast, is made of a soft material such as Alloy 42, Ni or Cu, thereby making complete welding impossible. Therefore, the anode lead may be inclined in welding to the outside lead, as shown in FIG. 3, and therefore, the welding reliability may be degraded to induce a break of the wire caused by separation of a welded portion during use.
In the meantime, in the case where the area of the welded portion between the leads is enlarged by extending the anode lead, and further, the outside lead, the package per se is increased in size. This is contradictory to the reduction in the size and weight of electronic parts. Moreover, if the profile of the package is suppressed, the volume of the sintered body in the capacitor element is decreased, thereby making it impossible to achieve the desired characteristics of the capacitor.
An object of the present invention is to provide a solid electrolytic capacitor having the structure in which it is possible to enhance the welding reliability of an anode lead and to prevent any inclination of a welded portion of the anode lead without reducing the volume of a sintered body in a capacitor element or enlarging a package.
A solid electrolytic capacitor according to the present invention comprises: a capacitor element having an anode formed by embedding one end of an anode lead in a sintered body composed of valve acting metal from one side face of the sintered body and a cathode formed on a side wall of the sintered body; a first outside lead, to which the other end of the anode lead is welded; a second outside lead, to which the cathode is electrically connected; and a resin package covering the capacitor element; wherein the tip end of the first outside lead, to which the other end of the anode lead is welded, is configured in such a manner as to have a capacity greater than those of other portions of the first outside lead.
Here, xe2x80x9cthe tip end of the first outside lead is configured in such a manner as to have a capacity greater than those of the other portionsxe2x80x9d means that the volume of the lead per unit length in a direction in which the outside lead extends becomes larger at the tip end of the first outside lead than those of the other portions, for example the tip end of the first outside lead is widely formed more than the other portions, or the widely formed portion is folded over to form a thick portion, or only the tip end is thickly formed.
With this configuration, since there is originally a space corresponding to the width of the capacitor element in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the outside lead extends, the tip end of the first outside lead can be enlarged without exerting any adverse influence on the size of the package or capacitor element, and further, the anode lead can be increased in length by bending in a lateral direction, thereby enlarging the welded area. Moreover, since a thermal capacity can be increased by folding the wide portion so as to thicken the tip end or thickly forming the tip end from the beginning, the fine anode lead can be increased in temperature to be securely welded to the first outside lead before the first outside lead may be sunk in even if the welding condition is reinforced by increasing a current in welding. Therefore, it is possible to prevent any bending or inclination and enhance the reliability of welding strength.
Specifically, a portion of the first outside lead, to which the anode lead is welded, is widely formed so that the capacity can be increased, and the other end of the anode lead bent in a lateral direction is welded to the first outside lead at the wide portion; a portion of the first outside lead, to which the anode lead is welded, is widely formed toward both ends from the center or is widely formed toward mainly either end from the center, and further, the wide portion is folded over toward the center, and then, the other end of the anode lead is welded to the folded portion; or a portion of the first outside lead, to which the anode lead is welded, is thickly formed, and the other end of the anode lead is welded to the thick portion.


A modular-construction vacuum-coating system includes a plurality of functional chambers arranged one behind the other along a longitudinal extent in which substrates are moved through the chambers in a substrate-transporting region. To lower the production-related and installation-related outlay involved in supplying media, a functional chamber, as a first submodule, is arranged in a first module and provided with an outer interface which is the same for at least a second module.

The invention relates to a modular-construction vacuum-coating system with a plurality of functional chambers which are arranged one behind the other along a longitudinal extent in which substrates are moved through the chambers in a substrate transport region.
Vacuum-coating systems are defined by functional and physical division.
The physical division defines a visible configuration of a vacuum-coating system. The physical configuration does not necessarily correspond to the functional configuration.
The parts of the physical division of a vacuum-coating system 1 are system chambers 2 and sections 3, such as are illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. To distinguish between the physical and the functional division, the (physical) chambers are designated as system chambers 2.
A structural unit connected in a materially integral way and containing stiffening elements 4 is designated as a system chamber 2 of a vacuum-coating system. Connected to the stiffening elements 4 are wallings 5 which enclose a vacuum space 6. The wallings 5 are formed from a chamber floor, chamber walls and a chamber ceiling. A walling 5 may also be formed from a cover laid on a sealing surface.
The stiffening elements 4 of the system chamber 2 may lie inside the vacuum space 6, as illustrated in FIG. 1. At least part of the system chamber 2 then consequently projects into the vacuum space 6.
Correspondingly, solutions are also known in which the system chamber 2 constitutes a structural unit as a kind of "skeleton" which dispenses with stiffening elements 4 in the vacuum space since these are arranged outside the vacuum space 6.
A plurality of system chambers 2 are conventionally connectable to one another by means of releasable connections, usually via chamber flanges. Each system chamber 2 can then have a dedicated vacuum space. The vacuum of vacuum spaces adjacent to one another may also merge one into the other and consequently form a unit.
A portion which is delimited by walls 7 fastened in the vacuum space 6 transversely to the longitudinal extent of the vacuum-coating system and which is located inside a vacuum space 6 is designated as a section 3.
Insofar as essentially one function is performed in a section 3, the sections may also be designated by the designation of this function for which they mainly serve, such as process section, pumping section, coating section or the like.
The functional division describes a configuration, determined by the function of the individual parts, of a vacuum-coating system. The functional division is not necessarily visible.
The parts of the functional division are chambers 8 and compartments 9, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
A chamber 8 is a unit with one or more interacting functions within the limits of one or more connected physical system chambers 2.
The chambers 8 of the functional division may also be designated by the designation of the function for which they mainly serve, such as process chamber. Since all the chambers 8 serve for accommodating the vacuum, they may also be designated in general as vacuum chambers.
The compartments 9 may also be named by the designation of their function, for example as a pumping compartment, sputtering compartment, gas separation compartment or the like.
A compartment 9 is a functional unit inside a chamber 8 of a longitudinally extended vacuum-coating system, to which functional unit a function is unequivocally attributed and which functional unit is arranged in succession with other such functional units along the longitudinal extent of the vacuum-coating system. Compartments 9 preferably have an identical length. A compartment 9 may be formed above or below the substrate transport region or so as to include the substrate transport region.
A configuration of a 3-chamber system or a 5-chamber system will be given as an example of a functional division:
A 3-chamber system, as illustrated in FIG. 4, is composed of
a first (functional) chamber 10, to be precise the entry lock C1 (in a physical system chamber 2),
a second (functional) chamber 11, itself composed of                a first transfer chamber C3 (in a physical system chamber 2),        a process chamber C4.1 and possible further process chambers C4.x to C4.n (in one or more physical system chambers (2) and        a second transfer chamber C5 (in a physical system chamber 2), and
a third (functional) chamber 12, to be precise the exit lock C7 (in a physical system chamber 2).
A 5-chamber system, as illustrated in FIG. 5, is composed of
a first (functional) chamber 13, to be precise the entry lock C1 (in a physical system chamber 2),
a second (functional) chamber 14, to be precise a first buffer chamber C2 (in a physical system chamber 2),
a third (functional) chamber 15, itself composed of                a first transfer chamber C3 (in a physical system chamber 2),        a process chamber C4.1 or possible further process chambers C4.x to C4.n (in a physical system chamber 2) and        a second transfer chamber C5 (in a physical system chamber 2),
a fourth (functional) chamber 16, to be precise a second buffer chamber C6 (in a physical system chamber 2) and
a fifth (functional) chamber 17, to be precise the exit lock C7 (in a physical system chamber 2).
All the chambers 10 to 17 have to be supplied with different media. Such media are, in particular, a vacuum, compressed air, gases, water, current and data.
The various media supplies are combined wholly or partially, depending on the system. Thus, it is possible to combine the current supply for the entire system and to supply each individual chamber 10 to 17 from this. The chambers requiring a water supply are fed from a central water supply, etc.
The disadvantage in this case is that the media supply has to be planned and adapted individually for each vacuum-coating system, thus resulting in a high outlay in terms of production and installation.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is to lower the outlay in terms of production and installation in media supplies of vacuum-coating systems.


A method for classification of a target object having a periphery comprises the steps of: selecting a plurality of random first chords D1 across the periphery of the target object;                measuring each of the first chords D1 to obtain a plurality of first dimensions;        computing for each of the first chords D1 a second chord D2 across the periphery thus forming a plurality of D1, D2 pairs of chords;        measuring the second chords D2 for all pairs to obtain second dimensions;        computing for each of the pairs of first chords D1 and second chords D2 the ratio D1/D2 of the first dimension to the second dimension to obtain a plurality of first values;        computing the logarithm of the first values to obtain a plurality of logarithmic values;        computing difference values by subtracting the second dimension from the first dimension for each of the pairs;        recording the first values, logarithmic values and difference values in histograms;        extracting a vertex lists from the histograms;        combining one or more of the vertex lists to obtain a signature indicative of the classification of the object target.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of extraction of target signatures using a probability distribution measuring geometric properties of the targets under consideration.
2. Description of the Related Art
An important function of a radar system, whether a Real Beam type, Synthetic Aperture (SAR) or Interferometric SAR is to detect a target as well as identify it. Radar target detection and identification have been proven necessary in military surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat missions. The detection and identification of targets provide real-time assessment of the number and the locations of targets of interest.
One method of target detection and identification is to process the image acquired by the radar using, for example, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology. By processing a SAR generated image, the features of a target can be extracted and matched to a database for identification.
The general principle behind SAR is to obtain high resolution images by coherently combining the amplitude and phase information of separate radar returns from a plurality of sequentially transmitted pulses from a relatively small antenna on a moving platform. The returns from the plurality of pulses transmitted during a SAR image, when coherently combined and processed, result in image quality comparable to a longer antenna, corresponding approximately to the synthetic "length" traveled by the antenna during the acquisition of the image.
High resolution SAR maps are obtained by coherently combining return signals reflected from transmitted pulses in the cross range direction from radar platform movement. However, formation of focused SAR images or maps requires accurate information on platform position and velocity to shift and focus the received radar returns over the duration of the image acquisition time, the array length, so as to have a useful, phase adjusted combination of pulse returns from multiple pulses transmitted at different times from different radar positions. The process of aligning pulses in time and space for coherent integration is referred to as motion compensation, and is usually performed with the raw radar data, at the early stage of the image formation process.
One aspect of achieving coherent integration of pulses into one SAR image is the need for some form of inertial navigation/ground positioning satellite system (INS/GPS) to indicate the spatial and time coordinates of each transmitted and received (or reflected) pulse. These time and space coordinates of radar returns need to be known to a relatively high accuracy, typically in fractions of a wavelength, to arrive at a clear, focused, unsmeared image. Sometimes the alignment of pulses using the INS/GPS is imperfect, especially towards the edge of the image, introducing "snow" or a grainy character into the SAR image, making it difficult to discern target outline from its background.
It is this grainy character that tends to obfuscate a SAR image thus requiring robust algorithms to extract a target from the SAR image as well as identifying it. The radar image varies from radar to radar depending on the accuracy of the particular INS/GPS, the position of the target within the imaging area, instantaneous operating frequency, as well as glint/fading and target fluctuations. Thus, unlike photographic images, target detection and identification requires a robust approach capable of compensating for characteristics specific to a particular radar system, its operation and type of target being imaged and identified.
Attempts have been made towards target identification extracted from radar images. For example, J. Wissinger, et. al., in MSTAR's Extensible Search Engine and Model-Based Inferencing Toolkit, SPIE 13th Annual International Symposium on AeroSene, Algorithms for SAR Imagery VI, rely on models to implement an algorithm for target identification. During operation, all targets under consideration are forced into one of the known target classes. There is no mechanism to adapt for an unknown target. Thus a high false alarm rate is encountered.
Similarly, J. De Bonet, P. Viola, and J. Fisher, in Flexible Histograms: A Multiresolution Target Discrimination Model, SPIE Proceedings, 1998, rely only on multiscale features of targets. Again, this yields a relatively high false alarm rate.
Automatic target recognizers (ATR), typical of the type described by Wissinger above, have a tendency to erroneously place unknown objects, such as a bulldozer, into one of the known military target classifications. This results in a high false alarm rate. Thus, it is desired to develop a method for rejecting unknown targets especially in high resolution (1 ft) imagery.
Because of above limitations of the prior art high false alarm rates are encountered thus limiting the utility of an imaging and target detection radar.

Recognition algorithm for the unknown target rejection based on shape statistics obtained from orthogonal distance function

Abstract: For each of the pairs, the second chords are orthogonal to the first chords, and the second chords share a point with the first chords and the periphery.


A settling device (2) for a fluid containing liquid, gas and particulate material comprises liquid-discharge elements (15) fitted close to the water level of the fluid and supply elements for supplying the fluid at the bottom of the settling chamber. In the settling chamber one or more caps (12) are disposed with their longitudinal axis at an angle to the water level, such that fluid supplied at the bottom of the settling chamber flows obliquely up, forced along the bottom of the at least one cap. Whilst gas bubbles contained therein collect in the ridge (17) of the at least one cap. The gas collected in the ridge of the at least one cap is trapped by elements (18) beneath the water level of the fluid. Preferably, use is made of a row containing a multiplicity of caps (12) which are disposed in oblique, overlapping and parallel arrangement. The caps (12) can be fitted at an angle of 60.degree. relative to the water level and preferably have a mutual interval of about 6 cm. The invention further relates to a purifier provided with a settling device of this kind and to a method for the anaerobic purification of waste water using a settling device or purifier according to the invention.

A settling device of this kind is known from EP-A1-0,244,029 and EP-A1-0,193,999. These publications describe caps which are fitted horizontally in overlapping connection and which are fitted to limit the top edge of a fermentation chamber so as to form a settling chamber above it. The caps trap gas bubbles rising from the fermentation chamber, whilst transfer of remaining fluid in the upward direction between the caps is permitted. The trapping of gas bubbles ensures that the fluid in the settling chamber is relatively still relative to the fluid in the fermentation chamber, the latter fluid being in a state of motion as a result of the rising gas bubbles. The fact that the fluid present in the settling chamber is relatively still means that particles which are present therein and have been carried along from the fermentation chamber are able to settle, these particles being able to fall back between the caps to the fermentation chamber. The settling devices known from these publications have the drawback, however, that, when major turbulences occur, bubbles can easily be passed between the caps and then make their way into the settling chamber, thereby having an adverse effect upon the settling in the settling chamber. Smaller gas bubbles, in particular will slip through easily between the caps.
The object of the present invention is, inter alia, to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Settling device for a fluid containing liquid, gas and particulate material, as well as a cleaning device provided herewith and a method for cleaning waste water


A steering application executing on a vehicle control module receives a steering control input to control a steered wheel of a vehicle and, based on the steering control input, determines a setpoint value for the steered wheel. A diagnostic supervisor receives a measured value of the control attribute and the setpoint value; wherein the first diagnostic supervisor comprises a first model of a steering system of the vehicle. Based on the setpoint value and the first model, the diagnostic supervisor calculates a virtual value of the control attribute and, based on the virtual value and the measured value of the control attribute the first diagnostic supervisor determines an operating condition of the steering system of the vehicle.

Forklifts and other types of industrial vehicles are expected to operate under a variety of different conditions. Further, such vehicles typically include a number of different functional systems such as a traction system to control a travelling speed of the vehicle and a steering system to control a direction in which the vehicle travels.
For diagnostic purposes, it may be beneficial to monitor different attributes of one or more of the different functional systems while the vehicle is being operated.

Model based diagnostics based on steering model


Method and circuitry for de-skewing data in data communication networks such as a SONET. The data is sent from a system chip to a framer chip where the data is de-skewed. To detect data skew, the system chip sends a training sequence to the framer chip. The information bits sent to the framer chip are searched in order to detect the training sequence. The training sequences contain clear transition patterns at which all 16 bits of the transmit data and the TCTL signal line are inverted. If any bit does not invert, this bit must be a skewed bit. Based on the data one clock cycle before and one clock cycle after this transition, the skewed bit can be corrected back. After the data skew is detected, a multiplexing logic circuitry is used to correct the skew based on one clock cycle either before or after the transition. The multiplexing logic circuitry includes at least three registers coupled to the inputs of the multiplexing logic circuitry.

The present invention relates generally to the field of communication systems and more specifically to a method and circuit for de-skewing data in communication systems.
A data-bus typically comprises a number of parallel interface lines for communicating data signals in parallel. However, the data signals in all of the parallel lines are not always received by a receiver at the same time, even though the data signals are simultaneously transmitted in synchronization with the transmitter system clock. This results in a condition known as data skew. Data skew refers to the delay and/or early arrival of a data bit relative to other data bits in the parallel lines. Conventional systems for de-skewing data on computer data-buses are generally well known. While systems for de-skewing data have been applied to other contexts, such systems are inapplicable to certain communication networks such as SONET (synchronous optical network). In part, this is due to certain unique attributes possessed by SONETs. Another reason relates to certain interface standards that SONETs must meet.
SONET is a transport mechanism for multiplexing high-speed data from multiple networks onto fiber optic cabling. It interconnects IP (Internet protocol) networks, ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switches, T1s and the like via fiber optic networks known as SONET rings. For example, an IP network in San Francisco may be interconnected to a New York IP network via a SONET ring. Since different network types are interconnected, routers are employed for converting protocols from one network type to another. In the case of IP protocols, routers are used for converting the IP packets into a form suitable for transmission on the SONET ring.
A board or line card in the router receives the IP packets on one end, performs the necessary conversions and sends out the packets at the other end. Among other components, a line card includes a framer chip for framing/de-framing IP packets, and a system chip for performing protocol conversion and for controlling packet traffic. The framer chip communicates with the system side through an interface known as the SPI-4 (system packet interface). The SPI-4 interface is a standard defined by a consortium of communication companies for packet and cell transfer between a physical layer device (i.e., the framer chip) and a link layer device (i.e., the system chip). As defined, the SPI-4 interface has a 16 bit data bus at a clock speed of 622 MHz. Other features of the SPI-4 interface include a transmit control signal (TCTL) and a receive control signal (RCTL) between the system chip and the framer chip. Further, the SPI-4 interface requires the system chip to periodically send training sequences to the framer chip for detecting data skew. Alternatively, the training sequences are periodically sent from the framer chip to the system chip.
As noted, data skew refers to the delay and/or early arrival of a data bit relative to other data bits in the parallel lines. The skew may be due to a combination of board layout, environment temperature variation and other reasons. To facilitate understanding the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a board level connection 100 for the transmit direction between a system chip 100 and a framer chip 101 illustrating data skew on the 16 bit data-bus.
In FIG. 1, the transmit direction has 16 data transmit lines and a transmit control line between system chip 100 and framer chip 101. Each transmit line has a delay buffer 104-1 thorough 104-17, respectively, each representing the total delay caused by board level wires as well as the output delay from system chip 100 and the input delay from framer chip 101. Because the data lines may not be of exactly the same length or same width for all 16 data transmit lines, data bit on each line may each arrive at their destinations 103-1 through 103-17 at different times. Given a clock frequency of 622 MHz (i.e., clock period=1.6 ns) the time differences among the 16 data-bits can be as long as 1 clock cycle or greater thus causing data skew among the data lines. When data skew occurs, all of the data-bits are no longer aligned.
Therefore, there is a need to resolve the aforementioned disadvantage of data communication networks such as SONET and the present invention meets this need.

Method and circuit for de-skewing data in a communication system


The improvements consists on the efficient collaboration of magnetic devices and a revarnishing device which allow the lids to pass at a high speed and round-the-clock trouble-free operation, on the basis of strips (8) which house magnets (9) which hold the lid (3) while it is being carried and stop for a few tenths of a second opposite a nozzle (4) of a easy-to-open incision revarnishing device spray gun (12).

Varnishing of lids of cans and other easy-to-open type containers is quite well-known, very efficient and usually uses the devices of the type which comprise a mechanism that supplies varnished, means of feeding the cans to a revarnisher device and a drying kiln of the spray line deposited on the incision.
However, the working conditions, and the fact that work is performed continuously to avoid having to turn off the kiln, gives rise to different problems, the greatest of which is the positioning of the cans on the conveyor belt, which is solved by mechanical means, generally by means of a brake, solution which makes it difficult to increase the cans pass at a faster speed, unless the risk of deviating the spray jets is assumed.
To the knowledge of the applicant, there are no high-speed revarnishers that operate continuously with the collaboration of a very accurate magnetic lid positioning mechanism with another, pistol-based automatic circular revarnishing mechanism, within a conventional revarnished-lid intermittent transport mechanism.

Revarnisher of incisions in easy-to-open circular lids


A system includes a permanent magnet motor having a rotor and a stator. The rotor and the stator have a configuration that causes the motor to generate a back-electromagnetic force (EMF) waveform that is substantially sinusoidal. The system also includes a motor controller having a sliding-mode observer configured to identify the back-EMF waveform and a position observer configured to estimate at least one characteristic of the motor using the identified back-EMF waveform. The stator may include multiple teeth projecting towards the rotor and multiple conductive windings, where each conductive winding is wound around a single tooth. The rotor may include multiple magnetic poles, where each magnetic pole has a span of about 60° or less. The sliding-mode observer may be configured to receive current measurements associated with three-phase signals and voltage commands generated by the motor controller. The position observer may include a proportional-integral (PI) regulator.

A permanent magnet motor represents a type of motor where a fixed stator causes rotation of a movable rotor. The rotor typically includes multiple magnets embedded in or connected to the rotor, and the stator typically includes multiple conductive windings. Electrical signals through the windings generate a rotating magnetic field that interacts with the magnets of the rotor, causing the rotor to rotate.
"Sensorless" motor control refers to an approach where one or more characteristics of a motor, such as motor speed or rotor position, are mathematically derived. Sensorless motor control typically avoids the use of separate speed and position sensors that are mechanically attached to a motor, which might otherwise detrimentally affect the performance of the motor (such as by affecting the maximum torque output per volume and drive system reliability).

Permanent magnet motor with sinusoidal back-EMF waveform and related motor controller for position sensorless drives


A method and apparatus enables a user to assign a given key on an input device to any specific device on a data bus network connected to the apparatus, and thereby enables the user to quickly select the specific device for control using the given key. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method includes steps of enabling a user to assign a key on an input device of the apparatus to a device on the data bus network that is indirectly connected to the apparatus, and enabling the user to select the device for control responsive to an input of the assigned key.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a video signal processing apparatus and a method for controlling a video signal processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for enabling a user to assign a given key on an input device to any specific device on a data bus network connected to the apparatus, and reconfigure the input device to be associated with the selected device, to thereby enable the user to quickly select and control the specific device using the given key.
2. Background Information
A data bus can be utilized for interconnecting electronic devices, such as television signal receivers, personal computers, display devices, video cassette recorders (VCRs), digital versatile disk (DVD) players, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) receivers, home control devices (e.g., security systems, temperature control devices, etc.), and/or other devices. Communication using a data bus typically occurs in accordance with a specified bus protocol. An example of such a bus protocol includes the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers 1394 High Performance Serial Bus protocol (IEEE 1394, or Firewire™), which is generally known in the art.
With a data bus, such as an IEEE 1394 bus, a network of interconnected devices can be created and a user may for example control one device on the network through inputs to another device on the network. Accordingly, an IEEE 1394 bus can provide interoperability among devices connected to the bus. An IEEE 1394 bus can also accommodate a relatively large number of interconnected devices (e.g., up to 63). However, as additional devices are added to the network, it can become increasingly difficult for users to select and thereby control a specific device. For example, as a network expands, a VCR that was once the second device on the network may later become the twelfth device on the network. Accordingly, there is a need for a technique that enables a user to select for control a specific device connected to a data bus, such as an IEEE 1394 bus, and preferably a technique that readily accommodates the addition and/or removal of devices from the network.
One approach for enabling a user to select a specific device connected to a data bus network, such as an IEEE 1394 bus network, is to provide an on-screen list which is updated as devices are added (i.e., connected) to, and removed (i.e., disconnected) from the bus network. For example, when a device is added to an existing IEEE 1394 bus network, the added device is recognized by every other network device and is added to a list of network devices that is maintained by every other network device. Similarly, when a device is removed from an existing IEEE 1394 bus network, the removal of that device is recognized by every other network device and that device is thereby removed from the list of network devices.
Accordingly, in order to select any specific network device at any given time, a user may access an on-screen display of the current list of network devices through another apparatus connected to the network, and scroll through the list to thereby select the specific device. This approach, however, has disadvantages since a user may have to scroll through a very long list of devices every time he or she wants to select a commonly used device.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus, which avoids the foregoing problems, and thereby enables a user to quickly select for control any specific device on a data bus network, such as an IEEE 1394 bus network, connected to the apparatus. The present invention addresses these and other issues.

Method and apparatus for selecting devices on a data bus


Only five photomasks are used to fabricate a LCD pixel array structure. A gate dielectric layer of the LCD pixel array structure is formed by two deposition steps to increase the storage capacity of the storage capacitor.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a fabrication method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a LCD pixel array structure and a fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
The ongoing of the optoelectronic technology in addition to the coming of the digital times propel the vigorous developing of the LCD market. Since LCDs have advantages of high display quality, small volume, light weight, low driving voltage, and low consuming power, LCDs are widely applied in consumable electronic products such as personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile phones, video recorders, notebook computers, displays of personal computers, displays used in cars, and projection televisions. Hence, LCDs have gradually replaced the cathode ray tube (CRT) displays and become the mainstream of displays in the market
The fabrication method of the LCDs is mainly composed by deposition, photolithography, and etching processes. In these three processes, the cost of photolithography is the highest. Hence, how to reduce the number of photolithography processes, that is, how to reduce the number of photomasks, in the whole fabrication processes of a TFT array substrate is an important issue in LCD fabrication.

LCD pixel array structure and fabrication method thereof


A photoelectric conversion device comprising an organic dye-sensitizing semiconductor fine particle thin film is prepared by using a dye having a barbituric acid structure as a partial structure and by adsorbing the dye on a semiconductor thin film electrode, and thereby a low-cost photoelectric conversion device having high conversion efficiency, and a solar cell using the device are provided.

A solar cell utilizing sunlight as an alternative energy source to a fossil fuel such as petroleum, coal or the like has been in the spotlight. Today, developments and studies are being conducted on enhancement of efficiency and the like of a silicon solar cell which uses crystalline or amorphous silicon, a compound semiconductor solar cell which uses gallium, arsenic or the like. However, since much energy is required for producing these solar cells and the cost of them is high, there is a problem that it is difficult to put them to general use. Further, a photoelectric conversion device which uses semiconductor fine particles sensitized with dye(s) and a solar cell which uses this device have been known whereupon materials for use in producing them and techniques for producing them have been disclosed. (B. O'Regan and M. Gratzel Nature, 353, 737 (1991), M. K. Nazeeruddin, A. Kay, I. Rodicio, R. Humphry-Baker, E. Muller, P. Liska, N. Vlachopoulos, M. Gratzel, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 115, 6382 (1993)e.t.c.). This photoelectric conversion device is produced by using a comparatively low-cost oxide semiconductor such as titanium oxide or the like. Since there is a possibility that a photoelectric conversion device can be obtained in low cost compared with a solar cell which uses a conventional silicon or the like, this device has been remarked. However, in order to obtain a device having high conversion efficiency, a ruthenium-type complex is used as a sensitizing-dye wherein the dye itself is high in cost and there also is a problem in supply thereof. Further, although it has already been attempted to use an organic dye as a sensitizing-dye, it is a present situation that, due to low conversion efficiency and the like, it has not yet been used practically.
By this reason, a development of a photoelectric conversion device, using an organic dye-sensitized semiconductor, which has high conversion efficiency as well as high practicability has been required.

Dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device


The solid-state imaging device includes: a first node for receiving a first signal from outside the solid-state imaging device; a second node for receiving a second signal from outside the solid-state imaging device; a test signal selection circuit for outputting the first signal received at the first node and the second signal received at the second node as a test signal by switching between the first and second signals at desired timing; and a test signal input circuit for supplying the test signal from the test signal selection circuit to an input of the A/D converter.

The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device incorporating an A/D converter, and more particularly to a solid-state imaging device having a function for testing of the A/D converter. The present invention is applied to CMOS image sensors used for image sensor-embedded cellular phones, digital cameras, video cameras and the like, for example.
In recent years, various schemes have been proposed for signal readout in solid-state imaging devices. In general, a column parallel output type solid-state imaging device is often used in which one row of pixels in a pixel array are selected and pixel signals generated in the selected pixels are read in parallel via vertical signal lines. Also, a solid-state imaging device provided with a column A/D converter has appeared in which an A/D conversion circuit is provided for each vertical signal line for converting a pixel signal from analog to digital. For testing of such an A/D converter, a method in which a test circuit is provided inside the solid-state imaging device for testing has been proposed as in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-324404 (Patent Document 1), for example, in addition to a method of testing using optoelectronic conversion of pixels.
Hereinafter, an embodiment disclosed in Patent Document 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 10, which schematically illustrates a solid-state imaging device provided with a test circuit for testing an A/D converter.
As shown in FIG. 10, the solid-state imaging device 100 includes a timing generation circuit 2, a load transistor group 3, a pixel region 4, a vertical scanning circuit 5, a reference voltage generator 6, an A/D converter 7, a buffer (BUF) 8, a horizontal scanning circuit 9, a control circuit (CONT) 10, a test signal input circuit 11 and a test signal generation circuit 12. These circuits are formed on the same chip.
The test signal generation circuit 12 generates a test signal TEST for testing the A/D converter 7 under control with a control signal CN3 from the control circuit 10.
The test signal input circuit 11 allows the test signal TEST to enter vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n), whereby the test signal TEST is inputted into the A/D converter 7 via the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n).
Switch transistors (11-1 to 11-n) of the test signal input circuit 11 turn ON/OFF under control with a control signal CN2 from the control circuit 10. The control circuit 10 is therefore provided with the function of turning the load transistor group 3 OFF to make 1s the impedance of the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n) high and the function of controlling the test signal input circuit 11 at least during the test period, in addition to the function of controlling the reference voltage generator 6.
The control circuit 10 turns the load transistor group 3 OFF with a control signal CN1, and controls the test signal input circuit 11 with the control signal CN2 to permit the test signal TEST to enter the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n).
In testing of the A/D converter 7, the control circuit 10 turns the load transistor group 3 OFF with the control signal CN1. Note that at this time pixel cells 13 are also OFF and thus the impedance of the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n) becomes high.
The test signal generation circuit 12 outputs the test signal TEST in response to the control signal CN3 from the control circuit 10. The test signal TEST is inputted into the A/D converter 7 via the test signal input circuit 11 and the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n) with the control signal CN2 from the control circuit 10.
The A/D converter 7 compares the test signal TEST with a reference voltage VREF to convert the test signal TEST to a digital signal. The converted digital signal is outputted outside the solid-state imaging device 100, for example, via the buffer 8. By evaluating the outputted digital signal, the characteristics of the A/D converter 7 are measured.
As described above, in the solid-state imaging device 100 shown in FIG. 10, the test signal TEST is inputted into the A/D converter 7 via the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n). Hence, when the area of the pixel region 4 is too large to neglect the effect of the load of the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n), it will be difficult to send the test signal TEST to the A/D converter 7 as a highly precise signal (first problem).
When an analog signal processing circuit (for example, a circuit for amplifying analog signals from the pixel cells 13, etc.) is placed between the pixel region 4 and the A/D converter 7, the test signal TEST will be affected by this analog signal processing circuit. As a result, it will be difficult to send the test signal TEST to the A/D converter 7 as a highly precise signal (second problem).
A signal supplied to the A/D converter 7 must have two signal levels, as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-247494 (Patent Document 2) and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-323331 (Patent Document 3); namely, a pixel reset signal level supplied from the pixel cells 13 to the A/D converter 7 via the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n) when the pixel cells 13 is reset, and a pixel signal level supplied from the pixel cells 13 to the A/D converter 7 via the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n) when a charge stored in a photodiode of each pixel cell 13 is read from the photodiode.
Also, the pixel reset signal level and the pixel signal level must be arranged in time series during one horizontal period or one horizontal blanking period, to allow these signal levels to be supplied to the A/D converter 7 at desired timing.
For the test signal TEST prepared for testing the A/D converter 7, it is also requested to have these two signal levels.
Assuming herein that the test signal corresponding to the pixel reset signal level is called a "reference signal" and the test signal corresponding to the pixel signal level is called an "amplitude signal", the test signal TEST is composed of the two kinds of signals; the reference signal and the amplitude signal. This definition of the reference signal and the amplitude signal also applies to embodiments of the present invention described later.
In the timing chart shown in Patent Document 1, also, the test signal TEST is composed of two kinds of signals, the reference signal and the amplitude signal, arranged in time series although not specifically described in Patent Document 1. Hence, the test signal generation circuit 12 must generate the reference signal and the amplitude signal, and these signals must independently have a level of precision necessary for the A/D converter 7 or higher. If the amplitude signal is generated as a ramp signal, the test signal generation circuit 12 needs a circuit for generating a ramp signal, and this increases the circuit scale of the test signal generation circuit 12 (third problem).
Also, a test for checking the precision of signals generated by the test signal generation circuit 12 is necessary for each solid-state imaging device, and this increases the test time (Fourth problem).
To solve the third and fourth problems described above, Patent Document 1 additionally describes the case of providing the test signal generation circuit 12 outside the solid-state imaging device 100, namely, performing the testing with an IC tester. However, since the solid-state imaging device has only one pad for receiving a test signal from the IC tester, the IC tester is required to have a mechanism permitting switching of the test signal between the reference signal and the amplitude signal at desired timing as required during one horizontal period or one horizontal blanking period. In particular, in the case of generating the amplitude signal as a ramp signal, an IC tester excellent in response permitting quick return to the voltage value of the reference signal is necessary. This increases both the man-hour needed to develop an IC tester satisfying this requirement and the cost required for this development (fifth problem).
The IC tester is required to supply the reference signal and the amplitude signal to the A/D converter 7 at desired timing. For this purpose, the IC tester must synchronize the timing at which the reference signal and the amplitude signal are supplied to the solid-state imaging device 100 with the timing at which the reference signal and the amplitude signal lo are supplied to the A/D converter 7. In Patent Document 1, a solid-state imaging device operating at a comparatively low speed satisfies the above. However, for a solid-state imaging device in which an external clock is multiplied with a multiplication circuit to operate the A/D converter at high speed, as described in Patent Document 3, for example, it is difficult to synchronize the timing at which the reference signal and the amplitude signal are supplied to the solid-state imaging device 100 from the IC tester with the timing at which the reference signal and the amplitude signal are supplied to the A/D converter 7 (sixth problem).
To solve the fifth and sixth problems described above, there is a method in which the reference signal is used as the reset signal for the pixel cells 13, for example, although not specifically described in Patent Document 1. With this method, since the reset signal for the pixel cells 13 can be controlled with the timing generation circuit 2 and the test signal input circuit 11 can be controlled with the control circuit 10, both the generation timing of the reference signal and the external input timing of the amplitude signal are completed within the solid-state imaging device. The only thing left to do is therefore sending the ramp signal that is to be the amplitude signal from the IC tester at arbitrary timing. Hence, the fifth and sixth problems can be solved even with the technology of Patent Document 1. However, the use of the reference signal as the reset signal for the pixel cells 13 may raise the possibility that the voltage value of the reference signal may differ among the vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n) due to variations in the characteristics of the pixel cells 13. It is therefore difficult to make the voltage value of the reference signal agree with the 0-point voltage value of the amplitude signal supplied from the IC tester. As a result, high-precision testing with an amplitude signal having a small amplitude, in particular, will be difficult, causing a new problem.
Note that Patent Document 1 also demonstrates, as a method for testing the minimum to maximum values of the amplitude signal at one time, an example in which resistors are provided between the adjacent vertical signal lines (14-1 to 14-n) and two test signals generated by the IC tester are inputted via two pads of the solid-state imaging device. This is however disadvantageous in that a test for checking the characteristics of the individual A/D converters is not allowed and that a test for checking variations among the A/D converters is not allowed.

A/D converter-incorporated solid-state imaging device


A semiconductor memory device has: a word driver configured to apply a driving voltage to a word line connected to a memory cell; and an internal power supply circuit configured to supply the driving voltage to the word driver and to apply a substrate voltage to back gates of transistors included in the word driver. The internal power supply circuit controls the driving voltage and the substrate voltage independently of each other. In a read operation, the internal power supply circuit constantly supplies the substrate voltage, while turns on and off supply of the driving voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for driving a word line.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of a semiconductor memory device having a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines, the following techniques are known as conventional techniques for driving the plurality of word lines, for example.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei, 7-169282) discloses a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. In the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a circuit that drives a word line is constituted by an inverter circuit that includes an n-channel transistor and a p-channel transistor. A block select address signal generated from a first address signal group is supplied to a source line of each of the transistors. In addition, a gate select address signal generated from a second address signal group is supplied to a gate of each of the transistors.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-P2000-113689) discloses a row decoder used in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device has a hierarchical word line structure and includes main word lines and local word lines. The row decoder includes a first transistor of PMOS type and a second transistor of NMOS type. One of conduction terminals of the first transistor is connected to a main word line, and the other is connected to a local word line. One of conduction terminals of the second transistor is connected to a local word line, and the other is connected to a ground power supply line.
FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration of a conventional semiconductor memory device. In particular, FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a circuit for driving a word line. The semiconductor memory device has a hierarchical word line structure, namely, includes main-word lines and sub-word lines. An "SWD" (sub-word driver; sub-word decoder) 120 is a circuit for driving a corresponding sub-word line, and applies a driving voltage to the corresponding sub-word line. The driving voltage is supplied from an internal power supply circuit 130 to each SWD 120.
The internal power supply circuit 130 includes a read voltage generating circuit (RCP) 131, a write voltage generating circuit (ACP) 132, a plurality of first power supply switches (PWS_G) 160, and a plurality of second power supply switches (PWS_H) 170. The read voltage generating circuit 131 and the write voltage generating circuit 132 are charge pumps. The read voltage generating circuit 131 and the write voltage generating circuit 132 are connected to the plurality of first power supply switches 160_0 to 160_g. One first power supply switch 160 _i (160 _0 to 160_g) is connected to a plurality of second power supply switches 170_i0 to 170_ih through a first power supply interconnection VXPG_i. One second power supply switch 170_ij (170_i0-170_ih) is connected to one sub-word driver 120_ij through a second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij.
The read voltage generating circuit 131 and the write voltage generating circuit 132 supply respective of a read voltage VPRG and a write voltage VPPG to the plurality of first power supply switches 160_i. Each of the first power supply switches 160_i supplies a power supply voltage VCC, the read voltage VPRG and the write voltage VPPG to the first power supply interconnection VXPG_i in a standby state, a read operation and a write operation, respectively. The second power supply switches 170_ij supplies the voltage received through the first power supply interconnection VXPG_i to the second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij in response to a block address select signal. As a result, the read voltage VPRG or the write voltage VPPG is supplied as the driving voltage to the sub-word driver 120_ij connected to a selected memory cell block.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of the sub-word driver (SWD) 120 according to the conventional technique. The sub-word driver 120 includes a level shifter 140 and a plurality of final stage drivers 150_0 to 150_k. The level shifter 140 includes P-channel transistors 141 and 142. Sources 141s and 142s of the respective P-channel transistors 141 and 142 are connected to the second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij. When a control signal MXCNT is turned on and the main-word line MX connected to the sub-word driver 120 is selected (is changed to Low level), a source voltage of the P-channel transistor 142 is output from the level shifter 140.
The plurality of final stage drivers 150_0 to 150_k, which are connected to a plurality of sub-word lines SX0 to SXk, drive the plurality of sub-word lines SX0 to SXk, respectively. More specifically, each of the final stage drivers 150_0 to 150_k includes transistors that constitute an inverter. Gates of the transistors are connected to any one of pre-word lines PX0 to PXk. Also, a source of a P-channel transistor 151 of the transistors is connected to the output of the level shifter 140. Therefore, when one of the pre-word lines PX0 to PXk is selected (is changed to Low level), a source voltage of a corresponding one P-channel transistor 151 is supplied to a corresponding sub-word line SX. Namely, the driving voltage (read voltage VPRG or write voltage VPPG) supplied from the second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij is applied to the selected sub-word line SX.
Also, the above-mentioned second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij is connected to back gates 141b and 142b of the respective P-channel transistors 141 and 142 of the level shifter 140, and to back gates 151b of the respective P-channel transistors 151 of the final stage drivers 150. More specifically, the voltage (read voltage VPRG or write voltage VPPG) of the second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij is applied to a well SWDPW in which those P-channel transistors 141, 142 and 151 are formed. In this manner, the sources (141s, 142s) and the back gates (141b, 142b) of the P-channel transistors 141 and 142 of the level shifter 140 are controlled by the same power supply line VXPG_ij.
FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing a word line driving operation performed by the above-mentioned semiconductor memory device. At time t0, the semiconductor memory device is powered, and a supply of power supply voltage VCC is started. Accordingly, the read voltage generating circuit 131 is activated to start supplying the read voltage VPRG. Thereafter, the first power supply switch PWS_G supplies the power supply voltage VCC to the first power supply interconnection VXPG_i, and the second power supply switch PWS_H supplies the ground voltage GND to the second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij. That is to say, in a standby state, the voltages of the sources and back gates of the P-channel transistors 141 and 142 in the sub-word driver 120 are maintained at the ground voltage GND.
A read access operation is as follows. At time t1, a chip select signal CS and a block address select signal ADD are input. The input signals are detected by an address transition detection circuit (not shown), and a power supply switch activation signal ATDX is enabled at time t2. Thereby, the first power supply switch (PWS_G) 160 and the second power supply switch (PWS_H) 170 associated with the selected memory cell block are activated. At time t3, the voltage of the first power supply interconnection VXPG_i starts rising to the read voltage VPRG. Accordingly, the voltage of the second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij starts rising to the read voltage VPRG. As a result, the sources 141s and 142s of the respective P-channel transistors 141 and 142 in the sub-word driver 120 and the well SWDPW are charged.
Then, in response to a word line select signal, the corresponding main-word line MX and pre-word line PX are driven to the Low level. As a result, the read voltage VPRG is output from the level shifter 140, and the read voltage (driving voltage) VPRG starts to be supplied to one sub-word line SX designated by the word line select signal. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the voltage of the designated sub-word line SX rises from the ground voltage GND to the read voltage VPRG from time t4 to time t5.
After that, at time t6, the input of the chip select signal CS and the block address select signal ADD is finished. The voltage of the second power supply interconnection VXPG_ij thereby starts falling from the read voltage VPRG to the ground voltage GND. In this case, the voltage of the well SWDPW that has been charged with the read voltage VPRG also starts falling to the ground voltage GND. At time t7, the voltage of the designated sub-word line SX starts falling, and then the driving of the sub-word line SX is finished.


Compounds of the formula ##STR1## including the resolved enantiomers and/or diastereomers and mixtures thereof wherein each of one or two R is independently ##STR2## wherein n is 1-16 and R' is H or alkyl(1-4C); and wherein each remaining R is independently H, alkyl(1-6C), alkenyl(1-6C) or benzyl; an wherein said alkyl or alkenyl may be substituted by a hydroxyl, halo, or dimethylamino group, and/or interrupted by an oxygen atom, are useful in modulating the effects of internal and external stimuli on cells by reversing the effects of these stimuli on the short-term secondary messenger pathways. In particular, the compounds lower elevated levels of unsaturated, non-arachidonate phosphatidic acid (PA) and diacylglycerol (DAG) derived from said PA within seconds of the primary stimulus and their contact with said cells. The modulatory effect depends on the nature of the target cell and the stimulus applied.

The general outlines of the mechanisms by which external stimuli effect the behavior of target cells have been described in general Molecular Biology textbooks over the last 10-20 years. For at least some of these stimuli, a primary interaction of the stimulating agent at a cell surface receptor is translated into an effect on various secondary signaling pathways internal to the cell, which secondary signaling pathways in turn produce the observed effect on cellular behavior. Most of these secondary pathways involve the synthesis and hydrolysis of phosphorylated acyl glycerol derivatives such as phosphatidic acid, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, lysophosphatidic acid, and so forth. The synthesis and release of the components of these compounds can result in cellular proliferation, suppression of proliferation, differentiation, activation, and so forth, depending upon the nature of the target cell and the stimulus applied.
The pathways regulating the synthesis and degradation of phosphorylated derivatives of acyl glycerols are complex and interlocking. Certain effects of external stimuli are seen immediately--i.e., within a few seconds or a minute; others are seen 30-60 minutes after the external stimulus has bound to the surface receptor of the cell. It is believed that the short-term effects on these second messengers are associated with the stimulus itself and are not appreciably interconnected with those aspects of the phosphorylated acyl glycerol (PAG) pathways that regulate normal cellular processes.
As demonstrated hereinbelow, a short-term effect of a primary stimulus on a target cell is to elevate the levels of specific unsaturated subspecies of phosphatidic acid (PA) and the corresponding diacylglycerol (DAG) formed by the hydrolysis of this PA. It is known that DAG may be generated by other secondary mechanisms such as the hydrolysis of phosphatidyl inositol (PI) or phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE). However, the nature of the acyl groups of the DAG derived from these various sources is not identical. In particular, DAG derived from PA hydrolysis has a high level of sn-2 unsaturation not containing arachidonate (C20:4). This notation refers to the number of carbon atoms in the acyl residue (20) and the number of .pi. bonds (4). Typical fatty acid residues found in these PA/DAG subsets include those of oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2) and docosahexanenoic acid (C22:6).
Further explanation of the model of cell activation and its relation to the compounds of the invention as found by applicants is set forth hereinbelow.
There are a large number of contexts in which it is desirable to protect target cells from primary stimuli which are the result of, for example, disease states (such as malignancy, autoimmune diseases, or infection) or of medical intervention (such as bone marrow transplantation or chemotherapy) which have negative sequelae in the target cell. This protection can be achieved by the method of the invention.
Some compounds related to those useful in the method of the invention have been suggested for medical use in other contexts. Pentoxifylline (1-(5-oxohexyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine), abbreviated PTX herein, is one member of this class of xanthine derivatives which has seen widespread medical use for the increase of blood flow. PTX and its use as a vasodilator are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,422,307 and 3,737,433. The nature of the metabolism of PTX was summarized by Davis, P. J. et al., Applied Environment Microbiol (1984) 48:327-331. Some of the metabolites are also among the compounds of the invention. The immediate reduction product which is the primary metabolite of PTX--1-(5-hydroxyhexyl)-3,7dimethyxanthine, also designated M1--was disclosed to increase cerebral blood flow in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,515,795 and 4,576,947.
In addition, a number of patents have issued on the use of tertiary alcohol analogs to compounds of this class in enhancing cerebral blood flow. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,833,146 and 5,039,666.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,507 describes the ability of PTX and its primary metabolite, M1, to inhibit chemotaxis in polymorphonuclear leukocytes that normally respond to a known stimulator of chemotaxis. The ability of PTX and related tertiary alcohol substituted xanthines to inhibit the activity of certain cytokines on chemotaxis is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,271 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,906. Administration of PTX and GM-CSF decrease tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels in patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplant (Bianco, J. A. et al., Blood (1990) 76: Supplement 1 (522A)). The reduction in assayable levels of TNF was accompanied by a significant reduction in transplant-related complications. However, in normal volunteers, TNF levels are higher among PTX recipients. It does not, therefore, appear that elevated levels of TNF per se are the primary cause of such complications.
It has now been found that the compounds described hereinbelow can be used systematically to maintain the homeostasis of a large number of target cells in response to a variety of stimuli. In addition, compositions suitable for administration and routes to administer such compounds which permit effective dosages to be provided are disclosed.


A disclosed development device includes: a latent image carrier; a conveying member disposed so as to face the latent image carrier, the conveying member having plural electrodes insulated from one another and arranged at predetermined intervals so as to generate an electric field for moving toner on the conveying member; a voltage application unit applying a voltage of n phases (n is a positive integer not less than one) to the electrodes so as to form a cloud of the toner and the toner is adhered to the latent image carrier so as to form a visualized toner image; a toner supply unit supplying the toner to the conveying member; and a height adjusting member adjusting a uniform height for a toner layer of the toner immediately before a development area on the conveying member in which development is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a development device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus and more particularly to a development device using what is called the ETH (Electrostatic Transport & Hopping) phenomenon in which two-component magnetic brush development is used so as to charge toner and form an electric field, the toner is transferred to a conveying electric field formed on a conveying base in accordance with force of the electric field, and the toner is transferred to a development area, a development device using what is called a flare phenomenon in which the toner is conveyed in accordance with movement of a surface of a conveying member in addition to the electric field, a process cartridge provided with the development device, and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been known development devices for performing development supplying developer to a latent image carrier without directly bringing the developer on a developer carrier into contact with the latent image carrier. Patent Document 1, for example, discloses a development device for supplying toner to the latent image carrier by using a conveying member. This conveying member is disposed so as to face the latent image carrier and plural electrodes are arranged on a surface thereof at a predetermined pitch. An alternating voltage of n phases is applied to the electrodes so as to generate a progressive-wave electric field for conveying toner. In accordance with the progressive-wave electric field, the toner is conveyed to a development area facing the latent image carrier while the toner is hopping in the vertical direction. While the toner conveyed to the development area is further hopping in the vertical direction, the toner receive force so as to be directed to the latent image carrier in an image area and to the conveying member in a non-image area, so that the image area is developed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-198675
However, in these conventional development devices, unevenness of a toner cloud layer is generated in a supply area, a conveying area, and the development area. Toner moves from the supply area to the development area in accordance with the electric field, so that it is impossible to form a high electric field and supply the toner or to bring a member carrying the toner into contact with the conveying member via the toner. When the member carrying the toner is brought into contact with the conveying member, the toner may be attached to the conveying base in accordance with electrostatic force of the toner, especially, image force and non-electrostatic force (Van der Waals force, in particular). This is referred to as "adhesion". When the toner is supplied in a non-contact manner so as to reduce the adhesion, a status of toner supply becomes uneven because of a supply gap and an uneven status of a magnetic brush. Further, the conveying member is formed using glass or resin with relatively high resistance and has at least a base layer, an electrode layer, and a surface layer. Thus, unevenness upon manufacturing such as resistance distribution, surface roughness distribution, and surface wettability may have an influence on an electric field to be formed. Moreover, in the development area, charge amount distribution becomes broad in addition to the supply and conveying, so that electric potential of the toner cloud layer becomes uneven depending on position. This has an influence on developing bias and an effective developing bias is fluctuated and becomes unstable.

Development device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus


Disclosed herein is a duplicated light source module constructed so that rays of light emitted from two light sources pass through one lens and then enter one optical fiber through a birefringent element. This module is useful when a light source in an optical transmitter is intended to be duplicated or when a high-power pumping source in an optical fiber amplifier is required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a duplicated light source module.
It is sometimes required to duplicate a light source in a transmitter, so as to construct a highly reliable optical communication system. In such a case, rays of light from both light sources are preliminarily adapted to be coupled to an optical transmission line. In the initial stage of operation of a system, one of the light sources is used. In the event that this light source is troubled or will be possibly troubled during the operation, the other light source is selected instead. Thus, system failure is prevented.
Further, there is another case that it is required to enlarge an output of a light source device by multiplexing a light source. For example, in a fiber type optical amplifier recently in practical application, such enlargement of the output of the light source device is effective in requiring high-energy pumping light.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a laser diode (LD) module is known as an example of a light source device for use in an optical communication system or the like. The LD module is constituted of a laser diode (LD) chip, an end portion of an optical fiber, and a lens for optically coupling the LD chip to the end portion of the optical fiber. These members are arranged in predetermined positional relationship to each other. Duplication of such an LD module is effected by utilizing the fact that light to be emitted from the LD chip is substantially linearly polarized light. That is, two LD modules each having a polarization plane maintaining fiber as an optical fiber for outputting light are used, and rays of light output from the polarization plane maintaining fibers of the two LD modules are made enter a single optical fiber through a polarization beam splitter. Accordingly, in duplicating a light source device in the prior art, the light source device becomes large in size because of the necessity of use of the polarization plane maintaining fibers, for example.
Further, the use of a birefringent element functioning as an optical isolator is known as an optical device for optically coupling a pair of optical fibers (U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,478).


A muzzle loading firearm projectile is disclosed that is composed of a multi diameter, hollow base solid copper bullet, the rear cavity filled with a material of low-density, and a gas pressure seal that separates the bullet from the powder charge. The majority of the bullet shank has a diameter less than the bore diameter of the firearm barrel to allow for ease of loading and alignment of the barrel and bullet axis; a narrow ring of material larger than the barrel bore diameter but less than the groove diameter is located at the junction of the bullet shank and nose profile that centers the bullet in the barrel and positively positions the bullet over the powder charge regardless of orientation of the firearm. The low-density material filling the rear cavity of the bullet acts as an expansion medium when impacted by the rear gas seal during the firing process causing the hollow shank of the bullet to expand and lock into the barrel rifling.

The principles that define usability and contribute to consistent accuracy of muzzle loading firearm projectiles have not changed much since the late 16th century. Firearm and projectile designers have worked continuously to minimize the loading efforts of muzzle loading projectiles while at the same time attempting to develop ideas that would consistently assure an effective gas seal and engagement of the projectile with the rifling of the firearms barrel. If the projectile loading efforts are too high or inconsistent the projectile will not be loaded in contact with the powder charge leading to inconsistent load points and possibly dangerous air gaps between the projectile and the powder charge resulting in unacceptable accuracy. If upon ignition of the powder charge the projectile does not seal the propellant gases or engage with the barrel rifling, rotary motion will not be imparted to the projectile and it will not stabilize in flight, also causing unacceptable accuracy. Over the course of the last three centuries, four major types of projectiles have evolved to accommodate the projectile requirements of muzzle loading firearms covering the spectrum from hand held firearm to the mid 19th century cannons.
The oldest form of muzzle loading projectiles are the all lead round ball or conical bullet wrapped in a material that fills the space between the bore and groove diameters of the firearm barrel. The wrapper serves three purposes namely: it fills the void between the bore size bullet and the groove diameter of the barrel creating an effective gas seal; it also is the mechanism that engages the projectile with the barrel rifling to create the rotary motion necessary to stabilize the projectile and create a predictable flight trajectory; and it also prevents movement of the projectile once seated on the powder charge regardless of barrel position. A number of different materials have been utilized for this wrapper or gas seal including cloth, paper, or more recently plastic. This style of projectile was used extensively for hunting, target and military applications through the 19th century.
The most recent refinement of the wrapped or encased bullet was developed and refined over the last 30 years and is defined as a sabot. The sabot is basically a plastic tube with a partition in the middle that separates the bullet from the powder charge. The portion of the sabot towards the powder charge is cupped with thin exterior walls that act as a gas seal when the powder charge is ignited. The walls of the cylinder that encase the bullet are thicker than the cloth or paper patch and are slit in multiple locations through the area that contains the bullet to allow the sabot to release and fall away from the bullet once the two have exited the barrel muzzle. The increased wall thickness of the sabot allows for bullets up to two caliber sizes smaller than a full bore projectile that would normally be used. An example of this would be a sabot with an inside diameter of 44 caliber or 0.429 inches in diameter and an outside diameter of 50 caliber or 0.510 inches in diameter allowing a 44 caliber bullet to be fired in a 50 caliber firearm. Sabots have been developed for 54, 50, and 45 caliber firearms with 50 being the most popular. The ability to fire sub bore projectiles accommodates a number of disadvantages that exist with the current full-bore projectiles or bullets. The major advantage that the sub caliber bullet has over the full-bore projectile is that significantly higher velocities can be achieved with a common powder charge. The sub bore bullets will typically be much lighter with better ballistic efficiencies than the full bore projectile. The higher velocities and better ballistic profile contribute to significant flatter trajectories and similar impact energies at normal hunting distances.
The trend in recent years has been to use the sabot technology to drive light bullets of heavy construction to velocities approaching those typified by center fire rifles. The features of the sabot that allow the use of light sub bore bullets also contribute to its limitations. As the projectile velocities approach 2,000 fps, the propellant pressures necessary to accelerate the projectile to this velocity exceed the physical limitations of the plastics that the sabots are composed of. In addition, this problem is exacerbated as the environmental temperatures exceed 75° F. degrees and the elongation of the plastic increases with the increase in temperature. As the physical properties of the plastics are exceeded, accuracy deteriorates quickly due to the plastic of the sabot coating the inside of the barrels and the disintegration of the pressure cup at the base of the sabot. Sabots are often hard to load due to the number of variables that must be accounted for between the sabot, bullet, and barrel and associated pressures. Another deficiency of sabots is that it is often necessary to swab the bore of the firearm between firing sequences with a damp and then dry wad to prevent the build up of the expended powder residue from the previous firing. If the barrel is not swabbed between shots, accuracy will deteriorate quickly due to the build up of residual matter left from ignition of the previous powder charge altering the frictional characteristics between the sabot and the firearm barrel. An additional draw back to the sabot style of projectile is that it is not legal for use for big game hunting of species larger than deer in most of the western United States.
In the early to mid 19th century, considerable development work was focused on the development of a full bore elongated lead bullet that could be easily loaded but would expand to seal and engage the barrel rifling. The designs typically were composed of an elongated lead bullet with multiple grooves and hollow base. The grooves may or may not have been filled with a lubricant the purpose of which was to allow for ease of loading and an attempt to keep the residual powder fouling build up soft from the previous firing sequence. The only major difference between the mid 19th century and present day bullet designs of this style is that one of the major diameters of the circumferential grooves of the bullet is larger than the bore diameter of the barrel. The modern designers have increased the ring diameter to prevent the bullet from shifting within the barrel regardless of barrel position. The purpose of the hollow skirt is to act as a gas seal when the powder charge is ignited expanded to the barrel groove diameter and a mechanism to impart spin to the bullet as it passes through the barrel. The all lead full bore projectile's are typically heavy for caliber due to their composition which limits their effective hunting range to 125 yards or less. These projectiles also require that the firearms barrel be swabbed between firings to ensure loading efforts do not become excessive due to fowling building up from the previous ignition sequence. This type of projectile or bullet will only function correctly if composed of lead. Currently, within the United States, there is a movement to ban the use of lead in firearm projectiles. Legislation to prevent the use of lead for waterfowl hunting was successfully passed in the United States in the late 20th century and is presently being pursued for firearms in the regions of California inhabited by Condors.
The final type of major projectile developed for muzzle loading firearms is a full bore thin skirted bullet. Two variations of this style of projectile have evolved, the first of which was developed in the mid 19th century for use in the civil war cannon. Examples of this design can be reviewed in U.S. Pat. No. 15,999 issued to John B. Reed and U.S. Pat. No. 33,100 issued to R. P. Parrott. The body of the projectiles was typically composed of cast iron or steel with a hollow thin iron or brass/bronze skirt secondarily attached. The outside diameter of the projectile is slightly smaller than the bore diameter of the barrel it is to be fired in. Upon detonation of the powder charge, the hollow skirt of the projectile expands to act as a gas seal and engage the rifling of the barrel imparting rotary motion and stabilizing the projectile in flight. The second variation of this idea can be viewed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,064 issued to R. M. Kerns. This design was developed for modern muzzle loading firearms and uses a thin plastic skirt attached to the base of the bullet by a small extruded stub at the posterior of the bullet. The outside of the diameter of the bullet is slightly smaller than the bore diameter of the barrel to allow for ease of loading. Upon ignition of the powder charge, the plastic skirt expands and acts as a gas seal. The bullet is composed of a soft lead which upon detonation of the powder charge expands to engage the rifling of the barrel to impart rotary motion to the projectile. Due to the number of variables involved between the bullet and the barrel, it is difficult to depend on the predictability of this style of bullet to expand or obturate to the groove diameter of the barrel to ensure that rotary motion is imparted. Temperature, pressure, and rate of ignition of the powder charge all play a role of differing levels depending on the environmental conditions at the time. Additionally, the plastic skirt for this style of projectile will have the same limitations from a velocity perspective as that seen with the sabot style. The sabot and the gas check on the Kerns style bullet both can create small air pockets between the projectile and powder charge, which can retard the rate of ignition of the powder ignition leading to inconsistent projectile velocities and accuracy.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a projectile having in combination a multi diameter hollow base solid copper bullet filled with an expansion plug so that when utilized in conjunction with a gas check member, the bullet has the ability under normal muzzle loading firearm propellant pressures to expand the shank portion of the bullet filled by the expansion plug to engage the barrel rifling and impart rotary motion to the bullet.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a projectile with a multi diameter shank bullet so that the majority of the bullet can be easily loaded within the bore of the intended firearm but has the ability to self center when the projectile is fully loaded within the bore of the firearm.


The present invention facilitates automatic discovery of VPN-related information, which relates to the existence or association of VPNs as supported by provider edge devices in a core network. In particular, the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is used to facilitate the automatic discovery, and the provider edge devices are capable of subsequently and automatically triggering Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) processes to facilitate signaling over LDP sessions within the core network.

With the advent of the Internet and other public networks, local area networks (LANs) can communicate with other LANs over these public networks to support communications involving data, voice, audio, or video. In an effort to minimize the complexity for devices on a LAN to communicate with devices on another LAN, the communications between the LANs are often supported by emulating the switching techniques employed by the LAN. In other words, the connections supported over the public network are configured to emulate a direct connection to the LAN. These emulated connections are generally referred to as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), and may support various levels of security to ensure that only authorized users can access the network and that data being transferred cannot be intercepted.
The public network through which the LANs are connected will have numerous routers and switching devices that must be configured to support VPNs. As the network grows and the number of VPNs increases, the difficulty associated with properly updating the network elements to support the VPN grows exponentially. At this time, much of the configuration and provisioning of the network elements is done manually, wherein the network elements are individually provisioned using a command line interface to implement changes in the network or the VPNs that the network supports. As such, there is a need for an efficient and automatic way to update and configure the network elements to support the addition and extension of VPNs, as well as support network growth.


A method of estimating parameters of time series data using a Fourier transform is disclosed. The parameter estimation method of the present invention can directly estimate modes and parameters, indicating the characteristics of a dynamic system, on the basis of the Fourier transform of the time series data. Accordingly, the present invention is advantageous in that it can estimate parameters of the system through a single Fourier transform without repeatedly calculating a Fourier transform, thus shortening the time required to estimate the parameters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a method of estimating the parameters of time series data using a Fourier transform and, more particularly, to a method of estimating the parameters of time series data using a Fourier transform, which can shorten the time required for calculation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, mode (eigenvalue) analysis using eigenanalysis is widely applied to the analysis of a dynamic system. However, since eigenanalysis cannot be directly applied to time series data, only frequency analysis is restrictively applied to time series data.
For a method of estimating a mode in time series data, a Prony method has been generally used. However, this method calculates a complex exponential function on the basis of a linear prediction matrix obtained by converting signals into an autoregressive moving average (ARMA) model.
A Prony method is problematic in that, since a linear prediction equation must be solved and the solution of a higher order equation must be calculated when signals are fitted to a complex exponential function, the time required for calculation increases. This method entails noise error, and a mode sensitively varies with an interval between signal data and the intensity of the data.
Recently, Fourier transforms have been broadly applied to various industrial fields. Especially, with the development of a fast Fourier transform (FFT), Fourier transforms have been used to detect and analyze the frequency of a given signal using a computer.
Fast Fourier transforms have been mainly used to precisely and rapidly obtain the frequency of a given signal. In a dynamic system, a real part of a mode used to learn damping characteristics is a more important factor than the frequency of the mode.
For a technique of estimating a real part using a Fourier transform, only a sliding window method of FIG. 1 of repeatedly calculating the attenuation level of the magnitude of a Fourier spectrum to estimate a mode has been developed.
In FIG. 1, a signal x(t) is Fourier transformed over equal time intervals (a), (b) and (c) to calculate respective spectrums. The sliding window method is a method of estimating the real part of a mode by fitting the peak values of the spectrums to an exponentially damped function.
However, the conventional method is problematic in that a Fourier transform must be repeatedly calculated depending on a computer simulation, thus increasing the time required for calculation.

Method of estimating parameters of time series data using fourier transform


A portable diaper changing pad for use in a motor vehicle includes a flexible elongated diaper changing pad with one or more fold lines, a flap member having multiple vertically and horizontally laid semi-rigid sections separated by horizontal and vertical fold lines. The horizontally laid segments of the flap member fold with the pad to transform into a handheld bag for storage and portability, and the vertically laid segments are selectively transformed into a required configuration for facilitating efficient and effective use of the diaper changing pad. The diaper changing pad further includes another flap member having one or more pockets suitably sized for accommodating one or more baby care products.

Changing a baby's diaper is a common task for parents and other caregivers. While at home, the caregivers are able to change the diaper of the baby comfortably. However, changing the diaper of the baby while on the go is a more challenging task for the caregivers.
Traditionally, a caregiver may perform a diaper changing process by placing the baby on a floor or some other flat surface, but this process has its own challenges and may be uncomfortable for the baby. In some instances, a caregiver may carry a diaper changing station with them and use it as a part of the diaper changing process. Usually, when the caregiver is required to change the diaper of the baby, the caregiver may put the baby on a changing area of the diaper changing station to support the baby during the diaper changing process. Typically, these diaper changing stations are configured in the form of a single or multiple furniture pieces. These diaper changing stations are bulkier and are not comfortable to be carried by the caregivers when leaving their home.
Further, while traveling for an outstation, if the caregivers are required to change the diaper of the baby, then they may have to search for a public restroom with a changing table to carry out the diaper changing process. However, it is a noted fact that, most of the changing tables or public restrooms are laid dirty and may be unhygienic for the baby.
Further, when traveling with the baby in a motor vehicle (such as a car), a situation occasionally arises for changing the diaper of the baby and there is usually no space available outside for changing the diaper except the space in the motor vehicle. The easiest thing is then to do the changing of the diaper on one of the back seats of the motor vehicle by placing the baby on a back seat. However, most of the passenger motor vehicle's seats are sloped and it is likely the baby, when laid onto the seat, will slide into the crevice of the seat and the seat belt buckles, which may be again uncomfortable for the baby. Further, sometimes, the vehicle's seat, where the diaper changing process is carried out, may come in contact with the baby's poop as many children tend to squirm while changing the diaper.
Having an ability to change the baby's diaper in the comfort of one's own motor vehicle is the ideal situation while the caregivers are travelling and highly preferred by the caregivers. Although, it might be possible to carry traditionally available diaper changing pads in the vehicle which is usually provided for use in the home, such available portable diaper changing pads are not designed to fit the dimensions of the seat of the motor vehicle and not reliable enough to assure secure lateral support for the baby.
In the prior art, a number of solutions are proposed by inventors to changing a baby on the go. Some of these solutions attempt to make the changing pad portable that can fold up into a handheld size, and have even tried to address the problem of the baby sliding into the seat belt buckles and crevice of the sloped seats while the caregivers carry out diaper changing process on the vehicle's seat. For example, US20080016623 discloses an elongated flexible cushioned pad. The patent application proposes a pair of generally wedge-shaped flap members hingedly connected to the bottom surface of the changing system that can fold up along a centrally located longitudinal line to form a cradle like configuration inhibiting smaller infants from rolling off of the changing pad and keeping the infant in place while changing the diaper or allowing an infant to rest. U.S. Pat. No. 9,241,581 discloses an adjustable pad configuration that can conform to a variety of different types and/or configurations of surfaces in order to provide a level, cushioning, and/or stabilizing support platform for a child when the child's diaper needs to be changed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,838 discloses a cushion for use with sloped vehicle seats, to provide a substantially level and horizontal surface upon which to change infant's diapers. This patented cushion in this reference has a generally triangular cross section, featuring a relatively thin front edge, and a relatively thick rear edge. The angle provided by these kinds of cushions is fixed, they are not versatile and can only work with vehicle seats with a slope that matches with the slope of the cushion. Further, these cushion type changing pad does not fold up to occupy small space rather need separate storage space in the vehicle. Similarly, other existing prior art solutions have their own shortcomings.
Thus, although solutions do exist, such solutions either make the pad thicker and wedge shaped to provide a level surface on the seat of the motor vehicle, or do not offer portability or lack reliable assurance to provide lateral support for the baby to prevent the baby from sliding into the crevice of the seat and seat belt buckles.

Portable baby diaper changing platform for use in a motor vehicle