A negative-acting, photothermographic material having a first layer comprising an amine compound and a second layer comprising an amine-reactive dye which undergoes a visible change when in reactive association with the amine compound. The amine compound and the amine-sensitive dye are in non-reactive association at ambient and moderate temperatures, but at elevated temperatures the two components are able to interact to produce a visible change in the heated areas of the material. The materials are particularly suitable for the preparation of overhead projector transparencies.

Overhead projectors (OHP) are routinely used for the display of text and graphic information contained on a transparency sheet. The transparency sheet is placed on an illuminated stage of the OHP, and the transmitted light collected by suitable optics and projected onto a wall or screen. The transparency images are normally prepared by a thermographic process from originals comprising an infrared-absorbing image, e.g., an ink image or electrostatic toner image containing carbon, on a white background. A translucent substrate bearing a thermosensitive coating is placed in face-to-face contact with the original. Thereafter, illumination with infrared radiation generates heat in the toner image, which in turn records the image on the thermosensitive coating. The thermographic process is usually colour-forming, e.g., a positive, dark-on-light image is recorded. There is a continuing need for single-sheet colour-bleaching materials capable of generating negative images, preferably involving a variety of bright colours, with good resolution and with good pre- and post-imaging stability. Many of the negative-acting systems currently available are of the two-sheet type, in which dye and bleaching agent are coated on separate sheets to preserve shelf-stability. Such materials are less convenient, in both use and manufacture, than single-sheet constructions.
Various single-sheet thermal-dye-bleach constructions are known, notably bleachable antihalation layers for photothermographic elements. Such materials are rarely suitable for OHP transparencies, because the demands made on materials for OHP systems are much more severe. For example, in the unbleached state, the transmission optical density (0.D.) at the wavelength of maximum absorption should be at least 1.0, preferably at least 1.5. Substantially all of this absorption must be discharged by a brief, typically less than 1 second, treatment at moderately elevated temperatures. Longer exposures are unacceptable to the customer, and higher temperatures cause vesiculation of the base (and hence light-scattering and image darkening), unless expensive heat-resistant base is used. Not only must the unbleached colour remain stable under normal storage conditions prior to imaging, but it must also survive prolonged exposure on the OHP subsequent to imaging. This contrasts with the `typical` antihalation layer, where an O.D. of greater than 0.4 is uncommon, heating times of greater than 10 seconds are usual, and bleaching is carried out uniformly rather than image-wise, such that resolution and post-exposure stability are not critical.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,552 discloses negative-acting, coloured sheet materials comprising a carrier sheet bearing a heat-sensitive medium comprising an amine-sensitive, coloured dye and a thermal-amine-releaser dissolved in binder. When subjected to imagewise heating, the thermal-amine-releaser decomposes in the heated areas of the material to release an amine compound which reacts with and bleaches the dye, causing a loss or change in colour in those areas. Although the materials are described as being suitable for OHP transparencies, in practice they do not provide an adequate combination of stability and sensitivity.
British Patent Publication No. 2202958 discloses negative-acting, coloured sheet materials comprising a carrier sheet bearing a heat-sensitive medium comprising a coloured dye and a plurality of microcapsules containing a decolourising agent capable of reacting with and bleaching the dye. Imagewise heating causes the microcapsules to rupture or become more permeable in the heated areas of the material, thereby releasing the decolourising agent into the medium to bleach the dye in those areas. Both amines and quaternary amine salts are disclosed as decolourising agents, but only as one of many alternatives, and neither is preferred. The materials are described as being suitable for use as OHP transparencies, but they have the problem of matching the refractive index of the capsules to that of the continuous phase in order to achieve transparency. There are no details of pre- or post-imaging stability.
Japanese Patent Application No. 63-176171 discloses negative-acting OHP sheet materials where the bleaching agent is supplied via a special pen. Such materials cannot be used with conventional transparency imagers.
British Patent Nos. 2150702 and 2173012, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,620,204, 4,620,205 and 4,665,410 disclose positive-acting sheet materials capable of forming two different colours when heated at different temperatures. The materials comprise a carrier sheet bearing a heat-sensitive medium containing two dye-precursors, one precursor forming a first coloured dye when heated to a pre-determined temperature and the other a second, different coloured dye when heated to a pre-determined higher temperature. The dye-precursors may be contained in a single layer or two separate layers, with one precursor in each layer. A decolourising agent specific for the first coloured dye is contained in a separate layer adjacent that containing the low-temperature dye-precursor, although where the two dye-precursors are contained in different layers, the decolourising agent may alternatively be contained in the layer containing the high-temperature dye-precursor. An intermediate layer is optionally interposed between the layer containing the decolourising agent and that containing the low-temperature dye-precursor to prevent the migration of the decolourising agent from the former into the latter until the material is heated at the higher temperature.
When imagewise heated at the lower temperature, only the first colour is generated in the heated areas of the material. When heated at the higher temperature, the second colour is also generated in the heated areas of the material, but the decolourising agent migrates across the barrier layer to bleach the first coloured dye.
These materials are primarily intended for use as thermo-sensitive papers, e.g., for facsimile, telex and other information transmission apparatus, and there is no reference to the use of these materials as overhead projector transparencies. The only carrier sheets exemplified in the Examples are "high quality papers".
A wide variety of bleaching agents are disclosed, including both aromatic and aliphatic amines, but the greatest emphasis is placed on polyfunctional amides, generally of high molecular weight, and morpholine and guanidine derivatives. The use of amines is actually discouraged in British Patent No. 2173012. Where the use of amines is taught (e.g., British Patent No. 2150702), solids with a melting point of at least 45.degree. C. are specified. Moreover, while the use of an opaque paper base permits higher imaging temperatures to be tolerated, it effectively precludes application of these materials to OHP systems. The requirement for post-imaging stability is also much less stringent in such materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,068 discloses heat-sensitive, positive-acting sheet materials comprising a carrier sheet bearing a heat-sensitive medium containing one or two colour-forming "chromagens" and associated colour developers. The heat-sensitive medium either contains two different colour-forming chromagens in a single layer or either the same or a different chromagen in each of two separate layers. An organic amine derivative which is capable of bleaching the chromagen or one of the chromagens is contained in a separate layer adjacent that containing the amine-sensitive chromagen, although, where the chromagen(s) is/are contained in separate layers, the amine may alternatively be contained in one of the chromagen-containing layers.
When the material is heated to a pre-determined temperature, the chromagen(s) and colour developer react to form a coloured image, but when heated to a pre-determined higher temperature, then the amine reacts with the chromagen in the heated regions of the material to bleach the developed colour. In the case where two chromagens are present, one chromagen may generate a first colour at the lower temperature with the second chromagen generating a second, different colour at the higher temperature.
Reference is made to the use of a barrier layer to separate two colour-forming layers, but only to prevent the amine from diffusing into the other chromagen-containing layer, i.e., it is not intended to be selectively permeable when heated.
There is no reference to the use of these materials to form overhead projector transparencies. The only support materials described in the Examples are "ordinary papers".

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


To obtain a small and high performance damper mechanism which reduces pressure pulsation in low pressure-side fuel in the high pressure fuel pump in a high pressure fuel supply system or a high pressure fuel pump provided with the small and high performance damper mechanism.

As this type of damper mechanism or a high pressure fuel pump provided with the damper mechanism, various dumpers and pumps have been conventionally known. One example is a single metal diaphragm damper and a high pressure fuel pump provided with the single metal diaphragm damper. The single metal diaphragm damper is so constituted that the peripheral portion of a single metal diaphragm is secured in a housing by welding. (Refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-193186 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 3180948.)

Damper mechanism and high pressure fuel pump

Abstract: Two metal diaphragms are welded together over the entire circumference to obtain a metal diaphragm assembly (also referred to as “double metal diaphragm damper”). The whole or part of the portion of the metal diaphragm assembly other than the weld (for example, the portion inside the weld) is clamped by a pressing member and thereby the assembly is secured in a housing enclosure. The housing enclosure may be formed integrally with the body of a high pressure pump.


Systems and methods are provided for centrally managing subscriptions to feeds accessible at different locations on a network. A subscription server is provided that a user can log in to from any of the user's rendering devices and use to manage subscriptions to feeds, including subscribing to feeds, listening to episodes of feeds, downloading episodes to a rendering device, and rating and reviewing episodes. The user's history of actions with respect to feeds is tracked and stored on the subscription server. The user can then access this history via user interfaces generated by the subscription server to determine what actions the user has performed in the past.

Multimedia data files, or media files, are data structures that may include audio, video or other content stored as data in accordance with a container format. A container format is a file format that can contain various types of data, possible compressed a standardized and known manner. The container format allows a rendering device to identify, and if necessary, interleave, the different data types for proper rendering. Some container formats can contain only audio data, while other container formation can support audio, video, subtitles, chapters and metadata along with synchronization information needed to play back the various data streams together. For example, an audio file format is a container format for storing audio data. There are many audio-only container formats including known in the art including WAV, AIFF, FLAC, WMA, and MP3. In addition, there are now a number of container formats for use with combined audio, video and other content including AVI, MOV, MPEG-2 TS, MP4, ASF, and RealMedia to name but a few.
Media files accessible over a network are increasingly being used to deliver content to mass audiences. For example, one emerging way of periodically delivering content to consumers is through podcasting.
Podcasting is a method of publishing digital media, typically audio programs, via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a series of new files (e.g., MP3 audio files) as they become available over time. The word "podcasting" became popular in late 2004, largely due to automatic downloading of audio onto portable players or personal computers. Podcasting is distinct from other types of online media delivery because of its subscription model, which uses a "feed" (such as RSS, discussed below, and Atom) to monitor for and/or deliver a file. A feed in this context refers to an electronic means, such as a file containing a list of media files, that can be easily interpreted to identify new files in the list as the files are added over time. Thus, one is said to subscribe to a feed because as new files are added to the list, the subscriber is notified of the new file and, in some cases, the new file is automatically delivered to the subscriber.
Podcasting enables independent producers to create self-published, syndicated media, such as "radio shows," and gives broadcast news, radio, and television programs a new distribution method. Listeners may subscribe to feeds using "podcatching" software (a type of aggregator), which periodically checks for and downloads new content automatically. Most podcatching software enables the user to copy podcasts to portable music players. Most digital audio player or computer with audio-playing software can play podcasts. From the earliest RSS-enclosure tests, feeds have been used to deliver video files as well as audio. By 2005 some aggregators and mobile devices could receive and play video, although the "podcast" name remains most associated with audio. Other names are sometimes used for casting other forms of media, such as blogcasting for text and vcasting or vodcasting for video. For the purposes of this application, podcast is used in its most general sense to refer to a feed of new files in any format (e.g., .MP3, .MPEG, .WAV, .JPG) and containing any content (e.g., text-based, audible, visual or some combination) that can be subscribed to. Also, for the purposes of this discussion an individual podcast feed may be alternately referred to as a series. Each distinct new file in a series or feed may be referred to as an individual episode of the series.
Podcasting is supported by underlying feed formats, of which RSS is but one example. RSS is a family of XML file formats for web syndication used by (among other things) news websites and weblogs. The abbreviation is alternately used to refer to the following recognized standards: Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91); RDF Site Summary (RSS 0.9 and 1.0); and Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0).
Feed formats, such as the RSS formats, often allow the feed creator (referred to as the publisher) to include web content or summaries of web content together with links to the full versions of the content, and other meta-data. This information may be associated with different episodes of the feed, thus allowing an easy way to provide at least some summary information to the subscriber so that a subscriber does not have to render each episode to determine if it contains information of interest. This information may be delivered within an XML feed file, a webfeed, an RSS stream, or RSS channel.
The technology behind podcasting allows a client to subscribe to websites that have provided RSS feeds or feeds in other formats; these are typically sites that change or add content regularly. To use this technology the client needs some type of aggregation service or aggregator. The aggregator allows a client to subscribe to the podcasts that the client wants to monitor or to get updates (i.e. future media files in the feed) on. Unlike typical subscriptions to pulp-based newspapers and magazines, your RSS subscriptions are free, but they typically only provide a line or two of each article or post along with a link to the media file that contains the episode (e.g., the full text article, audio file or video file).
In addition to facilitating syndication, a feed allows a website's frequent readers to track updates on the site using an aggregator.
Feeds, including RSS feeds, are widely used by the weblog community to share the latest episodes' headlines or their full text, and even attached multimedia files. In mid 2000, use of RSS for podcasting text spread to many major news organizations, including Reuters, CNN and the BBC, until under various usage agreements, providers allow other websites to incorporate their "syndicated" headline or headline-and-short-summary feeds. Feeds are now used for many purposes, including marketing, bug-reports, or any other activity involving periodic updates or publications.
A program known as a feed reader or aggregator can check feeds, such as RSS-enabled webpages, on behalf of a user and display any updated articles that it finds. It is now common to find RSS feeds on major web sites, as well as many smaller ones. Client-side readers and aggregators are typically constructed as standalone programs or extensions to existing programs like web browsers. Such programs are available for various operating systems.
Podcasting has become a very popular and accepted media delivery paradigm. This success has caused the number and variety of podcasts available to clients to grow exponentially. Potential podcast consumers are now confronted with the problems of how to find podcasts, how to organize and manage their podcast subscriptions; and how to listen to episodes efficiently and easily. Podcast publishers are also confronted with problems including how to effectively market their podcasts, how to generate income from their podcasts, how to easily create and disseminate podcasts, how to support different feed formats and device needs, and how to manage bandwidth and storage costs.
Currently client-side readers must download some or all of an episode to the rendering device before the subscriber can begin to render the episode. This requires a substantial amount of bandwidth, storage space on the rendering device, and is a potential security risk to the rendering device.


The present invention provides a developing apparatus that can effectively prevent generation of a ghost due to poor detachment of a developer after development, and generation of unevenness in density between a left part and a right part of an image region due to lack of an amount of the developer transported. The developing apparatus satisfies the relationshipr+R≦d≦3r+R where r denotes a rotational radius of a second developer transporting screw, R denotes a rotational radius of a development roller, and d denotes a center distance between the second developer transporting screw and the development roller. The developing apparatus also satisfies the relationshipM0≧(mg0×v×l)/0.02where mg0 (g/mm2) denotes an amount of a toner per unit area that is supplied from the development roller to an electrostatic latent image having 100% image coverage which is formed on a photosensitive drum, v (mm/s) denotes a rotational peripheral velocity of the photosensitive drum, l (mm) denotes a maximum printing width on the photosensitive drum, and M0 (g/s) denotes an amount of the developer transported per unit time by the second developer transporting screw in a second developer transport direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing apparatus used for developing an electrostatic latent image that is formed on an electrostatic latent image bearing member in an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which optically scans an original image portion that is supported on an outer circumferential surface of a uniformly electrified photosensitive drum (an electrostatic latent image bearing member) so as to form an electrostatic latent image, and converts the electrostatic latent image into a visible image by using a toner, that can be a colored resin, is known. Such an image forming apparatus is capable of forming an image at a high speed, and thus has been used widely for digital printers, copiers and the like.
In recent years, there have been increasing demands on such apparatuses, particularly for forming color images. As electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, apparatuses for forming full color images composed of toner images of four colors: yellow (Y); magenta (M); cyan (C); and black (Bk) also have been available. In particular, tandem type image forming apparatuses that are advantageous for high-speed printing have been widely used, and they are becoming more and more mainstream.
This type of tandem type image forming apparatus includes image forming units for each of four colors that are disposed in parallel, and thus gives rise to a problem that the size of the apparatus increases. In order to solve this problem, a configuration in which a spacing or a pitch between photosensitive drums that are adjacent to each other is shortened in an image forming apparatus of a non-magnetic one-component developing system using a developer that contains only a toner has been proposed so as to decrease the size of the apparatus (see, for example, JP 2001-356545 A). In such a configuration, a development roller that develops an electrostatic latent image by allowing a toner to adhere onto a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum is disposed above a cleaning member of an upstream adjacently positioned photosensitive drum, thereby shortening the pitch or distance between the adjacent photosensitive drums so as to decrease the overall size of the apparatus. That is, this configuration provides a narrow-pitch image forming system.
Generally, as the developing system, a two-component developing system using a developer containing a toner and a magnetic carrier that can provide high image quality and low operating costs has been widely used, in addition to the non-magnetic one-component developing system. In the two-component developing system, the developer is rubbed against a surface of the photosensitive drum with a magnetic brush by using the development roller that is provided with a development sleeve having magnets disposed therein and carries the developer. Only the toner is transferred onto the surface of the photosensitive drum, thus developing the electrostatic latent image.
In order to satisfy all of the demands for a decrease in size, high image quality and low operating costs, which have been further become more stringent recently, the present inventors have developed an image forming apparatus in which a narrow-pitch image forming system is provided with a two-component developing system.
In the two-component developing system, detaching the developer that is attached on the surface of the development roller after the development is important, and if the detachment of the developer, after development, is not sufficient, a toner density of the developer at a part where the toner is consumed and a toner density where the toner is not consumed are different, which may cause generation of unevenness of density, which is called a "ghost (or memory)" image. Generally, such detachment of a developer is performed by: providing an odd number of magnets in the development roller; disposing a pair of magnets having a same pole in a position below a shaft center (a rotational center line) of the development roller so as to provide a detaching region where a magnetic force is substantially zero; and dropping the developer, after development, by free-fall using gravity in this region. Then, the detached developer is transported by a developer transporting screw that is disposed near the detaching region, and is adjusted to have a predetermined toner density again by being circulated in the developing apparatus.
However, in the narrow-pitch image forming system in which the development roller is positioned above the cleaning member of the upstream adjacently positioned photosensitive drum, since the cleaning member of the upstream adjacently positioned photosensitive drum is positioned below and close to the development roller, the detaching region of the developer, where the pair of magnets of the same polarity are disposed is inevitably positioned above the shaft center (the rotational center line) of the development roller. As a result, the detachment of the developer using gravity cannot be achieved, which may cause generation of the unevenness in density which can give rise to the above-noted "ghost".
In order to solve this problem, a configuration where a drawing-up roller having a magnet therein is disposed near the detaching region on the development roller, and the developer, after development, is detached by a magnetic force of the magnet has been proposed (see, for example, JP 11-65247 A). In this case, the detached developer is drawn up (or taken up) by another drawing-up roller, and thereafter is transported to a developer stirring chamber having a screw, where the toner density is adjusted again and the toner is electrified.
However, in the above-discussed configuration where the detaching region of the developer, in which the pair of magnets of the same polarity are disposed, is positioned above the shaft center (the rotational center line) of the development roller, when the developer, after development, is detached by using the drawing-up roller having the magnet therein as described in JP 11-65247 A, the developer stirring chamber or the like for stirring the developer must be provided separately. Thus, a problem arises in that the developing apparatus is complicated in configuration and has a large size. In addition, the magnet is required to be disposed in the drawing-up roller, which may increase manufacturing costs and a weight of the apparatus.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A personalized method for enhancing a service, a network side device and a mobile user equipment are provided. The network side device provides an enhanced service for a user equipment located at a service location preset by a user. The network side device comprises a service location determination module and an enhanced service control module. The service location determination module is configured to maintain the service location preset by the user. The enhanced service control module is configured to indicate to provide the enhanced service for the user equipment located at the service location preset by the user. The mobile user equipment comprises an enhanced service indication module. The enhanced service indication module is configured to send a user indication to the network side device to enable the network side device to provide the enhanced service for the user equipment located at the service location preset by the user.

In a wireless cellular communication system, the base station is a device providing the wireless access for the user equipment (UE, which also can be called a user equipment terminal), and the base station performs the wireless communication with the user equipment through the electromagnetic wave. A base station may include one or more serving cells, and the wireless communication system can provide the wireless coverage for the user equipment within a certain geographical range through the serving cell.
In order to be able to provide a wide-range wireless communication for the user, the wireless communication system needs to deploy a base station with a great coverage range, and this kind of base station is usually called a macro base station (Macro eNB or Macro BS), and its serving cell is usually called a Macro Cell. In addition, in consideration of different demands and different using environments of the users, the wireless communication system needs to provide wireless communication service with higher quality for the user under some environments or scenes, so some small-scale base stations with small coverage range and lower transmission power are adopted. These small-scale base stations include Pico base stations (Pico eNB or Pico BS) and Femto base stations (Femto eNB or Femto BS), wherein, the Femto base station also can be called a home base station (HNB or HeNB), a femto base station or a flying base station, and a cell provided by the Pico base station and the home base station is called a pico cell or a femtocell. And a cell provided by a small-scale base station or a low-power node (LPN) also can be called a small cell.
How to optimize the quality and the service mode of the personalized service provided for the user is a problem that has been studied constantly all the time.

Personalized method for enhancing service, network side device, and mobile user equipment


A method of identifying molecular parameters in a complex mixture may include receiving a set of combined transition frequencies and analyzing the set of combined transition frequencies using a first trained artificial neural network to generate a plurality of separated transition frequency sets. Each of the plurality of separated frequency sets may be analyzed using a second trained artificial neural network to generate a respective set of estimated spectral parameters. The method may include identifying a set of molecular parameters corresponding to the set of separated transition frequencies.

Microwave rotational spectroscopy is a technique in which the energy of rotational transitions for molecules in the gas phase is measured using microwave radiation. The technique has been known for over 50 years. Historically, instrumentation and analysis of data output by rotational spectrometers has been complicated, in part due to the voluminous data created during operation of rotational spectrometers. Recently, advances in instrumentation have allowed broadband rotational spectrometers to become commercially available and to be deployed in multiple industries (e.g., pharmaceutical, energy, military, etc.). However, analysis of data output by rotational spectrometers remains complicated and difficult. Only a few skilled analysts worldwide are able to analyze rotational spectra using manual methods, and existing computerized approaches require end users to input many (e.g., fifty or more) parameters manually, may use brute force and/or trial-and-error algorithms, and consequently may have factorial or exponential computational complexity requiring impractical amounts of computation time (e.g., days or weeks). Other approaches (e.g., genetic algorithms, cross-correlation, double resonance spectroscopy, and/or integrated software) may suffer from similar limitations. Also, visually identifying a pattern when the dynamic range reaches 1000:1 or larger may be very challenging. In various applications, a need exists to analyze rotational spectra to identify and/or assign molecular data in a way that is accurate and computationally efficient (e.g., capable of being performed in real-time).

Identification and localization of rotational spectra using recurrent neural networks


A mold manufacturing method includes the steps of: disposing a mask layer on a front side and a backside of a first substrate, wherein the first substrate is transparent to a predetermined light source and the mask layer has a top portion and a bottom portion, which are respectively disposed on the front side and the backside and arranged alternately; forming a photoresist layer on the front side of the first substrate; providing the predetermined light source to illuminate the backside of the first substrate so as to expose the photoresist layer to form an exposed portion and an unexposed portion; and removing the unexposed portion to form a patterned structure having trenches and micro-holes arranged alternately; forming a metal layer on the patterned structure of the photoresist layer and the first substrate; and removing the photoresist layer and the first substrate; to remain the metal layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a LIGA mold, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a LIGA mold by backside exposure.
2. Description of the Related Art
LIGA is the abbreviation of German "Lithographie, Galvanoformung und Abformung", which means lithography, electroplating and molding. The LIGA process uses a mask and the X-ray having high linearity but requiring synchronous radiation to manufacture a micro structure having a pattern with a high aspect ratio (e.g., 50:1 or larger), wherein the fabricated micro structure may be an end product or a mold for proceeding the molding process such as hot embossing.
FIGS. 1A to 1C show conventional LIGA processes using the X-ray in the case of using a negative photoresist (e.g., SU-8). As shown in FIG. 1A, a seed layer 120 is deposited on a substrate 110. Then, a photoresist layer 130 is applied onto the seed layer 120 by way of spin coating. Next, a mask layer 140 is provided or formed on the photoresist layer 130. Then, an X-ray source 150 for illumination is provided to form the photoresist layer 130 with the patterned structure of FIG. 1A.
Then, as shown in FIG 1B, a metal layer 160 is formed on the seed layer 120 by way of plating. Next, the photoresist layer 130, the seed layer 120 and the substrate 110 are removed to remain the metal layer 160 as a mold. The mold can be used to perform the hot embossing process. Due to the excellent optical property of the X-ray, a sidewall of the patterned structure formed on the photoresist layer 130 is substantially vertical. In addition, the surface of the sidewall of the formed photoresist layer 130 is very smooth such that the surface of the formed mold is very smooth, which is advantageous to the de-molding procedure of the hot embossing process and is thus advantageous to the mass production. However, the X-ray source cannot be easily obtained and a synchronous radiation apparatus is needed, so the cost of the LIGA process using the X-ray cannot be effectively reduced.
FIGS. 2A to 2C show conventional LIGA processes using the ultra-violet light. As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the photoresist layer 130, which is large in top and small in bottom, is formed when the ultra-violet light source 150′ is used to replace the X-ray source of FIG. 1A by way of front side exposure due to the Fresnel diffraction effect of the light and the absorption property of the photoresist. That is, an upper area 132 of the photoresist layer 130 is larger than a lower area 134 thereof. Thus, the manufactured mold 160 is disadvantageous to the de-molding procedure of the hot embossing process.
Consequently, it is an important subject of the invention to provide a method of forming a LIGA mold, which is advantageous to the de-molding procedure of the hot embossing process, by LIGA processes using the ultra-violet light.

Method of manufacturing a LIGA mold by backside exposure


A microscope for investigating the lifetime of excited states in a sample has a light source that generates excitation light, and has a detector that receives detected light proceeding from the sample. The light source contains a semiconductor laser which emits pulsed excitation light. An adjusting apparatus is provided for adjusting the pulse repetition rate to the specific lifetime properties of the sample.

By investigating the lifetime of the excited states of a sample or a fluorophore, important conclusions can be drawn as to the properties of the sample. Especially when multiple fluorescent dyes are used, identification and distinction of the fluorophores becomes possible using fluorescence lifetime image microscopy (FLIM).
EP 0 681 695 B1 discloses an apparatus for quantitative imaging of multiple fluorophores. The apparatus contains a means for guiding two scanning beams of continuous electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths. The intensity of each beam is sinusoidally modulated with various modulation frequencies. The modulated detected radiation is allocated to the respective excitation wavelengths using the lock-in technique.
DE 101 44 435 A1 discloses a method and an arrangement for generating time-resolved and positionally resolved, as well as time- and wavelength-resolved, fluorescence images. The arrangement is based on pulsed fluorescence excitation with a femtosecond or picosecond laser, detection being accomplished in time-correlated and positionally correlated fashion in a single-photon counting system.
In scanning microscopy, a sample is illuminated with a light beam in order to observe the reflected or fluorescent light emitted from the sample. The focus of the illuminating light beam is moved in a specimen plane by means of a controllable beam deflection device, generally by tilting two mirrors, the deflection axes usually being perpendicular to one another so that one mirror deflects in the X direction and the other in the Y direction. Tilting of the mirrors is brought about, for example, by means of galvanometer positioning elements. The power level of the light coming from the specimen is measured as a function of the position of the scanning beam.
In confocal scanning microscopy specifically, a specimen is scanned in three dimensions with the focus of a light beam.
A confocal scanning microscope generally comprises a light source, a focusing optical system with which the light of the source is focused onto an aperture (called the "excitation pinhole"), a beam splitter, a beam deflection device for beam control, a microscope optical system, a detection pinhole, and the detectors for detecting the detected or fluorescent light. The illuminating light is coupled in via a beam splitter. The fluorescent or reflected light coming from the specimen travels back via the beam deflection device to the beam splitter, traverses it, and is then focused onto the detection pinhole behind which the detectors are located. Detected light that does not derive directly from the focus region takes a different light path and does not pass through the detection pinhole, so that a point datum is obtained that results, by sequential scanning of the specimen, in a three-dimensional image. A three-dimensional image is usually achieved by acquiring image data in layers.
In confocal scanning microscopy, a detection pinhole can be dispensed with in the case of two-photon (or multi-photon) excitation, since the excitation probability depends on the square of the photon density and thus on the square of the illuminating light intensity, which of course is much greater at the focus than in the adjacent regions. The fluorescent light being detected therefore very probably originates almost exclusively from the focus region, which renders superfluous any further differentiation, using a pinhole arrangement, between fluorescent photons from the focus region and fluorescent photons from the adjacent regions.
In this case non-descan detection can be performed, in which the detected light does not (as in the case of the descan configuration) travel to the detector via the beam deflection device and through the beam splitter for incoupling illuminating light, but instead is deflected out directly after the objective by means of a dichroic beam splitter, and detected. Arrangements of this kind are known, for example, from the publication of David W. Piston et al., "Two-photon excitation fluorescence imaging of three-dimensional calcium ion activity," Applied Optics, Vol. 33, No. 4, February 1996, and from Piston et al., "Time-Resolved Fluorescence Imaging and Background Rejection by Two-Photon Excitation in Laser Scanning Microscopy," SPIE Vol. 1640.
Lifetime imaging based on time-correlated single-photon measurement is usually implemented using infrared pulsed lasers with a repetition rate of approx. 80 MHz, with multi-photon (usually two-photon) excitation. These pulsed infrared lasers (usually mode-coupled titanium sapphire lasers) are very expensive and very complex. The pulse repetition rate of these lasers depends directly on the resonator length and therefore cannot be varied. With longer-lifetime fluorescent dyes in particular, there is a greater probability that excited fluorophores will not have returned to the ground state by the time the next excitation pulse arrives. Because the next excitation pulse serves as the time base in such cases, this results in incorrect measurement results. A further disadvantage of the known arrangements based on pulsed titanium sapphire lasers derives from the fact that because of their design, titanium sapphire lasers emit excitation light in the region of approximately 800 nm (approx. 720-980 nm), so that only dyes matched specifically to those wavelengths can be investigated and used.

Microscope for investigating the lifetime of excited states in a sample


An emission control driver that applies an emission control signal for controlling an emission operation of a pixel circuit is provided. The emission control driver includes an emission control circuit with a plurality of transistors and a capacitor placed between a positive power supply voltage and a negative power supply voltage. When the driver is fabricated in an organic light emitting display (OLED), the transistors send a high level or low level emission control signal to a pixel circuit in response to a scan signal, and can be the same type transistors as the pixel circuit transistors. Further, the emission control driver may include a transistor for interrupting the positive power supply voltage in response to an initializing signal to initialize a capacitor of the pixel circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an emission control driver having a simple circuit for generating an emission control signal, and an organic light emitting display (OLED) having the same.
2. Discussion of the Background
Where an emission control transistor for controlling the emission of a light emitting device is added to a pixel circuit, an emission control driver must transmit an emission control signal to the emission control transistor.
A conventional emission control driver has been separately fabricated and mounted to a substrate with a pixel portion by a tape carrier package (TCP) or similar method in a subsequent manufacturing step. Thus, the additional step lowers production yield, complicates the fabrication process, and increases production cost. To solve these problems, an OLED with an emission control driver integrated into a panel has been developed.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a conventional OLED having an emission control driver integrated into a panel.
Referring to FIG. 1, the OLED includes a scan driver 400, a data driver 500, and a panel 100. Further, the panel 100 includes a pixel portion 300, and an emission control driver 200.
The pixel portion 300 includes pixel circuits 310 that are connected to scan lines S1 through Sn, data lines D1 through Dm and emission control lines E1 though En. The pixel circuits 310 are arranged in a matrix form and display a predetermined image.
The scan driver 400 sequentially supplies scan signals to scan lines S1 through Sn formed in the pixel portion 300.
The data driver 500 supplies a predetermined data signal to data lines D1 through Dn formed in the pixel portion 300.
The emission control driver 200 supplies an emission control signal to emission control lines E1 through En formed in the pixel portion 300, thereby controlling an emission operation of the pixel portion 300.
The pixel portion 300 and the emission control driver 200 are integrated in the panel 100. Specifically, a thin film transistor (TFT) array for driving pixels and an emission control circuit 210 of the emission control driver 200 are integrated into the panel 100.
Generally, the TFT used as a switching device in the pixel portion 300 uses poly-silicon with high mobility to form a channel. In the emission control driver 200, a transistor used as the switching device must also have a fast response time, so the poly-silicon with high mobility can effectively form the channel.
Therefore, the emission control circuit 210 of the emission control driver 200 and the pixel-driving transistor could be made of the same silicon, and a switching transistor with fast response time would be formed in a simplified fabrication process since there would be no need to connect the pixel portion 300 with the emission control driver 200.
However, the conventional emission control driver 200 is not composed of only a p-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), which is usually used in the pixel portion 300. Therefore, it would not be possible to fabricate the emission control driver 200 and the transistor of the pixel portion 300 in the same process.
Additionally, where the emission control driver 200 has been composed of a shift register, many control signals, such as CLK or CLKB, are required to drive the shift register. However, such control signals are applied from an external controller, so the layout becomes complicated. Furthermore, the external controller results in additional power consumption by the panel.

Emission control driver and organic light emitting display having the same


A filter device for filtering liquids including a filter membrane, a main body which is arranged upstream from the filter membrane, and which has a feed channel perpendicular to the surface of the filter membrane, a gap extending between the filter membrane and the main body forming a tangentially directed cross-flow, and a return channel which is used to return the tangential flow to the feed channel. The flow is primarily returned thereto by means of a contraction in the feed channel at the mouth of the return channel. Preferably, a solid separator is disposed in the return channel. At least one baffle element is arranged in the feed channel in order to create a turbulent flow. The tangential flow along the filter membrane is used to clean said membrane.

The invention pertains to a filter device for filtering fluids.
A filter device used for tangential or crossflow filtration processes, in which a predominantly tangential flow is produced along a filter membrane, is shown in DE 72 25 662 U1.
Another filter device having at least one filter surface for filtration of fluids containing solids is known from DE 39 24 658 A1 ('658). In order to prevent the formation of filter cakes and the clogging of the filter pores, the '658 publication proposes to set the filter surface in motion. Alternatively or additionally, a flow can be produced in the fluid to be filtered, wherein the velocity component of said flow that is directed tangentially relative to the filter surface is no lower than 0.1 m/sec. A turbulent flow is preferably produced in this case in order to keep the filter surface clean, for example, by means of a passing flow consisting of a gas/fluid mixture. However, the desired turbulence for counteracting the formation of filter cakes can also be produced with pumps, nozzles, agitating units, baffles, guide plates, rotating rollers or vibration devices. In addition, it would also be conceivable to electrically charge the filter surface such that it repels solids.
The known filter device comprises several dirty water chambers and a corresponding number of pure water chambers that are separated from one another by a membrane. The main flow direction in the dirty water chambers extends tangentially to the membrane. The fluid to be filtered is also supplied parallel to the membrane. Another important aspect is that the filtration takes place in a largely unpressurized fashion. An enrichment of the solids contained in the fluid occurs in front of the filter surfaces in the dirty water chambers, and the solids are then removed from the filter surfaces by means of lines and pumps. Depending on the turbidity of the fluid, this should take place in the dirty water chambers. A measuring head and a control unit for controlling the corresponding pump are also provided in this case.
Blocking or "fouling" of the filter membranes occurs in membrane filtration methods. The fouling causes the rate of flow through the filter membrane or the filter medium per unit time (dV/dt) to decrease. Various subprocesses contribute individually or collectively to this fouling. First, the pores of the membrane are partially blocked such that a relatively rapid decrease in the rate of flow results; second, a so-called "filter cake" (frequently also referred to as a "secondary membrane") is formed on the upstream side of the filter medium. This filter cake additionally increases the flow resistance such that the rate of flow through the filter medium is additionally reduced, but it increases the resistance more slowly than does blocking of the pores. A so-called concentration polarization layer may also form on the filter cake.
The various processes that cause fouling can be categorized into reversible and irreversible processes that can either be reversed with certain measures, e.g., backflushing, or not reversed (e.g., adsorption).
In addition, the retained materials not only form a filter cake on the upstream side of the filter (inflow side), but penetrate at least partially into the filter medium and block the channel or pore structures therein. In such instances, cleaning of the filter medium by means of conventional cleaning methods can, if at all, be achieved only with great difficulty.
These mechanisms reduce the maximum operating time (service life) of the filter media and consequently increase the costs and expenditure of labor (maintenance, monitoring, etc.) for the filtration process.
Numerous proposals, methods, and devices for removing a filter cake are known from the prior art. Physical and chemical methods are utilized for removing the retained materials and for cleaning the filter.
The physical cleaning methods include, for example, the use of raking or shaking devices. In methods of this type, the filter cake is removed from the upstream side of the filter medium by a rake or a similar device. Sometimes the filter is set into vibration or a turbulent flow is produced.
For example, baffles and/or frequency generators (such as ultrasound generators) are used to produce turbulent flows. In a few embodiments known from the prior art, a flow that is directed parallel to the filter surface (crossflow) is produced in order to carry off filter cake particles, with the aid of a suitably introduced gas, for example. However, such mechanisms require large filter surfaces for achieving a sufficient flow through the filter medium.
So-called "backwashing" of the filter also falls into this category of cleaning methods. In this method, the filtration process is interrupted, the filter medium is flushed with a cleaning fluid in the direction opposite to the original flow, and the filtration process is subsequently continued (with a certain "lead time").
In chemical methods, the filter medium is, for example, flushed with one or more cleaning solutions. These cleaning solutions may remain in the filter medium after the cleaning process and, if so required, need to be flushed out (for example, by continuing the filtration process and discarding rather than using fluid filtered immediately after the filtration process is restarted).
Known methods for removing a filter cake (e.g., DE 39 24 658 A1) have certain disadvantages. They require a substantial technical expenditure (raking or agitating units, gas supply, vibration devices, etc.), and the methods become more complicated and susceptible to defects. In addition, the maintenance effort and costs are comparatively high.
Conventional cleaning methods are not always entirely effective, i.e., they do not completely clean the filter membrane or its inflow side.
Another disadvantage can be seen in the fact that certain devices known from the prior art require large systems, filter surfaces, etc., in order to achieve a sufficient filtrate throughput.
Another disadvantage of these cleaning methods is that filtration needs to be interrupted in order to carry out the cleaning process, which reduces filter throughput and increases costs.
Another disadvantage can be seen in the energy requirement of these conventional methods and the associated costs.
According to DE 38 18 437 A1, which also forms part of the pertinent prior art, a filter battery with baffle elements is used in order to produce turbulences. The battery is alternately operated in the filtration mode and in the flushing mode.
DE 43 29 587 C1 discloses a self-cleaning device for filtering a fluid, wherein the filter is integrated into the wall of a pipe and the fluid to be filtered is supplied to the pipe. The fluid to be filtered partially passes through the filter and emerges in the form of filtrate, and the remainder of the fluid to be filtered, which still contains solids, emerges from the outwardly opening end of the pipe.
WO 97/32652 discloses a filter in which the medium to be filtered is also subjected to intense turbulence that is, for example, produced with a rotor, sound waves, electric fields and the like.
DE 35 20 489 C1 discloses a filter with a tangential inlet, wherein the fluid is introduced into the interior of a receptacle with a controlled turbulence and an agitator arranged above the filter membrane produces a continuously changing field of alternating pressure in order to prevent the membrane from becoming covered with particles.
DE 14 36 287 A1 also discloses a tangential filter, in which the filter wall is flushed in order to loosen deposits.


A computer-controlled electronic support system includes an electronic work station with a display screen and pointing device coupled to a central processing unit where an operator performs an operation on a workpiece. The workpiece operation begins by an operator entering and processing a work order identifier. In response to that work order identifier, a corresponding workpiece identifier is generated. Image, graphic, and text information associated with that workpiece identifier is retrieved from memory. A user-friendly, menu-based display screen provides a plurality of entries with each entry having menu options associated with the workpiece identifier. Advantageously, an operator can select any one of several different images of the workpiece simply by selecting a menu option. Not only is the particular workpiece image displayed, but also a plurality of graphics associated with that workpiece image. The graphics may include for example icons and "hot spot" areas of the displayed image, any one of which may be selected by the operator simply pointing to the graphic on the display screen. In response, information is displayed relating to the workpiece corresponding to the selected graphic that will assist the operator in performing a particular support operation on the workpiece, e.g., maintenance, servicing, testing, repair, etc.

With increasing complexity of manufactured products and systems, there is an ever increasing need to apply digital electronic technology to provide electronic support for the maintenance, service, testing, and/or repair of those manufactured products and systems. The goal of this support should be to provide more economic, more efficient, and higher quality control over maintenance, service, testing, and repairs. The present invention achieves this important goal by providing an integrated electronic support work station that is both user friendly and capable of performing multiple complex tasks.
A work station operator is provided with a menu-driven interface to an electronic maintenance support computer control system which can be readily used by an unskilled operator to obtain displays of text and graphic information relating to various workpieces/products/systems to be maintained, repaired, tested, or otherwise serviced by the operator. In the course of description, mention may be made to any one of a number of workpiece support activities: maintenance, repair, testing, service, etc. It will be understood that the present invention is applicable to these and other similar supporting activities. One example workpiece is an electronic printer.
A computer-controlled electronic support system includes an electronic work station with a display screen and pointing device coupled to a central processing unit where an operator performs an operation on a workpiece. The workpiece operation begins by an operator entering and processing a work order identifier. In response to that work order identifier, a corresponding workpiece identifier is generated. Image, graphic, and text information associated with that workpiece identifier is retrieved from memory. A user-friendly, menu-based display screen provides a plurality of entries with each entry having menu options associated with the workpiece identifier. Advantageously, an operator can select any one of several different images of the workpiece simply by selecting a menu option. Not only is the particular workpiece image displayed, but also a plurality of graphics associated with that workpiece image. The graphics may include for example icons and "hot spot" areas of the displayed image, any one of which may be selected by the operator simply pointing to the graphic on the display screen. In response, information is displayed relating to the workpiece corresponding to the selected graphic that will assist the operator in performing a particular support operation on the workpiece, e.g., maintenance, servicing, testing, repair, etc.
With respect to graphic icons, each icon corresponds to a particular function to be performed on the workpiece. Advantageously, each icon has a image that identifies or suggests the particular function associated with that icon. Accordingly, the shape of the icon image itself prompts the operator to perform a particular function; when selected, it provides the operator with additional information and/or explanation on how to perform that function on this particular workpiece. Icons might include for example a "wrench" icon that can be selected to instruct the operator to adjust some aspect of the workpiece.
Another very helpful example icon shaped like a pair of binoculars may be selected by the operator on the displayed image to cause a more detailed image of the particular component or part or portion of the display image with which the binoculars icon is associated to be displayed.
The graphics also include outlined images referred to as "hot spots" of each displayed workpiece image. Each outlined area corresponds to a part or component of the workpiece. When the operator points to one of the hot spots, a corresponding part or component identifier, part or component name, and/or part or component description is immediately displayed. If this part or component is desired, the operator simply "clicks" on the mouse pointing device to have the work station electronically order that part after reviewing order.
Another of the menu entries is a troubleshooting menu for assisting the operator with diagnosing a problem with the workpiece and providing a suggested solution to the diagnosed problem. Once the workpiece type has been identified, the operator selects the troubleshooting menu entry which causes a first list of potential problems relevant to that identified workpiece type to be displayed. The operator may then select one of the potential problems from the list which causes a second list of potential solutions related to that problem to be displayed. The operator may use that solution to perform a workpiece operation. The work station automatically maintains an electronic history of operations performed on the workpiece at that electronic work station including any solutions selected from the list. If an operator detects a problem and provides a "new" solution not included on the list, that new solution may be added to the solutions list for that particular problem for that workpiece type.
While the electronic work station may be used as a stand-alone device, it is preferably advantageously used in the context of a network in conjunction with other electronic work stations and a main computer. The main computer includes sufficient memory to store information relating to a number of different workpieces accessible by all of the electronic work stations on the network.
Accordingly, both images and graphics are presented to an operator to illustrate various views of the workpiece being serviced along with display of helpful text instructions and/or comments to guide the operator in the most efficient and effective manner to provide the necessary service. Using this user-friendly but also comprehensive electronic work station, even an operator lacking skill with computers or knowledge of a particular workpiece is able to effectively and efficiently service a variety of different workpieces. In order to integrate as much information as possible pertaining to a particular product or workpiece, the electronic work station in accordance with the present invention employs advantageous data structures to quickly and effectively access the pertinent image, graphic, and text information using a workpiece identifier. The integrated nature of these data structures facilitates coordination of workpiece service operations for a large number of different workpieces at multiple work stations and also facilitates such functions as parts identification, procurement, inventory, testing, quality assurance, shipping, overall management/accounting, etc.

Electronic support work station and method of operation


A photodiode of a CMOS image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same are provided, in which ions implanted in the vicinity of a device isolation film are prevented from being diffused into a photodiode region to reduce a dark current. The photodiode of a CMOS image sensor includes a heavily doped P-type semiconductor substrate, a lightly doped P-type epitaxial layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on the epitaxial layer, a device isolation film and an N-type photodiode region formed in the epitaxial layer, an insulating film formed on the epitaxial layer to open a portion between the device isolation film and the photodiode region, and a heavily doped P-type diffusion region formed in the epitaxial layer between the device isolation film and the photodiode region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a CMOS image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same in which ions implanted in the vicinity of a device isolation film are prevented from being diffused into a photodiode region to reduce a dark current.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
An image sensor is a semiconductor device that converts optical images to electrical signals. The image sensor is classified into a charge coupled device (CCD) and a CMOS image sensor. The CCD stores charge carriers in MOS capacitors and transfers the charge carriers to the MOS capacitors. The MOS capacitors are approximate to one another. The CMOS image sensor employs a switching mode that sequentially detects outputs of unit pixels using MOS transistors by forming the MOS transistors to correspond to the number of the unit pixels using CMOS technology that uses a control circuit and a signal processing circuit as peripheral circuits.
The CMOS image sensor that converts data of an object into electrical signals includes signal processing chips having photodiodes. Each of the signal processing chips includes an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, an internal voltage generator, a timing generator, and a digital logic. Thus, it is economical in view of space, power consumption, and cost. The manufacture of the CCD requires technical process steps. However, the CMOS image sensor can be manufactured in mass production by a simple silicon wafer etching process cheaper than that used in the manufacture of the CCD. Also, the CMOS image sensor has an advantage in its packing density.
To display images, the CMOS image sensor sequentially detects signals in a switching mode by forming a photodiode and a transistor in a unit pixel. Also, since the CMOS image sensor uses CMOS technology, low power consumption is required. Furthermore, the number of masks required is less than the number of masks required for the CCD. For example, the number of masks for a CMOS image sensor is fewer by twenty than the thirty to forty masks required for the CCD. In this way, in the CMOS image sensor, process steps are simplified and various signal processing circuits can be integrated in one chip. Therefore, the CMOS image sensor has received much attention as an image sensor for the next generation.
FIG. 1 illustrates a unit circuit of a related art CMOS image sensor. The unit circuit of the CMOS image sensor according to a related art includes a photodiode and three MOS transistors. That is, the unit circuit of the CMOS image sensor includes a photodiode 1 generating optical charges using received light, a reset transistor 2 resetting the optical charges generated by the photodiode 1, a drive transistor 3 serving as a source-follower buffer amplifier, and a selection transistor 4 serving as an addresser.
As shown in FIG. 2, a P-type epitaxial layer (P-EPI) 11 is grown on a heavily doped P-type substrate 10, and a device isolation film 12 is formed in the epitaxial layer 11. The device isolation film 12 serves to isolate a lightly doped N-type photodiode region 16 from a device. A gate insulating film 14 and a gate electrode 15 of a transfer transistor are formed on the epitaxial layer 11. A heavily doped P-type diffusion region 13 is formed at both sides of the device isolation film 12 to prevent the occurrence of a dark current.
However, in the CMOS image sensor manufactured above, the dark current does occur. The dark current deteriorates performance of the image sensor and charges. The dark current is generated, even in case of no light, by electrons moving from a photodiode to a floating diffusion region. The dark current is caused by various defects, such as a line defect, a point defect, or dangling bond, occurring in the vicinity of a surface of a semiconductor substrate, between a device isolation film and a epitaxial layer, between a device isolation film and a photodiode, or in a P-type region and an N-type region. The dark current may cause a serious problem under a low illumination condition.
To reduce the dark current occurring in the vicinity of the surface of the semiconductor substrate, tilt ion implantation is performed in the lightly doped P-type epitaxial layer 11, the lightly doped N-type region 16, the heavily doped P-type substrate 10, and the device isolation film 12. However, in this case, impurity ions are excessively diffused into the photodiode region 16 by additional thermal diffusion performed when a well is formed.

Photodiode of CMOS image sensor and method for manufacturing the same


A vehicle and road sign recognition device each includes: image capturing means (2) which captures a color image of a road via imaging means (6); feature value calculation means (4) which calculates a feature value of each pixel corresponding to the color of a road sign on the road from the color components of each pixel in the color image so as to reduce the effect of brightness on the color components; and road sign detection means (5) which detects the road sign on the road from the feature image in which the feature value of each pixel in the color image is arranged so as to match with the position of each pixel in the color image. Thus, it is possible to accurately detect a road sign such as a lane mark from the color image of the road captured via the imaging means such as a camera even if the road illumination state is partially different.

In recent years, there has been suggested a technology for detecting a lane mark such as a white line on a road such as an express highway by capturing an image of the road along which a vehicle travels with imaging means such as a CCD camera mounted on the vehicle and processing the obtained image (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11 (1999)-85999 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1)).
The white line detection device for a vehicle in Patent Document 1 extracts an edge point (negative edge point) where binary data changes from light (white) to dark (black) over the entire image area and an edge point (positive edge point) where binary data changes from dark (black) to light (white) by using a monochrome image (black and white binary image) of a traffic lane captured by the camera mounted on the vehicle. Then, the white line detection device for a vehicle performs a Hough transform for the positive edge point and the negative edge point separately from each other and combines their Hough transform results to detect a white line.
On the other hand, a road sign (lane mark or road marking) other than a white line such as, for example, a yellow line is occasionally used. In the situation where the road sign other than a white line is detected, it is difficult to accurately detect the road sign from a monochrome image. Therefore, there has been suggested a technology for detecting a road sign using a color image (for example, refer to Japanese Patent No. 3333468 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 2)).
When a road image is captured by a camera, however, the road may be partially shaded by a building around the road, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 or the road may be partially illuminated by the headlights of the vehicle in some cases. If the road image is captured in the situation where the road illumination state is partially different according to the light sources illuminating the road surface or the environment around the road as described above, for example, the shaded area is illuminated only by scattered light and a color feature value of image data varies. Therefore, the yellow line located in this area is not recognized as a line having the original yellow color. Accordingly, there has been a problem that it is difficult to appropriately detect a road sign other than a white line even if a color image is used as in Patent Document 2 in some cases.

Vehicle and road sign recognition device


A lumber stacking apparatus 10 is described having a sticker feed conveyor 150 for distributing stickers to a plurality of sticker stations 154 adjacent a rear of the apparatus 10. A sticker transfer conveyor 158 is provided with grippers 186 at each sticker station 154 for gripping a rear end of the stickers and lifting the gripped stickers from the sticker feed conveyor 150 and moving the stickers forward and depositing the stickers in slots 62 formed in arms 54. The arms 54 are moved forward and upward to pick up a layer of boards on an elevated surface and to transfer the layer and underlying stickers to a layer stacking station 38. An overhead layer formation assembly 100 has layer formation stops 118 that selectively project downward into the path of the boards to form a layer and are removed to release a layer. A stripping mechanism 122 is associated with the layer formation assembly to strip the stickers and layer from the arms.

In the lumber industry, boards are freshly cut from logs and generally sorted and stacked for drying in a dry atmosphere such as a dry kiln. During the stacking operation elongated wooden slats called "stickers" are placed transversely between layers or courses at spaced intervals along the length of the stack. Usually, the stickers have lengths equal to the width of the stack and are positioned transverse to the boards in the stack. The stickers are placed at desired intervals along the stack to separate the layers and enable drying gases to circulate through the stack to uniformly dry the boards.
Over the years several attempts have been made to provide mechanized sticker placing equipment that is capable of automatically placing stickers between the courses as the stack is being formed.
One of the most commercially successful sticker placing equipment is based on the technology described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,044 granted to the applicant, Sidney L. Lunden, on Sep. 9, 1975. Such equipment is still being commercially used.
The present application is directed to a significant improvement which greatly simplifies the apparatus and increases the sticker placement reliability while reducing its cost of manufacture representing an additional good value for the customer.

Lumber stacking apparatus with automated sticker feeding feature


A computer-implemented method includes: receiving, by a computing device, information identifying a user's activity; determining, by the computing device, the user's tasks based on the information identifying the user's activity; determining, by the computing device, the user's context switches based on the user's tasks; receiving, by the computing device, biometrics data associated with the user via an application programming interface (API); determining, by the computing device, the user's stress levels at various times based on the biometrics data; storing, by the computing device, information linking the user's stress level with the user's context switches; and outputting, by the computing device, the information linking the user's stress level with the user's context switches.

The present invention generally relates to monitoring stress levels in individuals, and more particularly, to determining the stress impact on an individual when switching tasks or multitasking.
Individuals and workers often multitask during the normal course of a day. For example, workers often work on several different projects in a day, and switch from different types of tasks (e.g., reading/writing e-mails, attending meetings, assisting customers, etc.). The frequency at which an individual switches tasks, and the types of tasks in which the individual transitions can substantially impact an individual's stress level.
Stress levels may also impact a person's behavior. For example, as an individual's stress increases, a person may behave more to type (e.g., an introvert may become more introverted, and extrovert may become more extroverted). Under extreme stress, an individual's "shadow" may appear (e.g., an introvert will become extroverted, and vice versa).

Identifying stress levels associated with context switches

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


This invention provides viral and retroviral vectors which comprises a nucleic acid molecule encoding a human cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase or a glutamylcysteine synthetase or combinations thereof. Further, this invention provides an isolated mammalian nucleic acid molecule encoding a cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase and glutamylecysteine synthetase. In addition, this invention provides a method for reducing the toxic effects of a cyclophosphamide in a subject which comprises replacing the subject's hematopoietic cells with hematopoietic cells having the retroviral vector. Further, this invention provides a method for introducing a selectable marker into a mammalian cell which comprises transfecting the cell with a nucleic acid molecule encoding human cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase or glutamylcysteine synthetase. Lastly, this invention provides a method for selecting mammalian cells expressing protein of interest which comprises: a) introducing into the cells a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding the protein of interest and the nucleic acid molecule encoding human cytosolic aldehyde dehdrogenase: b) culturing the resulting transfected cells; and c) selecting cells which express human cytosolic aldehyde dehdrogenase.

Recent advances in autologous bone marrow transplant strategies indicate that normal hematopoiesis can be promptly restored in patients treated with myelotoxic agents (drugs or radiation) by re-injection of autologous peripheral blood (CD34.sup.+) "stem cells" (Gianni, et al., Lancet 2:580, 1989). In addition, it has very recently been reported that CD34.sup.+ cells can be transduced in vitro at high efficiency with retroviral vectors expressing specific genes (Bregni, et al., Blood 80:1418, 1992). These technologies open the way to approaches in which the in vitro transduction of specific genes into autologous CD34.sup.+ cells followed by reinoculation into patients can be used to transduce genes of therapeutic significance. This gene therapy approach includes the reconstitution of drug-resistant hematopoietic cells allowing for subsequent treatment with higher dose myelotoxic chemotherapy in cancer patients.

Retroviral vector capable of transducing the aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 gene and uses of said vector

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A pad includes a retaining portion and a soldering portion. The retaining portion has a through hole running therethrough in a thickness direction of the metal sheet and four side edges perpendicular to the metal sheet. The soldering portion extends from a first side edge of the retaining portion. The whole of the pad is electroplated except two opposite third and forth side edges of the retaining portion which connect with opposite ends of the first side edge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pad and an assembly method of the pad into an insulating housing of an electrical connector to retain the electrical connector to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 3 illustrating a traditional assembly method of a pad to an electrical connector, the assembly steps include: firstly, preparing a unity metallic strip and then stamping a pad strip 1′ out of the unity metallic strip, the pad strip 1′ including a scrapping portion 11′ having a plurality of translating holes 111′ and a plurality of pads 12′ connecting with the scrapping portion 11′, each pad 12′ defining a connecting face 121′ connecting with the scrapping portion 11′, the scrapping portion 11′ defining a plurality of connecting portions 112′ connecting with the connecting faces 121′, each connecting face 121′ forming a pair of slight cutouts 122′ at two sides of the connecting portion 112′ so that the pads 12′ are easy to be broken away from the scrapping portion 11′; secondly, electroplating the pad strip 1′ to prevent the pads 12′ from oxygenated, the step not be shown on the FIG. 3; thirdly, cutting the pad strip 1′ into a plurality of independent pad strips 2′ and each independent pad strip 2′ just including a pad 12′ and a part of the scrapping portion 11′; lastly, inserting the independent pad strip 2′ into a receiving groove 31′ of an insulative housing 3′, and then cutting the scrapping portion 11′ away from the pad 12′, the connecting face 121′ of the pad 12′ forming a broken face 1211′ which is not electroplated.
In view of the above, a new pad that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.

Pad and method of assembly the same to connector


Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for monitoring a task executing on a data processing system, the task having an associated work in process queue and an associated work pending queue. The task is configured to properly execute requests that are terminated in progress and restarted from an initial start point. A watchdog task determines if the task is executing properly and restarts the task if it is not executing properly. Restarting is provided by placing requests in the work in process queue of the terminated task in the work pending queue and clearing the work in process queue. Execution by the task of requests from the work pending queue is then reinitiated.

Increases in the application of computers throughout many differing environments has led to a wide range of usage of computers and, more particularly, to the usage of computers supporting multi-tasking. While the various concurrently executing tasks in a multi-tasking environment may be operating independently without the need for any interaction, problems may arise in coordination where the various concurrently executing tasks need to interact in order to operate for their intended purpose. Furthermore, the coordination challenge may be increased where user interaction with the tasks during execution is required.
In an effort to reduce the complexity of applications having user input and present a more "user friendly" computing environment, graphic user interfaces (GUIs) have been developed. GUIs are believed to present an easier to understand interface to an application's users and, thus, reduce the intimidation of an application. GUIs typically include multiple windows in which information is presented and user input obtained. Each of these windows may interact with one or more applications and may share data with one or more applications or other windows. However, development of these multiple window interfaces may be complex as interactions between the windows may be limited by the underlying application or by particular sequences of events which may be dictated by the windows.
An example of an application environment where multiple tasks may require interaction is where multiple users share data across a computer network. Such an environment may provide convenience in that it allows a central repository of data but may add further complications in managing this data as multiple users may desire to access such data simultaneously or concurrently. Thus, applications and, in particular, user interfaces for applications may have increased complexity associated with them to manage the interaction of users with a shared network resource, such as a database, to coordinate users' interactions with the shared resource and maintain integrity of the shared resource.
Further problems may be created in a networked environment where user input may specify changes to a state of remote devices connected over a network. The problem of coordination of tasks may be complicated by introducing a plurality of unsynchronized systems, each of which may be a multi-tasking environment, which must be coordinated. Typically, coordination is provided by communications over a computer network, thereby introducing additional delay in the time between user input through, for example, a GUI, and updating of the state of individual multi-tasking environments. An example of such an environment is a distributed network management tool with tasks executing on various nodes of the computer network to be managed under the direction of a console node subject to user input to define test protocols for network management.

Methods, systems and computer program products for monitoring interrelated tasks executing on a computer using queues


A servo drive with high speed wrapping function is applied for servo control of wrapping wire and method for the same. The servo drive includes a wrapping mechanism, a rotation control unit for controlling rotation of the wrapping mechanism, a lateral motion control unit for controlling lateral movement of the wrapping mechanism, a potentiometer, and an upper-layer controller. The lateral motion control unit of the servo drive cooperates with a command processor such that an inverter command of an inverter is calculated by wrapping parameter, external activating signal and a thickness detection signal. The induction motor is activated to drive the wrapping mechanism and an encoder linked with the induction motor moves the wrapping mechanism for lateral movement such that the wire is guided between two ends of wrapping cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a servo drive with high speed wrapping function, especially to a servo drive with high speed wrap, parameter-defined wrap pattern and wire-speed control and controlling method for the same.
2. Description of Prior Art
The controller for wrapping mechanism such as cotton spin cylinder generally uses inverter control architecture. The prior art controller for wrapping mechanism comprises a set of inverter, induction motor and a mechanical transmission device. The induction motor uses the driving control of inverter to provide rotation force for the wrapping mechanism. The lateral movement for the reciprocating operation of the wrapping mechanism is provided by the mechanical transmission device. However, the prior art controller for wrapping mechanism has following drawbacks:
1. The lateral movement is achieved by mechanical transmission and high speed wrapping cannot realize because the mechanical response is limited.
2. The wrapping way has fixed pattern and can not adjusted by parameter. The mechanical structure needs adjustment when other wrapping pattern is required, which is cumbersome.
To overcome the above-mentioned limitation on lateral movement, a set of inverter used with inductor motor is proposed. FIG. 1 shows the frequency wobbling function by the controller for wrapping mechanism. The inverter sets the initial frequency, final frequency and wrapping time parameters. When the inverter receives a running command, a set acceleration time and a holding time for preset wobble frequency is elapsed such that the inverter achieves the central frequency F for wrapping operation. By using the initial frequency and final frequency to set up upper and down wobble frequency, the frequency-wobble time, the frequency-wobble ratio and the jumping frequency are output with respect to time t, whereby the mechanical transmission device is driven by the inductor motor for lateral movement.
The frequency-wobble time=frequency-wobble rise time+frequency-wobble fall time.
The frequency-wobble ratio=frequency-wobble rise time/frequency-wobble fall time.
The jumping frequency=frequency-wobble amplitude×jumping time.
When jumping time≠0, the frequency-wobble period=frequency-wobble time+2×jumping time.
When the inverter receives a stop command, the inverter is decelerated according to a preset deceleration time. The above-mentioned inverter used with inductor motor can provide lateral movement control for wrapping mechanism. However, the actual lateral movement control for wrapping mechanism needs the help of mechanical device for the forward and reverse operation. When the hardware is fixed, the wrapping length is also fixed and the parameter adjustment needs to take hardware into account and the wire speed control is not provided for rotation shaft.

Servo drive with high speed wrapping function


A composite sandwich structure carrying an externally applied structural load and having embedded electronics, that in one embodiment includes two multilayered composite facesheet laminates, a central core, embedded electronic components within the central core region, embedded electrical conductors within the central core region, and two multilayer printed circuit laminates that are secondarily bonded or cured to the inner surface of the sandwich facesheet laminates. The electronic components and electrical conductors, which are located in the central core region of the sandwich element, are attached to one or both of the two circuit laminates.

The present invention pertains to a multilayered composite sandwich structure with embedded electronics, which can be used as flat sandwich circuit cards, multifunctional structure with embedded electronics or avionics, and complex shaped component housings with embedded electronics. Some examples of uses include aircraft sandwich bulkhead structure with embedded avionics, automotive instrument display panels with embedded electronics, aircraft instrument consoles, and flat sandwich circuit cards.
Circuit boards are one type of known composite structure that include electronics and may have composite materials with low dielectric properties. Electrical grade composite laminates are produced using a large variety of reinforcements, resin systems and thickness depending on end usage. Laminates are produced by stacking sheets of prepreg (fiber preforms pre-impregnated with resin) between pre-treated copper foils of the desired thickness. A common type of printed circuit board produced today is a multilayered board made of fiberglass and epoxy resin called "G10-FR4." Most circuit boards, which are exposed to temperature fluctuations, are limited in thickness and the number of embedded circuits due to mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the vertical through hole via conductors and the laminate. This causes the number of circuit layers in a circuit card to be limited to prevent excessive thermal expansion and resulting via conductor cracking. The CTE mismatch in conjunction with thermal distortion of the laminate causes cyclic strain on the solder joints of the electronic components. In harsh environments, thermal distortion of the board, CTE mismatch, and vibration result in solder joint fatigue failure.
Another type of known composite structure and one that may be utilized with the present invention is a polymer structural composite that may include carbon or glass fiber reinforced polymers that can be fabricated at relatively low temperatures. In most aerospace applications, these structures are fabricated by laying up multiple layers of carbon fabric or unidirectional materials to form laminate structure. In other applications, such as most automotive or transportation uses, the composite structures are made by placing chopped and often randomly oriented fibers onto a mold. These fabric or random fiber preforms are then resin infused, if not already impregnated with resin prior to lay-up onto the mold tooling, and then cured to create a rigid structure.
It is also known to bond composite laminates to each side of a core material to make composite sandwich structures. An example of one type of sandwich structure is corrugated cardboard. Composite structures as discussed above may also be made into such a sandwich structure to create a lightweight yet stiff structure. The most common core materials include honeycomb cores, foams, and cellulous materials. Additionally, it should be appreciated that fabricating a composite structure includes the process of incrementally building up the material constituents onto mold tooling and may provide an opportunity to embed electronic components and their circuitry.
Presently, in aircraft, the electronics, which are commonly referred to as avionics, are not provided in the structural composite structures, but rather, housed in avionics boxes. These boxes are placed in avionics racks. The cost and weight of these boxes and racks can be substantial. The circuit cards provide the single function of securing the electronic components and circuitry and do not contribute to the strength or stiffness of the aircraft structure. In automobile instrument panels and aircraft instrument consoles, electronic circuit cards are attached to the back of the panels or consoles and do not carry any load and do not contribute to the strength or stiffness of the assembly. It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a composite structure with embedded electronics. It is also an object of the invention that the electronics may be in embedded in structural composite structures such as found in aircraft. A further object of the invention is to reduce or eliminate the need and cost of avionics boxes by incorporating the avionics into composite structures.

Multifunctional composite sandwich element with embedded electronics