Synergistic antimicrobial combinations consisting essentially of comprising 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether and 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane are disclosed. Methods for inhibiting microbial growth using these synergistic antimicrobial combinations are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to synergistic antimicrobial compositions which are generally useful for inhibiting microbial growth wherever such microbial growth is found, for example, in aqueous systems related to a wide variety of industrial applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to synergistic admixtures of 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether and 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane. Methods for using the same are also disclosed.
2. Description of the Background Art
Both 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether, referred to herein as Triclosan, and 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane (DBDCB), are known individually as antimicrobial agents. The unexpected finding of the present invention is that they are synergistic when used in combination. As used herein, the terms "synergy" and "synergistic" refer to instances where the effectiveness of a composition comprising two or more biocides, such as Triclosan and DBDCB, exceeds the sum of the efficacies of the individual components taken alone. Thus, using a synergistic biocidal combination may allow for use of a lower overall concentration of biocide or the realization of an enhanced antimicrobial effect at a comparable dosage.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,833,731, 3,877,922, 3,873,597, 3,644,380, 3,833,743, and 3,929,858 disclose DBDCB and its use as an antibacterial, antifingal, and algicidal agent. Compounds related to DBDCB are also effective as antimicrobial agents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,122 describes the use of 1,2-dibromo-2-cycloalkane compounds to inhibit microbial growth, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,581 discloses 1,2-dibromo-2-cyano-2-(heterocyclic) alkane compounds and their use as antimicrobial agents.
The use of DBDCB and related compounds in conjunction with other antimicrobial agents is also known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,405 describes a synergistic antimicrobial composition for industrial and agricultural use comprised of DBDCB and 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,815 discloses a synergistic antimicrobial admixture comprising DBDCB and a formaldehyde donor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,657 describes a synergistic antimicrobial combination comprising DBDCB and 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one. U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,405 discloses the use of admixtures of DBDCB, 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one and 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one as antimicrobial agents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,355 discloses an antimicrobial composition of DBDCB and 2-(decylthio) ethaneamine and a method of using the same. U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,874 discloses a composition containing 2-halo-2-halomethylglutaronitrile and a 4,5-polymethylene-4-isothiazolin-3-one which has antibacterial and antifungal effects.
Likewise, the use of 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether and related compounds, both alone and in conjunction with other biocides, is known. The synergistic combination of Triclosan and DBDCB, however, is not taught or suggested in the art.
As used herein, the phrases "antimicrobial", "biocide", and "inhibiting microbial growth" refer to the killing of, the inhibition of, or the control of the growth of bacteria, yeast, mold, and/or algae. A number of important industries have experienced serious adverse effects from the activity of such biological growth on the raw materials which they employ, in their process waters, on various components of their manufacturing processes, and in the finished products which they produce. Such industries include the paint, wood, textile, cosmetic and personal care, leather, tobacco, fur, rope, paper, pulp, plastics, fuel, oil, rubber, and machine industries.
It is contemplated that the synergistic admixture of Triclosan and DBDCB as disclosed herein, and the methods for using the same, will be useful in virtually any aqueous system or on any article or product of manufacture in which inhibition of microbial growth is desired, absent compatibility problems. Important applications of the synergistic antimicrobial combinations of the present invention include, for example: inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi, including yeast and mold, in aqueous paints, adhesives, latex emulsions, inks and joint cements; preserving wood; preserving cutting oils and metal working fluids; controlling slime-producing bacteria and fungi, including yeast and mold, in pulp and paper mills and cooling towers; as a spray or dip treatment for textiles and leather to prevent mold growth; as a component of anti-fouling paints to prevent adherence of fouling organisms; protecting paint films, especially exterior paints, from attack by fungi which occurs during weathering of the paint film; protecting processing equipment from slime deposits during manufacture of cane and beet sugar, foods, foodstuffs and food additives; preventing microorganism buildup and deposits in air washer or scrubber systems and in industrial fresh water supply systems; controlling microorganism contamination in closed loop and recirculating water cooling systems; controlling microorganism contamination and deposits in oil field drilling fluids and muds, and in secondary petroleum recovery processes; preventing bacterial and fungal growth in paper coating processes which might adversely affect the quality of the paper coating; controlling bacterial and fungal growth and deposits during the manufacture of various specialty boards, e.g., cardboard and particle board; preventing sap stain discoloration on freshly cut wood of various kinds; controlling bacterial and fungal growth in clay and pigment slurries of various types which are manufactured for later use in paper coating and paint manufacturing and which are susceptible to degradation by microorganisms during storage and transport; as a hard surface disinfectant to prevent growth of bacteria and fungi on walls, floors, etc.; and in swimming pools to prevent algal growth.
The synergistic antimicrobial composition disclosed in the present invention is particularly applicable to the control of bacterial and fungal growth in cosmetic and personal care products. Such products include but are not limited to creams, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens, hand cleaners, liquid hand soaps, detergents, hospital scrubs, bactericidal washes, deodorants, and the like. Cosmetic and personal care products subject to microbiological attack can suffer from separation of emulsions, discoloration, unsightly visible colonies, malodor, and change of pH; microbial growth in these products can also lead to potential health hazards.
Accordingly, there remains a very real and substantial need for antimicrobial compositions capable of effectively controlling and/or inhibiting microbial growth in industrial aqueous systems and in articles of manufacture. Because of increasing environmental regulations, there is still a further need to provide biocidal compositions having enhanced antimicrobial effect which are effective in lower doses than historically used. Use of lower amounts of biocides has a favorable impact on the environment, and allows users to realize significant cost savings.

Synergistic antimicrobial composition of 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether and 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane


An information apparatus includes a housing, first and second strain detectors, and first and second stress collectors that transmit distortion applied to a side surface of the housing to the first and the second strain detectors, respectively. Upon having the same amount of distortion is applied to the side surface of the housing, the first and strain detectors outputs different values a processing circuit. This information apparatus has a small size and can be accurately controlled.

Portable information apparatuses, such as a digital camera, portable personal computer (PC), portable game machine, portable phone, and personal digital assistance (PDA), have been widely used by users carrying these apparatuses with them.
FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a conventional information apparatus, portable phone 201, disclosed in PTL 1. Portable phone 201 has display section 202 (e.g. liquid crystal display) on a front surface thereof to display letters, numerals, marks, and so on. Scroll bars 203 and 204 implemented by touch-pads are disposed near the lower end and the left-end of display section 202 respectively for a user to scroll a display horizontally and vertically with finger 205, so that the user can scroll the display in two dimensions.
FIG. 20 is a plan view of another conventional information apparatus, portable phone 206, disclosed in PTL 2. Portable phone 206 includes a rectangular and thin housing, display screen 211 disposed on a front surface of the housing, touch-pads 207 to 210 disposed on four side surfaces of the housing, respectively. Each of touch-pads 207 to 210 has a long and narrow shape having a longitudinal direction parallel to display screen 211. A sliding operation in parallel to screen 211 onto each of touch-pads 207 to 210 scrolls a display on screen 211, rolling an image on the display, or changing a display magnification.
FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of still another information apparatus, input device 212, disclosed in PTL 3. In input device 212, a sensor disposed in housing 213 instead of touch-pads detects a sliding operation performed by a user in order to operate a screen. Input device 212 includes, in housing 213, flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 214 having an electrostatic sensor sheet mounted thereto. FPC 214 having a sheet shape has sensor sheet 215 on a surface thereof for detecting the slide operation. Sensor sheet 215 is implemented by an electrostatic sensor sheet. Sensor sheet 215 disposed on the surface of FPC 214 is operable to, upon a sliding operation by a user with finger 217, depress key top 216 to depress key-part 219, and then cause contact-electrode 220 to touch projection 222 via dome-switch 221 to detect a position to which the sliding operation is performed, and output a position detecting signal.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A method for treating an inner wall surface of a treatment object uses a treatment object that is at least one of a container housing an ozone gas, a treatment container housing an object to be subjected to a surface treatment using an ozone gas and a pipe configured to supply an ozone gas. The method for treating an inner wall surface of a treatment object includes the steps of: determining whether an abnormal part is present in the inner wall surface of the treatment object or not; and distributing an ozone gas having a concentration of 10% by volume or more and 30% by volume or less and a temperature of 60° C. or less such that the ozone gas contacts the inner wall surface of the treatment object after the step of determining whether an abnormal part is present or not.

There has been a method of supplying an ozone gas to a pipe or the like for supplying a gas to thereby passivate an inner wall surface of the pipe or the like (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). In the passivation method disclosed in Patent Literature 1, an ozone treatment unit is connected to a constructed pipe system, and an ozone gas is applied to the inner surface of the pipe system to passivate the inner surface of the pipe system. In this passivation method, an ozone gas having an ozone concentration of 10% by volume or less in an oxygen gas is applied for a predetermined time, and then, multiple types of ozone gases whose ozone concentrations are increased stepwise are sequentially applied each for a predetermined time.

Method for treating inner wall surface of treatment object


There is a gripping section with first and second open ends, a ductile member, such as a strap, forming first and second hoops extending from the first and second open ends. The hoops and wrap and tighten around the object. Ends of the ductile member protrude through a hole in the handle. A fastener receives the ends of the ductile member to allow a user to tighten the hoops. There may be a plurality of ductile members. There may be a slot in the gripping section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to handles and more particularly relates to handles with retractable straps to secure to objects without handles.
2. Background Art
For convenience sake, handles have been added to all types of movable objects, such as luggage, shopping bags, boxes, etc. These handles have proven to be extremely helpful and advantageous. Unfortunately, there are many products that do not include handles to assist in transportation. Handles have not been attached to these products for the mere fact that the product may be unattractive with handles, the product may not function as intended with handles attached, or it simply costs too much to attach handles thereto.
Additionally, some products with handles may still be difficult to carry due to the handle configuration. For example, boxes may be configured with handles that have been cut into the sides of the box, into which a user inserts the hands. These handles suffer from at least three distinct disadvantages. First, it requires both hands inserted into the handles to carry the box. In many situations, the user is already holding an object and it is therefore impossible to hold the object and carry the box at the same time. Second, the box may be loaded to a point that inserting ones hands into the handles is impeded by objects inside the box. Third, the handles tend to tear due to their placement as most of the weight bears on the bottom of the box, rather than on the sides.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus and method for facilitating the lifting and movement of object that do not have handles already attached thereto.

Apparatus and method for facilitating the lifting and carrying of objects without handles


A communications platform (100) assigns communication channels (58, 78) to users based on a power level associated with the individual users. An available bandwidth for use by the communications platform (100) in segmented into a number of sub-bands using a bank of filters (54, 78). A number of independent communication channels (58, 78) are then provided within each of the sub-bands using an appropriate multiple access scheme (e.g., code division multiple access). A power range is then specified for each of the sub-bands. When a communication connection is to be established, a power level associated with the connection is determined. One or more sub-bands are then identified that have power ranges encompassing the determined power level. A channel is then assigned to the communication connection from one of the identified sub-bands.

Code division multiple access (CDMA) is a signal coding scheme that allows multiple independent communications channels to occupy the same frequency band at the same time with overlapping signal spectra. To achieve this, the communication signal within each of the channels is modulated with a unique code (e.g., a pseudo noise code) that spreads the spectrum of the communication signal and that is uncorrelated to (e.g., orthogonal to) the codes used in the other channels. The lack of correlation between different channel codes allows each of the communication signals to be recovered from a composite receive signal by correlating the receive signal with a corresponding code. CDMA techniques are capable of providing a significant increase in communication system capacity within a given available bandwidth.
To maximize capacity in a CDMA based system, the power levels used in the various channels have to be substantially equal. This is because each of the channels appears as noise to each of the other channels during the correlation process. Thus, if the power level of signals in one of the channels is increased, the noise experienced by each of the other channels is correspondingly increased. This increase in noise will compromise accurate correlation in the other channels. Therefore, to reduce the noise in the other channels, the overall number of channels, and thus the capacity of the system, must be reduced.
Some communication systems, such as satellite-based systems, require power consumption to be minimized. These systems ordinarily achieve this power conservation by tailoring transmit power levels to the individual remote entities they are communicating with. For example, a communications satellite will generally communicate with a large number of terrestrial users simultaneously. Each of these users will have different power requirements due to, for example, varying levels of obstruction in the propagation paths between the satellite and the terrestrial users (i.e., different levels of shadowing). To communicate with users that are heavily shadowed, the satellite needs to transmit relatively high power levels. To communicate with slightly shadowed or non-shadowed users, the satellite can transmit relatively low power levels. If the satellite transmitted the same power level to all of the terrestrial users, more power would be expended on the slightly shadowed users than was necessary for accurate communication. Thus, in the past, a tradeoff was generally made between communications capacity and power efficiency in CDMA communications systems. Therefore, a need exists for a communication system that can efficiently process communications at various power levels. The communication system will preferably be capable of achieving an enhanced level of power efficiency without significantly reducing system capacity.

Power based channel assignment in a wireless communication system


An ASIC includes a receiving unit, a transmission interface, a reception interface, a buffer, and a control unit. When the receiving unit receives a second write request while the transmission interface is in process of transmitting to a transmission line a first write request and write data, the control unit causes the receiving unit to store the second write request in the buffer. When the receiving unit receives a read request while the second write request is present in the buffer, the control unit causes the receiving unit to send the read request to the transmission interface prior to the second write request.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit and an image processing apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a conventional technology for data transmission, a plurality of devices can be connected to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus. One of the devices obtains a right to use the PCI bus, and such a device is determined as a master. The master device can transmit and receive data to and from any of the other devices.
Because the PCI bus employs a parallel transmission system, when the PCI bus receives a large amount of data, it is likely to cause a bottleneck. In order to overcome such a problem of the PCI bus, a technology called PCI Express (PCIe) has been proposed.
The PCIe allows point-to-point links between devices, and employs a serial transmission system.
The PCIe employs a full-duplex system in which transmission and reception of data are performed separately, and thereby the PCIe supports split transaction. Thus, the transmission and the reception of data can be performed at the same time. In the split transaction, a request and a response to the request are separately performed, and therefore a subsequent request can be issued before the response is obtained. In this manner, the transmission and the reception of data can be performed in an effective manner and at a high speed.
In the PCIe, a latency time of a read request to read data from a memory becomes longer. The latency time is a period starting from issuing the read request and ending at receiving the data from the memory. For this reason, a timing of issuing a read request affects the throughput efficiency of a bus in use for split transaction.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining transmission efficiency of a conventional PCIe. When write requests are continuously received from an arbiter in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or the like, the write requests are first issued, and afterwards a read request is issued. Therefore, a reception line is in an idle state during a period T1, during which write requests and data corresponding to the write requests are sent via a transmission line. As a result, the conventional PCIe obtains low transmission efficiency.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining another example of transmission efficiency of a conventional PCIe. If the data transmission rate in an ASIC 5 is lower than the packet transmission speed of a PCIe 6, a request is sent to the PCIe after all of data corresponding to the request is stored in a data buffer that is arranged in a PCIe interface (I/F) circuit. Thus, it is possible to prevent data underflow. However, because a request cannot be sent to the PCIe before all the data is stored in the data buffer, the transmission line is in an idle state during a period T2. Occurrence of the period T2 causes the period T1 in the reception line to increase, and therefore the transmission efficiency becomes much lower.
The use of the PCIe makes it possible to perform the transmission and the reception of data separately and at the same time, nevertheless read data transmission can still be delayed.
A master (bus master device) often executes some operation on data that is read from a memory, and then writes the resultant data in the memory. Therefore, a delay in time for receiving read data from the memory causes a delay in an issue of a write request by the master. As a result, the throughput of the whole system is lowered.
According to a conventional technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-154910, a memory controller selects a memory access request that allows continuous access to a memory upon sending a write request and a read request, and such continuous access achieves high-speed access to the memory. Furthermore, a plurality of read accesses is collectively processed as continuous read access, and a plurality of write accesses as continuous write access. A read cycle and a write cycle are alternately processed. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of times of switching between a read access and a write access, and achieve high-speed access to the memory.
However, such a conventional technology has a problem if employed in the PCIe. Specifically, when write requests are collectively issued via a transmission line, a reception line is in an idle state. On the other hand, when read requests are collectively issued, a transmission line is in an idle state. As a result, utilization efficiencies of the transmission line and the reception line are decreased, and the throughput of the whole system is lowered.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and image processing apparatus having the same


Mixed mode imaging is implemented using a single-chip image capture sensor with a color filter array. The single-chip image capture sensor captures a frame including a first set of pixel data and a second set of pixel data. The first set of pixel data includes a first combined scene, and the second set of pixel data includes a second combined scene. The first combined scene is a first weighted combination of a fluorescence scene component and a visible scene component due to the leakage of a color filter array. The second combined scene includes a second weighted combination of the fluorescence scene component and the visible scene component. Two display scene components are extracted from the captured pixel data in the frame and presented on a display unit.

1. Field of Invention
Aspects of this invention are related to endoscopic imaging, and are more particularly related to blending visible and alternate images so as to provide an enhanced real-time video display for a surgeon.
2. Related Art
The da Vinci® Surgical Systems, commercialized by Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., are minimally invasive teleoperated surgical systems that offer patients many benefits, such as reduced trauma to the body, faster recovery and shorter hospital stay. One key component of a da Vinci® Surgical System (e.g., the model IS3000, da Vinci® Si HD) is a capability to provide two-channel (i.e., left and right) video capture and display of visible images to provide stereoscopic viewing for the surgeon. Such electronic stereoscopic imaging systems may output high definition video images to the surgeon, and may allow features such as zoom to provide a "magnified" view that allows the surgeon to identify specific tissue types and characteristics, as well as to work with increased precision.
In a typical surgical field, however, certain tissue types are difficult to identify, or tissue of interest may be at least partially obscured by other tissue. Thus, different imaging modes have proven useful for surgeons during surgery. There are systems with a single imaging mode and other systems with multiple imaging modes that provide for example visible scenes in one imaging mode and fluorescence scenes in another imaging mode.

Single-chip sensor multi-function imaging


A color-filter substrate assembly 10 includes a substrate 3b having a rugged surface, a light-shield layer 7a arranged on the substrate 3b, and having a rugged surface conformal to the rugged surface of the substrate 3b, a reflective layer 5 arranged on the light-shield layer 7a and having a rugged surface conformal to the rugged surface of the light-shield layer 7a, and a color layer 4 arranged on the substrate 3b. The light-shield layer 7a has an aperture 8, and the reflective layer 5a has an aperture 6, and is covered with the color layer 4. The invention provides a color-filter substrate assembly which is inexpensive, and provides, in the simple structure thereof, excellent functionality with a light-shield function, such as of a black mask, and a scattering function for a reflective-type display when the color-filter substrate assembly is used in an electro-optical device (such as a reflective-type liquid-crystal display device or a transflective-type liquid-crystal display device).

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a color-filter substrate assembly, a method for manufacturing the color-filter substrate assembly, an electro-optical device, a method for manufacturing the electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a color-filter substrate assembly which is inexpensive, and provides excellent functionality with a light-shield function, such as a black mask, and a scattering function for a reflective-type display when the color-filter substrate assembly is used in a liquid-crystal display device (such as a reflective-type liquid-crystal display device or a transflective-type liquid-crystal display device). The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the color-filter substrate assembly, a liquid-crystal display device, a method for manufacturing the liquid-crystal display device, and electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid-crystal display devices are widely used in electronic apparatus such as a mobile telephone or a mobile personal computer. Liquid-crystal display devices having a structure presenting a color display using a color-filter substrate assembly are also widely used.
In known color-filter substrate assemblies, R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color layers are arranged in a stripe configuration, a mosaic configuration, or a delta configuration on the surface of a substrate formed of glass or plastic (see FIG. 10).
A so-called transflective-type liquid-crystal display device switches as necessary between a reflective-type display which allows external light such as natural light or room illumination light to enter the device from a viewer's side of the device and to present a display by reflecting the light, and a transmissive-type display which allows light from a light source to enter the device from the side opposite to the viewer's side to present a display.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view diagrammatically illustrating a conventional transflective-type active-matrix liquid-crystal display device including a TFD (Thin-Film Diode) as a two-terminal switching element.
Referring to FIG. 11, the liquid-crystal display device includes a liquid-crystal panel 5 formed of a first substrate 51, a second substrate 52, and a sealing member 54 interposed therebetween, a liquid crystal 53 encapsulated between the two substrates, and a backlight unit 6 arranged on the outside of the second substrate 52 of the liquid-crystal panel 5. Arranged on the first substrate 51 are a matrix of pixel electrodes 511 connected to scanning lines (not shown) through TFDs (not shown) and an alignment layer 512. Arranged on the second substrate 52 are a reflective layer 521 covering most of the second substrate 52. The reflective layer 521 is directly formed on the second substrate 52 fabricated of glass which is etched for frosting, or the reflective layer 521 is formed on a rugged layer (not shown) of an acrylic resin having a rugged surface, or in case of a color display, a color layer (not shown) is laminated on the surface of the reflective layer 521. A planarization layer 522 covering the second substrate 52 having the reflective layer 521 formed thereon, a plurality of band-like counter electrodes 523 extending in a direction intersecting the scanning lines, and an alignment layer 524 are also provided for panel 5. In this arrangement, light incident on the first substrate 51 is reflected from the surface of the reflective layer 521 on the second substrate 52 and exits from the first substrate 51. A reflective-type display is thus presented. The reflective layer 521 has apertures 521a respectively corresponding to pixel electrodes 511. Light emitted from the backlight unit 6 is incident on the second substrate 52, passes through the apertures 521a, and exits from the first substrate 51. A transmissive-type display is thus presented.
To present a color display on a conventional liquid-crystal display device shown in FIG. 12, a light-shield layer (a black mask or a black matrix) 525 for defining a color layer formation region and shielding a margin between color layers is formed on the reflective layer 521 formed on a light-shield layer 700 or a substrate (not shown), and a color layer 526 is formed in the color layer formation region defined by the light-shield layer (black mask or black matrix) 525.
In the conventional liquid-crystal display device, both the light-shield layer 700 and the light-shield layer (black mask or black matrix) 525 must be formed, thereby not only complicating the manufacturing process and resulting in a cost increase, but also giving rise to a functional problem of a drop in light reflectance due to unwanted light-shield layer (residuals) on the reflective layer.

Color-filter substrate assembly, method for manufacturing the color-filter substrate assembly, electro-optical device, method for manufacturing the electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus


The present application relates to a method of providing connectivity to a vehicle. The method comprises, at a first device aboard the vehicle, establishing at least one first connection with at least one first network, the at least one first connection allowing communication with a second device remote from the first device, transmitting via the at least one first connection an allocation request to the second device, receiving via the at least one first connection an allocation response from the second device, the allocation response indicating a first authentication device from a plurality of authentication devices remote from the first device, and establishing a second connection with a network and authenticating the first device on the network using the first authentication device.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of providing connectivity to a vehicle.
Description of Related Art
With the increased portability of computers, and the increasing sophistication of mobile devices such as mobile telephones and palmtop computers, there is a growing demand for connectivity while on the move allowing, for example, connection with other devices, and the Internet. One response to this demand is based upon devices having built-in long-range telecommunications capabilities, such as devices which make use of mobile telephone networks. While such solutions can be effective, they typically suffer from problems of low bandwidth and incomplete geographic coverage. The problem of low bandwidth is a particular issue when a user wishes to access content comprising a large quantity of data (for example video content). The problem of incomplete geographic coverage is particularly problematic when a user is moving, given that data communication may be interrupted when a signal is lost (for example when a train enters a tunnel).
An alternative method of providing data connectivity to mobile devices is based upon the use of access points. Such access points may be provided, for example, in public buildings such as libraries and cafes, and can be accessed by mobile computing devices which are located within a predetermined range of the access point. One common technology used to allow mobile computing devices to connect to such access points is specified by IEEE standard 802.11, and is commonly referred to as WiFi. The use of access points in this way is advantageous in that it allows higher bandwidth connections to be established.
The limitations of systems based upon the connection of mobile devices to mobile telephone networks has led to the proposal that public transport vehicles, such as trains or buses, may be beneficially provided with wireless access points, such that mobile computing devices used by passengers traveling in the vehicle can be provided with data connectivity.
More power is available on the vehicle than on a mobile computing device, meaning that systems fitted to vehicles can generally support larger, higher gain antennas than those that are generally installed in portable user devices such as mobile telephones. Furthermore, greater computational power can be used in signal processing in a device associated with a vehicle given that there is room for larger, more powerful processing devices.
Different types of communication links can be used to provide data communication to a vehicle, separately or together, appropriate to the locations through which the vehicle travels. Furthermore, if a vehicle's route is known, the communication links can be managed to provide a higher level of service with greater bandwidth, lower latencies, and fewer losses of connection than if the communications were made directly to individual users using a mobile telephone network. It follows that the provision of a wireless access point on board a vehicle has considerable advantages. Such provision does, however, bring challenges.
It is known for vehicles to connect to base stations along a known route, for example alongside a train track. The base stations may be placed specifically for vehicles travelling along that route, or may be base stations of mobile network operators. It is further known for the vehicle to connect, via the connected base stations, to a home server. The home server may be connected to the Internet via standard means, for example via cable or via a digital subscriber line (DSL). A communication control unit is placed on the vehicle. As the vehicle travels along the route, the communication control unit wirelessly connects to a particular base station. In this way, the communication control unit can connect to the Internet through the home server, routed via the base stations and any intermediate devices in the network. The communication control unit is adapted to distribute the Internet connection to devices within the vehicle, allowing users to connect to the Internet whilst onboard the vehicle.
In order to connect to base stations provided by a mobile network operator, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) is required to authenticate the communication control unit with that mobile network operator. As network operators often do not have complete geographic coverage, and given that vehicles often travel between countries, it is generally desirable to be able to connect to a plurality of different network providers. This cannot generally be achieved using a single SIM. This problem is particularly acute where a vehicle crosses country boundaries, where available network operators may differ.
Further, many mobile telephone networks specify maximum data usage limits for particular SIMs, where exceeding the specified maximum data usage limit can result in an inability to send or receive further data, disrupting the provision of connectivity to users aboard the vehicle. Where a network operator allows data to be sent and received beyond the maximum data usage limit, heavy financial penalties are often levied. Again, this problem is particularly acute where a vehicle operates in different geographic areas, as using the data services of a national network operator with a SIM belonging to a network operator of a different country (i.e. "data roaming") also often carries very heavy charges.
One solution is to carry a large number of SIMs aboard the vehicle. In this way, different SIMs can be used in different areas, thereby ensuring connectivity. It is further possible to cease using one SIM before exceeding a maximum data usage limit, and to begin using another of the SIMs. In order to use the additional SIMs, however, it is also necessary to carry sufficient numbers of modems, together with a large number of antenna, splitters and dividers required to properly support the modems. This results in increased cost, complexity and maintenance requirements.
The above problems are amplified when fleets of vehicles are considered. As each SIM is carried aboard the vehicle, even a modest fleet of vehicles would require an unwieldy number of SIMs, and associated equipment.
Another solution is to use connection means other than those provided by mobile network operators, such as WiFi or WiMax networks which may not require authentication using SIMs. However, while such networks may be beneficial for providing network connectivity in specified predefined areas, such as stations, such networks are not widely available for the routes along which vehicles generally travel. As such, they cannot be relied upon, alone, to provide connectivity to a vehicle.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for reducing a chromium containing material, comprising: combining the chromium containing material comprising chromium oxide with a carbonaceous reductant to form a chromium containing mixture; delivering the chromium containing mixture to a moving hearth furnace and reducing the chromium containing mixture to form a reduced chromium containing mixture; delivering the reduced chromium containing mixture to a smelting furnace; and separating the reduced chromium containing mixture into chromium metal and slag. The method also comprises agglomerating the chromium containing mixture in a granulator or the like. The chromium containing mixture has an average particle size of less than about 200 mesh (about 75 μm).

Conventionally, high-carbon ferrochromium is manufactured by smelting and reducing chromium ore after pretreatment in a submerged electric arc furnace (EAF) or the like. Examples of the pretreatment of the chromium ore include briquetting, sintering, pellet firing, and pellet pre-reduction.
In pellet pre-reduction, for example, the chromium ore is pulverized with coke and is granulated to prepare green pellets, which are then subjected to reduction roasting in a rotary kiln or the like at about 1,300 degrees C. or higher to provide pre-reduced pellets. The reduction degree of these pre-reduced pellets, which is 60% to 70% with only internally added coke, reaches 80% in combination with externally added coke. This method, therefore, has a significantly smaller amount of heat required for the reduction of chromium ore in the EAF than other types of pretreatment, thus greatly reducing power consumption.
Pellet pre-reduction is an advantageous method with low power consumption; however, this method, involving the use of a rotary kiln for the pretreatment, has the following problems unique to the rotary kiln. Because the fundamental principle of the rotary kiln is based on the tumbling of feedstock, the rotary kiln disadvantageously produces a large amount of dust that readily causes dam rings therein. In addition, the rotary kiln requires an excessive length due to variations in the residence time of the feedstock, thus involving a large equipment installation area and a large surface area. Consequently, the rotary kiln disadvantageously dissipates a large amount of heat, leading to higher fuel consumption than is desirable. Furthermore, a combination with externally added coke is disadvantageous in that it causes a large oxidation loss of the externally added coke in the rotary kiln.
Chromium oxide is reduced less easily than iron oxide from a thermodynamic perspective. The temperature of the pellets in the kiln is gradually raised by heating the pellets with a burner provided on a discharge end of the kiln. Accordingly, the internally added coke is consumed preferentially in the reduction of iron oxide contained in the chromium ore since iron oxide is reduced more easily than chromium oxide. As a result, the reduction of chromium oxide lags behind since chromium oxide is reduced less easily than iron oxide.
To solve these problems unique to rotary kilns, methods have been proposed in which a rotary hearth furnace (RHF) is used for the pre-reduction.
In one such method, green pellets, prepared by adding a carbonaceous material to a steel mill waste containing Cr and Fe and granulating the mixture, are preheated to about 600 degrees C. to 800 degrees C. with a shaft pre-heater, and are then charged into a rotary hearth furnace and gradually heated to about 1,000 degrees C. to 1,800 degrees C. in a reducing atmosphere.
In another such method, green pellets, prepared by adding a proper amount of chromium ore to a chromium-containing waste produced in the manufacturing process of stainless steel and granulating the mixture with coke, are placed on a hearth of a rotary hearth furnace and heated with a combustion gas to manufacture pellets containing chromium and iron.
The above methods, in contrast to rotary kilns, produce less dust and, therefore, cause no dam rings because the feedstock placed on the rotary hearth is stationary. In addition, no excessive hearth area is required since the residence time of the feedstock is uniform. Accordingly, the equipment used is more compact and the furnace surface area is smaller, such that the furnace has less dissipated heat and provides lower fuel consumption.
In the above methods, however, the internally added carbonaceous material starts to reduce iron oxide even at about 600 degrees C. to 800 degrees C. in the shaft pre-heater (while the carbonaceous material does not reduce chromium oxide at such temperatures). In addition, the pellets are gradually heated in the rotary hearth furnace; as a result, the carbonaceous material is consumed preferentially in the reduction of iron oxide. By the time the furnace reaches the temperature at which the reduction of chromium oxide can start, the chromium oxide loses the opportunity to come into contact with the carbonaceous material for lack of the carbonaceous material to give a low chromium reduction degree. On the other hand, increasing the amount of carbonaceous material added internally to maintain the contact opportunity causes the following typical problems: the green pellets disintegrate due to a decrease in strength to form deposits on the hearth; the dust loss from the rotary hearth furnace to the flue gas is increased; and the reduced pellets disintegrate, or otherwise their density decreases, to cause difficulty in dissolving in molten metal in the electric furnace, leading to a lower smelting yield.
Furthermore, the above methods make no mention of the heating temperature and temperature raising rate of the pellets and the above problem that the reduction of chromium oxide lags behind.
Accordingly, an object of U.S. Pat. No. 8,262,766 (Sugitatsu et al.), which forms a conceptual basis for some of the improvements of the present invention, for example, is to provide methods and systems for reducing a chromium containing raw material. When a chromium containing raw material that contains chromium oxide and iron oxide and is provided with an internally added carbonaceous material is reduced (i.e. pre-reduced), these methods and systems promote the reduction of chromium oxide, while suppressing the preferential consumption of the internally added carbonaceous material in the reduction of the iron oxide, thereby increasing the chromium reduction degree. However, these methods and systems also suffer from significant shortcomings, which are addressed by the methods and systems of the present invention, as described herein below.

Methods and systems for reducing chromium containing raw material


A camera having a sprocket with a pair of cogs formed on a periphery for engaging a filmstrip having a row of perforations separated at alternate short and long intervals. The periphery is divided by the cogs into a frictional engaging section which provides frictional engagement of the periphery with the filmstrip and a mechanical engaging section which provides mechanical engagement of the cogs with the perforations. A shutter charging mechanism is operated by rotation of the sprocket driven by the filmstrip through the mechanical engagement between the filmstrip and at least part of the mechanically engaging section of the sprocket. A switch over mechanism disconnects the sprocket and the shutter mechanism in response to rewinding the filmstrip and a locking mechanism prevents reverse rotation of the sprocket in a specific position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a camera for use with a film of a format having a row of perforations spaced in a lengthwise direction at alternate long and short intervals, in which each adjacent perforations at the long interval delimit one picture frame and each adjacent perforations at the short interval delimit an interval between each adjacent picture frames, and, more particularly, relates to a camera which automatically withdraw a filmstrip by one picture frame from a film cartridge at every exposure and rewinds the entirely, or even partly, exposed picture frames into the cartridge.
2. Description of Related Art
Photographic filmstrips formed with a row of perforations, two for each picture frame, have recently become well known. Typically, each two perforations are positioned beside the beginning and end of a picture frame, respectively, to delimit a picture frame to be exposed and each adjacent perforations besides each adjacent picture frames delimits an interval between the adjacent picture frames. Accordingly, the perforations are spaced in a lengthwise direction at alternate long and short intervals. The sum of the long and short intervals comprise an film movement distance for one picture frame. Such a photographic filmstrip is known from, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-19368.
A film winding mechanism for a filmstrip of this format, which can be provided at relatively low cost, uses a sprocket with a pair of cogs on the outer periphery which are spaced at a distance matching the short intervals between the respective adjacent perforations and engage with the perforations. The film winding mechanism includes a motor which is activated in response to operation of a shutter release button to cause film movement by one picture frame which is followed by a full rotation of the sprocket. This film winding mechanism cooperates with a mechanism for automatically stopping film winding at completion of winding one picture frame and a motor control switch for starting and stopping the motor such that the film wind stopping mechanism is activated every time one frame film movement is completed to turn off the motor control switch, stopping the motor. The film winding mechanism of this type is comprised of a film wind stopping cam having a groove which is rotatable following rotation of the sprocket and a stopping lever. The stopping lever engages with the film wind stopping cam to stop the sprocket whenever the sprocket makes a full rotation, stopping film winding. By means of the rotation of the sprocket following film movement, the shutter drive mechanism is charged.
While the film wind stopping mechanism thus constructed have the ability to cause reliable one frame film movement by mechanically detecting the perforations, the shutter charging mechanism performs shutter charge in a period where the cogs of the sprocket remain engaged with the perforations, so that the mechanism is resistant to bias on the shutter applied by a strong charging spring.
With the film winding mechanism of this type, when a film rewind member is operated after completion of sequential exposures of the first to last picture frames, while the sprocket 27 is disconnected in operation from the film wind stopping mechanism and the shutter charging mechanism and enabled to rotate freely, the motor control switch is turned over to reverse the motor for rewinding the filmstrip. Because the sprocket has been rotatable freely, the exposed filmstrip is entirely rewound into the film cartridge without hinderance.
A recurring problem, however, is that since the sprocket is intermittently rotated by the filmstrip during being rewound, a position in which the sprocket stops when the film trailing end comes off the sprocket varies with variations in rewinding force of the filmstrip. Variations in stop position cause various problems. Specifically, if the sprocket has stopped with its cogs placed in the film path, a filmstrip at its leading end is caught by the cogs at the beginning of winding and hindered from being further wound. Even if the filmstrip is possibly wound, the film wind stopping mechanism is activated and stops the motor during winding the filmstrip.
Such a variation in stop position of the sprocket causes another problem in cases where the camera is equipped with a feature that the motor is automatically stopped after a specified margin time from shutter releasing in the event that film winding is disabled. During winding a filmstrip after the exposure of the last picture frame, the sprocket is not rotated by the trailing section of the filmstrip which is not provided with perforations, so that the film wind stopping mechanism is not activated, resulting in not turning off the motor control switch and allowing the motor continues to rotate in the forward direction. In order for the motor to automatically stop even when the film wind stopping mechanism is not activated, an electric timer which makes use of a discharging time of a condenser is incorporated to count a margin time, for instance 15 seconds, from shutter releasing in order to automatically stop the motor after the lapse of the margin time.
Assuming that the film rewind member is operated immediately after the exposure of the last picture frame to reverse the motor and restored after the filmstrip has been entirely rewound into the film cartridge, in cases where a filmstrip of a small number of exposures, for example 15 exposures, which takes only a short time to be completely rewound, is loaded, the electric timer has possibly not yet count the margin time when the film rewind member is restored. In this event, although the motor has been switched over to be ready for forward rotation, it is not activated even if the margin time has not yet passed. This is because restoring the film rewind member causes the film rewind stopping mechanism to operate to turn on a motor stop switch as long as the sprocket is in the proper stop position.
In cases where the sprocket stops in a position deviating from the proper stop position in which the film rewind stopping mechanism is caused to operate, if the eclectic timer has not yet counted the margin time, the motor starts to rotate in the forward direction to withdraw the filmstrip out of the film cartridge again.

Camera having shutter charging mechanism


The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates enhancing connectivity associated with data communications. An interface can receive a portion of communication state data, wherein the communication state data is related to at least one of a data communication mode and a user context state. A routing component can evaluate the portion of communication state data to identify an optimized data communication mode, wherein the optimized data communication mode is dynamically linked to a virtual contact identifier. Moreover, the routing component can automatically and seamlessly employ an optimized communication session utilizing the dynamically identified optimized data communication mode based upon an activation of the virtual contact identifier.

Technological advances in computer hardware, software and networking have lead to increased demand for electronic information exchange rather than through conventional techniques such as paper correspondence, for example. Such electronic communication can provide split-second, reliable data transfer between essentially any two locations throughout the world. Many industries and consumers are leveraging such technology to improve efficiency and decrease cost through web-based (e.g., on-line) services. For example, consumers can purchase goods, review bank statements, research products and companies, obtain real-time stock quotes, download brochures, etc. with the click of a mouse and at the convenience of home.
In light of such technological advances, people in general tend to be more and more concerned about being connected and/or available for various communications such as cell phone calls, text messages, emails, instant messages, land line phone calls, voice mails, etc. With the rapid pace of today's society, being available and/or reachable on a constant basis is fitting for busy lifestyles albeit personal or business. For example, a professional in a meeting may find it extremely necessary to be reached via text message from a family member indicating safe arrival to a destination. In another example, walking the dog on a nice sunny day can be seen as the perfect opportunity to maximize time by enjoying the weather and contacting an old friend on a mobile communication device.
In general, there are a vast number of data communication modes available. For example, data communication modes can include, but are not limited to, electronic mail (email), Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, web mail, web-browsing, text messaging, cellular devices, mobile communication devices, etc. Yet, with all the available data communication modes that can be leveraged, issues surrounding availability can still arise/exist. Furthermore, each data communication mode can be linked to a distinct number, alias, address, etc. which can be an overwhelming amount of information to remember and/or store in order to contact a person, place, business, etc. For example, to contact one individual, there can be a phone number, a cell number, an email address, an instant messaging alias, a pager number, a work phone number, etc.


A sewing machine having a machine arm, a rest for the material being sewn and a device for producing buttonholes, which comprises a cutting knife and a plurality of cutting blocks of respectively different lengths which are arranged on a common carrier. The buttonhole device is acted upon by an actuating device that can be moved from an upper position into a lower position, the cutting knife is arranged in a stationary manner underneath the sewing material, and the cutting block is lowered by the actuating device onto the cutting knife.

The present invention relates to a sewing machine having a machine arm, a rest for the material being sewn and a device, which comprises a cutting knife and a cutting block, for producing buttonholes, especially eyelet buttonholes, in the material being sewn, the device being acted upon by an actuating device that can be moved from an upper position into a lower position, the cutting knife being arranged in a stationary manner underneath a stitch plate and the cutting block being able to be lowered onto the cutting knife.
Such a sewing machine is marketed by the Applicant under the description Durkopp Adler Type 558, for example. Comparable sewing machines are disclosed by German Patent 291 045, German Patent 817 993 and German Offenlegungsschrift 35 33 022.
Such machines are basically provided for the purpose of using them to sew and to cut buttonholes of different lengths and shapes. In addition, the machines are able to operate in a pre-cutting mode and a post-cutting mode. In the pre-cutting mode, the buttonhole is cut before the buttonhole stitching is produced, and in the post-cutting mode the buttonhole stitching is produced (sewn) first and the buttonhole is then cut.
The cutting block and the cutting knife are always matched in the cutting unit, since over the duration of the operation the cutting knife cuts into the cutting block and thus leaves behind a depression which always has to be filled by the cutting knife in order to produce a clean and complete cut.
At the time of converting from the pre-cutting mode into the post-cutting mode, it is necessary not only for the knife to be offset in its position in the longitudinal direction, but also for the cutting block associated with this position to be inserted. Consequently, two cutting blocks are provided for each knife. Although they are of identical construction and are arranged at identical positions, they also have knife impressions that are positioned differently because of the different positioning of the knife. Conversion and adjustment consequently require a corresponding expenditure of time and effort.
In order to be able to sew in different modes, the sewing machine disclosed by DE 291 197 has a plurality of cutting knives which are provided in the baseplate, have different lengths and can be moved into engagement with a single cutting block. The reliable functioning of a machine configured in this way is only ensured when the cutting knives of different lengths are used regularly and interchangeably, so that none of the cutting knives--in particular not the shortest cutting knife--can dig more deeply into the cutting block than the others, with the result that each cutting knife finds its position in the cutting block again during the cutting. However, such a precondition is purely theoretical. If a shorter knife digs more deeply into the cutting block than the longer knife or knives, it is not possible to make any proper incisions using the longer cutting knives.

Buttonhole sewing machine having a plurality of cutting blocks


A circuitry sheet (322) comprising an electronic device layer stack (304) containing electronic devices, e.g., thin-film transistors, or portions thereof, formed by removing material from both sides of the device layer stack. The circuitry sheet may be made by an electronic/optoelectronic device manufacturing method (200) that includes the steps of forming the device layer stack on a temporary substrate (300), removing material from both sides of the device layer stack, and then attaching a permanent substrate (348) to the device layer stack. The method uses one or more resist layers (600) that may be activated simultaneously and independently to impart distinct circuit pattern images (603, 608, 612) into each of a plurality of image levels (612, 616, 620) within each resist layer, thereby obviating repetitive sequential exposure, registration and alignment steps.

The electronic display industry, in its continual quest for increasing efficiency, is constantly scaling up the areal, or sheet, size of the substrates (typically glass) carrying the pixel matrices of the displays. However, the ever-increasing substrate sizes create significant manufacturing and engineering challenges relative to their use, handling and transportation. Furthermore, the upfront capital investment in infrastructure needed to process these large sheets of glass for each subsequent generation of fabrication facility has ballooned to upwards of $2 Billion. It is interesting to note that even though the underlying substrate sizes have increased, the photolithography used in fabricating electronic displays is still performed using step and scan exposure systems, in which the exposure size is typically much smaller than the substrate size. Similarly, semiconductors in general are manufactured using multiple photolithographic steps on ever larger wafers (substrates).
Trends in the display industry, and electronics industry generally, suggest that further display and electronic products will be made on flexible/conformal substrates, and optimally although not necessarily in a roll-to-roll, or reel-to-reel fashion. This transition is seen as inevitable to service the ever-present need and desire to reduce the size, weight and cost of the products without sacrificing performance. A wide gamut of products from displays, electronics and sensors, to name a few, would benefit from processes that result in the mass production of ruggedized, lightweight, portable, small form factor, less power hungry and lower cost electronic components. In addition, new and novel markets and opportunities could be addressed and opened up if these components could be made flexible and/or conformal.
In order to counter the ever-growing substrate size dilemma and to service future flexible needs, attempts have been made, and are ongoing, to develop manufacturing processes that would allow for roll-to-roll, or reel-to-reel (also called "web coaters"), technologies to be implemented such that flexible substrates, such as polymers/plastic foils and metal foils, may be substituted for rigid glass substrates. However, attempts made have had limited success, primarily due to the complexity of manufacturing the electronic devices, such as thin-film transistors (TFTs), of the displays. Typical manufacturing processes for such devices include multiple coatings, or layers, deposited at high temperature, interspaced with multiple photolithography patterning steps.
It is commonly known that polymers/plastics, if used as substrate material for electronic devices, severely limit the maximum temperature that may be used during the manufacturing of the end product. In addition, in order to inhibit undue out-gassing and contamination of equipment and devices during coating depositions, plastic substrates need to undergo a complex and time consuming pre-bake thermal cycling step. This pre-bake step also serves to expel moisture from the native polymer substrate, thereby stabilizing its coefficient of thermal expansion, which assists in the photolithography patterning and alignment steps.
Metal foils, on the other hand, are more resilient than polymers/plastics and tend to be immune from the temperature limit imposed by polymers/plastics. However, to date, TFTs made on metal foils have exhibited low electronic performance due to contamination effects and other unknowns attributed to high surface roughness of starting metal substrates. They are also typically opaque which limits their usefulness for displays.
Furthermore, the use of flexible substrates has placed heavy demands on engineering new ways and equipment to address: dimensional stability of substrates during lithography; mechanics for handling substrate curvature; registration accuracy; and consistency of placement of TFTs and electrodes. In this connection, flexible polymer/plastic substrates have had issues with moisture absorption, resistance to chemicals and solvents.
One of the more significant of the technical challenges to using flexible substrates that has slowed or stymied attempts at roll-to-roll manufacturing of electronic devices on either polymers/plastics or metal foils is the issue with photolithography registration and photolithography alignment due to the number of coatings and photo masking steps involved in manufacturing traditional TFTs.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate, respectively, a portion of an array 10 of conventional pixel cells, such as may be found in a number of active matrix backplane type displays, and a cross-section through a portion of one of the pixel cells. In this example each pixel cell 14 generally comprises a TFT 18, a storage capacitor 22 and a pixel electrode 24 made of indium tin oxide (ITO). Referring particularly to FIG. 1B, the various layers that make up each cell include a glass substrate layer 28 (e.g., a 0.7 mm thick piece of Corning 1737 glass), a gate electrode layer 32 (made of, e.g., chromium (Cr)), a gate insulator layer 36 (e.g., a silicon nitride (SiNx) layer), a pixel electrode layer 40 (made of, e.g., ITO), a channel layer 44 (e.g., an amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer), an ohmic contact layer 48 (e.g., an n+ a-Si layer), a source/drain metal electrode layer 52 (made of, e.g., Cr) and a passivation layer 56 (e.g., a SiN layer).
Following is a typical conventional set of steps, or recipe, that a manufacturer may use to form pixel cells 14 of FIGS. 1A-B:
Step #1:prepare staging area;Step #2:clean glass substrate 28;Step #3:sputter deposit gate metal layer 32;Step #4:clean, coat and cure photoresist (not shown);Step #5:align mask 1 (not shown) and expose;Step #6:develop resist, etch gate metal, strip photoresistand dry with air knives;Step #7:deposit silicon nitride layer 36, amorphous silicon (orpolysilicon) layer 44 and n+ dopant layer 48;Step #8:clean, coat and cure photoresist (not shown);Step #9:align mask 2 (not shown) and expose;Step #10:develop resist, rinse and dry with air knives;Step #11:dry etch a-Si pattern into layers 44 and 48 andstrip photoresist;Step #12:ultrasonic clean;Step #13:sputter deposit ITO layer 40;Step #14:clean, coat and cure photoresist (not shown);Step #15:align mask 3 (not shown) and expose;Step #16:develop, etch ITO layer 40, strip photoresist anddry with air knives;Step #17:sputter deposit S/D and interconnect metal layer 52;Step #18:clean, coat and cure photoresist (not shown);Step #19:align mask 4 (not shown) and expose;Step #20:develop, etch S/D and interconnect metal layer 48,strip photoresist and dry with air knives;Step #21:dry etch n+ doped layer 48;Step #22:deposit passivation layer 56 using plasma-enhancedchemical vapor deposition;Step #23:clean, coat and cure photoresist (not shown);Step #24:align mask 5 (not shown) and expose;Step #25:develop and rinse photoresist and dry with air knives;Step #26:dry etch passivation layer and strip photoresist;Step #27:ultrasonic clean;Step #28:test and review; andStep #29:laser repair shorts.It is noted that this recipe is for a traditional rigid platform. Converting this to a roll-to-roll process may also require intermediary steps of unwinding and rewinding the substrate roll between steps if the process is not continuous, and some degree of winding and unwinding is unavoidable in transporting the working substrate between stations in a continuous process. Note in the foregoing recipe the number of masks required, each requiring that a mask must be aligned in order for the corresponding subsequently patterned layer to be in proper registration with the other layers so as to create properly functioning devices. These alignment steps are a hindrance to achieving high device yield and efficient processing, especially in a roll-to-roll process wherein these alignment steps must be performed in conjunction with unwinding and rewinding, which makes the aligning all the more difficult.
Various efforts to date have demonstrated low pixel density TFTs having marginal performance on metal/polyimide substrates. However, what is really needed by the industry as a whole is a methodology that uses a low mask count TFT design and that has roll-to-roll continuous processing capability and that utilizes techniques and equipment that circumvent issues such as photolithography registration and alignment. The present invention includes such a methodology that essentially renders irrelevant dimensional stability of the substrate due to temperature and allows for the realization of high-resolution displays and the fabrication of other electronic products.

Method of making a microelectronic and/or optoelectronic circuitry sheet


A Color fax/video printing means for a digital still camera (DSC) which integrate the structure and function of fax, video signal, copying, printing and data communication apparatus in a whole and adopts method and structure such as computer architecture, central processing unit, data communication, DSC, ink-jet printing or laser printing, embedded circuit, firmware, dual bus, ASIC, programmable, cell active and pin sharing etc. to achieve advantages of enhancing efficiency, simplifying structure and operation, reducing cost and power consumption.

The present invention relates generally to a color fax/video printing means for a DSC, which utilizes methods and structures such as computer architecture, central processing unit, data communication, DSC, ink-jet printing or laser printing, embedded circuit, firmware, dual bus, ASIC, programmable, cell active and pin sharing etc. to achieve advantages of enhancing efficiency, simplifying structure and operation, reducing cost and power consumption.
The demand for fax, DSC, copier and printer becomes more urgent as the SOHO (small office and home office) becomes more popular recently. However, the provision of above units is bulky and expensive. Moreover, the above apparatus lack of the ability of single-unit operation and data sharing. Therefore, a compact and light weight set which can integrate the functions of above apparatus will be of great convenience.
The object of the present invention is to provide a color fax/video printing means for a DSC to achieve advantages of enhancing efficiency, simplifying structure and operation, reducing cost and power consumption.

Color fax/video printing means for digital still camera (DSC)

No. 17, Alley 38, Lane 173, Ke Shyue Yuan Rd.


Techniques described herein include evaluation and management of device hardware, software, and network resources during streaming, downloading, or playback of video resources on client devices from remote locations. Certain aspects relate to evaluating the current resources available at a client device, such as memory, processing capacity, device battery status, network availability and/or network data quotas, in view of a video resource request. Based on the evaluation of the client device's resources, and estimations of the effects that video streaming/downloading and playback may have on the client device's resources, the client device may control, customize, and/or alter the retrieval or playback of requested video resources.

Technologies for streaming and downloading video resources from back-end servers to client devices are ubiquitous and indispensable tools used in industries ranging from digital entertainment, gaming, online education, and business applications. A variety of computing systems and network architectures may be implemented to support video streaming, downloading, and playback, including Internet-based systems, satellite or cable communication systems, cellular/mobile network communications, etc. Client devices, such as business or residential based appliances (e.g., computers, televisions, etc.) as well as mobile devices of users, may retrieve video resources through a variety of front-end applications that may leverage any of the various computer and network architectures described herein, or any combination of such architectures. Often a user may initiate the retrieval of a particular video resource, either streaming for immediate viewing, or downloading for playback at a later time, with the user not ever knowing from which back-end servers the video will be retrieved, or over which networks the video will be transmitted.
When a client device requests a video from a back-end server, either for immediate streaming or downloading for later playback, the client device might not be aware of all of the characteristics of the requested video, such as the size, length, quality, storage location, and network access path of the requested video. Similarly, the back-end server from which the video has been requested might not be aware of certain operating characteristics or the current settings or status of the client device, such as the device's current allocation of hardware resources, software resources, network usage, and the like. Furthermore, during the process of streaming a video from a remote location to a client device, the characteristic of the video streaming process (e.g., storage location, streaming bit rate, video size/quality, networks used for streaming, etc.) may potentially change. For all of these reasons, the resource management and video retrieval/streaming determinations made at the client device and/or the remote storage location of the requested video may not correspond to the needs and priorities of the users and devices involved.

Device resource management during video streaming and playback


A system and method is provided for embedding business process into an RFID grid. The system includes at least an RFID Transceiver (Reader) s and antennae that read RFID Transponders (Tags) of multiple frequencies and multiple protocols as RFID hardware devices. A first computer program automatically discovers, configures and controls the RFID hardware devices. A computer memory system, connected to the RFID hardware devices, stores discovery, configuration, and control data. A second computer program is used to automatically and remotely receive data from the system and to automatically generate a graphical display of all RFID hardware devices. A third computer program embeds location information in terms of physical business context and zone definitions into the hardware RFID devices.

The present invention relates to embedding business process and business process intelligence into an RFID hardware device (Radio Frequency Identification) grid which is an integral and central part of an RFID based business solution for any business or functional area.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a system that allows definition and execution of any business process and business process intelligence involving tracking of removeable and immovable physical objects to be embedded into an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) grid built of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) devices deployed across the environment that covers the overall process, thereby providing the flexibility to define any application for any business or functional area, to incorporate any changes to the existing business process rules or business process intelligence.

Unique method for embedding business process into RFID grid


A guide clamp for clamping a femur and guiding placement of a guide wire relative to the femur. The guide clamp includes a body supporting a pair of clamping surfaces at the end of a pair of clamping arms that are spring-biased to move with respect to each other into a closed position to grip the femur. Defined by the body is a guide opening that guides insertion of the guide pin once the femur has been gripped. One of the clamping arms of the guide clamp may have proximal and distal portions that are slidably adjustable with respect to each other to allow a controlled repositioning of the guide opening with respect to the femur. The guide clamp may also include an engagement member which is supported by the body of the clamp and is capable of advancing into abutting contact with the head of the femur.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the use of guides for placement of guide wires in orthopedic surgery, and more particularly to the use of a guide clamp for placement of a guide wire during femoral head resurfacing surgery.
2. Description of Related Art
When severe hip joint problems are encountered, it is sometimes necessary to replace a portion of the hip joint; either the ball or the socket or both. One generally used hip joint replacement technique involved removal of a head and neck of the femur, and the insertion of a long angled and tapered metal prosthesis into the central "intramedulary" canal at the open upper end of the main straight portion of the femur. This femoral prosthesis typically had a relatively small metal ball at its upper end which mated with a small plastic socket mounted on the hip side of the joint. However, this "total" hip replacement technique was drastic, involving complete removal of the head and neck of the femur, and made any subsequent hip joint problems difficult to handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,806 to Amstutz, et al., discloses an early femoral prosthesis having a cobalt-chromium-molybdenum metallic shell of generally hemispherical shape. This femoral prosthesis is designed on the principle of removing all non-viable femoral head bone, but also preserving as much of the head and neck as possible.
In a more recent development, U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,069 to Amstutz ("the '069 patent"), which is commonly assigned and hereby incorporated herein by reference, discloses a metal-to-metal surface hip joint replacement. As shown in FIGS. 1-3 of the '069 patent, the metal-to-metal replacement includes a metallic (e.g. cobalt-chrome alloy) femoral prosthesis 22 and an acetabular prosthesis 40 also constructed of a metal material. Notably, FIG. 1 of the '069 patent shows that placement of the femoral prosthesis requires shaping of the femoral head 30 to fit a stem 24 and internal geometry of the femoral prosthesis. Shaping of the femoral head requires the use of various cutting and drilling tools. Accurate completion of such shaping procedures is aided by the accurate placement of a Steinman pin or guide wire 74 which guides the cutting and drilling tools. The '069 patent discloses what has become commonly known as femoral head resurfacing.
A clamp 62 is used to facilitate centering and placement of the guide wire, as shown in FIG. 9 of the '069 patent. The clamp includes a pair of jaws 64 that are supported by support member 68 and at pivot points 66 that allow pivotal rotation of the jaws with respect to the support member. Such rotation allows the jaws to engage the neck 32 of the femur 28. The jaws are advanced and retracted by rotation of a handle 70 which advances a threaded actuator 76 through the body and moves a camming surface 72 attached thereto. The camming surface, in turn, drives opening and closure of the jaws about the neck. After the clamp is secured, the pin or guide wire is inserted into, and advanced through, collinear guide openings defined in the handle and threaded actuator until hitting an entry point 78 on the femoral head 30. Advantageously, the ability of the clamp to engage and hold the guide openings in a fixed position relative to the femur promotes the accurate insertion of the guide wire or pin.
Despite the advantages of the clamp disclosed by the '069 patent, further improvements in the adjustability of positioning of pins and guide wires to improve the accurate placement of femoral prostheses are always desirable. It would be advantageous, therefore, to have a clamp and method with improved options to easily and accurately place a guide wire or pin which is subsequently used to guide femoral head resurfacing.

Guide clamp for guiding placement of a guide wire in a femur


Simulation systems and methods may enable virtual imaging. A data processing unit may receive data from a calibration unit indicating a position and/or orientation of a position and orientation sensor relative to a physical model. The data processing unit may also receive data from the position and orientation sensor indicating a position and/or orientation of the physical model. The data processing unit may generate a virtual image using the data from the position and orientation sensor and the data from the calibration unit. The data processing unit may render the virtual image to a display.

1. Field
The present invention relates to computerized medical simulation in general, and more specifically to virtual reality and/or augmented reality simulation devices and systems for medical training purposes.
2. Technical Background
Traditional medical procedures requiring invasive surgery are frequently being replaced by less invasive image-guided techniques taking advantage of modern imaging technologies, such as endoscopy, for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. These new techniques may require dedicated training for physicians and surgeons to master the indirect hand-eye coordination required by the imaging system as well as the manipulation of the imaging tools in addition to the conventional medical instruments and procedures. Computerized medical procedure training simulators may enable the physicians and trainees to develop and improve their practice in a virtual reality environment before actually practicing in the operation room.
Advanced medical procedure simulators may be based on a virtual reality ("VR") and/or a mixed or augmented reality ("AR") simulation apparatus by which the physician can experiment a medical procedure scenario. The VR/AR system may compute and display a visual VR/AR model of anatomical structures in accordance with physician gestures and actions to provide various feedback, such as visual feedback. In a VR system, an entire image may be simulated for display to a user, and in an AR system, a simulated image may be overlaid or otherwise incorporated with an actual image for display to a user. Various patient models with different pathologies can be selected. Therefore, natural variations as encountered over the years by practicing surgeons can be simulated for a user over a compressed period of time for training purposes. The medical simulation procedure can be recorded and rehearsed for evaluation purpose. The VR/AR simulation system can also compute and provide various metrics and statistics.
Some VR/AR simulation systems such as the one described in patent application US2010/0086905 include a human anatomy model of a joint of organ in real size and a simulated medical instrument that imitates the real medical procedure instrument. The model is further adapted with sensors and mobile members for guiding, tracking and controlling the medical instrument operation within the anatomy model. The simulated medical instrument is usually adapted from dedicated VR or AR hardware to provide haptic feedback, such as force feedback, to the physician to reproduce the instrument touch and feel sensing when touching the model.
Legacy medical VR/AR simulators often require dedicated haptic hardware such as, for instance, the two haptic devices arranged with a mobile member in the arthroscopy VR simulator described in US patent application 2010/0086905. Those VR/AR simulators can require specific setup and calibration prior to be operated; they can be expensive; they may suffer a number of mechanical constraints, such as friction, and the maximal amount of forces and torques displayed may be insufficient to provide a realistic simulation. The degree of possible motion of the tools due to mechanical configuration of the device can be limited. Moreover, the setup can be unstable over time, thus requiring regular maintenance to avoid inducing training errors. Furthermore, for a multipurpose training room, many simulators may be required, as different anatomical features may require different simulators. For instance, a knee arthroscopy simulator and a pelvic simulator may require two different simulators to be set up and calibrated. Furthermore, in order to align a VR/AR computerized simulation visual feedback to an actual physical gesture and action of the simulation tools, the VR/AR system may require a calibration setup phase to position the VR/AR model relative to real world position and orientation of each simulated instrument before the simulator becomes operational. Wrong calibration should be carefully avoided as it can be a source of significant training errors, potentially harmful to patients in later real operations. As taught for instance by US patent application 2010/0248200, the haptic device is therefore often manually calibrated by asking one or more experienced physician or medical residents to touch all virtual tissues using a virtual medical procedural tool, which may for example be a virtual blade, controlled by the haptic device.
The training tools described above can create significant budget and time overhead for the multipurpose training room operation, as multiple dedicated hardware devices may need to be installed in the room and skilled personnel may be required to operate the devices. Switching from one medical training procedure to another may be consequently cumbersome and time-consuming.

EIDGENOSSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZURICH


A method, system, and computer program product for cloud-based deployments of software applications that are monitored for compliance with regulatory requirements. One exemplary method commences upon receiving an indication of a compliance corpus such as HIPPA or SOX, then mapping the compliance corpus to one or more predetermined configurations of a virtual compliance platform. Any of the particular predetermined configurations include steps, operations, and/or rules for provisioning infrastructure (e.g., using cloud-resident resources). After provisioning the virtual compliance platform based on the predetermined configuration, the provisioning operations further deploys a compliance monitor. The compliance monitor encapsulates the software application within the compliance monitor so as to monitor and/or log the operation and performance of the software application with respect to the compliance regulations. In some cases, a virtual compliance platform includes a virtual machine.

Various service markets have the need for deploying business applications that meet the regulatory requirements imposed by applicable government and regulatory authorities. Examples of such regulatory requirements include HIPPA (vis-à-vis healthcare) and SOX (vis-à-vis financial transactions), to name just a couple.
Large organizations involved in businesses subject to regulatory requirements often have departments dedicated to ensuring regulatory compliance. Such departments may perform or participate in audits, as well as update compliance policies and procedures to meet changing regulatory requirements. However, smaller organizations often do not have the resources to dedicate to ensuring regulatory compliance. Still more, recent and expected legislation has expanded regulatory requirements and liability to include even very small entities. For example, even an individual physician with a small practice or even a small-town pharmacy must comply with applicable regulations. The technical challenges of complying with regulatory requirements is increasing day-by-day. As well, so is the extent of government scrutiny to ensure compliance.
Although most of the above-identified entities subject to regulatory compliance cannot cost-effectively dedicate the same resources as that of a large corporate organization, most of these entities nevertheless offer some form of online services that may be subject to such regulations. For example, a physician or pharmacist might offer a web site presence for the convenience of their customers (patients, healthcare providers, etc.), and the web site might facilitate "secure chat" with a physician, or perhaps online registration for tests, and/or viewing of lab reports, etc., and such activities may be subject to many regulations (e.g., HIPPA). In another domain, organizations (even small, single-proprietor organization) that facilitate financial transactions may offer a web site presence for the convenience of their customers (traders, investors, etc.), and related activities may be subject to extensive regulations (e.g., SOX).
Merely requiring such smaller organizations to comply does not address the problems in achieving such compliance. Indeed, there are several barriers facing smaller organizations in developing compliant applications (e.g., web-based applications). More specifically:                The web-based application may not be designed and implemented to achieve 100% compliance in a way to support a showing of compliance in a court of law.        The application or hosting infrastructure may not meet journaling standards needed for compliance.        The application or hosting infrastructure may not implement the necessary security policies to manage or prevent security breaches, loss of data, or other malicious attacks.
Ad hoc or legacy techniques are deficient, and yet, still more barriers are presented to these organizations in that as new regulations are enacted, and/or as existing regulations are changed, the impact to compliance must be analyzed, further exacerbating the problem.
Some or all of the aforementioned deficiencies in the legacy approaches can be addressed using an automated approach involving techniques to perform automatic deployment of software applications to meet regulatory compliance requirements.

Automatic deployment of software applications to meet regulatory compliance requirements


A seating arrangement for a small watercraft having an operator's seat and a pair of slightly rearwardly positioned rider's seats with a movable back rest that accommodates the rider seated either in a forward or rearwardly facing position. The area behind the side seats forms a deck area for the rider's feet when facing rearwardly and also so as to accommodate rear entry of the watercraft from a body of water in which the watercraft is operating.

This invention relates to a seat arrangement for watercraft and more particularly to an improved seating arrangement for a small watercraft.
One type of very popular small watercraft is propelled by a jet propulsion unit which is mounted in a tunnel positioned beneath a seat on which the rider sits in a straddle fashion. This type of watercraft is generally designed to accommodate only a single rider or the rider and a passenger seated in tandem fashion. However, the utility of this type of watercraft can be greatly expanded if the watercraft can accommodate more than the rider and a single passenger.
However, because of the nature of the watercraft and its relatively small size, it is also desirable to maintain the seating arrangement so that a number of different passengers can be accommodated without adversely affecting the side to side balance of the watercraft. Also, it is desirable to afford a seating arrangement wherein the passengers may sit more closely adjacent the operator.
It is, therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an improved seating arrangement for a small watercraft.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a seating arrangement for a watercraft that will permit one, two, three or more passengers all to be accommodated in a convenient fashion and without shifting the side to side balance of the watercraft.
With the type of watercraft described, there are instances when it may be desirable to permit the passengers to become seated in a way in which they need not face forwardly. However, when the watercraft is in motion, a forward seating position is desirable. In addition, this type of watercraft is normally designed to be operated by a rider and passengers wearing swimming suits. In order to facilitate entry of the watercraft from the body of water in which the watercraft is operating, the rear deck is generally open through the transom so that it can afford rear entry. However, this rear entry can adversely affect the seating arrangement.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved seating arrangement for a small watercraft that accommodates passengers seated in either a forwardly or rearwardly facing position.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a seating arrangement for a small watercraft that will accommodate passengers seated facing forwardly or rearwardly and which also still permits the watercraft to be boarded through the rear from the body of water in which the watercraft is operating.


A series of ceramic ingots is provided in which each ingot in the series, referred to as base ingots, has a shade corresponding to a different shade of a shade guide. The number of differently shaded base ingots is less than the total number of shades associated with the shade guide. A base ingot is selected from the series having a shade of a value at least as high as a shade associated with a patient's tooth. If the base ingot shade matches the patient's tooth, a restoration made with the selected base ingot can be glazed as is; otherwise the dental restoration is stained with a stain having a lower value than the selected base ingot to match the tooth. Thus, the total different number of ingot shades needed in inventory is reduced but without requiring staining in every case.

Dental restorations are created by a number of techniques. One particularly popular technique is the pressable technique in which a ceramic ingot is heated and pressed using the lost wax process to create a dental restoration that can be permanently placed in a patient's mouth.
Natural and artificial teeth come in a variety colors. If a dental restoration does not match very closely to a patient's natural tooth color, the fact that the patient has a restoration is readily apparent. This is undesirable because it does not produce the aesthetically pleasing result sought by many dental patients.
Shade guides have been developed that establish a finite number of shades to which a patient's tooth can be matched so that a suitable restoration can be produced. One particularly popular and still widely used shade guide is the Vita® Classic shade guide introduced in 1956 by Vita Zahnfabrik AG of Germany. The Vita Classic shade guide consists of 16 separate shades divided by hue into four families identified as A through D. Each family is then further divided into four subdivisions, each numbered 1 through 4. The subdivisions are numbered in order of decreasing value (lightness or darkness) and increasing chroma (intensity of color).
Current pressable dental restoration systems generally require using a different shade of ingot for each of the different shades represented on shade guide. While this gives a satisfactory final restoration product, it is inefficient for dental laboratories that make the restorations. For example, dental laboratories must keep a ready inventory of ingots for each of the 16 shades represented by the Vita Classic shade guide on hand, many of which are less popular than others. A glaze is then usually applied and fired to the restoration to impart a glassy appearance.
Other existing pressable restoration systems provide a limited number of neutral colored ingots to which two, three or more layers of low chroma shade stain must be applied and fired instead of glazing. While this may reduce the inventory of ingot types needed by a laboratory, this process still lacks efficiency because the neutral ingots do not correspond to any shades of the shade guide; thus the restoration must always be stained to achieve the desired end result. Additionally, staining may result in a slightly less aesthetic restoration than restorations that are glazed over an already properly shaded restoration.
What is needed is a more efficient method for making dental restorations that correspond to the shade of a patient's tooth that reduces a laboratory's need for a full set of different shades of ingots in its on-hand inventory, while still providing a high percentage of restorations that can be glazed as part of the finishing process.
What is also needed is a more efficient method for making those dental restorations that do need to be stained, avoiding the need for applying and firing multiple layers of stains.