A cosmetic dispenser including a container, a dispensing part connected to the container through a connecting part, and a cap removably covering the dispensing part. The cap is rotatable to rotate the dispensing part therewith thereby moving the dispensing part between a closed position in which a switching pole of the connecting part blocks an opening inside the dispensing part, and an open position in which the opening is moved away from the switching pole and the content stored inside the container is able to be transmitted to the dispensing part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cosmetic case for containing an oily or watery tint-care cosmetic, more particularly, to a cosmetic case having a content transmitting path to a nozzle tip for discharging a cosmetic contained in a container and for rubbing the discharged cosmetic to a desired portion of the skin. The nozzle tip may be closed or opened in accordance with covering or uncovering of a cap, which also protects the nozzle tip from being loosened when dispensing the cosmetic.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the purpose of skin protection of beauty, ladies usually makeup with a tint-care cosmetic such as foundation, lipstick/lip gloss, eye cream, eye gel, ball touch, concealer, etc, after makeup with a skin-care cosmetic.
Not only appropriate structure of a container for maintaining the tint-care cosmetic differs from each other according to the usage and the component of the tint-care cosmetic but also the way how to makeup differs from each other according to the structure of the container.
There is one type of tint-care cosmetic for which a separate instrument for example, a powder puff, is used to makeup while there is another type which is contained in a container, is discharged through a nozzle and then rubbed on a desired portion of the skin by using the nozzle tip to makeup.
For example, tint-care cosmetics that are rubbed on a desired portion of the skin to makeup include lipstick, lip gloss, foundation, eye cream, etc, can be referred to.
Because those tint-care cosmetics are of oily gel type, it is possible to makeup by rubbing discharged tint-care cosmetic through the nozzle tip on the skin directly. Also because the discharged tint-care cosmetic is rubbed on the skin when performing makeup, not only it can permeate through the skin easily but also an effective makeup can be performed even with a small amount.
Because those tint-care cosmetic to be rubbed on the skin when makeup, including lipstick, lip gloss, ball touch, foundation, eye cream, eye gel, etc, are of oily gel type, it is preferable to prevent oil component from evaporating and to prevent the contained tint-care cosmetic in the container from contacting with the air.
In a conventional tube-type cosmetic case that discharges an oily gel-type tint-care cosmetic through a nozzle tip, a switching pole which is provided at the inside bottom portion of a cap is inserted into a discharging hole of the nozzle tip so that the content is blocked from being contacted with the air and an oily component of the content is blocked from being evaporated.
However, in such a conventional tube-type cosmetic case the switching pole may be bent and break if the pole is not aligned properly and inserted into the discharging hole when putting the cap on.
If the switching pole, which is provided at the inside bottom of the cap, is broken, it becomes impossible to block the discharging hole. Thus, air can be introduced into the container where the tint-care cosmetic is contained so that the tint-care cosmetic becomes hardened because the oily component which is contained in the tint-care cosmetic can evaporate.
Further, if the discharging hole remains open due to the broken switching pole, various problems can happen. For example, the content can spill out from the container when the container is pressed by an outer force or the container is placed upside down, the inside of the cap can become dirty with the discharged content, the unnecessarily discharged content becomes useless if it gets hardened, etc.
Further in the conventional cosmetic case with the nozzle tip, an opening portion of the container is deformed easily by the shock from the outside because the container, in which content is contained, is made by a soft tube in order that the content can be discharged easily through the nozzle tip.
If the nozzle tip is loosened from the container, air can be introduced through a connecting part and oily component of the content can evaporate thereby the content becomes hardened. Further the content can leak out from the container thereby the leaked content can stick to articles in the carrying bag and the interior of the carrying bag can become dirty.
To solve the problems of the conventional tube-type cosmetic case as described above, the applicant of the present invention have disclosed a cosmetic case capable of blocking outside air from being contacted to the oily gel-type tint-care cosmetic, which is contained in the container, so that not only the problem that the tint-care cosmetic gels harden but also other problems those can be occurred due to the opened discharging hole of the nozzle tip can be solved through the Korean registered utility invention No. 385091.
The registered invention has a container, in which the content is contained, a content outlet which is located at the opening part of the case through of an outer body, a switching adjustment part having a switching knob which is provided to open or close the content outlet selectively, an outer body on which a nozzle tip is provided at the upper portion and which is assembled to the outside of the switching adjustment part, and a cap to press the switching knob, which is protruded from the side of the outer body, in order to block the content outlet.
The registered invention opens or closes the content outlet selectively by the cap which is separated or installed with respect to the container.
If the cap is installed to the container, the switching knob of the switching adjustment part at the inside of the cap is restrained to close up inwardly so that a pressing pole of the switching knob presses the content outlet to be blocked.
Thus, the tint-care cosmetic in the case is protected from being contacted with the air and from becoming hardened.
When makeup using the tint-care cosmetic which is contained in the case stably, because the content outlet is blocked, the cap should be separated from the cosmetic case.
If the cap is separated from the cosmetic case, the switching knob of the switching adjustment part, which has been pressed by the inside of the cap, is set to free and the pressing pole is detached from the content outlet because the switching knob is protruded by the inherent elastic force.
If the pressing pole of the switching knob is detached, the content outlet is restored to an original state to open the content transmitting path because it is made by an elastic material (for example, rubber).
If the content transmitting path of the content outlet is opened, the content which is contained in the cosmetic case can be discharged through the nozzle tip and makeup can be performed by rubbing the discharged content to the desired portion of the skin with the nozzle tip.
When discharging the content in the container through the nozzle tip, the content is discharged from the nozzle tip with the cosmetic case placed upside down.
When the container is of a soft tube-type capable to press to discharge, the content is discharged by pressing the container.
After finishing makeup, the content outlet is blocked with the cap covered over the nozzle tip to maintain.
The registered invention is advantages in that the oily gel-type tint-care cosmetic can be used stably because the air is protected from being introduced into the inside of the cosmetic case where the tint-care cosmetic is contained. However, large number of the parts of the nozzle tip reduces productivity according to an assembling process and causes the cost increased.
Thus, it is necessary to simplify the structure in order to reduce the cost as well as to perform airtight process stably.

Cosmetic case capable of blocking nozzle tip air tightly


An apparatus and method for preventing overload of a network server by messages received from a source initiating network server transactions. The method and apparatus use available network traffic measurements to estimate target transaction rates and admission factors. The method includes the steps, executed by a processor, of establishing a target incoming transaction workload per measurement interval (602), estimating from measurements obtained during the measurement interval the transaction workload offered by a source (604), and reducing a rate at which new transactions are initiated by the source to match the incoming transaction workload to the target workload when the offered transaction workload exceeds a threshold (606).

The present invention relates to telecommunication networks, and more particularly to systems and methods for controlling network server message flow to prevent server overload.
Telecommunications services are coming to rely more and more on real time network servers. In the traditional telephony arena, Service Control Points (SCPs) have been translating "freephone" numbers (800 numbers in the U.S.A.) into real telephone numbers for years. SCPs will soon support a range of intelligent network services, such as voice activated dialing, local number portability, calling name delivery and other screening features, automated telephone polling, and personal communications services. These services increase the demand on SCPs and require SCPs to handle transactions that vary widely in the number of messages per transaction and their real time costs. An analogue of the SCP for video dial tone services is a Level 1 Gateway. In a video dial tone network a Level 1 Gateway screens video session requests and instructs other network elements to set up connections. Level 1 Gateways also handle multiple transaction types, e.g., session requests for interactive TV and for pay-per-view events.
Service demand volatility threatens the integrity of the services that such network servers provide. In an environment of rapid service introduction, ordinary traffic engineering may not keep pace with the growth and fluctuations in load placed on network servers. The servers may experience occasional or even frequent overloads. Overload controls must therefore complement engineering practices.
Prior art controllers implement a trial and error search to establish proper control values relating measurements taken by the controller to server workload capacity. Examples of such measurements include the number of messages that flow into the server, the number of messages that encounter excessive response times, and processor utilization.
The prior art search algorithms suffer from two major limitations. First, the search algorithms update control parameters on a much longer time scale than arriving transactions (seconds vs. a few milliseconds). As a result, convergence of the total transaction rate to a desired value can be slow.
Second, some of the measurements the server uses to trigger controls, such as the number of incoming messages and the number of messages encountering excessive delay, are difficult to relate to the server workload capacity. For example, the amount of time the server needs to process a message varies considerably, so the number of incoming messages alone does not indicate the load on the server. Similarly, when messages encounter excessive delay, it is not obvious how to use counts of such messages to take control actions, especially when transactions span multiple measurement intervals.
When a server determines that it is in overload, it must instruct traffic sources to reduce the number of new transactions to the server. A source is a logical grouping of transactions; one source is the smallest stream of translations subject to a single overload control request. Present controllers in SCPs tightly couple the way servers specify the amount of traffic reduction to a technique for reducing traffic.
SCPs block incoming calls with Automatic Code Gapping ("ACG"), illustrated in FIG. 1. In ACG, the source blocks all new transactions 1 that occur during a gap interval 3. When the gap interval has finished, the next incoming new transaction, 5, 6, or 7, will be accepted. Immediately following the acceptance of the new transaction, the next gap interval begins. Thus, an ACG request to a source tells it to initiate at most one new transaction per "g" seconds, where g is the gap interval.
Conventional gapping techniques store predetermined tables of gap intervals at the sources. In response to congestion, the server transmits to the source an "overload level," an index into the table. The source then applies the gap corresponding to the overload level.
A limitation of this type of controller is that the fixed list of values may not contain the proper control values necessary to remedy a given server overload condition. A controller that is restricted to selecting a control value from a fixed list exhibits characteristic oscillations in transaction throughput as the server alternately selects overload levels that are too large and too small. The larger the mismatch between the values on the fixed list and the values actually needed to control the overload, the larger the swings in throughput. The frequency of the oscillations is governed by the length of the measurement interval, since the controller picks a new value from the list once per interval.
Conventional gapping techniques tend to yield less than optimal throughput because they tend to turn traffic on and then off for too long. Additionally, because applying conventional gapping the server transmits the same indices to all the sources of a given service type, large, high traffic sources tend to be throttled more severely than low traffic sources.
There is, therefore, a need for a method of controlling message flow to prevent server overload that overcomes the limitations of conventional techniques. For example, network server overload controllers should reduce the load incoming to the server to the maximum level it can comfortably handle. In a multi-service environment, a controller should also block demands for individual services provided by the network server.

System for preventing server overload by adaptively modifying gap interval that is used by source to limit number of transactions transmitted by source to server


A thermoformable sheet material as made by use of homogeneously dispersed bicomponent fibers of polyester (12, 12A) and lower melting co-polyester (14, 14A) that are formed as a felt, heated to melt the lower melting component and resolidification of the melted fibers as blobs locking in cross over points of the polyester fibers and deifying and strengthening the felt as a whole into an enhanced thermoformable materials, with adhesives optionally applied to one or both surfaces thereof.

The present invention relates to thermoformable sheet materials usable in manufacture of shoe and skate braces, counters and box toes; vehicle headliners, rear decks and trunk compartments; and other like complex shaped parts with a significant strength specification, including such sheet materials with or without an applied, adhesive on one or both surfaces thereof, for laminating to other materials (e.g. shoe counters or box toe laminated to the shoe upper).
Materials of this general class have been made for the last fifty years. The current state of the art includes a segment of higher stiffness and low cost occupied by nonwoven fabrics saturated with polystyrene (i.e. saturated with a latex containing styrene that is dried to form a polystyrene matrix).sup.1 and another segment occupied by laminates of extruded resin and nonwoven fabric and hybrids, e.g. where a fabric, laminated to a resin, is saturated with polystyrene. FNT 1 Other synthetic or cellulosic materials are also employed in such applications.
It is also known in connection with materials usable in carpets, headliners and trunks to densify and self bond all or portions of a nonwoven fiber mass by use of mixed higher and lower melting point fibers and heating between the two melting points so that the lower melting point fiber softens and rehardens as dispersed consolidated masses that lock in many crossover points of the higher melting fiber.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermoformable sheet form material of enhanced flexibility and resilience compared to the state of the art saturated fabric and resin laminate materials while affording the stiffness and strength of such state of the art materials.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a material that affords reliable, easily achieved design properties and is produceable at high rates and low cost, consistent with the foregoing objects.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an environmentally preferred material consistent with the foregoing objects.
Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:


A process for the production of dual-functional ion exchange resins from lignocellulosic agricultural material involving anionization of the lignocellulosic agricultural material with citric acid and then cationization of the lignocellulosic agricultural material with dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) and choline chloride, or cationization of the lignocellulosic agricultural material with DMDHEU and choline chloride and then anionization of the lignocellulosic agricultural material with citric acid.

The present invention concerns a process for the production of dual-functional ion exchange resins from lignocellulosic agricultural material involving anionization of the lignocellulosic agricultural material with citric acid and then cationization of the lignocellulosic agricultural material with dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) and choline chloride, or cationization of the lignocellulosic agricultural material with DMDHEU and choline chloride and then anionization of the lignocellulosic agricultural material with citric acid.
Ion exchange resins are adsorbents that effectively remove anions or cations from various types of industrial and municipal wastewater, storm water, and residential drinking water. Contamination of these water sources by anionic and cationic environmental pollutants is a significant problem in many parts of the United States. Thus the demand for ion exchange resins in the United States is currently about 280 million pounds and is expected to increase at about 5% per year for the forseeable future. Ion exchange resins, which can be produced by graft polymerization of functional anionic or cationic groups onto a synthetic bead comprised of polymers of styrene and divinylbenzene or produced by chemical attachment of either anionic or cationic functional groups on a natural polymer such as cellulose, are most commonly used to remove toxic or potentially toxic metal ions such as cadmium, copper or lead and anions that contain arsenic, selenium or chromium.
Agricultural by-products as a whole exceed 700 billion pounds per crop year. Most of these by-products are considered to be low-value waste with little ion exchange activity. While various methodologies exist for the creation of anion or cation exchange properties on plant by-products and cellulosic fibers, there remains a need to create dual-functional ion exchange materials from agricultural by-products that are cost effective and simultaneously efficacious toward both anions and cations of environmental concern. The present invention relates to the development of specifically modified agricultural by-products that possess enhanced adsorption properties with respect to the uptake of both anions and cations.

Dual-functional ion exchange resins from agricultural by-products

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


A method of estimating substrate temperature according to this invention includes the steps of epitaxially growing a Si-containing layer (103) on a SiGe layer (102) formed on a substrate for temperature estimation (101) constituted of a Si substrate under a reaction control condition; finding a relationship between a rate of growth of the Si-containing layer and a substrate temperature of the substrate for temperature estimation; epitaxially growing a Si-containing layer on a substrate for device fabrication as a subject of substrate temperature estimation under a reaction control condition; and estimating a substrate temperature of the substrate for device fabrication based on the rate of growth of the latter Si-containing layer and the relationship between the rate of growth of the former Si-containing layer (103) and the substrate temperature of the substrate for temperature estimation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of estimating a surface temperature of a substrate during epitaxial growth of a semiconductor layer on the substrate in a semiconductor device fabrication process.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there have been developed high-performance semiconductor devices so-called heterostructure devices such as hetero bipolar transistors (hereinafter referred to as "HBTs"). Such a heterostructure device is fabricated by epitaxial growth of a crystal that is different from the substrate. The use of such epitaxial growth technology makes it possible to stack thin crystal films that are different in physical properties from each other with a high precision of the order of about a mono atomic layer to several nanometers.
In the fabrication of such a heterostructure device, control of the film thickness and composition ratio profile of an epitaxial layer is critical. This is because, without such control, volume production of heterostructure devices exhibiting desired characteristics would be impossible. The thickness and composition profile of the epitaxial layer are determined by epitaxial growth conditions. Therefore, in volume production of heterostructure devices, it is necessary to reproduce growth conditions that have been previously confirmed to provide such devices with desired characteristics.
Conventionally, the CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) process has been widely used. In this process, epitaxial growth is performed by supplying a vapor (source gas) as a material for growth into a growth chamber in which a heated substrate is placed to cause a chemical reaction to occur between the source material molecule and the material of the substrate on the substrate surface. In the case of the CVD process, the composition ratio of a crystalline thin film of a mixed crystal material such as SiGe (silicon germanium) can be controlled by adjusting the mixing ratio between plural kinds of source gases to be supplied.
The CVD process causes epitaxial growth to proceed by the chemical reaction between the material of the substrate on the substrate surface and the source material molecule as described above and, hence, the rate of growth is susceptible to the temperature of the portion where reaction proceeds. In the case of the UHV-CVD (Ultra High Vacuum Chemical Vapor Deposition) process employed for epitaxial growth of an SiGe mixed crystal, in particular, the rate of growth is susceptible to the surface temperature of the substrate. The UHV-CVD process referred to herein is a technique enabling crystal growth to proceed at temperatures as low as about 500° C. to about 600° C. by providing an ultra-high vacuum atmosphere in the crystal growth chamber. Since the crystal growth proceeds under such a low temperature, the UHV-CVD process allows a condition called "reaction control condition" in which the rate of growth is completely controlled by the speed at which the chemical reaction proceeds at the substrate surface and hence hardly depends on the amounts of the source gases supplied. Under the reaction control condition, the rate of growth depends substantially only on the surface temperature of the substrate and hence is sensitive to variation in the surface temperature of the substrate. For instance, where silicon is epitaxially grown on a substrate heated to a surface temperature of about 600° C. by the UHV-CVD process, a variation of only 1° C. in the substrate surface temperature causes the rate of growth to vary as largely as about 3%.
Therefore, in volume production of heterostructure devices by the UHV-CVD process, the substrate temperature is most important among the growth conditions to be reproduced. This is because even if the growth conditions other than the substrate temperature, such as the gas flow rate and growth time are reproduced precisely, a failure to reproduce the substrate temperature results in a grown layer having a film thickness and a composition ratio profile that are different from desired ones, thus making it impossible to fabricate heterostructure devices having desired characteristics.
In volume production of heterostructure devices, usually, a plurality of devices are fabricated on a single substrate and a required number of substrates are subjected to processing. Therefore, in order to fabricate a required number of heterostructure devices with a high yield, making each of the growth conditions uniform in the plane of the substrate and making the growth conditions constant for every substrate are both necessary. Accordingly, it is important in the UHV-CVD process to make the temperature uniformity in the substrate plane higher and make the substrate temperature constant for every substrate.
In reproducing the surface temperature of a substrate, a technique of measuring the surface temperature is needed. That is, if the temperature distribution in the plane of a substrate under epitaxial growth cannot be determined, adjustment to make the temperature in the plane of the substrate uniform is impossible. Further, if the temperatures of respective substrates cannot be measured, it is impossible to reproduce a desired substrate surface temperature.
In semiconductor device fabrication processes, a thermocouple and a pyrometer have been conventionally widely used, in a technique for measuring the surface temperature of a substrate.
The thermocouple is constructed of two kinds of metals joined together and is adapted to measure a temperature by measuring a voltage generated in accordance with a difference in thermoelectromotive force between the metals when the temperature of the joint between the two metals reaches a predetermined value.
However, the thermocouple needs to be placed close to a subject of measurement, i.e. a substrate surface because of its operating principle and hence is not suitable for measurement of the temperature of a substrate surface on which a chemical reaction is proceeding. For this reason, the thermocouple cannot measure the temperature of a part other than the substrate surface such as a heater or the inside of a susceptor and hence is incapable of precise measurement of the temperature of the substrate surface. Further, since the joint between the metals of the thermocouple needs to be connected to a voltmeter through electric wire, multipoint measurement for measuring the temperature distribution in the plane of a substrate requires many interconnecting wires, so that the number of measurement points is limited.
On the other hand, the pyrometer is capable of measuring the temperature of a substrate surface on which a chemical reaction is proceeding since the pyrometer is adapted to measure a temperature by measuring the intensity of electromagnetic wave emitted from a measuring region. To determine an exact temperature from an electromagnetic wave intensity, the physical quantity called emissivity needs to be known. Actually, however, there is a difficulty in measuring the emissivity, which makes it difficult for the pyrometer to measure an exact temperature. Particularly, the emissivity of a substrate provided with a pattern depends greatly on the pattern, the material and thickness of the substrate, and the like. Further, the emissivity of such a substrate provided with the pattern varies with epitaxial growth. For this reason, it is, in effect, impossible to measure the surface temperature of a substrate provided with the pattern with use of the pyrometer during epitaxial growth.
It is, therefore, a conventional practice to control the temperature of the substrate provided with the pattern during epitaxial growth by measuring the temperature of the part other than the substrate surface such as the susceptor and controlling the heater based on the temperature thus measured. Such a conventional practice, however, involves a problem that even though the temperature of the susceptor for example is adjusted to a target temperature, the temperature of the substrate surface does not become equal to the target temperature because the influence of the pattern made of an oxide film and polysilicon on the substrate causes the emissivity, thermal conductivity, heat capacity and the like of the substrate to vary.
In measuring a substrate surface temperature with the pyrometer, a growth apparatus needs to have a window called view port for allowing the substrate surface to be observed. Such a view port raises another problem that the number of measurement points is usually limited to a few points in spite of the need of temperature measurement at many measurement points for measurement of the temperature distribution in the plane of the substrate.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing circumstances. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of estimating substrate temperature which is capable of estimating the surface temperature of a substrate provided with a pattern during epitaxial growth.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of estimating substrate temperature which is capable of estimating the temperature distribution in a plane of a substrate by estimating temperatures at plural points in the plane of the substrate.

Method of estimating substrate temperature

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A phase-change cooling system for a vehicle includes an electronic control device for receiving power from a power source and having a first temperature. The phase-change cooling system also includes a condenser of an air conditioning system of the vehicle thermally communicating with the electronic control device and having a second temperature less than the first temperature to remove heat from the electronic control device due to a phase-change of coolant in the condenser.

It is known to provide high power electronic control devices for a vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle. Typically, the electronic control devices are connected by electric power cables to a power source such as a belt driven alternator/starter. In operation, these electronic control devices create high levels of heat energy. The performance of the electronic control devices becomes greatly diminished if the heat that these devices generate is not removed rapidly. In internal combustion/electric hybrid vehicles, various heat transfer systems have been developed to remove heat from the electronic control devices to maintain their efficiency. For example, the electronic control device may be an electronic control module with an independently pumped glycol cooling system separate from the cooling system of the vehicle. As a result, these heat transfer systems require energy to operate (e.g., coolant pumps).
Often the cooling systems used to limit the temperature in hybrid electronic control modules are complicated, costly, contain combustible fluids, and are difficult to package. Furthermore, dedicated cooling systems that use circulating coolant have a parasitic electrical load from the recirculation pumps used.
As a result, it is desirable to provide a cooling system for a vehicle that removes heat from control devices. It is also desirable to provide a cooling system for electronic control devices that eliminates combustible fluids and is less costly. It is further desirable to provide a cooling system for electronic control devices that is not complicated and difficult to package. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a cooling system that meets these desires.


The invention relates to a transmitted-light base (1) for illuminating an object (15) for imaging through a zoom microscope (21), the transmitted-light base (1) comprising an integrated light source (3) having an associated electrical power regulation system (31) for generating a suitable radiation flux, and means (5, 6), capable of being added downstream, for generating a specified spectral intensity distribution. To allow compensation for brightness changes of low dynamic range, such as those occurring in particular during zooming, a continuously controllable mechanical brightness regulator (4) is proposed which is activatable by means of an associated adjustment device (41) in such a way that the illumination intensity of the transmitted-light base (1) is controllable with no change in the spectral intensity distribution. The brightness regulator (4) is arranged close to the light exit side of a reflector lamp (3) used as the light source, or, when a lamp (17) and collector lens (18) are used as the light source, close to the collector lens (18).

A transmitted-light base serves to transilluminate an object in a manner suitable for viewing with a microscope. For that purpose, the light directed by the transmitted-light base onto the object generates a radiation at a solid angle at every point in the illuminated object field. The radiation flux that proceeds from a point in the object field at an infinitesimal solid angle is referred to as the radiant intensity.
"Regulation of the illumination intensity" of a transmitted-light base is understood here to be regulation of the radiant intensity. In contrast, for example, to modifications of the illuminated field diameter or the numerical aperture of the illumination system, which influence the distribution of the radiant intensity as a function of location or angle, in the context of a regulation of the illumination intensity of the transmitted-light base only the radiant intensity is regulated, independently of location and angle.
Transmitted-light bases of this kind having an integrated light source are known. The light source usually has associated with it an electrical power regulation system with which the current or voltage at the light source can be adjusted. Regulation of the illumination intensity is then usually accomplished by varying the voltage at the light source. Provision may furthermore be made, alternatively or additionally, for the use of neutral gray filters.
A regulation of the illumination intensity may be necessary for various reasons: on the one hand, known transmitted-light bases allow object illumination using various illumination modes, e.g., transmitted bright-field, oblique illumination, or relief contrast. These illumination modes, like the object-dependent transmission properties of the specimens being examined, greatly influence the image brightness. Ultimately the desired image brightness also depends on the individual user. A regulation of the illumination intensity is also necessary during an object examination using a zoom microscope, since the image-side aperture and therefore the image brightness vary upon actuation of the zoom. An object examination at constant image brightness is, however, necessary or at least desirable, for example in order to avoid incorrect exposures when cameras are used, or to ensure the comparability of images of an examination series.
The aforementioned factors that can influence image brightness show that a high dynamic range in the illumination intensity is necessary in order to be able to use all observation or illumination modes and device configurations.
For specific applications, moreover, not only a specific image brightness but also a specific color temperature or spectral intensity distribution is necessary. "Color temperature" refers to the temperature of the black body having (approximately) the same spectral distribution as the illumination source. In general, the color temperature of electrical illumination sources changes when the electrical power level delivered to the light source changes. In the case of incandescent or halogen lamps, which have light emission characteristics similar to a black body, the color temperature of the spectrum emitted by the light source shifts, upon a reduction in the electrical power level delivered, from the blue spectral region to the red spectral region (also referred to as "red shift"). A color temperature shift of this kind modifies the perceived color of the object image, thus making it difficult to compare the results in different illumination modes. This illustrates the fact that for specific applications, not only an (almost) constant image brightness but also an (almost) constant color temperature is desired.
EP 1 418 454 A2 discloses a microscope and a method with which the brightness and the perceived color of the object image can be kept constant. The teaching of this document is based on the problem that changes in settings regarding the resolution and contrast of the microscope are overlain by a change in the brightness of the microscope image. At the same time, with ordinary light sources a brightness correction results (as already mentioned above) in a change in color temperature. The aforesaid document proposes, as a solution, to arrange in the illumination or image beam path spectral correction means that correct the change caused in the spectral intensity distribution (color temperature) of the light emitted by the light source, in such a way that the spectral intensity distribution of the light directed onto the object remains largely unchanged. The spectral correction means encompasses a color filter that is embodied as a circular disk-shaped interference filter, different filter areas exhibiting different spectral interference capabilities and associated transmission capabilities. Depending on the rotation of the circular disk-shaped filter, a color temperature decrease occurring as a result of a voltage decrease can be compensated for by partial introduction of the corresponding filter area into the aperture of the illumination device. Further suitable spectral correction means encompass absorption or reflection filters. In an automated method, for example, the aperture of the illumination beam path is decreased in order to increase the image contrast, this being associated on the other hand with lower resolution and lower image brightness. The decreased image brightness can automatically be compensated for by means of a control computer, by way of an increase in the electrical power level to be delivered to the light source of the transmitted-light base. At the same time, the control computer also calculates the requisite position of the color filter, so that an almost unchanged spectral intensity distribution of the light directed onto the object exists.
The teaching described in EP 1 418 454 A2 is usable for compound microscopes, and requires that an aperture device of the illumination system (e.g., diaphragm) be accessible. In this context, the aperture and the image of the objective entrance pupil generated by the illumination condenser correspond to one another. In zoom microscopes having a high zoom factor, the objective entrance pupil corresponds to an aperture that changes in terms of diameter and location upon actuation of the zoom. In microscopes having a high zoom factor in particular, the aperture—and therefore the filter area serving to correct the color temperature—changes appreciably. In stereo zoom microscopes, the two entrance pupils correspond to two apertures, one for the right and one for the left stereoscopic beam path, which change in terms of both their diameter and their location upon actuation of the zoom. It cannot be expected that introduction of a color filter into the illumination beam path, as proposed in the aforesaid document, will result upon zooming in a constant color temperature that is identical for both stereo channels.
Transmitted-light bases without an integrated light source are fed by light guides, associated with which are lamp housings that permit both controllability of the image brightness at a constant color temperature and the setting of a specified color temperature. This is done by way of a mechanical arc-shaped stop and a voltage regulation system in the lamp housing. A device of this kind as known from lamp housings for fiber illumination systems is not, however, implemented in transmitted-light bases having an integrated illumination system. In these lamp housings, the light of a reflector lamp is concentrated onto the small diameter of the light guide entrance and there cut off, as applicable, by an arc-shaped stop. The inhomogeneity of the illumination of the fiber entrance is almost eliminated by the intermixing of the fibers in the light guide, so that the light guide exit can be used for homogeneous illumination of an object. This advantageous arrangement in lamp housings necessitates the use of light guides, and therefore cannot be used in transmitted-light bases having an integrated light source.

Transmitted-light base for a microscope, and method for regulating the illumination intensity of a transmitted-light base


An active matrix display device comprises a plurality of pixels which are arranged in the form of a matrix on a substrate and each of which includes a display element and a pixel circuit which supplies the display element with a drive current, video signal lines arranged along the pixels, and a video signal driver which, after the supply of base currents to the video signal lines, supplies the pixels with gradation currents through the video signal lines. The pixel circuit includes a pixel switch which controls whether or not to select the pixel, stores the difference current between the gradation and base currents when the pixel is selected and outputs the stored difference current to the display element as the drive current when the pixel is nonselected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active matrix display device and more specifically to an active matrix display device which performs signal writing through current signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
In contrast to CRT displays, flat panel display devices exemplified by liquid crystal display devices are rapidly increasing in demand because of their features of being small in thickness, light in weight, and low in power consumption. Above all, active matrix display devices, in which on pixels are electrically isolated from off pixels and a pixel switch is provided for each pixel which has a function of holding a video signal to it when it is on, have found applications in various displays, including portable information devices, because they offer good display quality with no crosstalk between adjacent pixels.
In recent years, as self-emission type displays which allow the response to be made faster and the angle of visibility to be made wider in comparison with the liquid crystal display devices, organic electroluminescence (EL) display devices have been developed vigorously. The organic EL display device contains an organic EL element as a display element and a pixel circuit adapted to supply a drive current to the display element for each pixel and performs a display operation by controlling emission brightness. As systems for supplying image information to the pixel circuit, a current-signal-based system as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,454 B1 and a voltage-signal-based system as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,506 B1 are known.
However, with a display device which performs signal supply through current signals, the capacitance of an interconnect line which performs signal supply may result in failure to perform sufficient signal supply. In particular, when the write current value is small, there arises a problem that display failures occur due to insufficient writing. In addition, for multi-degradation display, difficulties are involved in writing on the low-degradation side where the set amount of current is small, causing display failures to occur.

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.


A shelf system may include first and second support rails, each of the first and second support rails including two respective edge retaining slots configured to receive respective wall panels. The shelf system may further include a wall panel disposed between the first and second support rails, particularly between edge retaining slots of the first and second support rails. First and second electrical supply rails may be disposed within a front surface of the wall panel, and may be electrically insulated from the first and second support rails. One or more light fixtures, such as a light box fixture or a shelf fixture including light emitting diodes, may be mounted on the first and second support rails, such that each light fixture comes into electrical contact with the electrical supply rails to provide electrical current to each light fixture when connected to a power supply.

Typically, retail stores often display products for sale on non-illuminated shelf systems. Often these shelf systems are configurable to accommodate various size products and product displays. For example, traditional peg board and shelf gondolas allow individual shelves to be placed a various locations, e.g., heights, relative to the back wall. Alternatively, the traditional shelf systems may accommodate customized shelves configured to accommodate the display of particular packaging, for example cosmetic products, soup cans, clam shell packaging, etc.
Advancements in the area of retail shelving have recently included the integration of low-cost illumination directly into shelves by way of LED lighting. However, prior attempts to integrate LED lighting into retail shelves have focused on the electrification of the shelves' metal support structure. However, integrating electrical conduction directly into the shelf support structure results in various undesirable side effects, including but not limited to the increased cost of repair to damaged LED lighting as well as the need to form the shelf support structures from electrically conductive materials such as metal, rather than more cost effective alternatives. Furthermore, electrification of the shelf support structures often prohibits adjacent shelves from utilizing a common support structure, due to the resultant short that would be formed in the electrical circuit.
The present disclosure seeks to improve upon the prior art by providing a configurable retail shelf that provides product LED shelf illumination through a discrete electrical pathway.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Illuminated shelf system with electrical supply rails affixed to wall panel


The invention relates to a framework system and methods for connecting a plurality of tools. The system comprises a plug-in mechanism configured to dynamically load the plurality of tools, a data pool having storage space configured to store data sets associated with the plurality of tools, a linking mechanism configured to establish communications links between the loaded plurality of tools to enable coordinated operation of the loaded plurality of tools, a session component configured to record the process history of the operations of the loaded plurality of tool and the system states corresponding to the process history of the operations and an annotation module configured to associate user-provided data corresponding to one or more of the stored data sets.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for visualizing, examining, and analyzing data. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for a universal visualization platform.
Development of a flexible, extensible, secure "architecture" for information-processing and visual analytic tools is needed to help analysts (e.g., users) and researchers collaborate more effectively and gain greater insight into the information space of concern. The architecture should provide a framework of standards, protocols, and basic utility functions into which new and innovative visual and analytical methods could easily be placed, used, and compared with other techniques.
Information visualization systems and toolkits are becoming available for a large range of visualization and interaction techniques and are used in diverse application domains.


Exemplary embodiments are directed to acquiring multiple sets of positron emission tomography (PET) data for different areas of a subject concurrently with acquiring portions of a single magnetic resonance field of view. Positron emission tomography (PET) images and magnetic resonance (MR) images can be acquired using a combined PET-MRI scanner, wherein, for example, a first portion of MR data from a MR field of view can be acquired concurrently with a first acquisition of PET data, a position of the MR field of view can be adjusted in response to a change in a location of a bed in the combined PET-MRI scanner, and a second portion of MR data from the MR field of view can be acquired concurrently with a second acquisition of PET data.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging involves the creation of tomographic images of positron emitting radionuclides in a subject of interest. Conventionally, subject (e.g., a human patient) receives a PET agent, e.g., a radiopharmaceutical, and the subject is positioned within a PET imaging system that includes a detector and detection electronics. As the PET agent decays, positively charged anti-electrons (positrons) are emitted. For commonly used PET agents the positrons travel a few millimeters through the tissues of the subject before colliding with an electron, resulting in mutual annihilation. The positron/electron annihilation results in a pair of oppositely-directed gamma rays with approximately 511 keV energy.
When the gamma rays impinge on the detector, the detector emits light, which is detected by detection electronics. The signals corresponding to the emitted light are processed as incidences of gamma rays. When two gamma rays strike oppositely positioned scintillators of the detector at approximately the same time, a coincidence is registered. The coincidences are processed to identify true coincidence events, which are binned and integrated to form frames of PET data that can be reconstructed as images depicting the distribution of the PET agent in the subject.
Another technique employed in medical imaging is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which conventionally uses a powerful magnet to create a strong, uniform, static magnetic field (i.e., the "main magnetic field") to polarize hydrogen nuclei in a subject's tissue so that the magnetic moments generally align along the direction of the main magnetic field. MRI systems conventionally include gradient coils that produce smaller amplitude (i.e. compared to the main magnetic field), spatially varying magnetic fields in response to an electric current control signal. Typically, gradient coils are designed to produce a magnetic field component that is generally aligned along the axis of the main magnetic field and that varies in amplitude with position along one or more axes. The effect of a gradient coil is to create a small ramp on the magnetic field strength and concomitantly on the resonant frequency of the nuclear spins, along a single axis. Three gradient coils with orthogonal axes are typically used to "spatially encode" the MR signal by creating a signature resonance frequency at each location in the body. Radio frequency (RF) coils are used to create pulses of RF energy at or near the resonance frequency of the hydrogen nuclei. These coils are used to add energy to the nuclear spin system in a controlled fashion. As the nuclear spins then relax back to their rest energy state, they give up energy in the form of an RF signal, which can be detected by the MRI system as MR data, and combined with multiple additional such signals may be used to reconstruct an MR image using a computer and known algorithms.
In recent years, hybrid or combined PET-MRI scanners have been developed so that PET and MRI images can be acquired using a single medical imaging scanner. While these conventional combined PET-MRI scanners can offer efficiencies over separate and individual PET scanners and MRI scanners, the combination of the PET and MRI scanners into a single scanner present difficult challenges in realizing such efficiencies and ensuring high quality image acquisition.

Concurrent acquisition of PET fields during acquisition of a MRI field of view


The present invention is related to the use of the growth hormone releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) for the manufacture of a late cardioprotective and cardiac restoration medicament. Said late cardioprotective and cardiac restoration medicament comprises GHRP-6 and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or vehicle. It also provides a method for the treatment of a disease that involves a low cardiac output, wherein a therapeutically effective amount of a late cardioprotective and cardiac restoration medicament comprising GHRP-6 is administered to a subject in need. Said medicament allows treating in a late manner, even days later, the myocardium that suffered episodes of stunning, hibernation, ischemia and its consequences thereof.

Cardiovascular diseases remain at the top of the diseases that cause greater morbidity and mortality in the general population. In United States of America, occurs about 1.5 million cases of myocardial infarction per year; according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is the leading cause of mortality in that country. The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that in 2012, 17.5 million people died from cardiovascular disease, representing 31% of all deaths recorded in the world, and of these 7.4 million were due to Coronary Cardiopathy. More than three quarters of deaths from cardiovascular diseases come from Low and Middle Income Countries (Arós, F., Boraita, A., et al. Rev. Esp. Cardiol. 2000; 53: 1063-94).
In general, heart diseases are grouped as follows: Coronary Disease, Angina Pectoris, Myocardial Acute Infarct (MAI), Heart Failure, Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies. Coronary heart disease leads to the establishment of ischemic heart disease, which is defined as the imbalance between myocardial oxygen demand and blood supply, as cited in World Health Organization (2015), Cardiovascular Diseases: http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds).
From all these diseases afore mentioned, the Acute Myocardial Infarct (AMI) reaches the highest rate of acute mortality. It occurs due to the sudden and sustained interruption of blood flow, causing the cells to die if irrigation is not restored soon. If the patient survives to a first attack, he is at risk of suffering another one within the next 6 months, or dying after associated complications thereof. Total recovery is hard to achieve after this first event, and specific treatment and care must be followed, since 5 out of 10 patients die during the first year after the infarction. Most coronary episodes constitute medical emergencies and urgencies; occur suddenly, with acute or overacute course, galloping involution of the patient, and unexpected. This presupposes the impossibility of predicting or anticipating an event of myocardial hypoxia.
The survival of cells in hypoxia depends on several factors, especially the duration of ischemia and the metabolic demand in question, according to the type of cell. Thus, the duration of the ischemia to which they have been subjected, at the time the restoration of blood flow occurs, is the main determinant of the success of reperfusion therapy. The shorter the ischemia time, the less the damage to the tissue, the less the damage at the time of reperfusion, and therefore, the lower number of associated subsequent complications.
Acute coronary syndrome is the operative term that describes a collection of clinical symptoms compatible with acute myocardial ischemia. Despite investigations by more than four decades, acute coronary events remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many countries. The early mechanical or pharmacological reperfusion continues to be the paradigm, the golden rule, and apparently the only current alternative to rescue ventricular mass from necrosis before the ischemic/reperfusion. The most recent literature highlights the importance of practicing reperfusion during the first 12 hours of the onset of symptoms (European Society of Cardiology. Clinical practice guide for the management of acute coronary syndrome in patients without persistence ST segment elevation, Rev Esp. Cardiol. 2012; 65 (2): 173.e1-e55).
One of the major limitations in the prior art is the total absence of drugs that can be applied with therapeutic character, to acutely restore myocardial pump function, reduce its damage and restore systemic hemodynamic balance. This is because, most of the candidates developed up to date require prophylactic or pre-conditioning use, the intervention should be applied before the hypoxic event, which is not predictable. Blood thinners, platelet antiaggregants, antihypertensives and beta blockers drugs are aimed at maintaining adequate blood flow, to prevent obstructions and the resulting heart attacks, but not to restore the contractile mechanics and adequate cardiac output to the demands of the body.
Thus, another great limitations of the prior art is that myocardial hypoxia is not pharmacologically manageable until now, while the only possible option so far is limited to reducing its duration (Antman et al. Circulation 2004; 110: 588-636). This has implied a revolution in the measures of transfer, diagnosis, and early intervention of patients with any kind of acute coronary syndrome, at the time that the episode of AMI is globally the most known, frequent and investigated.
During myocardial hypoxia functional changes occur that include: i) the reduction of oxidative phosphorylation and of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) dependent membrane pumps, with subsequent influx of calcium, sodium and water to the cell; ii) the catabolism of ATP that leads to the accumulation of hypoxanthine with the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) with the re-entry of O2; iii) the promotion of the expression of proinflammatory gene products (leukocyte adhesion molecules, cytokines) and bioactive agents (endothelin, thromboxane A2) at the endothelial level; and iv) the repression of the products of some protective genes [constitutive nitric oxide synthase, thrombomodulin] and bioactive agents [Prostacyclin, Nitric Oxide] (Edward J. Lesnefsky, et al. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology; 2017, 57: 535-565).
As most acute coronary episodes cause damage to the myocardium in a very short period of time, until now it has been required to restore the coronary circulation within a period not exceeding 90 minutes (Gibsom M. Circulation. 2001; 104: 2632-2634). The most common example is that related to AMI, which requires a primary angioplasty in a time not exceeding 90 minutes, for the highest survival rate of the patient. In said conditions, not only fail the energy supply necessary for myocardial contraction, but the viability of the heart muscle is also affected. Coronary obstruction for only 20-30 minutes causes death zones that mainly affect the subendocardium. When the lack of irrigation is maintained, the entire thickness of the heart muscle is necrotized, causing what is known as transmural infarction. It is known that with a period of 6 to 12 hours the situation is irreversible, and leads to deterioration of the function of the left ventricle. It is recommended to perform all reperfusion intervention as urgently as possible, establishing the sixth hour after the onset of ischemia as a critical point for the myocardium (2017 ESC Guidelines. European Heart Journal 2018; 39: 119-177).
That is why another of the limitations of the current prior art is that no medication has been identified that allows expanding the currently narrow window of temporary opportunity to restore the functions of cardiomyocytes subjected to any kind of acute stress that leads to contractile abnormality. The relative mortality rate, in patients who have suffered an infarction, increases by 7.5% for every 30 minutes of treatment delay, and more than 90 minutes is too long to maintain cell life.
The limitations of the prior art are summarized as: (1) the limited time required by pharmacological candidates to be able to balance the ionic bases during hypoxia, (2) the absence of drugs capable of restoring an adequate contractile function of heart cells when ischemic stress implantation is over 120 minutes (2017 ESC Guidelines. European Heart Journal 2018; 39: 119-177), and finally, (3) the cascade of failures that have existed for 45 years in the search for late cardioprotectors or cytoprotectors, in general.
Many candidates have shown efficacy in animal models, but no benefit during their use in humans. In the case of the heart, said confronted limitations justify the well-known concepts of "door-to-balloon time", "time is myocardium," and "time is outcome" (David C. Crossman. Heart 2004; 90 (5): 576-580).
Summarizing, currently there is no drug intervention that can restore the cell function, exceeding the critical lethal point of non-return. This is corroborated by the long list of candidates that have failed after years of experimentation and investment of resources (Heusch G. Circulation Research 2015; 116: 674-699).
The most clear clinical testimony of prior art failures in early or late restoration of ventricular and hemodynamic function is the identification of the clinical entities of Stunned Myocardium and Hibernating Myocardium. These two entities are still lacking a specific and effective medication. In addition, both can happen in circumstances in which the coronary episode and the hypoxia have already been controlled (de Lima Portella Rafael, Lynn Bickta Janelle, and Shiva Sruti. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling 2015; 23 (4): 307-32; Zhu J, et al. Transplantation 2015; 99 (1): 48-55; Chandrika B B, Yang C, et al. PLoS ONE 2015; 10 (10): e0140025).
After a transient ischemia that did not cause irreversible damage, the myocardium may be "stunned", showing contractile dysfunction, which can be fully recovered or could go to a functional catastrophe. The mechanism is not fully known, but histological changes of sustained hypoxia can be detected several days after hypoxia has been overcome. It means that its mechanism is not understood, and that despite restoration of reperfusion, pump failure events may persist. The prior art knows no drugs that can abort this situation that can be lethal.
On the other hand, the hibernating myocardium is a myocardium viable but dysfunctional, since it is subjected to a chronic ischemia. The mechanisms are not known yet, but it is believed that coronary flow reserve is altered and repeated episodes of ischemia and myocardium stunning are generated. Numerous studies suggest that, if hibernation is extensive, there is the possibility of irreversible myocardial remodeling. Metabolically, there is an increase in glucose uptake and a reduction in the use of fatty acids.
The abrupt cessation or decrease of blood flow to the myocardium immediately generates a sequence of functional alterations: at 8 seconds the normal aerobic metabolism changes to anaerobic glycolytic metabolism; then, contractility decreases and later ceases; the action potential of the cell membrane decreases and electrocardiographic modifications appear.
Afterward, in the reversible phase of ischemia, only 20-25% of the existing ATP remains at the time of its onset. Phosphocreatine is then regenerated, and ATP levels stabilize, despite of the flow reduction. Lactate, together with H+ ions, accumulates decreasing the pH to approximately 5.8, favoring the intracellular overload of osmotically active particles, which cause a mild degree of intracellular edema. The increase in intracellular H+ causes Na+ influx in the cell, through the Na+/H+ exchange. The excess of Na+ induces Ca++ entry through the Na+/Ca++ exchanger. When perfusion is restored, and if ischemia has been transitory, things return to normal.
There are circumstances in which, although perfusion has been restored, there has been no full contractile functional recovery. In these cases in which the heart has been "stunned", due to the impact produced by the ischemic episode, its full functional recovery will take from hours to days, or weeks. That is, there is adequate blood perfusion restored, but inadequate contractile function, implying inconsistency between perfusion and contractility. The myocardium stunning is the mechanical dysfunction that persists after the reperfusion, in spite of the absence of irreversible damage and restoration of normal or near normal blood flow. The essential points of the definition are: 1) the dysfunction after ischemia is a completely reversible abnormality, regardless of its severity or duration; and 2) the dysfunction is not caused by a primary failure of perfusion. In myocardial stunning, despite normal perfusion, contractile dysfunction occurs (Kloner R A, Jennings R B. Circulation 2001; 104: 2981-89).
Patent document WO2002053167A2, reveals the combination of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and GHRP-6, which is useful in the prevention of tissue damage caused by ischemia. Nevertheless, the combination of said invention and all previously referred candidates must be administered under pre-conditioning prophylaxis schedules, or just immediately after the occurrence of ischemia, resulting its use and effectiveness conditioned to the narrow window time that up to now is valid. Mechanical interventions (conditioning), are also mentioned in the prior art, that activate endogenous mechanisms that lead to a better myocardial protection against damage caused by a prolonged ischemic event and subsequent reperfusion. The conditioning is based on repeated inflation-deflation cycles of the arterial vessel. The preconditioning consists in the application of short cycles of ischemia-reperfusion previous to the event of prolonged ischemia. The ischemic post-conditioning strategy is based on the use of ischemia-reperfusion cycles when initiating reperfusion.
Therefore, there is still interest in finding late cardioprotective drugs, that allow to expand the narrow window of treatment opportunity, to restore and reestablish the cardiac functional homeostasis.

Use of GHRP-6 as late cardioprotective and cardiac restoration medicament

Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología


The present invention provides a vehicle control system, for example for use with an emergency services vehicle such as an ambulance, fire engine, police car or the like, and which provides enhanced security, functionality and improved fuel consumption for such vehicles when at the scene of a situation such as a fire, accident, or the like, the system being operable to permit an engine of the vehicle to remaining running while simultaneously immobilizing the vehicle. Furthermore when configurable parameters such as but not limited to battery levels and or internal vehicle temperatures are reached, such a control system, without any human interface, automatically shuts down the engine to reduce fuel burn, reduce emissions, reduce engine wear and maintenance and thereby promote a greener environment.

Emergency services vehicles, for example ambulances, fire engines and police vehicles, during day to day operations, are required to attend the scenes of various incidents such as fires, accidents, or the like. At these scenes the occupants of the emergency services vehicle will generally be absent from the vehicle for extended periods while attending to the scene. During these periods of absence the emergency services vehicle is at the risk of being stolen or otherwise tampered with. This issue is compounded by the fact that it is often necessary to leave the ignition key in the vehicle, and the vehicle running, in order to ensure that other systems of the vehicle remain operational, for example equipment running on the vehicle's batteries, such as life-support equipment in an ambulance, radios, etc.
In addition it is normal practice for such emergency services vehicles to be operational when the vehicle is at the start of a shift, when it may be parked up in the ambulance parking lot/depot and left running/engine idling. This is necessary to ensure reduced emergency response duration, vehicle readiness for an emergency response call and that such vehicles such as ambulances are at a comfortable temperature for to promote patient comfort and care etc. This idle time will normally far exceed any idle time at the scene of an accident/incident. Controlling/managing this non incident engine idling time has a far greater effect in reducing fuel burn, carbon footprint, engine wear, service intervals, etc.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle control system, in particular for use with emergency service vehicles, which addresses the above-mentioned problems.


Disclosed are a method and a system for monitoring one or more activities offered by a software application in a computer network. The method comprises monitoring a response time for one or more activities. The one or more activities are performed by a software application. The method further comprises comparing the response time of the one or more activities with a corresponding pre-defined threshold time. The method also comprises detecting a faulty activity of the one or more activities based on the comparison. The method further comprises highlighting a code snippet corresponding to the faulty activity in a source code of the software application.

With the development of technologies associated with the Internet, various web services are being offered on the Internet. The web services may be accessed using standard Internet protocols such as Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), extensible Markup Language (XML), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), etc., over standard interfaces. These web services may be diversified and complex in nature. Therefore, these web services may require frequent monitoring to check whether or not these web services are operating accurately and efficiently.
The purpose of the monitoring a software application is to provide an uninterrupted and efficient operation of the web services while minimizing costs, risks, and side-effects of the monitoring. The purpose of the monitoring may be for improving efficiency, reducing cost, improved service availability and quality.

Monitoring activities of a software application


A recording apparatus for recording with use of a recording head having two nozzle arrays arranged side-by-side includes first, second, and third direct memory access (DMA) units, a data converter unit for converting first image data stored in a work buffer into second image data, a record buffer unit for storing the second image data, a latch unit for storing the second image data in a transfer buffer, a buffer reading control table unit, and a DMA control unit for causing transfer processing to be executed by the first, second, and third DMA units based on a flag in the buffer reading control table unit when the image data stored in the work buffer is transferred to the transfer buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus and a control method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A serial ink-jet recording apparatus (serial ink-jet printer) in the related art in which a recording operation is performed while a carriage having a recording head moves in the moving direction thereof (main scanning direction) includes a buffer memory. The buffer memory is configured so as to be wider in the main scanning direction than a medium on which data is recorded (hereinafter referred to as "recorded medium") and to be as wide as or wider than the recording head in the direction in which the recorded medium is fed (sub-scanning direction).
As record data, which is stored in the buffer memory, is transferred to the recording head, the recording head is scanned in the main scanning direction so that the data is printed on the recorded medium.
If the record data contains a sequence of null data in the direction in which the recorded medium is fed, the so-called "null skip" control is performed so as to store the record data in which the null data is skipped so as not to store the null data in the record buffer.
In a mechanism for increasing the recording density at which an image is recorded using a recording head with a predetermined recording density (for example, 600 dots per inch (dpi)) in the sub-scanning direction, two nozzle arrays are staggered in the main scanning direction so as to interpose nozzles in one array between nozzles in the other array. For example, when two 600-dpi recording heads are shifted with respect to each other by 1200 dpi, the nozzles give a resolution of 1200 dpi in a staggered array in the sub-scanning direction.
However, when two nozzle arrays are arranged side-by-side, a complex control operation is required for storing the record data corresponding to each nozzle in the buffer memory.
Specifically, the data arranged in the direction of the nozzle arrays are read in a predetermined unit (for example, 32-bit raster data), and is divided into 16-bit raster data to be distributed to each of the two nozzle arrays to allocate the data to each of the nozzles.
Furthermore, the null skip processing must be performed in data units corresponding to the actual arrangement of nozzles.

Ink jet recording apparatus and control method therefor


A semiconductor device including a semiconductor element, an electrode pad formed on the semiconductor element, and a bump electrode conductively connected to the electrode pad which includes a resin bump formed on an active face of the semiconductor element and a conductive layer provided from the electrode pad to the surface of the resin bump, the conductive layer and the resin bump being arranged without adhesion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and its manufacturing method, a circuit board, an electro-optic device and an electronic device.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-313839, filed Oct. 28, 2004, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
In circuit boards and liquid crystal displays which are used in various kinds of electric devices, semiconductor devices such as integrated circuit chips (IC chips) are mounted on the boards. For example, in a liquid crystal display, an IC chip for activating a liquid crystal panel is mounted on a glass board (the partner board) which is a component of the liquid crystal panel (a so-called COG structure). In a case in which an IC chip made of hard silicon board is mounted on a hard glass board, it is hard to absorb warpage of the IC chip and the glass board. To solve this problem, bump electrodes are formed on the IC chip, and the IC chip is mounted on the glass board by compressing the bump electrodes. This process enables the IC chip and the glass board to be conductively connected.
Recently, terminals of IC chips are increasing in accordance with the high-definition of liquid crystal displays, and at the same time, downsizing of IC chips is eagerly demanded. To achieve this, narrowed pitches between bump electrodes formed on an IC chip are needed. Because an ordinary bump electrode is formed by carrying out electrolytic Au plating on an aperture of a plating resist, enlargement of the aspect ratio of the aperture is needed to narrow pitches between bump electrodes. Therefore, it is difficult to narrow pitches between bump electrodes.
A resin bump electrode 10 shown in FIG. 8 has been developed. The resin bump electrode 10 is made by forming a conducting layer 20 on a resin bump 12, and the conducting layer 20 is connected to an electrode pad 24 of an IC chip 21 (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H01-13734). The resin bump electrode 10 makes elastic deformation by contacting a partner board, and the warpage of the IC chip 21 and the partner board can be absorbed. Since this process does not require enlargement of the aspect ratio of the aperture, it is easier to narrow pitches between bump electrodes than in an ordinary method.
However, because the resin bump 12 has high coefficient of thermal expansion, when carrying out a hot press bond of the IC chip 21 and the partner board, the conductive layer 20 receives great tensile stress due to deforming following the expansion of the resin bump 12.
There are some cases in which sufficient reliability in the conductive connection is not obtained because of a breaking of the conductive layer 20 by the deformation of the resin bump 12 which deforms due to absorbing the pressure of the bonding.

Semiconductor device, circuit board, electro-optic device, electronic device


A wafer-level chip-size package includes a semiconductor structure. A bonding pad is formed over the semiconductor structure, including a plurality of conductive segments. A conductive component is formed over the semiconductor structure, being adjacent to the bonding pad. A passivation layer is formed, exposing a portions of the conductive segments of the first bonding pad. A conductive redistribution layer is formed over the portions of the conductive segments of the first bonding pad exposed by the passivation layer. A planarization layer is formed over the passivation layer and the conductive redistribution layer, exposing a portion of the conductive redistribution layer. A UBM layer is formed over the planarization layer and the portion of the conductive redistribution layer exposed by the planarization layer. A conductive bump is formed over the UBM layer.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuits (ICs), and in particular to a wafer-level chip-size package (WLCSP) with a redistribution layer and a method for forming the same.
Description of the Related Art
The desire to make electronic products small, lightweight, and high-performing has developed into a desire to make electronic parts small, lightweight, and high-performing. This desire has caused developments to proceed in various packaging technologies, along with developments in the technologies related to designing and manufacturing semiconductors. Representative examples of packaging technologies include the ball grid array (BGA), the flip-chip, and the chip size package (CSP) based on area array and surface-mount packaging.
Among the above, the CSP is a packaging technology that enables a small package to be the same size as the real chip to be developed. In particular, in a wafer-level chip-size package (WLCSP), the packaging is performed in a wafer level so that the packaging costs per chip can be remarkably reduced. Typically, the WLCSP includes a redistribution layer (RDL) wiring traces, an under bump metallurgy (UBM) layer forming a bump, and a passivation layer protecting a circuit.

Wafer-level chip-size package with redistribution layer


Methods and systems are provided for that are designed to impose an n-type to p-type device skew constraint that is beyond what normal technology limits allow in order to operate semiconductor devices at lower voltages while still achieving a similar performance at a lower power. More specifically, a method is provided for that includes setting device skew requirements for at least one library element, setting device skew test dispositions for the at least one library element based on the set device skew requirements, designing the at least one library element using device skew assumptions, fabricating the at least one library element on a product that includes at least one device skew monitor, determining an actual device skew of the fabricated at least one library element using the at least one device skew monitor, and determining whether the fabricated product meets target specifications.

The conventional design of some library elements (e.g., memory) or products (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) chips) that are designed for newer technology nodes (e.g., 22 nm technology) typically cannot meet performance or functionality requirements at technology minimum or lower voltages. Consequently, the conventional design methods and systems redesign these library elements or products to meet performance requirements at the technology minimum or lower supply voltages using a modulation of a device threshold voltage (e.g., using a lower threshold voltage improves conductivity at the lower supply voltage) of at least one semiconductor switching element (e.g., a field effect transistor) on the library elements or products. The threshold voltage of a switching element is the value of the gate-source voltage when the conducting channel begins to connect the source and drain contacts of the switching element, allowing significant current. The threshold voltage may be dependent upon a number of design constraints including implant type in the channel region, channel sizes, and oxide thicknesses. Accordingly, the conventional modulation of the threshold voltage may include redesigning or altering the doping, the channel size, or the oxide thickness of the switching element.
The use of modulated or lower threshold voltage assists in the switching of the at least one semiconductor switching element on the library elements or products at a faster rate such that the library elements or products meet performance or functionality requirements at technology minimum or lower voltages. However, the use of the modulated or lower threshold voltages in conventional redesigns results in a substantial increase of leakage current, which causes the redesigned devices to require higher power to replace the leaked current and achieve the assisted switching. The increased leakage current and power requirements may also generate heat as the current leaks away, which leads to degraded performance for the redesigned devices.

Limiting skew between different device types to meet performance requirements of an integrated circuit


A crystal oscillator device includes a resonator having a plate-shaped resonator package and a plate-shaped circuit board having at least an oscillator circuit. The resonator package is supported above the circuit board such that the resonator package is substantially parallel to the circuit board, and supporting members which support the resonator package are arranged on a straight line on the bottom surface of the resonator package, the straight line being parallel to and near one of the sides of the bottom surface of the resonator package.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to crystal oscillator devices and electronic apparatuses including the crystal oscillator devices, and more specifically, to a crystal oscillator device suitable for use in a vehicle and an electronic apparatus including the crystal oscillator device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an oscillator device including a crystal resonator is used in a vehicle-mounted apparatus, such as a global positioning system (GPS) used as a navigation system, the oscillation frequency occasionally changes instantaneously due to vibration of the vehicle. This is caused by strong vibration applied to a crystal blank included in the crystal resonator.
The crystal oscillator device is typically used in a cellular phone. Since the cellular phone is usually held in the hand of a user when it is being used, the crystal blank does not receive strong vibration even when the cellular phone is used in a vehicle since the hand of the user acts as a damper. However, since the use of the cellular phone while driving is dangerous, it is desirable to fix the cellular phone to the vehicle. In such a case, there is a risk that a problem similar to that of the GPS will occur.
Accordingly, configurations for preventing strong vibrations of the crystal oscillator device are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications Nos. 5-332399 and 2000-27942.
According to the configuration disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-332399, the entire body of the crystal oscillator device is supported by coil springs arranged radially around the crystal oscillator device.
In addition, according to the configuration disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-27942, the entire body of the crystal oscillator device is supported by coil springs arranged only along a direction in which high vibration accelerations are applied.
The configurations according to the above-described publications have outstanding vibration isolation performance since the coil springs are used. However, since the size of the vibration isolation structure is relatively large even when the coil springs are arranged only along a single direction, it is difficult to reduce the size of the crystal oscillator device and save space. In addition, it is difficult to reduce costs of such a structure.

Crystal oscillator device and electronic apparatus using the same


A method and apparatus for treating mineral-bearing ores and, more particularly, for treating particulate ores containing precious metals, base metals and the like for separating and recovering said values by classifying the particulate ore on a bed of particulate material, preferably coarse particulate material, and by continuously chemically leaching the said values from the ore. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, particulated ore is fluidized and intermittently moved through a tank to classify the ore particles into strata according to size, shape and density to beneficiate values, either heavier or lighter than the gangue, for recovery of concentrated values. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, crushed or ground ore is moved through a vat leaching jig in such a manner as to cause the heavier metal-laden or other values-laden particles or larger gangue particles to differentially settle to the bottom of the apparatus, which can then be extracted separately and wholly from the values such as gold or precious metal values which may be chemically leached from the ore and recovered by filtering through the bed of particulate material.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the beneficiating of ores and is particularly directed to a method and apparatus for classifying ores by size, shape and density while concurrently leaching values from said ores.
Current practice in leaching of gold and other precious metals from an ore involves crushing and grinding the ore to reduce its largest particle size to the point where intimate mixing of a leaching solution, such as sodium cyanide in water, with the particles will cause the gold or precious metal in the particles to dissolve into the solution from which the gold or precious metals are extracted at a later stage in a process plant.
In gold mills currently in use ore which has been diluted in water during the conventional grinding and classification process in grinding mills is thickened in a rake thickener or other device to about 50% solids by weight and then pumped as a slurry to a series of tanks where leaching agents are added. By keeping the slurry agitated with paddle mixers or other mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic means, intimate mixing of the particles and leaching in solution takes place. Usually a series of tanks are used, one overflowing to the next, such that a leaching time of 12 to 72 hours takes place.
Recently, the high cost of processing low-grade gold and precious metals ores has led to cheaper methods of leaching such as "heap leaching" and "vat leaching".
Heap leaching involves placing ore as a layer on a pad on the ground or other prepared surface. A leaching agent is sprayed onto the layer of ore, after which it percolates through the pile, dissolving some of the gold or precious metals. The solution is then collected by drainage underneath and around the pile to a sump, where the solution may be recirculated to the top of the ore pile as often as is necessary to leach out the gold or precious metals, or pumped to a plant to have the gold or precious metals extracted from the solution.
Vat leaching is similar to heap leaching, except that the ore is sometimes ground and placed in a pit or like tank instead of a pile such that the ore is immersed for a more effective soaking to improve contact of the leaching solution with the ore.
Heap leaching or vat leaching is not nearly as efficient as conventional leaching in agitated tanks because the larger particle sizes and lack of mixing does not allow an intimate contact to be made between the leaching agent and the gold or precious metals. Leaching times are typically 10 to 15 days for vat leaching and weeks or months for heap leaching. In addition, both methods are batch processes, requiring adding and removing the ore from the leach area by mechanical means.
It is known to beneficiate ores by classifying solids in slurries using beds fluidized by a counter-current flow of a liquid or gas medium. Known methods, such as methods for separating bitumen from oil sands, use a continuous flow of rising fluid, usually water, counter-current to descending solids and effect a separation according to size, shape and density. The product recovered usually is substantially diluted by the volume of separating medium required and must be thickened.
It is also known to beneficiate ores by classifying the ore to separate values from the gangue, and continuously chemically leaching the said values from the ore.
The intermittent fluidization of particulated ore in a tank has been used to classify ore particles into strata according to size, shape and density to beneficiate values as disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 273,536, filed Nov. 21, 1988 whereby the intermittent fluidization creates a tendency in the stratified particles to move from the feed end of the tank to the discharge end of the tank. A valve system is utilized to recycle lixivium and to generate the high pressure force required for intermittent fluidization. The provision of increased feed pressure of the fluidizing leach solution by means of a reservoir tank having liquid under a substantially higher pressure maintained by a pump is also disclosed. The present invention is an improvement over the prior art as it avoids the need for such increased pressure through the utilization of a rotating drum, either with or without hydraulic or pneumatic means, which continuously fills and intermittently supplies the lixivium under a fluidizing pressure head.
The present invention obviates the need for a valve system by utilizing a continuous flow of leach solution.
The present invention enables particulate ore to be rinsed several times within the confines of the tank before the ore is discharged to a tailings discharge conveyor. Such rinsing enables recovery of values which would otherwise be lost if they remained affixed to the tailings. The present invention employs intermittent fluidizing of tailings with a rinse solution, pressure being supplied by the use of a rotatable drum mechanism.


A device for detecting synchronous errors of high-lift surfaces such as landing flaps or slats on aircraft, having an optical conductor which is laid over at least two adjacent high-lift surfaces, a light source and an optical receiver which are allocated to different ends of the optical conductor, as well as an evaluation unit for determining a synchronous error of the high-lift surfaces on the basis of the light signal received from the optical receiver. The optical conductor is laid in such a way that the optical conductor experiences a break-free deformation due to synchronous errors and consequently causes a change of the transmitted light signals, and the evaluation unit compares the signal shape of the light signal received from the optical receiver or an optical receiver output signal derived therefrom with a nominal signal shape and determines the presence of a synchronous error on the basis of the deviation in shape between the received light signal or the optical receiver output signal derived therefrom and the nominal signal.

The present invention relates to a device for detecting synchronous errors of high-lift surfaces such as landing flaps or slats on aircraft, comprising an optical conductor which is laid over at least two adjacent high-lift surfaces, a light source and an optical receiver which are allocated to different ends of the optical conductor, as well as an evaluation unit for determining a synchronous error on the basis of the light signal received from the optical receiver.
Usually, in aircraft wings, there are several high-lift surfaces or flaps in the form of slats and/or landing flaps arranged adjacent to one another. These are normally operated synchronously with appropriate flying manoeuvres. If this results in ruptures in the suspension or breakdown or jamming of the control elements of these high-lift surfaces, one or even more of the adjacent high-lift surfaces can no longer be extended to the desired degree. On the one hand, this results in unwanted rolling moments of the aircraft due to asymmetry, on the other hand, in high mechanical stresses of the flap bodies and the remaining intact drive line as well as of the structure of the wing case.
Various detection systems have already been proposed to identify such synchronous errors of the movable high-lift surfaces. According to a first solution, proximity switches or angle sensors detect the extended position of the high-lift flaps on the basis of the kinematics thereof. The synchromism is electronically monitored on the basis of the signals of these sensors. However, sensor systems of this type are constructed in a comparatively complex manner.
Another known detection system for synchronous errors of this type is the so-called lanyard system in which a rope is placed over the span of the wing to be monitored, said rope being fastened to the outer end of the flap body on the outside of the wing and connected with a switch to the flap body on the inside of the wing. When synchronous errors occur, the rope is pulled tight due to the changed length of the built-in area, as a result of which said switch is actuated. Due to the large span of the rope, however, this system does not exhibit a very sensitive response behaviour.
Furthermore, it has already been proposed to detect the aforementioned synchronous errors by a so-called overload detector. The increased friction or blockage caused by the skew in the flap guide releases the corresponding overload safety device of the flap drive system. However, with this system, the drive and the corresponding structural components experience comparatively high mechanical stresses since the system does not respond until the overload is reached.
A device of the aforementioned type is known from EP 1 029 784 B1. An optical fiber cable is led over all of the guiding edges/high-lift surfaces of an aircraft wing and provided for transmitting a light signal generated by a light signal generator on one end of the cable to a light signal detector on the other end of the cable. The optical cable is thereby led at each transition point between two adjacent high-lift surfaces through two control elements which are directly adjacent to one another and belong to various high-lift surfaces. The cable is thereby led through elongated slits in the control elements, so that slight misalignments do not have any effect on the cable. However, if the relative movement between two adjacent high-lift surfaces exceeds the permissible degree of tolerance defined by the elongated slits, the cable is cut by the two control elements sliding past one another, so that the signal transmission is interrupted by the optical conductor cable. The breakdown of the signal at the optical receiver is detected as a synchronous error by the evaluation unit connected therewith. Of course, the disadvantage of this previously known system is the fact that it is already destroyed when synchronous errors occur for the first time and the optical cable must be replaced accordingly. To avoid this, according to a second embodiment described in EP 1 029 784 B1, the cable should have a nominal rupture point in the form of a plug/socket connection between each of the two control elements of the respectively adjacent high-lift surfaces. After the synchronous error which has occurred has been eliminated, the corresponding segments of the optical conductor cable can be reconnected via the plug/socket arrangement. However, this arrangement of plug/socket connections between each pair of control elements on adjacent high-lift surfaces is relatively extensive, in particular in its assembly.

Device for detecting synchronous errors of high-lift surfaces on aircraft