A touch panel includes a substrate, a touch-sensing circuit, and fan-out traces. The substrate has a touch-sensing region and an adjoined peripheral region. The touch-sensing circuit is disposed on the touch-sensing region. The fan-out traces are disposed on the peripheral region and electrically connected to the touch-sensing circuit. Each fan-out trace includes a first conductive line, a first dielectric layer and a second conductive line. The first conductive line is disposed on the peripheral region. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the peripheral region to cover the first conductive line, and has at least one contact window located above the first conductive line. The second conductive line is disposed on the first dielectric layer, wherein the first and the second conductive line of the same fan-out trace have the same pattern and are electrically connected through the contact window.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to a touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof, and particularly to an added-on touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, digital information and wireless mobile communication technology are dramatically developed. To meet current demands on portable, compact and to be user-friendly, most of information technology (IT) products such as mobile phones, handheld PC, personal digital assistances (PDA), smart phones or the like are now using a touch panel as an input device instead of a conventional input device such as a keyboard or a mouse. Besides the convenience, and also because of the intuitive operation, the touch inputting technology becomes a popularized human-machine interface and multi-media interactions, and thus is becoming greatly concerned and developed.
Based on different sensing principles, touch panels can be generally categorized into resistive touch panels, capacitive touch panels, optical touch panels, acoustic-wave touch panels, electromagnetic touch panels and the like, wherein because having the advantages of fast response speed, favorable reliability and durability, the capacitive touch panels have been extensively applied to electronic devices. According to different structures and manufacturing methods, the capacitive touch panels can be further classified into on-cell types, in-cell types and added-on types. For on-cell type touch panels and in-cell type touch panels, touch functions are directly integrated into manufacturing processes of the panels, wherein sensing series are disposed on the outer surface or the inner surface of the display panel. The added-on touch panels usually have sensing series fabricated on another substrate, and the substrate on which the sensing series have been formed is then attached to the outer surface of the display panel.
The conventional added-on touch panels include a substrate, touch-sensing circuit and fan-out traces. The substrate has a touch-sensing region and a peripheral region surrounding the touch-sensing region, so that the touch-sensing circuit is located on the touch-sensing region of the substrate and the fan-out traces are located on the peripheral region of the substrate. One end of the fan-out trace is electrically connected to the touch-sensing circuit, and another end of the fan-out trace is electrically connected to an integrated circuit (IC) attaching area located on the peripheral region of the substrate. When the integrated circuit is attached to the substrate, the integrated circuit is electrically connected to the touch-sensing circuit through the fan-out traces.
However, disposing a plurality of fan-out traces on the peripheral region of the substrate requires configuring specific gaps among the fan-out traces. If line width and the space between the lines of the fan-out trace are too large, the area of peripheral region would be increased and it may not comply with the demand of slim border design. However, if the line width and the space between the lines of the fan-out trace are too small, then the resistance of the fan-out trace would be increased and the sensitivity of the touch panel may be affected. For instance, when both the line width and the space are 30 μm, the resistance of the fan-out trace is high enough to affect the sensitivity of the touch panel.

Touch panel and method of fabricating the same


A semiconductor device has a multi-wire lead and a die having a multi-site bond pad. A shielding wire and a guarded wire both extend from the multi-wire lead to the multi-site bond pad. The shielding wire (or wires) provide active shielding to the guarded wire by simultaneously transmitting the same signal as the guarded wire between the multi-wire lead the multi-site bond pad.

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to shielding the leads of semiconductor devices.
Some semiconductor devices have lead frames that include leads, and bond wires that extend between the leads and bonding pads of a die mounted on a paddle or flag of the lead frame. The leads transmit signals, power and ground to/from the die. Two leads that carry signals located near each other may couple to one another. This is referred to as "crosstalk" or "cross-coupling," where variations in one signal can affect amplitudes of nearby signals.
In order to reduce the coupling between two signals, a ground shield may be provided between the leads. One approach for providing passive, ground shielding is to connect every other lead to ground to avoid coupling. However, this limits the number of leads that may be used to carry signals.
Active shielding is another approach to providing shielding in electronic networks. Active shielding is a shielding technique in which one or more shielding lines transmit signals that are dependent upon the signals transmitted by the guarded line. Capacitive coupling is reduced with active shielding when the shielding lines transmit signals in the same direction as the guarded line and inductive coupling is reduced when the shielding lines transmit signals in the opposite direction as the guarded line. Active shielding is typically implemented using the layouts of one or both of the integrated circuits (dies) or printed circuit boards (PCBs). In low-profile quad flat packages (LQFP), active shielding has not been implemented because conventional LFQP layouts and lead frame arrangements do not allow realization of active shielding. However, without the proper shielding in semiconductor devices, like LQFP devices, unwanted cross-coupling may occur.

Semiconductor device with active shielding of leads


A set of tiered trapezoidal cartons bundled together for holding goods. Each carton has a generally trapezoidal profile and the set of cartons stacks together to have a generally trapezoidal combined profile.

Packaging for manufactured goods serves multiple purposes including creating a sufficiently favorable impression in the customer to influence the selection of the goods for purchase, protecting the goods from damage during transit, identifying the manufacturer, and conveying a message from the manufacturer. In today's market place, and especially in retail sales where a plurality of choices exist, packaging takes on major importance because the purchase decision is often based solely on the packaging.
The first problem with contemporary packaging, and probably the most significant, is how to fulfill all of the various purposes for packaging while maintaining the flexibility to make last minute changes in the package design, keeping the cost of the packaging as low as possible, and sustaining a uniform but distinctive packaging appearance for products of different shapes and sizes.
It is apparent that although there are a myriad of packaging shapes, colors, and materials, there is still a need for an approach that satisfactorily meets the needs of a product manufacturer in a competitive market place.


An imaging apparatus includes: a first lens group disposed on a subject side of a diaphragm in the vicinity of which two polarizers that polarize light from a subject are disposed, the polarizers being first and second polarizers whose polarization directions are perpendicular to each other; a second lens group disposed on the side of the diaphragm where an imaging device is present, over a photodetection surface of which third and fourth polarizers are disposed, the third and fourth polarizers having polarization directions parallel to the polarization direction of the first and second polarizers, respectively; and an image processor that produces stereoscopic images based on image data produced by converting light incident on the imaging device through the first lens group and the second lens group. The second lens group has positive refracting power, and characteristics of the first lens group and the second lens group satisfy certain conditions.

There have been proposed digital still cameras, digital video camcorders (camera-recorder hybrids), and other imaging apparatus that produce image data for displaying stereoscopic images that allow a viewer to experience stereoscopic vision with the aid of parallax between the right and left eyes.
For example, there has been proposed an imaging apparatus that includes two lenses and one imaging device and produces two images (image for right vision and image for left vision) for displaying stereoscopic images (see JP-A-2004-309868, for example).

Imaging apparatus and electronic device for producing stereoscopic images


A system for promoting medication adherence is provided. The system may receive medical information and medication access information via a medication adherence device, the medication adherence device having a housing configured to be removably coupled to a medicine container. The information may be used to form one or more blind spots which representative of symptoms of glaucoma and which may be produced on the display screen of a patient's client device. The system may use Gamblification and/or Gamification in which a blind spot obscures portions of a game of chance program and/or novelty game type program, respectively, from being observed on the display screen. As medical information and medication compliance information is received, the number, size, opacity, and/or shape of the blind spots produced on the display screen of a patient's client device may change to provide actual perception of visual loss which spurs patients to compliance.

Glaucoma is a highly prevalent cause of blindness worldwide. Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy, often associated with cupping of the optic nerve head, higher intraocular pressure, and visual field loss. Glaucoma is often an insidious disease and can be asymptomatic in patients for decades before causing serious vision loss. Glaucoma typically manifests in causing visual loss in the periphery. Patients are usually unaware of vision changes in their periphery due to the slow progression of the disease. Visual field testing is called perimetry and is essential in diagnosing glaucoma. Various patents have described testing of visual field on smartphones and tablets as a means of portable perimetry. Smartphone, tablet based portable perimetry are available in the market for testing. However, these programs or video games are a means to diagnosis to detect visual field loss. It is difficult enough to test a patient using a standard automated perimeter in the medical office, let alone in an uncontrolled environment, no matter how entertaining the visual stimuli may be. Testing peripheral vision does little to encourage medication regimen adherence without demonstrating vision loss to the patient.
Therefore, a need exists for new devices and systems to increase compliance with medication adherence for eye drop regimens. A further need exists for new devices and systems to inform patients of vision changes in their periphery due to disease progression. A need exists for new devices and systems which encourage medication regimen adherence by demonstrating vision loss to the patient. Finally, there is no currently available method of quantifying actual compliance of medication adherence, with respect to eye drops. Ophthalmologists are in need of this data to determine if poor treatment is due to compliance or simply the progression of the glaucoma.

Systems and methods for promoting medication adherence


An optical compensation sheet is provided and has a stretched polymer film or stretched cellulose acylate film and at least one optical anisotropic layer containing a liquid crystal compound, and has retardations satisfying the specific relationships defined in the specification.

A liquid crystal display has been used widely more and more year by year as a space-saving image display device that consumes little electric power. A liquid crystal display has heretofore been greatly disadvantageous in that it has a great dependence of image on viewing angle. In recent years, however, a VA mode of high viewing angle liquid crystal has been put into practical use. With this trend, the demand of liquid crystal displays has been rapidly growing also in the market of electrical appliance requiring a high fidelity image such as television set.
Under these circumstances, the optically-compensatory member to be used in the improvement of tint, contrast and their viewing angle dependence in liquid crystal displays, too, is required to have further improvement in optical compensation properties.
Referring to optically-compensatory film for VA mode liquid crystal displays, it has heretofore been known that one comprising an A plate and a C plate in combination has a great effect of improving the contrast viewing angle.
Further, WO2004/068226 A1 discloses a technique which involves optical compensation by a polymer film having wavelength dispersion which is different from in-plane retardation to thickness-direction retardation, whereby contrast can be further enhanced and tint in black display can be close to gray.
However, this method leaves something to be desired in effect of improving tint viewing angle. This method is disadvantageous in that the tint change becomes remarkable particularly after prolonged display under high temperature and humidity conditions. Thus, it has been desired to provide improvements in this method.
Further, JP-A-2004-326089 discloses a technique involving a stacking of retardation layers comprising a retardation layer having a positive refractive anisotropy and an optical axis in the in-plane thereof and a retardation layer having a negative refractive anisotropy and an optical axis in the direction normal to the surface thereof stacked in combination, wherein as the retardation layer having a positive refractive anisotropy and an optical axis in the in-plane thereof there is used a stretched polymer film having reverse wavelength dispersion characteristics such that retardation falls as the wavelength drops and as the retardation layer having a negative refractive anisotropy and an optical axis in the direction normal to the surface thereof there is used a coat layer having true wavelength dispersion characteristics such that retardation rises as the wavelength drops, whereby the contrast can be further enhanced and the tint in black display is close to gray.
However, the above cited technique is disadvantageous in that the use of the aforementioned laminate of retardation layers as protective film for polarizing plate causes the deterioration of the polarization properties of the polarizer and the polarizing plate. This citation is also disadvantageous in that when the adhesion of the polarizer is insufficient, the protective film is peeled off the polarizer during the preparation of the polarizing plate or the storage of the polarizing plate thus prepared under high temperature and humidity conditions. Accordingly, the aforementioned laminate of retardation layers must be used stuck to other polarizing plate protective films other than cellulose acetate film with an adhesive before use. Improvements have been desired in respect to productivity and cost.

Optical compensation sheet, polarizing plate and liquid crystal display


A collapsible boat hull comprises a pair of bottom panels and a pair of side panels, connected by continuous hinges. Erection of the boat causes a fore portion of the bottom panels to curve upwards, and fore portions of the side panels to curve inwards. The boat also includes a V-shaped rear seat, which acts to transfer force and vibration from a rearwardly mounted outboard motor to the side walls of the boat. The boat is braced between its seats and the hull.

The present invention relates to collapsible boats, such as those formed by panels hinged together. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for bracing such boats when in an erected configuration to provide stiffness and rigidity.
It is known to provide collapsible boat hulls, comprising a pair of hingedly interconnected bottom panels and a pair of side panels hinged to the bottom panels. Such boats can be collapsed and folded along the hinging edges of the panels into a substantially flat configuration for ease of transport and storage, and then erected into a suitable hull shape for use on water. Typically, collapsible boat hulls are also provided with a stern member functioning as a transom, a bow member, and seats which are mounted onto the boat hull when the boat hull is in an erected configuration. It is important that the junction between the boat hull and the bow member, and the boat hull and the stern member, are leak-proof. Provision is generally also made to mount an outboard motor on the stern member. Some collapsible boat hulls are provided with rigid stern members, while others are provided with diaphragms that can accommodate rigid panels, which rigidify and stabilise the diaphragm when an outboard motor is mounted thereon. The stress exerted on the boat hull by the outboard motor mounted on the stern members, however, has meant that it has not generally been possible to use outboard motors whose power exceeds about 4 horsepower.
In a traditional boat design, rigidity and stiffness including torsional stiffness are largely achieved by the provision of ribs extending laterally across the hull of the boat. These provide lateral support, complementing the longitudinal support provided by stringers, the hull panels and strakes in the hull and thus strengthening the hull in two dimensions. As a result, stiffness and rigidity of the hull is established, particularly in response to torsional forces.
In a collapsible boat, it has not proved possible to include ribs in the same way, although attempts have been made. As a result, many collapsible boats have a limited capacity to resist twisting as a result of torsional forces.
One method employed to provide bracing in collapsible boats is to use seats of the boat for this purpose. Such bracing is largely ineffectual, as the seat is spaced from the boat hull, and has no direct connection to panels at the base of the boat or to the transom.
A degree of torsional stiffness can be gained near a boat's transom by coupling of the transom to each of the panels. Typically, the transom of a collapsible boat is a removable member. A suitable coupling arrangement can be complex, and make assembly of the boat more difficult.
The present invention seeks to provide a means for bracing a collapsible boat which overcomes, at least in part, some of the above mentioned disadvantages.


This invention relates to novel 4,5-dihydroisoxazoles and 4,5-dihydro[1,2,4]-oxadiazoles of formula (I), to their use as androgenic or antiandrogenic agents or androgen receptor modulators, and to methods of their preparation.

The nuclear hormone receptor superfamily is a very important target for drug development. Members of this group include androgen, estrogen, progesterone, and glucocorticoid receptors, the activity of which is controlled by ligand binding, as well as constitutive androstane and pregnane X receptors which have an essential role in drug metabolism. Nuclear hormone receptors regulate expression of their target genes, which control the essential metabolic reactions and differentiation processes of cells. Thus, disorders linked to nuclear receptors are of great clinical importance.
Androgens play an essential role in many physiological processes such as controlling the development and maintenance of muscle and skeletal mass as well as fertility in the male [Singh, S. M.; Gauthier, S.; Labrie, F. Curr. Med. Chem. 2000, 7211-7247]. Although non-steroidal AR agonists and antagonists are useful in the treatment of many disorders and diseases, there are no tissue specific selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) yet in clinical use. In particular, agonistic SARMs could be employed in the treatment of medical conditions such as hypogonadism caused by the deficiency of androgens and, especially, in the longterm hormone replacement therapy of aging people for the treatment of osteoporosis, loss of muscle mass or muscular power and sexual function disorders of both sexes. On the other hand, antiandrogenic compounds can be utilized against prostate cancer and hyperplasia, acne, cachexia and hirsutism, for example [Gao, W.; Bohl, C. E.; Dalton, J. T. Chem. Rev. 2005, 105, 3352-3370. Gao, W.; Reiser, P. J.; Coss, C. C.; Phelps, M. A.; Kaerbey, J. D.; Miller, D. D.; Dalton, J. T. Endocrinology 2005, 146, 4887-4897. Gao, W.; Kim, J.; Dalton, J. T. Pharmaceut. Res. 2006, 23, 1641-1658].
In conclusion, there is a need for small non-steroidal molecules which can act as agonists or antagonists for nuclear hormone receptors such as AR. We now describe a novel set of compounds which bind to AR, and inhibit its activity as assessed by the function of recombinant AR in reporter gene assays as well as by the analysis of endogenous AR target gene expression in human prostate cancer VCaP and LNCaP cells [Horoszewicz, J. S.; Leong, S. S.; Kawinski, E; Karr, J. P.; Rosenthal, H.; Chu, M.; Mirand, E. A.; Murphy, G. P. Cancer Res., 1983, 43, 1809-1818]. A further group of such compounds is for the first time disclosed to also inhibit the transcriptional activation by W741L-mutated AR in COS1-cells. The W741L mutation has been reported in prostate cancer patients and shown to render clinically most commonly used antiandrogen bicalutamide to an agonist [Hara, T.; Miyazaki, J.; Araki, H.; Yamaoka, M. Kanzaki, N.; Kusaka, M.; Miyamoto, M. Cancer Res. 2003, 63, 149-153].

Non-steroidal compounds as androgen receptor modulators


A submersible boat is provided which utilizes a planing boat hull with a sharp bow and blunt stern. The submersible boat performs as a planing boat until it nears the target location. Then, the boat submerges in order to avoid detection. After this vessel submerges, it travels with the blunt end forward and the sharp end aft.

Military operations frequently require that military personnel approach from the sea and reach the shore quickly, quietly, and in good physical condition. Submersible vessels can be used to deliver personnel to the shore. However, a long trip in a submerged vessel will degrade the physical condition of the persons within such a vessel, and thus make complex missions more difficult. Planing boats can be used, but they make too much noise for a military operation. Another possible approach is to tow a submersible vessel close to the launch site with a planing sled. However, use of a sled requires the use of a powerful high speed surface craft as a towing vessel. The use of a high speed surface craft complicates the operation and precludes air deployment.

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


A resolution of an image data needs to be higher than a predetermined value for character recognition. A control method in an image reading apparatus having a reading unit for reading an image of a document to generate image data, and a storing unit for storing the image data generated by the reading unit includes receiving from a user, after the image data is stored by the storing unit, an instruction for executing character recognition processing on the image data stored by the storing unit, executing character recognition processing on the image data stored by the storing unit according to a reception of the instruction by the receiving unit, and performing control, in a case where the image data generated by the reading unit is to be stored by the storing unit, to read an image of a document by the reading unit with a resolution that enables character recognition.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading an image of a document and storing image data of the read document, a method for controlling the image reading apparatus, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
A certain image reading apparatus reads an image of a document and then, to add character information included in the read document to image data as metadata, performs character recognition processing on the image data.
When the character recognition accuracy is determined to be lower than a predetermined value as a result of execution of character recognition processing, the image reading apparatus prompts a user to change reading resolution and then to read an image of the document again (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-118863).
There is a case where the image reading apparatus reads an image of a document and then, to enable transmitting image data of the read document at an arbitrary timing, stores the image data in a hard disk drive (HDD). There is a case where the image reading apparatus performs file format conversion and further character recognition processing on the image data stored in the HDD. To guarantee character recognition accuracy for such a case, the resolution of the image data needs to be higher than a predetermined value. This is because, if the resolution of the image data stored in the HDD is lower than the predetermined value, the character recognition accuracy cannot be guaranteed after execution of the character recognition processing on the image data.

Image reading apparatus, method for controlling the same, and storage medium


An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container is below a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a toner supply container for supplying toner, which decreases with image formation, the toner supply container being detachably attached to a body of the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus such as a color machine including a plurality of developing portions includes a plurality of toner supply containers that correspond to the respective developing portions, the toner supply containers being detachably attached to the apparatus. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2014-178398, 2002-244529, 2016-31497, 2014-74890)
An attachment location of a toner supply container in a body of an image forming apparatus varies depending on the image forming apparatus. For example, in the image forming apparatus in FIG. 10 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-178398), toner supply containers 100Y, 100C, 100M, and 100K are disposed below a sheet tray 68 and above an image forming portion 300. In the image forming apparatus in FIG. 11 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-244529), an image forming portion 400 including developing portions is disposed above an intermediate transfer belt 75, and toner supply containers 65 are disposed below the intermediate transfer belt 75. Toner is conveyed from the toner supply containers 65 to the developing portions bypassing over the intermediate transfer belt 75.
An increase in temperature around toner causes a deterioration in fluidity of the toner or causes the toner to solidify in a toner supply container. Thus, it is desirable to reduce transmission of heat to toner in toner supply containers, as much as possible.
However, in the structure described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-178398, the toner supply containers 100Y, 100C, 100M, and 100K are disposed below the sheet tray 68. Thus, the toner supply containers 100Y, 100C, 100M, and 100K are easily affected by the heat of a sheet discharged on the sheet tray 68. Moreover, the toner supply containers 100Y, 100C, 100M, and 100K, which are adjacent to a fixing unit 60, are easily affected by the heat of the fixing unit 60 itself. Furthermore, the toner supply containers 100Y, 100C, 100M, and 100K are also easily affected by the heat of an intermediate transfer belt 41 heated by coming into contact with a sheet that is heated by the fixing unit 60, for example, when an image is formed on a second surface during double-sided printing.
To prevent an increase in the temperature of the toners in the toner supply containers 100Y, 100C, 100M, and 100K, cooling by a fan and securing a space for heat insulation are required; however, these measures have drawbacks, such as an increase in costs and an increase in the size of the image forming apparatus.
In the structure described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-244529, the affect of heat is small compared with the structure in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No 2014-178398. However, there is a need to dispose toner conveyance mechanisms 90, 91, 92, and 93, which are for supplying toners from the toner supply containers 65 to the developing portions, at positions that do not overlap the intermediate transfer belt 75. The need to dispose the toner conveyance mechanisms 90, 91, 92, and 93 so as to pass over the intermediate transfer belt 75 increases the depth of the image forming apparatus.


An aircraft including an engine compartment and an engine provided in the engine compartment. The aircraft further includes a ductwork housing positioned above the engine. The ductwork housing includes at least one duct. The at least one duct has an outlet port that faces downwardly. Operation of the engine causes air to flow through the duct and exit the outlet port. The outlet port is configured to direct the air flow downwardly to provide lift for the aircraft.

Helicopters are a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward, and laterally. These attributes allow helicopters to be used in congested or isolated areas where fixed-wing aircraft cannot perform. Helicopters often cannot get close to brush, trees, and down power lines, since the trees may hit the spinning blades and damage them. The blade damage may be so severe that the helicopter crashes. Helicopters also require exterior moving parts, which are subject to damage. There are quadcopters that have shroud or circular metal tubing, to help protect blades from bumping into things and causing crash.
Helicopter and other aircraft may improvements

VTOL aircraft with jet engine coupled to downward thrust nozzles


Provided is a semiconductor device having improved performance and an improved manufacturing yield. Over photodiodes formed in a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of first to third embedded insulating films are stacked to form a waveguide for light incident on each of the photodiodes. The first embedded insulating film is formed simultaneously with plugs when the plugs are formed. The second embedded insulating film is formed simultaneously with first wires when the first wires are formed. The third embedded insulating film is formed simultaneously with second wires when the second wires are formed.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which can be applied appropriately to, e.g., a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including a solid-state image sensing element.
The development of a solid-state image sensing element (CMOS image sensor) using a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) as a solid-state image sensing element has been promoted. The CMOS image sensor is configured to include a plurality of pixels each having a photodiode and a transfer transistor.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-141280 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technique related to a solid-state image sensing device in which a plurality of optical waveguide members 131a, 131b, and 131c are stacked in layers to form an optical waveguide.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-205994 (Patent Document 2) discloses a technique related to a solid-state image sensing device in which a first lens material layer 121, a second lens material layer 122, and a third lens material layer 123 are formed.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-153414 (Patent Document 3) discloses a technique related to a solid-state image sensing device in which an optical waveguide is formed over a light receiving portion.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-147288 (Patent Document 4) discloses a technique which simultaneously etches a plurality of dummy metal layers over a photoelectric conversion element to form an opening.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A transmitter includes an output. A coupler receives at least a derivative of the output and provides a feedback signal. A demodulator receives the feedback signal and performs an additive mixing to demodulate the feedback signal.

This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2006 016 761.9, filed on Apr. 10, 2006.
A transmitter can be used to transmit information using a data signal via a physical transmission channel in a communication system. By way of example, the physical transmission channel may be a cable or, as in the example of a mobile radio system, a radio channel. With the radio channel, the transmission power of the transmitter corresponds to a signal level for the outgoing data signal.
Many mobile radio systems require that the data signals be turned on and off with a high degree of precision. These mobile radio systems include systems such as the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Bluetooth and the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). With these systems, specifications for the output power and the permitted spectral transmissions are defined by standards such as the GSM standard, for example, as in 3GPP TS 45.005.
In order to provide a transmitter that can operate in accordance with multiple communication standards and transmit signals using different frequency bands at varying power levels and allowed spectral emissions, the power level at the output of the transmitter must be controlled with a high level of precision. Various approaches have been used to control the power level. One approach is to use a closed power loop wherein the power level at an output of the transmitter is measured and compared to a desired power level to regulate the power level of an outgoing signal.
Another approach is to use a Cartesian loop to perform a demodulation of a sample of the outgoing signal to reconstruct an Inphase signal and a Quadrature signal to control the linearity of the transmission path.
Still another approach is to use a polar loop as a feedback loop in an amplitude path of a polar transmitter to ensure the linearity of an amplitude component of the transmission signal.
These approaches have been used in transmitters for narrow band applications. Because data rates in communication systems have been increasing, wideband transmitter usage is becoming more common. As a result, high linearity and output power are becoming more difficult to achieve.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Transmitter and method of transmitting a signal


A creeper comprising a main panel and wheels is further equipped with storage drawers, an alarm signal, an adjustable lamp, an extendable panel, and an adjustable head rest. The storage drawers are disposed underneath the main panel so that they are accessible and out of the way. The alarm, also mounted beneath the main panel, may be used to signal an emergency. The extendable panel is slidably mounted on the underside of the main panel and may be pulled out from the foot end of the creeper to effectively extend the length of the same. The lamp is mounted on a flexible neck which attaches to the underside of the main panel so that the lamp may also be stored out of the way or directed as desired. The head rest is mounted to the head end of the creeper by hinges and may be positioned in an operative position or a stored position.

Creepers are used by virtually every professional automobile mechanic to access the underside of automobiles. Present creepers consist of a flat rectangular panel large enough to support a man's upper torso and head and small wheels attached to the underside of the panel. The wheels are relatively small and mounted closely to the panel so that the creeper height is only a few inches above the ground. A user may lay on the creeper on his back and then easily roll and maneuver under an automobile.
When underneath the automobile, a mechanic has very limited mobility even with the benefit of the creeper. He must place his tools at the perimeter of the automobile or on his stomach so that they will not be in the way of the creeper wheels. Each time he needs a tool he must maneuver over to where it is. There exists a need for a creeper which would allow a user to have quick and easy access to his tools.
When working underneath an automobile it is also necessary to have light. Like tools, flashlights and corded lights must be kept out of the path of the creeper. Furthermore, mechanics are often unable to hold a light and perform operations on the automobile at the same time. There exists a need for a light source which does not have to be held and which will not interfere with movement of the creeper.
Laying on a hard, flat panel tends to be uncomfortable to a user's head. Often, a mechanic must keep his head raised to see the area he is working on. Therefore, there is a need for a creeper equipped with a headrest. However, there are instances in which the underside of the car will not provide clearance for the head when raised. Therefore, there exists a need for a headrest which may be easily and conveniently disengaged.
Conventional creepers are designed to support only a user's back. Mechanics often lay on creepers for extended periods of time, resulting in severe discomfort to the lower back. There is a need for a creeper which provides support to the buttocks and upper legs so that stress on the lower back is reduced.
The underside of a car is cramped and difficult to move in even with the benefit of a creeper. Should an accident occur, a mechanic is somewhat confined and may be helpless to get himself out from under the automobile. There exists a need for a creeper equipped with an alarm with which a mechanic working beneath an automobile can signal an emergency.
Underneath the automobile is not the only place where convenient maneuverability is desired. A person doing body work or repairs under the hood may wish to move from one side of the automobile to the other while sitting. Therefore, there exists a need for a stool or chair structure that can be easily moved and maneuvered while the user is sitting on it.


An approach and device for optimizing a sound system by extracting a two-channel stereo source out of a set of multiple channels with unknown frequency responses, crosstalk, time delays and sample rate by employing a digital test sequence that utilizes maximum-length-sequences (MLS) that is fed into the sound system and results in a reconstructed stereo source that may be further used as an input to a signal processor that performs improved speaker and room equalization.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optimization of a multichannel sound system, and more particularly, to optimization of the performance of a multichannel sound system based upon input signals and multichannel response data.
2. Related Art
Typically, factory-installed vehicle sound systems are not amenable to aftermarket upgrades. Typically the sound systems have audio and video integrated components that are specifically designed with housings to fit specific models of a vehicle. The signal processing of these sound systems are also typically closed systems that make the modifying or reprogramming of them impractical or impossible.
The signal processing in these types of sound systems is implemented for appropriate or predetermined sound system performance, which often includes crossover and equalization filters that may be contained or tightly integrated in a head unit or an amplifier of an existing sound system that typically cannot be replaced or modified. Only final loudspeaker feeds for tweeters, midrange speakers and woofers are commonly accessible for sound system owners who desire to upgrade their sound systems with external aftermarket audio equipment. The filters implemented in the factory signal processor are normally not user-adjustable, so no method of changing or improving their performance or making adjustments appropriate for new speakers or amplifiers is available.
Prior attempts to partially solve this problem have been put forth, such as an approach to automatically generate gain coefficients for a graphic equalizer. This approach is not desirable because it requires manual user interaction that involves trial and error, i.e. finding and summing up channels with sufficient audio bandwidth, dynamic range and appropriate output signal topology, without introducing excessive stereo crosstalk. In addition, it is common that available outputs of head units or factory-installed amplifiers or signal processors are delayed differently. Also, a simple sum as used in this approach creates frequency nulls that cannot be equalized.
Accordingly, there is a need for optimizing the performance of a sound system when only inputs and outputs of the audio system are accessible. In particular, it is desirable to compensate for crosstalk, band limitations, and sample rate deviations when optimizing performance of the audio system when the crossover and equalization filters of existing sound system or head unit are unknown.

Extraction of channels from multichannel signals utilizing stimulus

Harman International Industries, Incorporated


A hydraulic motor able to use low-pressure or high-pressure fluids such as water for a large number of applications. The motor uses a flow of water that is controlled and directed through a system of supply tubes to a chamber that fills with the fluid, moving a piston that produces an action such as rotating a shaft to turn a brush. Fluid fills the chamber through a system of opening and closing valves that direct and control the flow of the fluid so that the piston exerts pressure against a spring until it reaches a maximum position. A system of valves then reverses the flow of fluid until the piston is pushed in the opposite direction, producing an action such as turning a brush through the alternating application of water flows. A one-way gear box may be used to control the action of a shaft, which may be directed to turn in the same direction or in alternating directions to accomplish a wide variety of applications such as an hydraulic brush, gearbox speed increaser, generator or washing machine.

The use of water pressure powered hydraulic motors is well known. These types of devices are found in such items as clothes washing machines, car washes, robot floor cleaners and toothbrushes. These all utilize turbines, wheels driven by water power which may use the power generated to move brushes.
Many types of hydraulic motors are available, using all manner of construction and materials. These suffer, however, from a number of disadvantages such as being too complicated or difficult to use. Moreover, the turbine system is inefficient. Devices such as those disclosed by certain patents use simple turbine systems, such as U.S. Pat. No. 8,051,527 which discloses a cleaning robot system that can perform wet washing; U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,386 which discloses a hand-held cleaning apparatus for cleaning carpets and other surfaces with a motorized cleaning head; U.S. Pat. No. 7,302,734 which discloses a self-propelled ground cleaning machine with hydraulically driven rotating brush; U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,078 which discloses a self-contained oral cleaning device in which tap water from the faucet is pressurized to activate variously shaped interchangeable heads with bristles: U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,964 which discloses a hydro-mechanical massaging apparatus with a component that effects massage with water and a turbine, U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,244 which discloses a hydraulic brush for teeth and gums which includes a rotating brush; U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,226 which discloses a car washing apparatus having a rotary brush; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,302 which discloses a wall cleaning apparatus with a hydraulically-controlled telescoping boom.
An improved hydraulic motor is needed which operates using low-pressure or high-pressure fluids such as water, and is useful for such applications as cleaning objects and surfaces using water pressure to power a hydraulic brush in a more efficient way.

Hydraulic motor capable of many different applications able to use low-pressure or high-pressure fluids to operate


A method and apparatus are provided for determining the health of a desired node in a multi-level system. The method includes defining a first fault model associated with a first node of a first level of the system, defining a second fault model associated with a second node of a second level of the system, and defining a third fault model associated with a third node associated with a third level of the system. The method further includes determining a health value associated with at least one of the first node, the second node, and the third node of the system based on at least one of the first fault model, second fault model, and the third fault model.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an industrial processing system, and, more particularly, to determining the health of a desired node in a multi-level semiconductor fabrication processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a constant drive within the semiconductor industry to increase the quality, reliability, and throughput of integrated circuit devices, e.g., microprocessors, memory devices, and the like. This drive is fueled by consumer demands for higher quality computers and electronic devices that operate more reliably. These demands have resulted in continual improvements in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, e.g., transistors, as well as in the manufacture of integrated circuit devices incorporating such transistors. Additionally, reducing the defects in the manufacture of the components of a typical transistor also lowers the overall cost per transistor as well as the cost of integrated circuit devices incorporating such transistors.
During the fabrication process, various events may take place that affect the performance of the devices being fabricated. That is, variations in the fabrication process steps may result in device performance variations. Factors, such as feature critical dimensions, doping levels, contact resistance, particle contamination, etc., all may potentially affect the end performance of the device. Various tools in the processing line are controlled, in accordance with performance models, to reduce processing variation. Commonly controlled tools include photolithography steppers, polishing tools, etching tools, and deposition tools. Pre-processing and/or post-processing metrology data is supplied to process controllers for the tools. Operating recipe parameters, such as processing time, are calculated by the process controllers based on the performance model and the metrology information to attempt to achieve post-processing results as close to a target value as possible. Reducing variation in this manner leads to increased throughput, reduced cost, higher device performance, etc., all of which equate to increased profitability.
Semiconductor manufacturing processes, which have become more reliable and robust over the past few years, may include a plurality of processing tools that cooperate with each other to process semiconductor devices, such as microprocessors, memory devices, ASICs, etc. To verify that the processing tools are operating within acceptable parameters, it has become increasingly desirable to monitor the operating conditions of such processing tools.
Today's semiconductor manufacturing processes may include an intricate network of multiple processing tools for manufacturing semiconductor devices. In such an arrangement, while the processing tools may cooperatively work to process wafers, the fault detection analysis is typically performed on a tool-by-tool basis. That is, each processing tool generally has its own associated fault detection system for identifying faults with that particular processing tool 30. While discrete, independent fault detection systems are useful in evaluating the performance of individual processing tools, such fault detection systems provide a rather limited perspective on the overall performance of the manufacturing system. Further, the discrete, independent fault detection systems can be inflexible from the standpoint of providing varying perspectives of the performance of selected groups of processing tools, other equipment, or processes in the manufacturing system.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Determining the health of a desired node in a multi-level system


A system and a method for obtaining a content plan are provided. The system includes a computing device configured to: provide a tag for each clause of each sentence of each product description of each of a category of products, where the tags include introductive tags corresponding to attributions of the products and description tags corresponding to descriptions of the products; determine tag exclusiveness, tag similarity, tag distance, and tag causality between the tags; generate candidate tag sequences the product descriptions; and filter the candidate tag sequences using the tag exclusiveness, the tag similarity, the tag distance and the tag causality to obtain the content plan.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Major E-commerce sites, such as, <JD.com>, <Taobao.com>, operate several product channels, e.g., recommendation texts. However, generation of these content-based channels requires massive human involvement.
Therefore, an unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

System and method for automatic generation of knowledge-powered content planning

BEIJING WODONG TIANJUN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

JD.COM AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION


A method for automated magnetic field shimming in a MR imaging system includes generating RF excitation pulses in anatomy, generating slice select magnetic field gradients on a static magnetic field and generating a plurality of shimming routines. The method also includes acquiring maps of the static magnetic field between each shimming routine and determining a base function for each of the plurality of shimming coils from: (i) intermediate magnitudes and directions of the static magnetic field produced by each of the plurality of shimming coils during each shimming routine; and (ii) intermediate currents supplied to each of the plurality of shimming coils during each shimming routine. The method further includes determining updated magnitudes and directions of the static magnetic field produced by each of the plurality of shimming coils by expanding the determined base function for each of the plurality of shimming coils into low order polynomials.

MR imaging is a medical imaging technique that uses an applied static magnetic field (B0) and radio frequency (RF) pulses to make images (e.g., via slices) of organs and structures inside the body. During MR imaging, the magnetic field causes magnetic field vectors of protons (typically in hydrogen atoms) to align with the magnetic field. The RF pulses cause the magnetic field vectors of the protons to be displaced (e.g., rotate) relative to the magnetic field and re-align with the magnetic field. A MR imaging scanner picks up signals from the protons in the body that result from magnetization field vectors re-aligning with the magnetic field. The signals may then be converted into images based on the location and strength of the incoming signals.
The magnetic field includes a number of locations in space, with each location having a corresponding magnitude and direction. Homogeneity or uniformity of the magnetic field refers to similarity of the magnitude and the direction of each location (e.g., three dimensional volume) of the magnetic field in space. A completely homogenous or uniform magnetic field has the same magnitude and the same direction for each location in space. The quality of MR imaging depends on the homogeneity of the magnetic field. The non-homogeneity of the main static magnetic field (B0) generated by an MR imaging system may lead to numerous imaging artifacts (e.g., banding artifacts) in MR imaging, such as steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging.

Methods and systems for automated magnetic field shimming


According to the present invention there is disclosed a hydrogen-permeable membrane which comprises                a ceramic material composed of a nitride of aluminum (Al) and/or silicon (Si), an oxide of aluminum (Al) and/or silicon (Si), or a silicide of a rare earth element, and        particles of at least one kind of hydrogen-permeable metal selected from palladium (Pd), niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), tantalum (Ta) and an alloy thereof, dispersed in the ceramic material,wherein a proportion of the hydrogen-permeable metal particles in the hydrogen-permeable membrane is 30 to 70% by mass and a thickness of the membrane is 5 to 1,000 nm.

The demand for hydrogen is predicted to increase sharply in various industrial fields. With such a background, development of a hydrogen-permeable membrane usable for purification of hydrogen is in progress. As the hydrogen-permeable membrane, there is known one using palladium (Pd). Pd is a rare noble metal and is very expensive.
Hence, development of a substitute material which is less expensive than Pd. For example, there was proposed, in the claim of JP-A-2002-336664, a hydrogen-permeable membrane unit obtained by forming a hydrogen-permeable membrane composed of niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), tantalum (Ta), etc., on a porous substrate having gas permeability. There was proposed, in the claim of JP-A-1995-000775, a hydrogen-permeable membrane using an alloy of zirconium (Zr) with nickel, chromium, iron, copper, vanadium, titanium, etc.
However, substitute materials for Pd are, in general, inferior to Pd in hydrogen permeability. Further, the substitute materials react with hydrogen and resultantly powder, and show such deterioration. Therefore, they are inferior to Pd in durability.
Moreover, hydrogen-permeable membranes using Pd or a substitute material as a hydrogen-permeable material have a membrane thickness of about several microns to several millimeters and only hydrogen-permeable membranes having such a very large thickness have been developed heretofore. In particular, a hydrogen-permeable membrane using only Pd as a membrane material has a low mechanical strength and accordingly has a problem that the thickness can not be reduced further. Since hydrogen-permeable materials and, in particular, Pd is very expensive, a hydrogen-permeable membrane of large thickness composed of such a material becomes a high cost.
Thus, there is currently no hydrogen-permeable membrane which can satisfy three elements of performance, durability and cost and it is strongly desired to develop such a hydrogen-permeable membrane.

Hydrogen-permeable membrane and process for production thereof


Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for defining travel paths in parking areas. In one embodiment, travel paths in parking areas are defined by automatically, semi-automatically, and/or manually.

Map vendors, such as Tele Atlas®, Telerik®, and NAVTEQ®, provide digital maps to a variety of clients for different purposes. For example, such companies may provide digital maps to (a) Internet websites for providing driving directions to consumers; (b) cellular companies to include in smartphones; (c) government agencies (e.g., the United States Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency) for use in their respective government functions; and (d) transportation and logistics companies, such as United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (UPS), for determining and optimizing delivery routes. Unfortunately, the digital maps provided by vendors do not generally include the travel paths in parking areas. For example, although digital maps can be used to provide navigational information for traveling to shopping malls, hospitals, parks, recreation areas, theme parks, and/or the like, they do not include, for example, the actual longitude and latitude coordinates of the travel paths within the parking areas at such locations. For transportation and logistics companies, information about travel paths in parking areas can be a paramount concern for routing and scheduling operations. Accordingly, if travel paths in parking areas are unknown/estimated or undeterminable, it can greatly impact a company's efficiency and routing and scheduling optimization.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention an illuminated two-piece exhibit includes a first arcuate arm, a second arcuate arm joined to the first arcuate end at a proximate end, an intermediary arc extends between the first arcuate arm and the second arcuate arm at a distal end, a diffusor configured for receiving a light source, a centrally located receptacle extending between the first arcuate arm and the second arcuate arm, a window extending from the centrally located receptacle through the first arcuate arm and the second arcuate arm, the diffusor extending from said centrally located receptacle and at least partially through the window wherein the diffusor is configured for illumination by the light source.

Approximately sixty million people get married in the U.S. each year. At a typical marriage ceremony, there are various rituals designed to celebrate the joining of the previously unmarried couple. Wedding unity ceremonies have been in use as part of weddings for many years. People from all over the world incorporate unity ceremonies into their weddings because these ceremonies have symbolic and meaningful attributes that enhance the wedding experience and make it unique.
Various ceremonies use an object to provide a visual image of unity including a lantern, a candle, a lasso, a rope or cord, sand, glass, beer, wine, or water. While many of the visual representations have a decorative, visual appeal, many of them are short-lived, can be chaotic, messy, unreliable and, in the case of fire, dangerous.
Some of these rituals and celebrations use candles to visually symbolize the joining of the parties mentally, spiritually and physically and to affirm the commitment of the parties. In the unity candle ceremony, for instance, the bride and groom each receive a lit candle from their parents and use them to simultaneously light their unity candle. An officiant reads a corresponding ceremony of the couple's choice during this time, and the lighting of the unity candle is viewed as symbolic of the union of marriage. There are many variations of this example, and the end result is an additional ceremony for the wedding and the candle itself becomes a keepsake for the couple that is considered symbolic of their wedding day.
Another example of an existing wedding unity ceremony is the use of sand for a unity ceremony. In a sand ceremony, the bride and groom are instructed to pour sand into a vase either one at a time or simultaneously. The sands are considered to be symbolic of the couple and their union of marriage, just as the lighting of the candle in the aforementioned example.
There has been a long felt need for an alternative to the unity candle ceremony for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons is that many churches and other religious sites restrict the use of candles in weddings because of the fear of fire damage to the property. Another reason is the fact that many weddings are held outside and on beaches, and the use of candles is difficult, if not impossible, because of the wind or weather, and the difficulty in predicting them.
There has also been a long felt need for improvements to the traditional sand unity Ceremony. The primary reason for this is that an appropriate keepsake or heirloom vessel into which the sand is filled has been lacking. In addition, the sand just rests in a vase, and the vase does not provide for the sand to readily flow or blend together. Additionally, most vases used lack the utility of an attractive, easy to use mechanism for the opening and sealing of the vase. The sands from the ceremony are therefore not ideally stored for the purposes of display and for the purposes of passing them down through generations of the family as a keepsake or heirloom.
There has also been a long felt need for an alternative to traditional wedding unity ceremonies, such as the unity candle ceremony and the unity sand ceremony. The feeling for this need arises from the desire to make the wedding a unique experience, to display a unique symbol of the union of marriage and the joining of the families and in doing these things create an appropriate keepsake or family heirloom. Many couples that desire to have a night-time wedding have had a long felt need to incorporate an appropriate visual experience to their wedding, which can be replicated at a later time. In addition, couples have had the long felt need for a wedding ceremony that can result in a visual representation of the unification of the parties which includes illumination and can be preformed at a later time for the purposes of their subsequent honeymoon, anniversaries, vacations, gifts, special events, and/or renewing of vows.
Based in part on the foregoing challenges, there exists a need for an illuminated two-piece display which provides a visual representation of unification associated with a marriage ceremony.


A joint lock comprises a lock body that accommodates a combination locking mechanism; and a jointed bar hoop. The combination locking mechanism has a plurality of code rings rotatable about an axis of rotation and a latch that is preloaded along the axis of rotation in the direction of a locked position. The lock body has an introduction opening through which the locking bar of the jointed bar hoop can be introduced into the lock body along an introduction direction that is oriented transversely to the axis of rotation of the code rings, with the locking bar introduced into the lock body being locked to the lock body when the latch is in the locked position and is blocked. The latch and/or the locking bar of the jointed bar hoop has/have at least one slope that is configured to effect an urging back of the preloaded latch from the locked position into a release position on a removal of the locking bar from the introduction opening of the lock body and/or on an introduction of the locking bar into the introduction opening of the lock body.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and which is not necessarily prior art.
Such a joint lock is, for example, known from DE 10 2007 035 116 A1 whose contents are included in the present disclosure with respect to the general operation of a joint lock. Such joint locks can, for example, be used to secure a two-wheeler, for which purpose the mutually connected jointed bars of the jointed bar hoop can first be pivoted apart or folded such that the jointed bar hoop can be guided through a section of the two-wheeler, for example a frame section, and around an object fixed in a stationary manner, for example a bicycle stand, a lantern or a fence. The free end of the jointed bar hoop that has the locking bar can then be introduced into the introduction opening of the lock body and locked thereto so that the jointed bar hoop forms a closed loop that connects the two-wheeler to the object fixed in a stationary manner and secures it thereat. The closed loop formed by the jointed bar hoop can furthermore be guided through the spokes of one of the running wheels of the two-wheeler such that the movement of said two-wheeler is bounded and an unauthorized riding away can be prevented.
Such joint locks can have a combination locking mechanism by means of which a secret code can be set to enable a release of the latch for a movement into the release position and to be able to release the locking bar from the lock body. Such a secret code can, for example, consist of a predetermined sequence of numbers that is selected by the user and that can be set by a rotation of the code rings in a viewing window of the lock body. In addition to such a numerical encryption, other forms of the coding are also possible, e.g. through different shapes, letters or colors shown on the code rings. Due to the blocking and release of the latch by inputting a secret code, a secure locking of the locking bar to the lock body and a removal of the locking bar desired by the user can be achieved by a rotation of the code rings about the axis of rotation so that no key has to be taken along to actuate the lock. The risk that the lock can no longer be actuated due to a loss of a key can thus also be counteracted. These advantages of a joint lock having a combination locking mechanism are opposed by the more complicated handling of known solutions in which the secret code first has to be set and the locking mechanism subsequently has to be unlocked by a manual actuation. Only then can the locking bar be removed.


The invention relates to a process for the preparation of electrically conductive polymers derived from 3-alkylthiophenes by chemical polymerization of the 3-alkylthiophene by means of a ferric salt, an alkyl halide and water.. The invention also relates to electrically conductive devices containing the poly(3-alkylthiophenes) obtained and a thermoplastic polymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of electrically conductive polymers derived from 3-alkylthiophenes by chemical polyemerization of the corresponding 3-alkylthiophene.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In Patent Application EP-0,253,594 a process has been proposed for the preparation of electrically conductive polymers by chemical polymerization of thiophenes which can be substituted, by various substituted aminoalkyl or oxyalkyl groups, in the presence of an oxidizing agent having a standard redox potential greater than or equal to that of the substituted thiophene and, if appropriate, in the presence of a catalyst and of a solvent at a temperature of between 20.degree. and 110.degree. C. The polymers obtained can be mixed with other polymers such as polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene, but the conductive polymers and the mixtures obtained by this process have low conductivities (of the order of 1 to 10.sup.-6 S.cm.sup.-1).

Process for the preparation of electrically conductive polymers derived from 3-alkylthiophenes


The present invention provides an image processing device, an image processing method, and a recording medium that enable various defect portions to be accurately corrected. R, G, B, and IR are respectively read in an image recorded on a photographic film and transverse chromatic aberration correction is performed on each of the R, G, B, and IR image data. Subsequently, defect portions in the image being processed are detected based on the IR data, and predetermined feature amounts are calculated for the image portion being processed. Based on the results of this calculation, either one of the interpolation method or brightness adjustment method is selected as the correction method for the defect portion being processed, or the ranges in which each of these correction methods is to be applied are decided. Consequently, either one of the two correction methods or both correction methods are applied and the correction values decided, and the final correction values are then determined.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, and a recording medium. In particular, the present invention relates to an image processing device for correcting defect portions in an image represented by image information, an image processing method that can be applied to the image processing device, and a recording medium on which is recorded a program for enabling a computer to function as the image processing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because of the handling thereof, sometimes the emulsion surface and the back surface (i.e. the rear surface of the emulsion surface) of a photographic film become scratched. If scratches are formed within locations corresponding to the image recording area of a photographic film, and if an attempt is made to output (i.e. by recording the image on an image recording material such as photographic paper or the like, or by displaying the image on a display apparatus such as a display unit or the like) an image recorded on the scratched photographic film, then, depending on the extent of the scratching, the scratches formed on the photographic film are often clearly visible on the output image as defect portions such as low density streaks or white streaks. Moreover, if foreign matter such as dust or the like becomes attached to the surface of a photographic film, the foreign matter is clearly visible as a defect portion.
In order to try and prevent scratches on a photographic film in a surface exposure type of photographic printing apparatus that performs exposure recording of an image onto photographic paper by irradiating light onto a photographic film and irradiating the light transmitted through the photographic film onto photographic paper, a diffusion plate is positioned between the light source and the photographic film and the light scattered by the diffusion plate is irradiated onto the photographic film. However, in this technology, it is difficult to eliminate defect portions in an output image (i.e. in an image recorded by exposure on photographic paper), and the defect portions are simply reduced slightly (i.e. made less visible).
A technology applicable to an image reading device structured so as to read an image recorded on a photographic film using a reading sensor such as a CCD or the like is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 11-75039. In this technology, each photographic film is read in each of at least four wavelength regions including visible light regions of three wavelengths and a non-visible light region of one wavelength (e.g. the infrared region or the ultraviolet region). Then, based on the information obtained from the reading in the non-visible light region, the image information obtained from the readings in the visible light regions is corrected.
The amount of transmitted light in the visible light regions changes in accordance with the density of the image recorded on the photographic film. In addition, the amount of transmitted light is also changed by portions of the light being refracted or reflected due to the scratching or foreign matter in those locations on the photographic film where scratching or foreign matter are present. In contrast, although the amount of transmitted light in the non-visible light regions changes in those locations where scratching or foreign matter are present on the photographic film, it is not affected by the density of the image recorded on the photographic film.
As a result, according to the technology disclosed in the above publication, scratching and foreign matter present on the photographic film are detected from the changes in the amount of transmitted light in the non-visible light regions, and it becomes possible to correct variations in the amount of transmitted light in the visible regions caused by scratching and foreign matter present on the surface of the photographic film. Namely, it becomes possible to amend defect portions of an image (i.e. of an image represented by image information obtained by the readings in the visible light regions) created by scratching or foreign matter present on the surface of the photographic film.
Various correction methods can be considered as the correction method (correction algorithm) for correcting the defect portions. Examples of these include a correction method in which a defect portion is corrected using interpolation to decide the brightness and density of the defect portion from information of the area surrounding the defect portion (an interpolation method); a correction method in which a defect portion of an image is corrected by adjusting the brightness of the defect portion area (brightness adjustment method); and a correction method in which a defect is corrected by vignetting defect portions by reducing high frequency components of the spatial frequency in the defect portion and the areas around the defect portion (vignetting method).
However, each one of these correction methods has a weak point. Namely, in the interpolation method, because interpolation is performed from changes in the density in the surrounding area adjacent to the defect portion with it being assumed that the density of the original image changes smoothly and continuously between the defect portion and the surrounding area adjacent to the defect portions, then if, for example, the change in the density is originally complex within the defect portion, the accuracy of the interpolation calculation is low (i.e. the accuracy with which the density of the original image is reproduced) and in some cases the result of the correction is somewhat inappropriate and gives a sense of incongruity to the person looking at the output result.
Moreover, when correcting defect portions using the interpolation method, the accuracy of the correction varies greatly depending on in which direction out of all the areas surrounding the defect portion (i.e. the interpolation direction) the area having the information used to perform the interpolation is present. Because the proper interpolation direction enabling the defect portion to be properly corrected is different depending on the defect portion, there is a drawback that there is a great amount of unevenness in the accuracy of the correction depending on the defect portion to be corrected.
Moreover, the color of a defect portion caused, for example, by foreign matter present on the photographic film or by scratching on the emulsion surface side of the photographic film in the image data obtained by reading an image recorded on the photographic film is often different from the color of that portion of the subject recorded by photography on the photographic film that corresponds to the defect portion. In contrast to this, because the brightness adjustment method only adjusts the brightness and does not change the color of a defect portion, it is difficult using this method to accurately correct defect portions such as those described above.
Furthermore, in the brightness adjustment method, the amount of brightness adjustment is decided based on changes in the amount of transmitted light in the non-visible light region in the region surrounding the defect portion. However, due to reasons such as the refractive indexes varying depending on the wavelength of the light because of scratching on the photographic film and the like, the changes in the amount of transmitted light in the non-visible light region in the region surrounding the defect portion usually varies slightly from the changes in the amount of transmitted light in the visible light regions caused by scratching and the like in the region surrounding the defect portion. Consequently, even if a defect portion is corrected in accordance with an amount of brightness adjustment decided on the basis of the change in the amount of transmitted light in the non-visible light region, this variation in the change of the amount of the transmitted light, for example, may remain as a minute defect portion.
In the vignetting method, because the defect portions are vignetted by reducing high frequency components of the spatial frequency in the defect portion and the area surrounding the defect portions, this method is not suitable for correcting defect portions caused by deep scratches or by the presence of comparatively large-sized foreign matter. Namely, in order to correct defect portions such as these, it is necessary to enlarge the degree of vignetting of the defect portions which tends to lower the image quality of the image. As can thus be seen, no matter which of the various correction methods described above is used, it is difficult to correct with any accuracy all of the varied types of defect portions which all have different features to each other.
Even when cells in which the relationship between the amount of incident light and the output signal is different from the initial relationship (i.e. so-called defect pixels) are present in a multiplicity of photoelectric conversion cells of the photoelectric conversion elements of a CCD or the like built into a digital still camera (referred to below as a digital camera), the same type of defect portions are created in an image represented by image data obtained by the image pickup of a subject as the defect portions caused by foreign matter or scratching on a photographic film. It is possible to correct these defect portions in the same way as the defect portions caused by foreign matter and scratching on a photographic film, however, no matter which of the above correction methods is used for such corrections, it is still difficult to accurately correct each one of the various types of defect portions.
The present invention was conceived in view of the above. It is a first object of the present invention to provide an image processing device, an image processing method, and a recording medium capable of accurately correcting all of various types of defect portions.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide an image processing device, an image processing method, and a recording medium capable of suppressing inconsistency in the correction accuracy when defects are corrected by the interpolation method.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide an image processing device, an image processing method, and a recording medium capable of improving the correction accuracy when correcting defect portions by the brightness adjustment method.

Image processing device, image processing method and recording medium


A display panel for displaying an image, a drive circuit for driving the display panel and a rear plate for supporting the display panel are provided. The drive circuit includes a circuit board fixed on the rear plate, semiconductor devices surface-mounted on the circuit board to be connected to a plurality of electrodes formed on the display panel and radiator plates attached to the other surfaces of the semiconductor devices opposite to the surfaces mounted on the circuit board so as to be almost in parallel with the rear plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat panel display and a semiconductor device for use therein, and more particularly, to a flat panel display having a drive circuit mounted thereon and a semiconductor device for use therein.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, plasma display panels (hereinafter also referred to as PDPs) are becoming increasingly common as big-screen flat panel displays not only for business use but also for consumer use. A PDP has front and rear glass substrates joined to each other, and a space therebetween is filled with a discharge gas. The glass substrates filled with a discharge gas is called a display panel. A drive circuit including a power device is mounted on the rear side of the display panel. This power device supplies current to the display panel, so that a desired image is displayed on the display panel.
A PDP requires a drive circuit capable of applying a high voltage of not lower than 300V at the maximum and flowing a current of 200 A for an instant. Such drive circuit includes many circuit portions, and one of them called a sustain circuit requires the highest current capacity. Another portion called an energy recovery circuit also requires a high current capacity.
An X electrode and a Y electrode are formed on the display panel in parallel with each other. Current is applied to these electrodes from the sustain circuit, to generate a discharge between the electrodes. In a surface discharge type AC-PDP, electrodes are covered with a dielectric, and therefore, a capacitive load occurs between the X and Y electrodes. Accordingly, in the sustain circuit, an upper switching element for raising voltage to a level necessary for driving the PDP and a lower switching element for reducing voltage to zero are connected constitute a half-bridge circuit. In an actual PDP, other various switching elements and circuits are also provided such that a plurality of levels of voltage and complicate waveforms can be applied for performing a display operation.
Driving a PDP causes charge/discharge of a capacitive load, at which time a very large current flows, which greatly increases losses of switching elements of a sustain circuit. To prevent this and to effectively utilize an electric charge stored in the capacitive load, an energy recovery circuit is provided. The energy recovery circuit temporarily transfers an electric charge stored in the capacitive load to a capacitor provided in the energy recovery circuit to thereby effectively utilize electric power, and reduces current flowing in the switching elements of the sustain circuit to thereby reduce losses by a large amount.
The sustain circuit and energy recovery circuit are each provided with a plurality of switching elements. Usually, field effect transistors (hereinafter also referred to as FETs) are used for these switching elements. Since a PDP is driven at frequencies ranging approximately from 100 kHz to 250 kHz, an FET capable of performing switching at high speeds needs to be adopted as a switching element.
However, since a large current of about 200 A is necessary for an instant for driving a PDP, one FET is not enough to drive the whole PDP in terms of current capacity. Further, to reduce losses of FETs to a realistic value, a plurality of FETs need to be connected in parallel.
An FET has a great advantage over other switching elements for use in driving a PDP in terms of high-speed switching. However, a plurality of FETs need to be connected in parallel in the drive circuit of a PDP since driving of the PDP requires a very large current as described above. The need for a plurality of FETs creates the need for a large circuit board on which the FETs are mounted and the need for large radiator plates (hereinafter also referred to as radiator fins), which is a problem in achieving size reduction and cost reduction of products.
Therefore, attempts are being made to drive a PDP with a smaller number of switching elements instead of FETs. For instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-330514 proposes using an insulated gate bipolar transistor (hereinafter also referred to as IGBT) for the drive circuit of a PDP. An IGBT has advantages over an FET in larger current capacity, lower ON voltage (ON-state resistance) and little variation in ON voltage even with higher device temperatures. The use of IGBT for the drive circuit of a PDP allows a switching element formed by a plurality of FETs connected in parallel to be replaced by one IGBT. Driving a PDP with one IGBT will substantially reduce the number of switching elements, which can reduce a circuit board in area.
The drive circuit of a flat panel display is provided on the rear plate supporting the display panel. Thus, the flat panel display increases in size as the drive circuit increases in size. Particularly, in the case of using FETs in the drive circuit, large radiator fins are required, which increases the drive circuit in size in the direction of thickness of the flat panel display. Since flat panel displays such as PDPs are characterized by small thickness, such large radiator fins cause a serious problem that interferes with the slimming down of flat panel displays.

Flat panel display and semiconductor device for use therein


A toner comprising a resin binder, a black colorant comprising a composite oxide of two or more metals, and a charge control agent comprising a quaternary ammonium salt. The toner is suitably used for the development of a latent image formed in electrophotography, electrostatic recording method, electrostatic printing method or the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner used for the development of a latent image formed in electrophotography, electrostatic recording method, electrostatic printing method or the like.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventionally, carbon blacks have been widely used as a black colorant for a toner. However, the following problems have been addressed. Specifically, the toner containing carbon black has a low resistance, so that an appropriate level of triboelectric charge properties cannot be obtained, whereby deteriorations in image qualities such as unevenness of solid images and toner scattering are likely to be generated. Especially in a high-speed machine for a two-component development having a linear speed exceeding 370 mm/sec, a centrifugal force applied to the toner by a magnet roller is greater than the Coulomb's force between the toner and the carrier, so that there arises a phenomenon in which a toner is dropped in lumps to a so-called non-image bearing portion (hereinafter referred to as a "toner drop"). Especially in a high-printing mode in which printed ratio exceeds 20%, the toner consumption is rapid, so that the toner cannot have a sufficient level of triboelectric charges, whereby the toner drop becomes more remarkable.
In addition, in a monocomponent development, since the frictional triboelectric charging time is very short, the toner containing carbon black cannot have a sufficient level of triboelectric charges. Therefore, there arises undesired phenomena such that the fixed images are blurred during solid-image printing, and that the background fogging is likely to take place.
Various raw materials which are used in place of carbon black as black colorants have been studied. For instance, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 4-356059 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,264) and Hei 5-19536 disclose a black toner comprising a yellow pigment, a mazenta pigment and a cyan pigment, without containing carbon black. In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-10344 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,017) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 9-25126 disclose toners comprising various composite oxides. However, even when the three pigments are mixed together, an appropriate degree of blackness cannot be obtained, and the triboelectric charges are also unstable. In addition, although the inclusion of the latter composite oxide contained in a toner gives the toner a high triboelectric charge, it is deficient in the stability of the triboelectric charges. Also, since the degree of blackness is also slightly lower, there arises a problem of lowering the fixing ability when the composite oxide is contained in a large amount in a toner.
An object of the present invention is to provide a toner having excellent stability and initial rise in the triboelectric charges, thereby continuously giving an excellent fixed image without generating deterioration in the image quality even when the toner is applied to a high-speed machine for a two-component development or to a developing device for a nonmagnetic monocomponent development.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.


An optical head is provided with a light source for emitting a first laser beam having a first wavelength shorter than 430 nm, a two-wavelength light source for emitting a second laser beam having a second wavelength equal to or longer than 430 nm, a flat beam splitter in the form of a single plate for reflecting the first laser beam emitted from the light source, a wedge prism in the form of a single plate for reflecting the first laser beam reflected by the flat beam splitter and transmitting the second laser beam emitted from the two-wavelength light source, and an objective lens for focusing the first laser beam reflected by the wedge prism on an information recording surface of a BD. The light source is arranged such that the optical axis of the first laser beam emitted from the light source is inclined with respect to that of the second laser beam emitted from the two-wavelength light source. By this construction, the miniaturization of the optical head can be realized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical head including a plurality of light sources having different wavelengths and adapted to optically record or reproduce information on or from a plurality of types of information recording media such as optical discs, an optical disc device including such an optical head and an information recording and/or reproducing device including such an optical disc device.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, with the practical use of blue-violet semiconductor lasers, Blu-ray discs (hereinafter, "BDs"), which are optical information recording media (hereinafter, also referred to as "optical discs") having the same size as CDs (Compact Discs) and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), high density and large capacity, have been put to practical use. These BDs are optical discs which record or reproduce information using a blue-violet laser light source for emitting blue-violet light having a wavelength of about 400 nm and an objective lens whose numerical aperture (NA) is increased to 0.85 and whose protective substrates are about 0.1 mm in thickness.
Accordingly, there have been proposed compatible optical heads for recording or reproducing information by focusing laser beams of different wavelengths on information recording surfaces of optical discs whose protective substrates differ in thickness using a single or a plurality of objective lenses.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-15456 (prior art) discloses an optical head for recording or reproducing information by focusing laser beams of different wavelengths emitted from separate light sources using a single objective lens while causing the optical axes of the laser beams to substantially coincide using a flat beam splitter.
FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the construction of a conventional optical head. In FIG. 22, an optical head 140 is provided with a first light source 101 for emitting a red laser beam, a first flat beam splitter 102, a first auxiliary lens 103, a second flat beam splitter 104, a collimator lens 105, a mirror 107, an objective lens 108, a detection lens 110, a second light source 111 for emitting an infrared laser beam, a second auxiliary lens 112 and a light receiving element 120.
A DVD 70 is an optical disc with a protective substrate having a thickness of 0.6 mm, and a CD 80 is an optical disc with a protective substrate having a thickness of 1.2 mm.
First of all, an operation of the optical head 140 to record or reproduce information on or from the CD 80 is described. An infrared laser beam emitted from the second light source 111 is converted into a divergent beam having a different NA by the second auxiliary lens 112 and reflected by the second flat beam splitter 104. Thereafter, the infrared laser beam is focused as a light spot on an information recording surface of the CD 80 via the protective substrate by the objective lens 108 after being converted into a substantially parallel beam by the collimator lens 105 and reflected by the mirror 107.
The infrared laser beam reflected by the information recording surface of the CD 80 passes through the objective lens 108 again, is reflected by the mirror 107 and converted into a convergent beam by the collimator lens 105. Thereafter, the infrared laser beam passes through the second flat beam splitter 104 and the first flat beam splitter 102, has astigmatism given thereto by the detection lens 110 and is introduced to the light receiving element 120.
Next, an operation of the optical head 140 to record or reproduce information on or from the DVD 70 is described. A red laser beam emitted from the first light source 101 is converted into a divergent beam having a different NA by the first auxiliary lens 103 and reflected by the first flat beam splitter 102. Thereafter, the red laser beam is focused as a light spot on an information recording surface of the DVD 70 via the protecting substrate by the objective lens 108 after passing through the second flat beam splitter 104 and being converted into a substantially parallel beam by the collimator lens 105 and reflected by the mirror 107.
The red laser beam reflected by the information recording surface of the DVD 70 passes through the objective lens 108 again and is reflected by the mirror 107 and converted into a convergent beam by the collimator lens 105. Thereafter, the red laser beam passes through the second flat beam splitter 104 and the first flat beam splitter 102, has astigmatism given thereto by the detection lens 110 and is introduced to the light receiving element 120.
The first flat beam splitter 102 has a spectral characteristic with a transmittance of about 100% and a reflectance of about 0% for infrared laser beams while having a spectral characteristic with a transmittance of about 50% and a reflectance of about 50% for red laser beams.
On the other hand, the second flat beam splitter 104 has a spectral characteristic with a transmittance of about 50% and a reflectance of about 50% for infrared laser beams while having a spectral characteristic with a transmittance of about 100% and a reflectance of about 0% for red laser beams.
Here, an angle of inclination "a" of the second flat beam splitter 104 is set to 35°, an angle of inclination "b" of the first flat beam splitter 102 is set to 45° and the second flat beam splitter 104 is formed thin from a hard material. Thus, astigmatism and coma aberration produced in an optical path up to the optical disc can be suppressed.
The construction of the optical head in which the first and second flat beam splitters 102 and 104 are both formed by parallel plates is disclosed in the above prior art.
However, a spectral characteristic of the flat beam splitter with respect to a polarization direction of an incident laser beam is not described in the prior art at all. In other words, since the flat beam splitters of the prior art are wavelength selecting prisms only specifying the transmittances and reflectances of infrared laser beams and red laser beams, a so-called isolation performance of improving light utilization efficiency by a combination of a wave plate and a polarization beam splitter in the form of a flat plate is not described. Accordingly, problems peculiar to the polarization beam splitter in the form of a flat plate such as incident angle dependency when a laser beam of a specified polarization direction is incident are not mentioned at all. For example, problems such as the one that power necessary for a laser light source increases or a light quantity distribution of a far field pattern of a laser beam incident on an objective lens becomes asymmetric due to insufficient light utilization efficiency, thereby deteriorating recording performance, occur in a recording optical head.
Further, the optical head disclosed in the prior art is an optical head for recording or reproducing information on or from DVDs and CDs. Accordingly, neither disclosure nor indication is made regarding problems peculiar to the optical head for recording or reproducing information on or from high-density optical discs such as BDs using a blue-violet light source such as the construction of the optical head associated with different directions of far field patterns suitable for recording or reproduction between BDs and DVDs and resistance characteristics of lens glass materials against irradiation of blue-violet laser beams. In other words, the construction of the optical head disclosed in the prior art cannot be applied to an optical head for recording or reproducing information on or from high-density optical discs such as BDs.

Optical head, optical disc device and information recording and/or reproducing device