Methods and systems are provided for estimating an engine exhaust pressure based on outputs from an exhaust oxygen sensor. In one example, a method may include estimating an exhaust pressure of exhaust gas flowing through an engine exhaust passage based on a difference between a first output of an oxygen sensor disposed in the exhaust passage and a second output of the oxygen sensor and then adjusting engine operation based on the estimated exhaust pressure. As one example, both the first and second outputs may be taken while operating the sensor in a variable voltage mode, after increasing a reference voltage of the oxygen sensor from a lower, first voltage to a higher, second voltage.

Measurements and/or estimates of exhaust pressure of an exhaust flow flowing through an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine may be used as inputs in various vehicle control strategies in order to control engine operation. In one example, engines may include a dedicated, standalone pressure sensor positioned in an exhaust passage of the engine, upstream of a catalyst, to measure exhaust pressure. However, some engines may not include an exhaust pressure sensor. Dedicated exhaust pressure sensors may increase engine system costs and engine system control complexity. In another example, the exhaust pressure may be modeled based on alternate engine operating conditions and/or sensor measurements. However, the inventors herein have recognized that these exhaust pressure models may have errors that may cascade into additional models that use the modeled exhaust pressure. Additionally, certain models may be bounded by a window in which exhaust pressure may only be modeled under certain engine operating conditions. As a result, engine control based on exhaust pressure estimates during operation outside of the window may have reduced accuracy.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method for: estimating an exhaust pressure of exhaust gas flowing through an engine exhaust passage based on a difference between a first output of an oxygen sensor disposed in the exhaust passage and a second output of the oxygen sensor, both the first and second outputs taken after increasing a reference voltage of the oxygen sensor from a lower, first voltage to a higher, second voltage. In this way, an existing engine sensor (e.g., an exhaust oxygen sensor) may be used to more accurately estimate engine exhaust pressure, thereby increasing an accuracy of engine control based on exhaust pressure estimates.
As one example, an exhaust gas sensor (e.g., exhaust oxygen sensor) may be positioned in an exhaust passage of an engine and operated to provide indications of various exhaust gas constituents. Under select conditions, the exhaust gas sensor may be operated as a variable voltage (VVs) oxygen sensor. When operating in the VVs mode, a reference voltage of the exhaust gas sensor is increased from a lower, base voltage (e.g., approximately 450 mv) to a higher, target voltage (e.g., in a range of 900-1100 mV). In some examples, the higher, target voltage may be a voltage at which water molecules are partially or fully dissociated at the oxygen sensor while the base voltage is a voltage at which water molecules are not dissociated at the sensor. The inventors herein have recognized that exhaust gas sensors have a characteristic pressure dependency. Since pressure changes the ability for oxygen to pass through the sensor's diffusion barrier, exhaust pressure changes may be reflected in the sensor's pumping current output, especially while operating in VVs mode. Thus, a method may include generating a first output of the oxygen sensor while the sensor is operating at the higher, second voltage (e.g., target voltage) and then subsequently generating a second output of the oxygen sensor while the sensor is operating at the same second voltage and in a same air-fuel environment (e.g., the exhaust air-fuel ratio is substantially the same during generating both the first and second outputs). The difference between the first and second outputs may then be indicative of a change in exhaust pressure between a time of generating the first output and a time of generating the second output. In some examples, the exhaust pressure at the time of the second output may then be determined. A controller may then adjust engine operation based on the determined change in exhaust pressure and/or exhaust pressure during the time of generating the second output.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Methods and systems for estimating exhaust pressure with a variable voltage oxygen sensor


A method for reducing the blood ammonia concentration in a human comprising administering to a human in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a cocoa component.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical, food or drink, and feedstuff, which contain a cocoa component and have an effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori, a wound healing-promoting effect and an effect for reducing blood ammonia concentration.
2. Background Art
Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative spirillo bacillus separated from gastric mucosa of chronic gastritis patients by Warren and Marshall of Australia in 1983, and it has been reported that this bacillus is separated from gastritis patients and duodenal ulcer patients at high rate.
It has been known that the infection of this bacillus induces acute gastritis and chronic gastritis, and also acts as a recurrence factor and a healing-delay factor of gastroduodenal ulcer. It has been reported by many researchers that the recurrence rate of gastroduodenal ulcer (usually recurred at a rate of 70 to 80% after 1 year) can remarkably be decreased (recurrence rate: 0 to 30%).
Incidentally, the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori in Japan increases with age and is as high as about 75% at the age of 40 or higher.
As described above, the elimination of Helicobacter pylori has large merit in therapeutics of peptic ulcer, but in reality, the elimination method has been changed with the relation between the merit and side effects.
Firstly, three agents combination therapy using bismuth, tetracycline and metronidazole, recommended in World Society of Digestive System Diseases held in Sydney in 1990, has a merit such that the elimination rate is high (the elimination rate is at least 90%), but it tends to bring about side effects at a high rate and there were many cases that its application can not be continued. After that, in the United States, by the unified view of NIH (National Institute of Health) in 1994, a report was announced that for the Helicobacter pylori-positive ulcer patients, therapeutics with an antibacterial agent is needed in addition to therapeutics with an acid secretion inhibitor, irrespective of initiation or recurrence. According to this report, it is firstly reported that the use of a proton pump inhibitor (hereinafter referred to as PPI) as the acid secretion inhibitor and one antibacterial agent in combination is effective and shows less side effect. However, the elimination rate of this method is not necessarily high and can not be said adequate, whereby it has been attempted to change the type of antibacterial agent variously.
It has recently been reported that another one antibacterial agent is further added, namely the use of PPI and two types of antibacterial agents in combination. However, at the present stage, its effectiveness and side effect will be evaluated in the future.
Further, JP-A-11-1429 discloses an anti-Helicobacter pylori agent comprising as an active ingredient at least one member selected from peppermint oil, spearmint oil, various types of flavor components and extracts of various natural materials. It also describes in vitro experimental results that an extract obtained from cacao husk or cacao nibs by ethanol extraction shows a growth-inhibiting action against Helicobacter pylori.
However, in JP-A-11-1429, with respect to the extract obtained from cacao husk or cacao nibs by ethanol extraction, only in vitro experimental results are indicated, and no effect in clinical tests is confirmed. Further, in Test Example 2 of this publication, results of antibacterial test on humans using limonene and an ethanol extract of cardamon in combination, which shows the highest antibacterial effect, are described. The numerical value of elimination rate of 35% thereby obtained can be evaluated from the viewpoint of no anxiety about side effect, but this elimination rate is so low that its usefulness is considered to be low.
As described in the foregoing, no elimination therapy having both antibacterial effect of 100% against Helicobacter pylori and adequate safety, has been established. Accordingly, it is demanded to avoid a multiple agents combination therapy which is complicated and provides large side effect and to establish an elimination therapy which is as simple as possible and provides a high elimination effect and little side effect.
On the other hand, therapies of injuries of surface tissues, i.e. so-called wound, such as surgical incision, gastrointestinal ulcer, burn, laceration or ulcer of skin (e.g. bedsore), are roughly classified into a surgical treatment such as ablation of ulcer tissues, epidermization or suturing, or a conservative treatment mainly made by using an external agent such as an antibiotic agent-containing ointment.
However, these conventional therapies of wound are ones of only awaiting the healing of wound by natural recovery power of organism after all, and therefore a long time is required for recovery and these therapies accompany pains such as soreness.
Accordingly, in order to accelerate the repair and regeneration of tissues at the wound portions positively and directly without relying on the natural recovery power, pharmaceuticals which stimulate or promote steps of differentiation, propagation and the like of cells, have been developed, and frequent use thereof was recently started.
For example, in a local treatment of the conservative treatment, an external agent having actions such as promotion of granulation, improvement of local circulation, or promotion of epidermization, has been used after depuration of wound surface such as protection of the wound surface, removal of slough tissues, or prevention of secondary infection. As such an external agent, an extract from hemolysed blood of young calves (sorcoseryl) (Applied Pharmacology, vol.22, pp 565-579, 1981), tocoretinate (orsenone ointment) (Applied Pharmacology, vol.43, pp 121-127, 1992), and the like have been known. Further, as an internal agent, a decomposition product of lactoferrins (JP-A-8-81387), dehydro epiandrosterone as a steroid hormone secreted from adrenal cortex and its derivatives (JP-A-11-193236), and the like have been proposed.
However, the above agents are not fully satisfactory in all of healing effect, safety, production costs and the like. For example, the above external agents can not be said adequate in the healing effect, the decomposition products of lactoferrins accompany trouble and cost for purification of lactoferrin, and dehydro epiandrosterone has a problem in the safety.
Further, foods that we ingest are degraded to low molecular weight substances such as amino acids and glucose, by the action of digestive enzymes in stomach and small intestine, and absorbed as nutrients in intestinal canal. Residues not digested and absorbed in the intestinal canal are transferred to large intestine, and after moisture content and the like are absorbed, excreted to outside of the body as feces. In large intestine, a lot of enterobacteria exist. Among the enterobacteria, harmful bacteria represented by Welch""s bacillus and colibacilli act to degrade and ferment undigested proteins and lipids in the residues, and resultingly produce harmful putrefaction such as ammonia, amine, mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, indole or scatole, which is a cause of offensive odor of feces (hereinafter referred to as an enteral putrefaction). A part of the enteral putrefaction is absorbed through intestinal wall and enters the blood, but it is usually detoxicated in liver and excreted to outside of the body together with urine by kidney, whereby no serious influence to the human body is caused.
However, it is known that if the putrefaction is stored in the blood by the hypoactivity of liver and kidney, congenital disease (hyperammonemia plasma I and II types, congenital urea cycle enzyme deficiency, and the like) and the like, various adverse effects are caused. For example, it is known that increase of the blood ammonia concentration causes emesis, fever or pyrexia, and in serious cases, hepato celebral encephalopathy.
Accordingly, with persons having the functions of liver or kidney deteriorated or the above congenital disease patients, suppression of the production of entenal putrefaction is important to keep the blood ammonia concentration or the like low.
In the prior art, for the suppression of entenal putrefaction, there have been (1) a method wherein harmful bacteria which produce the putrefaction in intestine are killed by administration of an antibiotic such as neomycin or kanamycin, and (2) a method wherein by using oligosaccharides such as lactulose (bifidus factor) as a supplemental food, useful bacteria such as Lactobacillus bifidus or Lactobacillese is made most dominant is intestine, whereby the propagation of harmful bacteria such as colibacilli and Welch""s bacillus is suppressed and as a result, the production of the putrefaction is suppressed.
However, it has also been reported that the method of administering the antibiotic has a possibility of extinguishing not only enteral harmful bacteria but also other useful bacteria, and a defect such that resistant microbe may be developed by frequent uses of the antibiotic, whereby the balance of intestinal bacterium flora may be lost and the reduction of immunological function may be caused.
On the other hand, the above oligosaccharides (bifidus factor) are required to be ingested everyday. However, as the ones to be ingested everyday, most of oligosaccharides are expensive in view of costs.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of such problems of the prior art.
Namely, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pharmaceutical, food or drink, and feedstuff, having an effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori, which provides no side effect and is safe, convenient and excellent in view of nutrition.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wound healing promoter which has a wound healing effect and is safer and more inexpensive, and a pharmaceutical, food or drink, and feedstuff having a wound healing-promoting effect.
It is further object of the present invention to provide an agent for reducing a blood ammonia concentration which has an effect for reducing the blood ammonia concentration and is safe and more inexpensive, and a pharmaceutical, food or drink, and feedstuff having the effect for reducing the blood ammonia concentration.
In order to accomplish the above objects, one of the present invention is to provide (A) a pharmaceutical which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and has an effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori; (B) food or drink which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and other nutrient source, and has an effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori; and (C) feedstuff which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and other nutrient source, and has an effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori.
Another one of the present invention is to provide (D) a pharmaceutical which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and has a wound healing-promoting effect; (E) food or drink which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and other nutrient source, and has a wound healing-promoting effect; and (F) feedstuff which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and other nutrient source, and has a wound healing-promoting effect.
Further one of the present invention is to provide (G) a pharmaceutical which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and has an effect for reducing a blood ammonia concentration; (H) food or drink which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and other nutrient source, and has an effect for reducing a blood ammonia. concentration; and (I) feedstuff which contains a cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor and other nutrient source, and has an effect for reducing a blood ammonia concentration.
With the pharmaceutical of (A), it is preferred to further contain an antibiotic for eradicating Helicobacter pylori and/or an acid secretion inhibitor in addition to the cocoa component.
Further, the pharmaceutical, food or drink, and feedstuff may preferably contain cocoa and/or chocolate liquor so as to impart the cocoa component.
Moreover, the food or drink, and feedstuff may preferably contain the cocoa component contained in the chocolate liquor and other nutrient source.
In such a case, as the other nutrient source, a protein, a lipid, a saccharide, a vitamins and a mineral may preferably be contained.
According to the above inventions (A) to (C), by ingesting them, it is expected that an effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori of humans and animals can be obtained, and development and recurrence of acute gastritis, chronic gastritis and gastroduodenal ulcer can be prevented.
According to the above inventions (D) to (F), by ingesting or applying them, it is possible to obtain an effect for promoting wound healing of humans and animals. Here, the xe2x80x9cwoundxe2x80x9d in the present invention includes racoma, laceration, incised wound, braise and the like formed on skin and other tissues (organs), as well as ulcer and burn.
According to the above inventions (G) to (I), by ingesting them, it is expected that an effect for reducing a blood ammonia concentration of humans and animals can be obtained, and symptom of emesis, fever or pyrexia, and hepato celebral encephalopathy by increasing the blood ammonia concentration can be improved.
Further, the pharmaceutical, food or drink, and feedstuff of the present invention contain the cocoa component contained in chocolate liquor as an active ingredient for physiological activity, and therefore it is possible to ingest them safely and conveniently without side effect. Furthermore, since the cocoa component contains dietary fibers and various nutrition components, it is possible to obtain nutrition-feeding effect and health-maintaining effect.
In the present invention, the cocoa component means a component of chocolate liquor from which cocoa butter is removed, and mainly contains proteins, saccharides, dietary fibers (water-soluble hardly-digestible polysaccharides, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, etc.), phospholipid, inorganic substances (phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, sodium, etc.), vitamin A, vitamin B group, vitamin C, vitamin E (various types of tocopherol, etc), niacin, oxalic acid, citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, tannin (polyphenols such as epicatechin, catechin and quercetin), anhydrous caffeine, theobromine and the like.
In order to impart the above cocoa component, as a material to be added to the pharmaceutical, food or drink, and feedstuff, for example, cocoa powder obtainable by removing cocoa butter from chocolate liquor, or chocolate liquor itself, may preferably be used.
The pharmaceutical of the present invention may be any one so far as it contains the cocoa component as an active ingredient. The form of product thereof is not particularly limited, and may be in various forms such as tablets, powder (granules), capsules and drink. Further, in the case of a pharmaceutical intended to obtain the wound healing-promoting effect, it may be in the form of ointment, medical application and the like.
The food or drink of the present invention may be any one so far as it contains the cocoa component and other nutrient source. The form of product thereof is not particularly limited, and may be produced as cocoa drink, formulated cocoa, chocolate and the like. The other nutrient source is not particularly limited, but proteins such as lactoprotein and soybean protein, lipids such as vegetable oil, saccharides such as sugar and dextrine, vitamins, minerals and the like may preferably be used.
Further, for persons in such a state of pathology that they can not ingest usual meal, for example, persons who have damages of head, face or mouth cavity, consciousness disorder, inappetence or the like, but have normal digestive organs at a certain level, the food or drink of the present invention may be given as an enteral feeding food.
The enteral feeding food may be prepared by mixing the cocoa component and other nutrient source with a nutritional requirement/day as a standard, and used as a powder mixture, or the mixture may be dissolved in water or the like in an adequate amount.
As a method for ingesting the enteral feeding food, for example, for persons who are capable of eating and drinking, it may be ingested orally, or for a persons who are not capable of eating and drinking, a method may be used wherein it is administered through nose using a tube or through an opening formed on stomach or intestine (tube feeding).
Further, the feedstuff of the present invention may be obtained by adding the cocoa component to usual feedstuff.
As the above usual feedstuff, there is no particular limitation, and various feedstuffs commercially available as feedstuff for dog, cat, rat, mouse, hamster, chicken, pig, cow, etc., and ones prepared by appropriately blending ones usually used as feedstuff materials, may be used. Specifically, for example, ones containing protein sources such as soybean lees and white fish meal, lipid sources such as soybean oil, fiber sources such as alphalpha meal, carbohydrate sources such as wheat, corn, wheat bran, germ, yeast, defatted rice bran and milo, vitamins such as vitamins A, D3, E, B1, B2, B3 and B12, calcium pantothenate, niacin, folic acid and choline chloride, and minerals such as CaCo3, NaCl, FeSO4, MnCO3 and CoSO4.7H2O, may preferably be used.
Further, as a method for adding the cocoa component, there is no particular limitation, and the cocoa component may be sprinkled over commercially available feedstuff, blended with other feedstuff materials to form a powder feedstuff, or processed in a pellet-like form.
In the present invention, in the case of the pharmaceutical having the effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori, it is preferred to add an antibiotic for eradicating Helicobacter pylori and/or an acid secretion inhibitor. As the antibiotic for eradicating Helicobacter pylori, clarithromycin may, for example, be mentioned. Further, as the acid secretion inhibitor, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and H2 blocker (H2RA) may, for example, be mentioned.
In the present invention, in order to obtain the effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori, it is desirable to ingest the cocoa component in an amount of at least 5 g per day in terms of chocolate liquor.
Further, in order to obtain the effect for eradicating Helicobacter pylori by ingesting the cocoa component as the food or drink and feedstuff, it is desirable that the cocoa component is contained in the food or drink and feedstuff in an amount of from 3.5 to 10 wt % in terms of a solid content.
On the other hand, in the present invention, the effective administration amount of the cocoa component to obtain the wound healing-promoting effect, is from 0.8 to 40 g per day in terms of chocolate liquor.
Further, in order to obtain the wound healing-promoting effect by ingesting the cocoa component as the food or drink, it is preferred that the cocoa component is contained in the food of drink in an amount of from 0.1 to 10 mass % in terms of a solid content.
Furthermore, the feedstuff having the wound healing-promoting effect of the present invention, is obtainable by adding the cocoa component to usual feedstuff in an amount of from 1 to 15 mass % in terms of a solid content.
In the present invention, the effective administration (intake) amount of the cocoa component to obtain the effect for reducing a blood ammonia concentration, is from 0.8 to 40 g per day in terms of chocolate liquor.
Further, in order to obtain the effect for reducing a blood ammonia concentration by ingesting the cocoa component as the food or drink, it is preferred that the cocoa component (a component of chocolate liquor from which cocoa butter is removed) is contained in the food or drink in an amount of from 0.1 to 10 mass % in terms of a solid content.
Moreover, the feedstuff having the effect for reducing a blood ammonia concentration is obtainable by adding the cocoa component to usual feedstuff in an amount of from 1 to 15 mass %.
The present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

Method for reducing blood ammonia concentration


A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates, a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second substrates, a plurality of pixel regions defined in a matrix configuration on the first substrate, a plurality of gate lines extending along a first direction on the first substrate and dividing each of the pixel regions into first and second pixels that are adjacent to each other along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, a plurality of data lines extending along the second direction and crossing the gate lines to define the first and second pixel regions together with the gate lines, a plurality of first and second electrodes for generating an in-plane electric field in the first and second pixels regions, and a switching device formed at the crossing the gate and data lines and driving the first and second pixel regions, wherein the switching device includes a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, and source and drain electrodes, and the drain electrode includes a first drain electrode connected with the second electrode of the first pixel region and a second drain electrode connected with the second electrode of the second pixel region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and, more particularly, to an In-Plane Switching (IPS) mode LCD device and its fabrication method.
2. Background of the Related Art
An LCD device is commonly used for producing high quality images while using low power consumption. The LCD device includes a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate and a color filter substrate attached together in an opposing manner with a uniform interval therebetween, and a liquid crystal layer is formed between the TFT array substrate and the color filter substrate. The TFT array substrate includes pixel units arranged in a matrix configuration, and each unit pixel includes a TFT, a pixel electrode, and a capacitor. The color filter substrate includes a common electrode for inducing an electric field together with the pixel electrode to the liquid crystal layer, an RGB color filter for achieving colors, and a black matrix.
An alignment film is formed on opposing surfaces of the TFT array substrate and the color filter substrate, and a rubbing technique is performed to initially align the liquid crystal layer along a certain direction. When an electric field is generated between the pixel electrode formed according to each unit pixel on the TFT array substrate and the common electrode formed on the entire surface of the color filter substrate, liquid crystals of the liquid crystal layer rotate due to dielectric anisotropy, thereby transmitting or blocking light of each of the unit pixels in order to display a character or an image. However, the above-described twisted nematic (TN) mode LCD device is disadvantageous since its viewing angle is narrow. Thus, an In-Plane Switching (IPS) mode LCD is being developed that solves the problem of narrow viewing angle by aligning liquid crystal molecules along an almost horizontal (in-plane) direction.
FIG. 1A is a plan view of an In-Plane Switching mode LCD device according to the related art, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view along I-I′ of FIG. 1A an In-Plane Switching mode LCD device according to the related art. In FIG. 1A, gate lines I and data lines 3 are arranged vertically and horizontally to define a pixel region on a transparent first substrate 10. Specifically, an n-number of the gate lines 1 and an m-number of the data lines 3 cross over to make an n-by-m number of pixels. However, for purposes of brevity, only a single representative unit pixel is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
In FIG. 1A, a TFT 9 including a gate electrode 1a, a semiconductor layer 5, and source/drain electrodes 2a and 2b are disposed at the crossing of the gate line 1 and the data line 3. The gate electrode 1a and the source/drain electrodes 2a and 2b are connected with the gate line 1 and the data line 3, respectively, and a gate insulation film 8 (in FIG. 1B) is stacked over the entire surface of the substrate.
In the pixel region defined by the gate and data lines 1 and 3, a common line 16 is arranged to be parallel with the gate line 1, and a pair of electrodes (i.e., a common electrode 6 and a pixel electrode 7 for switching liquid crystal molecules) are arranged in parallel with the data line 3. The common electrode 6 is simultaneously formed together with the gate line 1 and is connected with the common line 16, and the pixel electrode 7 is connected with the drain electrode 2b of the TFT 9. Next, a passivation film 11 (in FIG. 1B) is formed entirely on the substrate 10 including the source/drain electrodes 2a and 2b, and the pixel electrode 7 is formed on the passivation film 11. Then, a pixel electrode line 17 overlapping with the common line 16 and connected with the pixel electrode 7 forms a storage capacitor Cst with the gate insulation film 8 and the passivation film 11 interposed therebetween.
In FIG. 1B, a black matrix 21 for preventing light leakage to the TFT 9, the gate line 1, and the data line 3, and a color filter 23 for achieving colors are formed on a second substrate 20. Then, an overcoat film (not shown) for planarizing the color filter 23 can be coated thereon, and alignment films 12a and 12b for determining an initial alignment direction of liquid crystals are coated on the facing surfaces of the first and second substrates 10 and 20. In addition, a liquid crystal layer 30 for controlling light transmittance by a voltage applied to the common electrode 6 and the pixel electrode 7 is formed between the first and second substrates 10 and 20.
In the IPS mode LCD device having the above-described structure, each pixel is switched by the TFT 9, and a pixel voltage can be maintained by the storage capacitor Cst However, in terms of the structure of the TFT, the gate electrode 1a and the source electrode 2a overlap with each other and a parasitic capacitance is generated at such overlap portions which changes the pixel voltage. In addition, the parasitic capacitance is changed according to an area where the gate electrode and the source electrode overlaps and an area where the gate electrode and the gate electrode overlaps, respectively. In particular, according to the tendency of enlargement in substrate size, a stitch model, which is subjected to an exposure process several times with respect to the same pattern, has a problem that an area of the overlap region (between the gate and source electrodes and between the gate and drain electrodes) is different at each pixel. If the overall area of the TFT is different, the parasitic capacitance is different, so a variation rate of the pixel voltage is also different. Accordingly, picture quality of the LCD device may be degraded due to the non-uniformity of the parasitic capacitance according to a position of the pixel.

In-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating thereof


An information processing method for scanning, by an erasing device, a recording medium on which information is recorded in a predetermined area and erasing the recorded information is disclosed. The erasing device is driven for a period, including the period during which the erasing device is on the area, and longer than the period. The specification also discloses an information processing apparatus including a recording/erasing device for applying a light beam to an optical recording medium and selectively effecting recording and erasing of information, a scanning device for scanning the light beam relative to the recording medium, and a control arrangement for controlling the application time of the light beam so that during erasing, the light beam is applied to an area larger than the area of the recording medium in which information is recorded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing method for erasing information recorded on an erasable recording medium and to an apparatus therefor.
2. Related Background Art
A magneto-optical recording medium 52 whose cross-section is schematically shown, for example, in FIG. 1A of the accompanying drawings is known as an erasable recording medium. This magneto-optical recording medium has as a recording layer 53 of a magnetic film whose readily magnetizable axis is perpendicular to the film surface. Recording of information may be accomplished by arranging the directions of magnetization of the recording layer 53 in a first direction in advance, and scanning the recording layer by a light beam 54 intensity-modulated in conformity with the information while extraneously applying a magnetic field M.sub.R in the direction opposite to the first direction. The portion of the recording layer to which the light beam is applied is once demagnetized, thereby, and is subsequently magnetized in a direction to opposite to the first direction by an extraneous magnetic field and forms a recording bit 55 corresponding to the information as shown in FIG. 1B of the accompanying drawings. The thus recorded information may be read out in a well-known manner using the magneto-optical effect by applying an unmodulated light beam of low intensity to the recording layer and detecting the light reflected by or transmitted through the recording layer. When the recorded information is to be erased, a light beam 56 is applied to the area in which the information is recorded while an extraneous magnetic field M.sub.E in the direction opposite to the direction of magnetic field M.sub.R (i.e., the direction in which the recording layer was magnetized before recording) is applied to the recording layer as shown in FIG. 1C of the accompanying drawings.
To accomplish reliable erasing without leaving any unerased portion when the information is to be erased as described above, it is necessary that the erasing light beam accurately scan the area in which the information is recorded. So, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,150 (same assignee) it is proposed to, increase the power of the light beam during erasing from that used in recording. This is a technique for reliably accomplishing erasing even if more or less deviation of the scanning region is caused in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the recording bit row continues (the so-called tracking direction) by making the erasing range by the light beam larger than the width of the recording bit. However, although the error in the tracking direction is allowable in the above-described technique, such a technique has still been insufficient when the error in the beam scanning direction is taken into consideration. This will be described hereinafter.
As shown in the schematic plan view of FIG. 2A of the accompanying drawings, a magneto-optical recording medium is generally divided into predetermined units called sectors. Each sector, in turn, is divided into an address area and a recording area, and a gap portion is provided therebetween. In the address area, an address number, or the like, indicative of the position of that sector on the medium is pre-recorded by an unerasable bit 58 formed by the unevenness, or the like, of the medium substrate. In the recording area, the recording bit 57 is magnetically recorded by the aforedescribed method. Also, this sector is separated from the next sector by a sector gap.
Here, when the recording bit 57 is to be erased, the recording area may be scanned by an erasing light beam spot 59 as shown in FIG. 2B. However, if the light beam is turned-on too late or turned-off too early due to the error of the timing count for turning on and turning off the light beam and due to the irregularity of the beam scanning speed, unerased portions 60 of the recording bit are caused as shown in FIG. 2C of the accompanying drawings. Such unerased portions 60 have caused a reduction in the reliability of recording when information is re-recorded in this area.

Information processing method and apparatus therefor in which an erasing device is driven for a period longer than a necessary period


The invention refers to a method for obtaining polyhydroxy 1,4-naphthoquinones from live sea urchins, comprising the following steps:                a) injecting a KCl saline solution into the perivisceral coeloma of female sea urchins to induce spawning;        b) collecting the eggs, and grinding them into a fine powder;        c) mixing said fine powder with an alcoholic solvent;        d) separating the alcohol supernatant comprising the polyhydroxy 1,4-naphthoquinones in solution.Where the polyhydroxy 1,4-naphthoquinones are selected from: echinochrome A (6-ethyl-2,3,5,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), spinochrome A (2-acetyl-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), spinochrome B (2,3,5,7-tetrahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), spinochrome C (2-acetyl-3,5,6,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), spinochrome D (2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), spinochrome E (hexahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) or mixtures thereof.

Spinochromes and echinochromes are polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones and correspond to natural pigments found in sea urchins, especially in their spines and shells. These pigments provide the black, green or red color to these echinoderms. Additionally, these compounds are also present in other cells of sea urchins, probably with an active antimicrobial and antioxidant role.
The main spinochromes, due to their abundance and usefulness, are: spinochrome A (2-acetyl-3,5,6,8-tetrahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), spinochrome B (2,3,5,7-tetrahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), spinochrome C (2-acetyl-3,5,6,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), spinochrome D (2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) and spinochrome E (hexahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone). Its distribution varies in the different species of sea urchins. In the sea urchins Echinus esculentus, Echinus elegans, Paracentrotus lividus and Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, spinochromes A, B, C and E have been identified. Spinochromes A, B and D have been identified in the species Pseudocentrotus depressus. The species Hemicentrotus mammillatus possesses the Spinochromes A, B and C, while Strongylocentrotus drobachiensis possesses Spinochromes A, C, D and E (Anderson et al., Comp Biochem Physiol (1969), 28:333-.345).
On the other hand, in the sea urchins of the species Echinus esculentus, Echinus elegans, Echinus esculentus, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis and Paracentrotus lividus, the equinochrome A (EqA), which corresponds to 6-ethyl-2,3,5,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, is found. This equinochrome is present in the urchin's coelomic fluid, in a concentration range of 30 to 60 □g/mL. It has been described that EqA accumulates within granules in the cytoplasm of the celomic cells, which are called red spherules. As part of the innate immune response of these echinoderms, in response to the presence of foreign particles, the red spherules secrete EqA into the coelomic fluid.
It is known in the state of the art that the polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinone molecules, besides being pigments, have antibiotic and antioxidant properties. It has been reported that methanol extracts enriched in polyhydroxy 1,4-naphthoquinones obtained from the shell of the purple urchin Salmacis virgulata, show a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 500 μg/ml for Salmonella typhi and Vibrio chorelae bacteria and a CMI of 125 μg/ml for Proteus vulgaris and P. mirabilis. This extract enriched in polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones also possesses a high antioxidant activity, as explained later in the examples. The extract obtained by the method of the invention reaches an EC50 of 18 μM, according to the DPPH test (a method to evaluate the oxidant activity). As a reference, the antioxidant activity of ascorbic acid in this same assay is an EC50 of 45 μM.
Within the polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinone molecules produced by sea urchins, the equinoxin A is one of the most studied. Extracts from the sea urchins Echinus esculentus or Tetrapygus niger, enriched in EqA possess a broad antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which turns it into a molecule with a high biotechnological and pharmacological interest.
In some species of sea urchin, unfertilized eggs have a high content of equinochrome A and other polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones, while in other species of sea urchins the eggs possess carotenoids instead of polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones.
In Tetrapygus niger, the females can re-produce eggs one month after spawning, in a total reproductive period of 9 months (Zamora & Stotz, Chilean Journal of Natural History (1993) 66:155-169). We have demonstrated the presence of EqA and spinochromes, such as, for example, spinochromes B and E in the eggs of T. niger females and it is probable that these molecules play a protective role in the ova and the embryo. In ova of other sea urchin species this pigment is released into the extracellular medium during exposure to an acidic environment (Shapiro, Journal of General Physiology (1946) 29:267-275.).
The antioxidant activity of EqA has been used in medicine for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, coronary diseases (U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,601), inflammatory diseases of the retina and cornea (U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,084) and treatment of amyloidosis (US20110065657). The use of EqA and other polyhydroxylated naphthoquinones was patented as colored antimicrobial agents as a supplement for food, textiles, hides and agricultural products (U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,585), or as a hair dye (U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,026 A).
The proposed applications for EqA and other polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones suggest that these molecules are not cytotoxic and have broad pharmaceutical and industrial applications, for their antioxidant and antibiotic properties. Therefore, it is of great interest to obtain a new method for obtaining these polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones under appropriate conditions for the pharmaceutical industry, ie without contaminants that could be toxic and of low environmental impact for marine resources.
Different methods for the production of EqA and spinochromes are described in the state of the art, however, all of them have in common an organic extraction of the echinochrome with toxic organic solvents and in the presence of acids such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, using as raw material the spines and shells of the urchins.
The present invention describes a new methodology for obtaining from sea urchin eggs an extract enriched in 6-ethyl-2,3,5,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (echinochrome A) and other polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones, such as 2,3,5,7-tetrahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (spinochrome B), 2-acetyl-3,5,6,7,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (spinochrome C), 2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (spinochrome D) and 2,3,5,6,7,8-hexahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (spinochrome E). The method of the invention comprises chemically inducing the spawning of female sea urchins and extracting the 1,4-naphthoquinones from the eggs, using non-toxic organic solvents and in the absence of acids.
Among the known methods for producing polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones from urchins are:                Patent RU 2283298 C1 (Sep. 10, 2006), which describes a method for producing EqA from fresh or thawed sea urchins, comprising washing the shells and spines with water to mechanically remove impurities, removing fats with hexane or chloroform and finally an extraction with an organic solvent containing an inorganic acid. The resulting extract is purified by extraction with chloroform and sublimation under vacuum at 220° C.        Patent RU 2305548 C1 (Sep. 10, 2007), which protects a method for obtaining the EqA from sea urchin shells with a treatment with an aqueous alkaline solution and then a treatment with an alcoholic solution (10%) with sulfuric acid (30%).        Patent RU 1508535 A1 (Aug. 27, 1996), which discloses a method for extracting the red pigment from the sea urchin using a dilute solution of sulfuric acid in ethanol, followed by an extraction with water/chloroform in a ratio of 1:1 v/v. The extract obtained is concentrated with a mixture of 1,4-dioxane/hexane in a ratio of 5:1 v/v. The resulting product is washed with hexane and dried in vacuo. The yield of the desired product is 0.05-0.06% by dry weight of raw material.        The publication of Mathieson & Thomson (Journal of the Chemical Society C, 153-160, 1971) discloses a method of production of EqA comprising the treatment of the raw material with hydrochloric acid, the extraction of the desired product from the sea urchins with ether, separating it into water-soluble sodium derivatives, purification by silica gel chromatography, and recrystallization. The yield of the product is 0.01% by dry weight of raw material.        Patent RU 2086145 C1 (Aug. 10, 1997) describes a methodology for the production of a food additive enriched in EqA from sea urchin, which consists of processing with hydrochloric acid 2-12% at pH 5.0-5.2, washing, drying and grinding of the product.        Patent RU 2432956 (Nov. 10, 2011) discloses a method that divides the sea urchin into 4 parts: ova, ovarian fluid, viscera and shell. The eggs are used to recover ganglioside and phospholipid molecules (not Eq A, nor other polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones); while shells and spines are used to extract pigments with oxalic acid or with chloroform and diethyl ether.
All these methods of EqA extraction have as a great disadvantage the use of large volumes of toxic organic solvents, either acids or concentrated bases, which are inconvenient for food and pharmaceutical applications. These methodologies require additional processes to eliminate alkaline and acid residues, and solutions containing fat. Therefore, these technologies are of a high economic cost. In addition, these methods have an environmental impact and the need to establish measures to repopulate the marine resource. However, this does not occur with the proposed invention, since the sea urchin is kept alive and can be returned to its natural environment.
Another known method for specifically producing the polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinone EqA is by chemical synthesis. This technology includes reactive intermediary compounds with toxic characteristics, which can co-purify with the final product (Pokhilo et al., Chemistry of Natural Compounds (2008) 44: 287-291). In this way, chemical synthesis increases costs by needing to eliminate the intermediaries, which is one of the reasons why food industries and pharmaceutical industries prefer molecules of natural origin to the same molecules produced by chemical synthesis.
The new technology protected in this invention to obtain an extract enriched in polyhydroxy 1,4-naphthoquinones from sea urchin eggs, reduces the generation of toxic products and dispenses with the use of acids and bases. Additionally, by keeping the urchins alive, it makes it an ecologically sustainable method.
This methodology is novel and differs from other known methods for producing EqA or other polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones. The main advantages of the invention over the known methods are:                i) The natural source is sea urchin eggs enriched in these pigments (e.g., black urchin Tetrapygus niger eggs) and released by chemical induction,        ii) the extraction process does not use acids such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid nor bases, and        iii) spawning by chemical induction and careful handling allows the urchins to be kept alive, reducing costs and environmental impact. Live urchins can produce new eggs after 1 month.

Method for producing a sea urchin extract enriched with 1,4-polyhydroxylated naphthoquinones with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity

Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María


A method retrieves and displays an alternative webpage in response to an initially-requested webpage no longer being available. A browser on a client device sends a request to a web server for an original webpage, which is associated with an original Universal Resource Locator (URL). The browser receives an error response, from the web server, which indicates that the original webpage no longer exists. A search engine on the client device searches for multiple alternative Universal Resource Locators (URLs), which are based on variations from the original URL. An alternative webpage that is associated with one of the multiple alternative URLs is then displayed on the client device.

The present invention relates to the World Wide Web (WWW), and specifically to retrieving webpages from the WWW. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to finding and retrieving alternative webpages from the WWW in response to an initially-requested webpage no longer being available.
Most browsers include the ability to "bookmark" a webpage for future retrieval. That is, a bookmark is a tab, dropdown option, etc. that is linked to a webpage that a user has determined that he/she will want to visit again in the future. By clicking on the tab, dropdown option, etc., the browser automatically retrieves the webpage that is associated with the Uniform Resource Identifier/Locator (URI/L) that is associated with the bookmark.

Link corrections by cognitive analysis of web resources

International Business Machines Corporation


To prevent evaporated flux from being attached to rotation axes of motors which rotate fans positioned in a preheating zone, a main heating zone and a cooling zone and being solidified, the evaporated flux is efficiently and surely collected with the flux liquefying before the flux is solidified and having fluidity. A drain portion 20 constituting a flux collection apparatus 10A is formed at a side of a motor base 16 opposed to the fan and at a circumferential portion of the rotation axis 14. A surface of the drain portion 20 opposed to the fan is formed as an inclined surface 20A which is inclined from a level position of the motor base 16 to a discharge port 46 provided at a back side of the motor base 16. The flux collected to a center portion of the motor base 16 by the rotation drive of the fan is flown to the drain portion 20 formed in the center portion of the motor base 16, is flown along the inclined surface 20A and contained into a collection container 34 from the drain portion 20 through the discharge port 46, a drain pipe and a pipe 48.

When soldering electronic components on a board, a reflow furnace is generally used. The reflow furnace is provided with a conveyor for conveying the board and a reflow furnace main body (a muffle) with a tunnel shape, to which the conveyor conveys the boards . On the interior of the reflow furnace main body, a preheating zone, a main heating zone and a cooling zone are provided along a conveying path from a receiving entrance to a discharging exit . A pair of a hot-air-blowing heater and a fan is set on each of the preliminary heating and heating zones. The hot-air-blowing heater and the fan are set on respective portions above and below the conveyor. Fans for blowing cooled air that cools down the printed circuit board, which has been heated in the preheating zone and the main heating zone, and motors which rotates the fans are set on the cooling zone.
The board on which soldering paste has been previously printed is conveyed into the reflow furnace in the reflow processing. The soldering paste printed on the board contains powdered solder, solvent and flux. Among them, the flux contains rosin or the like as its component so that the flux has an effect to remove an oxide film from a metal surface to be soldered, to prevent reoxidation by applying heat thereto when soldering and to make surface tension of the solder smaller so as to become improved in wettability thereof.
From the board conveyed in the reflow furnace, the solvent contained in the soldering paste is volatilized in the preheating zone. Next, in the main heating zone, heated wind is blown to the board which is conveyed by the conveyor from the upper and lower directions so that the soldering paste is fused. In the cooling zone, the heated board is then cooled and the fused solder is solidified. Under such a series of steps, the electronic components are soldered on any junctions on the printed circuit board.
Incidentally, in the above-mentioned heating step, the flux is evaporated by applying heat thereto with the heater and is filled in the reflow furnace main body. The flux filled in the reflow furnace main body is generally cleaned via a removing apparatus for removing a flux component, which is set outside the muffle, and is then again returned to the muffle via a circulation path. However, since, accompanying the rotation of the fans set on the preheating zone, the main heating zone and the cooling zone, a flow flown into a back side of each of the fans occurs, a part of the evaporated flux may be flown into the back side of each of the fans by this flow. The evaporated flux which is flown into the back side of each of the fans is here cooled to become liquid flux having any fluidity. When the rotation of the motor stops and internal temperature thereof drops after the evaporated flux becomes liquid flux, viscosity of the liquid flux is increased and its fluidity drops so that the flux is solidified and accumulated on a base portion thereof. In this moment, a problem occurs such that when the flux is solidified on the rotation axis of each of the fans, the rotation of each of the fans is obstructed.
In order to prevent the flux from being accumulated, a reflow furnace which is provided with an inclined portion that is inclined from an axis of the fan to its circumference and a gas inlet for inserting the gas having a temperature which is capable of liquefying the flux on a bottom of a casing of the reflow furnace has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). Flux collection openings are provided on two positions on a periphery of the bottom of the casing of the reflow furnace so that the flux on the bottom is flown along the inclined surface and flown into the flux collection openings, thereby preventing the flux component from being accumulated.


A system and method for improving document layout on arbitrary devices of different resolutions and size using manifold representations of content. Manifold representations of content are: multiple versions of anything that might appear in a document, from text, to images, to even such things as stylistic conventions. The specific content is selected and formatted dynamically, on the fly, by a layout engine in order to best adapt to a given viewing situation. A user interface for authoring and editing such manifold content is disclosed.

1. Technical Field
This invention is directed toward a system and process for adaptive document layout. More particularly, this invention is directed toward a system and process for adapting document layouts to devices of different resolutions and sizes.
2. Background Art
Paper documents are, by their very nature, static affairs. Their physical nature confines them to a single immutable layout on a single-size sheet of paper. Electronic documents, by contrast, can and should be much more dynamic. Most importantly, they should adapt seamlessly and attractively to the size and proportions of the display on which they appear—be it a standard monitor, a tiny Personal Data Assistant (PDA) screen, or a certain format of paper. In addition, the dynamic nature of an electronic medium should offer the possibility of adapting the content dynamically for a particular type of reader or reading situation—providing a summary view for one reader and an in-depth view for another.
Electronic documents today fall woefully short of these ideals. In general, they provide an impoverished layout in comparison with their traditional, physical counterparts. Moreover, they provide only an exceedingly limited ability to adapt to different displays. Typically, either the width of the text is expanded to fill the available window or screen, in which case the text quickly becomes illegible—or the text area is kept fixed, which solves the first problem but requires inconvenient scrolling whenever the text area is too large for the target display. Indeed, to address these shortcomings, in practice two distinct versions of a document are often supplied: a Portable Document File (PDF) version, which generally includes more carefully thought-out design elements and layout, but at the expense of nearly all adaptability; and a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) version, which is generally easier to read on most standard-sized screens, but whose graphics and layout are meager in comparison with those of the PDF.
Good automatic and adaptive layout is fundamentally hard. Consider, for example, a document with a single, large, multicolumn sidebar. The sidebar may look fine on the right side of a two-page spread or a wide-screen display. But on a legal-sized sheet of paper or on a portrait display, the "sidebar" may actually have to be placed at the bottom of the page so as not to squeeze out the main story. And on a PDA, this same "sidebar" might have to be moved to a separate page entirely, perhaps made available through an HTML link from the main page. The problem is of course compounded for more complex layouts, such as those involving multiple sidebars, figures, pull quotes, and so on—all being merged into a single page design.
Even more tricky, in many respects, is the need for editorial changes to content to make a given layout work. As Knuth, in some of his seminal work on typesetting, acknowledges, a "computer should, in fact, be able to solve the typesetting problem better than a skilled typesetter could do by hand in a reasonable amount of time—unless we give this person the liberty to change the wording in order to obtain a better fit" [8] (emphasis added). As any person who has ever prepared a technical paper submission (or any other camera-ready document) knows, often one is forced to make last-minute changes to the figures or text in order to, say, squeeze everything into the stringent page limits, produce more favorable juxtapositions of figures and text, or eliminate annoying "widows" or "orphans" (single lines of text that are separated from their paragraphs and appear alone at the top or bottom of a page or column).
One might add that this inability to adapt document layouts to different display sizes is becoming a more and more critical problem, as the variety of new and differently sized display devices proliferates. The problem is also exacerbated, in a sense, by the rapidly increasing screen resolutions available on LCD displays. These displays make practical increasingly complex page layouts and graphical designs that come closer all the time to rivaling those that can be rendered on the printed page. Thus, any deficit in the available quality of documents rendered on the screen versus the printed page becomes all the more apparent and egregious.
Early work in document layout focused largely on text formatting, the arrangement of text into lines, paragraphs, and higher-level semantic structures [6, 8, 10]. More recently, researchers have begun to focus on the page layout problem, whereby relational grammars [11], constraints [1, 2, 3 ,4 ,5], or various forms of optimization [13] are used to arrange different elements onto a page while satisfying some notion of "goodness." Recently, several standards, endorsed by the World-Wide-Web Consortium (W3C), have emerged to support the decoupling of a document's content from its stylistic formatting rules, most notably the Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) [9]. A constraint-based version of Cascading Style Sheets (CCSS) has also been proposed [1].
It is noted that in the preceding paragraphs, as well as in the remainder of this specification, the description refers to various individual publications identified by a numeric designator contained within a pair of brackets. For example, such a reference may be identified by reciting, "reference [1]" or simply "[1]". A listing of the publications corresponding to each designator can be found at the end of the Detailed Description section.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for adaptive document layout via manifold content


In a semiconductor device having semiconductor chips, a lower heat sink which is joined on the principal rear surface side of the semiconductor chips and an upper heat sink which is joined on the principal front surface side of the semiconductor chips, wherein substantially the whole device is encapsulated with a molded resin, the thick-walled portion of a resin lying around a mounted portion is provided with holes which are resin-flow hindering portions for hindering the flow of the resin during the molding thereof, whereby air bubbles are prevented from appearing in the resin within the mounted portion.

Recently, a reduction in size of a semiconductor element has been required in order to satisfy demands for a decrease in costs.
Since, however, the miniaturization of the semiconductor element incurs rises in heat generation density and current density, problems to be stated below are involved in prior-art structures wherein wire bonding connections to the semiconductor element are employed, and wherein heat is radiated by disposing a heat sink on one surface of the semiconductor element.
First, with the wire bonding connections, areas in which wires can be bonded become small due to the miniaturization of the semiconductor element, and a rated current is limited by the wires. This gives rise to such a problem that a large current to flow through the semiconductor element is difficult of attainment.
On the other hand, with the construction wherein the heat is radiated by disposing the heat sink on one surface of the semiconductor element, heat radiativity lowers due to the miniaturization of the semiconductor element. Another problem is that, since the heat generation density of the semiconductor element rises, the temperature thereof rises. Accordingly, the construction adversely affects the thermal fatigue lifetime of bonding wire or solder joints.
In order to solve the above problems, therefore, a structure wherein metal members which serve as electrodes and radiation members are soldered on both the sides of semiconductor elements has been proposed as a structure which unites an enhanced heat radiativity based on dual-side-radiating and electric connections based on soldering.
FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate the general construction of a semiconductor device of this type, in which FIG. 9A is a schematic plan view, and FIG. 9B is a schematic sectional view taken along line IXB—IXB in FIG. 9A.
A semiconductor device disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2001-156219 or JP-A-2003-110064, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, has been proposed as the semiconductor device as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B.
The semiconductor device shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B includes semiconductor elements 10, 11 which have electrodes on a principal front surface and a principal rear surface, respectively, a first metal member 20 which is joined on the principal rear surface side of the semiconductor elements 10, 11 and which serves as an electrode and a radiation member, and a second metal member 30 which is joined on the principal front surface side of the semiconductor elements 10, 11 and which serves as an electrode and a radiation member, and it has a dual-side-radiating molded structure in which the device is substantially wholly encapsulated with a mold resin 80.
Here in the semiconductor device shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the second metal member 30 is joined in a state where a third metal member 40 is interposed between this second metal member 30 and the principal front surface of the semiconductor elements 10, 11. Further, one side of the semiconductor elements 10 is connected to signal terminals 60 made of lead frames or the like, through bonding wires 70 within the resin 80.
Further, the semiconductor elements 10, 11 and the metal members 20, 30, 40 are joined to each other through conductive joint members 50 made of a solder or the like, and the joints between them are electrical and thermal joints.
In the semiconductor device having the dual-side-radiating molded structure, therefore, the semiconductor elements 10, 11 are permitted to radiate heat from both the principal front and rear surfaces and to be electrically led out from both the principal front and rear surfaces. Accordingly, the semiconductor device is effective in enhancing its heat radiativity and heightening its current density.
Meanwhile, in the case of the semiconductor device shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a part 90 not in the resin 80 (hereinbelow, the part shall be termed "mounted portion 90") is set in a metal mold, and the resin 80 is poured into the metal mold so as to fill up this metal mold. That is, the resin (mold resin) 80 is molded by molding.
In the case of filling up the metal mold with the mold resin 80, however, there occurs the manufacturing problem that air bubbles remain within the resin 80 for the following reasons:
In the dual-side-radiating molded structure, the metal members 20, 30 are respectively exposed to the rear and front surfaces of the resin 80. Besides, since the metal members 20, 30 function also as the electrodes, an electric field acts across the exposed parts.
As shown in FIG. 9B, therefore, the resin 80 is formed with a thick-walled portion around the metal members 20, 30, namely, at the outer peripheral part of the resin 80, in order to obtain an interval along the surfaces which is necessary for the electrical insulation between the rear metal member 20 and the front metal member 30. Consequently, a distance (Wa+t+Wb) is secured in design as the sum of individual dimensions Wa, t and Wb indicated in the figure.
In this manner, in the semiconductor device of this type, the outer peripheral part of the resin 80 is made of the thick-walled portion, and the part of the resin 80 lying within the mounted portion 90 is made of a thin-walled portion as compared with the thick-walled portion.
Here, let's consider the molding of the mold resin 80. As shown in FIG. 10, in the thick-walled portion which has a large cross-sectional area as viewed in the flowing direction of the resin 80, the flow of the resin 80 is easy in the molding operation, whereas in the mounted portion 90, its cross-sectional area is small due to the existence of the rear and front metal members 20, 30 and the semiconductor elements 10, 11, and the flow of the resin 80 is hindered.
As shown in FIG. 10, therefore, the filling with the resin 80 becomes unbalanced in such a manner that the resin 80 circulates comparatively fast in the thick-walled portion within the metal mold. Besides, the final filling part of the resin 80 extends inside the mounted portion 90, and the air bubbles remain in the resin 80 within the final filling part inside the mounted portion 90. Such air bubbles affect the withstand voltage characteristic, etc. of the semiconductor device, and become problematic in the reliability thereof.


A dental prosthesis foundation capable of being finished or adjusted or repaired and which may be assembled and adjusted to variable jaw ridge sizes, and formed with self-curing hardened resins. The foundation supports prosthetic teeth and is permanently but removably secured to the jaw by implants embedded in hard dental tissue, such as tooth stubs or bones. The dentures can be readily repaired or adjusted for changes in the jaw of the patient, by chairside techniques available to dentists. The foundation can also be adjusted to changes in size and shape of ridges in the jawbones for more comfortable use of the dentures secured on such prostheses.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the Prior Case, it is well known to firmly attach dentures to hard dental tissue, such as the jawbone 14 or tooth stubs by an implanted support, via prosthetic dental bridges 10; foundations 12 for such bridges 10 are known. In particular, the dental bridge 10 may be securely mounted to implanted screw posts 16, or other known securing mechanisms. Such foundations 12 are also described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,575,651 and 5,788,492. Other, more readily removable, dentures secured to implanted supports are shown, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,567,155 and 3,514,858.
The relatively slender implants to support foundations described in the first two patents identified above, and in the Prior Case, were originally considered suitable primarily as short term devices for use until the larger, "permanent" implants healed. One aspect of the present invention continues the earlier development and understanding that the slim implants can be used for substantially permanent, but removable denture prostheses of various types. The devices and procedures of the present invention avoid many of the problems of earlier systems when worn for extended periods, which included the lack of capability for easy removal and replacement, and potential irritation to the patient because of the difficulty of obtaining a proper fit to the jawbone and opposing teeth and gums, or to soft dental tissue.
Thus, a need continued to exist for a system which would permit the placement of a long-lasting dental prosthesis in a patient's mouth by chairside techniques available to the family dentist. Such a system should provide components for mounting such prosthesis, which can be firmly secured to the hard dental tissue, such as the jawbone, in a relatively short time, but which can be adjusted or removed to be prophylactically cleaned or repaired at a later date, and which is readily adaptable to the natural variations in the size and shape of ridges in jaw bones, so as to provide for more comfortable use of any dentures secured on such components.
Certain patients also find it preferable to be able to remove their dentures for daily cleaning. Problems arise with such readily removable systems, however, if a patient's jawbone continues to erode, or otherwise change, under the denture, or the internal portion of the denture is deformed from aging or lengthy use, resulting in a loose fit, lack of function and irritation to the patient's jaw. It is a common practice to bore out and reline existing or new dentures, which were originally made to rest on the gum, and to be retained by a close fit, without the alternative of using a denture adhesive, requiring reapplication each day. In all cases it is important that the denture continue to be accurately retained in the precise position in the jaw, especially relative to the opposing teeth. Any lining or relining must maintain the same or improved fit and retention, by firmly connecting the denture to implanted screws in the identical position regarding the prosthetic teeth.

Components for permanent removable and adjustable dentures and bridges


An electrical connector includes an outer casing, an electrical connector module received and retained in the outer casing, at least one fastening device mounted in the outer casing, the fastening device comprising a manual handle, a rod partially received in the manual handle and defining a slot, and a C-ring surrounding and extending beyond the slot for forming a circumferential rib around the rod, and a retention board received in the outer casing, and spaced a predetermined distance from the C-ring originally. When the manual handle is turned by a user, the rod can be driven by the manual handle and move axially relative to the manual handle until the C-ring is barred by the retention board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having improved mechanism for attachment of the electrical connector to a mating electrical connector.
2. Description of Related Arts
It is well known that a cable end connector terminates to an electrical cable and electrically connects with a mating connector to transmit signals from the electrical cable to the complementary connector. The cable end connector and the mating connector are often equipped with interlocking mechanisms to secure two mated connectors together.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,758, which published on Aug. 30, 1994 and assigned to Whitaker shows a conventional connector having a pair of jackscrews 16. Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 8, two cover parts 8 together define a locking finger 164 in each of the passages 9. Each jackscrew 16 has a collar 198 located at front of the locking finger 164, and an enlarged diameter portion 200 located behind of the locking finger 164. When the jackscrews 16 is pushed to engage with, or pulled to separate from a mating connector, the enlarged diameter portion 200, and the collar 198 is respectively hold by the locking finger 164, for controlling an operative distance of the jackscrew 16. However, to obtain the jackscrew 16 with the collar 198 and the enlarged diameter portion 200, the user needs an enlarged diameter pole originally and then lathes the pole to form the collar 198 and the enlarged diameter portion 200 in a lathe process. This process leads to a waste of the raw material and a high cost of manufacture.
For another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,599, which published on May 9, 2000 and assigned to Hon Hai shows a connector using another bolt member type for achieving an interconnect function. The bolt member has first and second bolt parts assembled to each other. The first bolt part defines a radiant head, and the second bolt part defines a corresponding radiant slot for receiving the radiant head therein. When the connector is in a connection manner, the second bolt drives the first bolt to move forwardly relative to the second bolt. In addition, respectively disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,647,758, 7,033,202, U.S. Pub. No. 20030073337A1, some similar jackscrews are provided. However, with respect to these cited reference, a problem that how to control the moving of the jackscrew conveniently is raised and expected to solve, and further, after a frequent plug/unplug, the helical spring may be distorted and thus unable to be prevented by the C-ring.
Hence, an electrical connector is desired to overcome the disadvantage of the related references.

Electrical connector having improved fastening device


In one embodiment, a memory system is provided comprising a memory die and a controller. The memory die comprises a non-volatile memory, a data latch, and an on-chip randomizer. The controller is configured to send a command to the memory die to cause the on-chip randomizer to store random data in the data latch and send data to the memory die to overwrite some, but not all, of the random data in the data latch, wherein the memory die is configured to transfer the data and random data stored in the data latch to the non-volatile memory. Other embodiments are provided.

In many memory systems, data is written to the memory in a page. However, there are many instances in which less than a page worth of data is desired to be written. For example, in flash firmware, while control block page writes are page aligned to maximize performance, the control data (e.g., a master index page) within the page may not be. As another example, firmware state/data structures are often accumulated and saved into non-volatile memory at regular time intervals or in response to certain events. However, at the time the save occurs, there may be less than a page worth of firmware state/data structures. As yet another example, during garbage collection, more than one source block can be moved to one destination block, and one source can be mixed with another source block data in same page. It can be a complex task to recover data in case of errors such as program failures or ECC errors. To simplify such cases, two source blocks of data can be mixed in the same page, with the result sometimes being less that a page worth of data. Additionally, file system writes are usually page aligned, but file sizes are not necessarily aligned with the page size.
In situations where data desired to be written is less than a page worth of data or when the data is not aligned with a page, the controller of the memory system can store the data in a buffer (e.g., RAM) and then "pad" the data to create a full page. For example, the controller can first read adjacent data from the non-volatile memory and then appropriately pad and re-write the new data. As another example, the controller can add "dummy data" to pad the rest of the buffer to create a full page. The page worth of data, which includes the data desired to be written and the padded data, is then sent to the memory die for storage in non-volatile memory.

Memory system and method for efficient padding of memory pages


The invention is a method of purifying Factor VIII comprising the steps of contacting a solution containing Factor VIII with a Factor VIII-binding substrate under conditions sufficient to bind Factor VIII to the substrate, wherein the Factor VIII-binding substrate comprises one or more peptides bound to the substrate, wherein the peptides are selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, and SEQ ID NO:3, and then eluting the bound Factor VIII.

1. Field
This invention is generally directed to identifying protein-ligand interactions, and specifically with peptide ligands which bind human Factor VIII and which may be used in a process for the affinity purification of human Factor VIII.
2. Background
Human Factor VIII, (antihemophilic factor; FVIII:C) is a human plasma protein consisting of 2 polypeptides (light chain molecular weight of 80,000 daltons and heavy chain molecular weight variable from 90,000 to 220,000). It is an essential cofactor in the coagulation pathway; required for the conversion of Factor X into its active form (Factor Xa). Factor VIII circulates in plasma as a non-covalent complex with von Willibrand Factor (aka FVIII:RP). Blood concentrations of Factor VIII below 20% of normal cause a bleeding disorder designated hemophilia A. Factor VIII blood levels less than 1% result in a severe bleeding disorder, with spontaneous joint bleeding being the most common symptom. Factor VIII can be isolated from either a plasma derived source (cryoprecipitate) or from a genetically engineered recombinant source. Recombinant DNA technology has allowed construction of plasmids that direct the expression of fusion products of Factor VIII protein in transfected mammalian cells (See U.S. Pat No. 4,757,006).
Several methods have been described for purification of Factor VIII from plasma sources. Tuddenham et al. disclose a method for separating FVIII from human plasma by immunoabsorbent chromatography (Tuddenham, et al., J. Laboratory Clin. Med., (1979), 93:40-53). The method involved using rabbit anti-FVIII:C polyclonal antibodies adsorbed to agarose beads, and desorption using a calcium gradient. Notably, it was sufficiently selective to distinguish FVIII:C from FVIII:RP. D.E.G. Austen demonstrated another technique using ionexchange chromatography on amino-hexyl-substituted agarose beads (Austin, D.E.G., British J. Heamotol., (1979), 43:669-674). However, it has been reported that both methods suffer from some level of contamination of the resulting FVIII:C by FVIII:RP.
Zimmerman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. RE32011 disclose a human monoclonal antibody-based immunoaffinity two-step purification procedure. The first step is adsorption of the FVIII:C/FVIII:RP complex from a human plasma source, followed by a buffer wash, and subsequent desorption of FVIII:C using a calcium solution that elutes only FVIII:C (FVIII:RP remains bound). The second step is concentration of the FVIII:C by adsorbing the eluate from step one to an aminohexyl-substituted agarose column with a subsequent calcium buffer wash. This results in a concentration of FVIII of over 160,000-fold from plasma.
Several purification schemes utilize antibody affinity columns. Wood, W., et al., Nature, (1984), 312:330-337 demonstrated another immunoaffinity purification, using the C7F7 MAb which is specific to the FVIII:C 80kD fragment. Rotblat, F., et al., Biochemistry, (1985), 24:4294-4300 also describe an immunoaffinity purification of FVIII:C of over 300,000-fold from cryoprecipitate by polyelectrolyte purification, followed by affmity separation of a sepharose-anti-FVIIIR:Ag, and a final adsorption to a FVIII:C specific MAb column. To date, the most successful purifications of Factor VIII from plasma or from recombinant sources have been accomplished by using murine monoclonal antibodies specific to either Factor VIII or von Willibrand Factor (see Zimmerman, et al, supra, U.S. Pat. No. RE32011).
Although monoclonal antibodies have been used successfully to obtain a relatively pure Factor VIII preparation, monoclonal antibodies can be present in the Factor VIII effluent because of leaching from the support matrix. This raises the possibility of antigenicity when the final preparation is introduced into animal systems, since murine monoclonal antibodies have been shown to be antigenic. A second disadvantage of the use of monoclonal antibodies is the requirement of cell culture facilities for producing the antibodies and the concomitant cost of purification and attachment onto a support matrix. And finally, the stability of the antibody binding site may not be amenable to the rigorous conditions necessary to sanitize the column.
Affinity chromatography is one of the most efficient techniques for purifying a protein from a complex mixture. With potential advantages including high stability, efficiency, selectivity, and low price, peptides have been investigated as affmity ligands in the pharmaceutical industry. A recent approach for identifying such ligands is to screen peptides from combinatorial peptide libraries (Baumbach, et al., BioPharm, (1992), 5:23-35; Buettner, J., et al., Int. J. Pept. Prot. Res., (1996), 47:70-83; Huang, P., et al., BiotechnoL & Bioeng., (1995), 47:288-297; Huang, P., et al., Bioorg. & Med. Chem., (1996), 4:699-708). It has been shown that by using the "divide-couple-recombine" approach (Furka, et al., Int. J. Pept. Prot. Res., (1992), 37:487-493; Lam, et al., Nature, (1991), 354:82-84; Houghten, et al., Nature, (1991), 354:84-86), millions of unique peptides of a defined length may be synthesized on resin beads. Each bead contains a unique peptide sequence. These library beads and their corresponding peptide sequences are then exposed to a target protein. Among these millions of peptide sequences, the target protein may bind to several unique bead-sequences. Those beads and their corresponding sequences must be detected, isolated, and identified. Several detection systems, including colorimetric two-step methods (Buettner, et al., (1996), 47:70-83; Houghten, et al. (1991); Lam, et al., J. Immunol. Meth., (1995), 180:219-223) as well as direct fluorescence detection methods (Meldal, et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., (1994), 91:3314-3318; Meldal, et al., J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans., (1995) 1:1591-1596; Needles, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., (1993), 90:10700-10704) have been used.
Another method of generating large libraries of peptides for affinity separations is phage display. WO 95/18830, Inhibitors ofhumanplasmin derivedfrom the kunitz domains, describes the selection of binding domains specific for human plasmin useful as inhibitors, including applications for drugs, for diagnostic reagents and for affinity purification ligands. The claimed binding domains are chimeras of one of the three kunitz binding domains found in lipoprotein-associated coagulation inhibitor (LACI), a 39 kd protein. The binding domains are about 58 amino acids with 7 to 11 amino acid substitutions generated by combinatorial methods. No smaller peptides are used or claimed.
WO 97/35197, Purification oftissue plasminogen activator (tPA), claims binding domains useful for purification of the biological drug tPA, using the same technology as described in WO 95/18830 and WO 97/35196. In this application, the binding domains are 29 amino acids of which 8 were combinatiorialized. One claimed sequence is from a peptide of 11 amino acids, of which 8 residues were derived combinatorially from the binding motifs of the other claimed domains, having the 11-mer sequence: Arg Xaa Cys Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Cys Xaa. Specific residues are claimed for each position (Xaa) for this presumed cyclic peptide.
It is apparent that other, more specific affinity peptides for binding proteins of biological interest are needed.


The present invention provides novel compounds of Formula (I′), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, hydrates, polymorphs, co-crystals, tautomers, stereoisomers, isotopically labeled derivatives, prodrugs, and compositions thereof. Also provided are methods and kits involving the inventive compounds or compositions for treating and/or preventing proliferative diseases (e.g., cancers (e.g., leukemia, lymphoma)), inflammatory diseases, autoinflammatory diseases, and autoimmune diseases in a subject. Treatment of a subject with a proliferative disease using a compound or composition of the invention may inhibit the aberrant activity of a kinase, such as an interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) (e.g., IRAKI and/or IRAK4) in the subject.

IRAK1 is a serine/threonine kinase that was originally identified in 1994. Altogether there are four IRAK kinases: IRAK1 and IRAK4, which are catalytically active kinases, and IRAK2 and IRAK3, which are believed to be catalytically inactive and are hence classified as 'pseudokinases.' IRAK1 is ubiquitously expressed with its highest expression observed in blood and immune tissues (for example, bone marrow, lymph nodes, thymus and peripheral blood) and hematological malignancies. IRAK signaling contributes to multiple signaling pathways downstream of the Toll-interleukin receptors (TIRs) that ultimately regulate NF-κB and IFN regulatory factors (IRFs). In the case of NF-κB, IRAK1 mediates the downstream signals of TIRs through an interaction with MYD88 which is rapidly recruited to the receptor upon ligand binding to either IL-1R or a TLR. Subsequent phosphorylation on IRAK1 by upstream signals or through autophosphorylation is the key post-translational modification and hallmark of its activation which allows IRAK1 to bind to TRAF6 resulting in release of the IRAK1 homodimer from MYD88 and downstream NF-κB activation.
The participation of IRAK1 in signaling networks of the innate immune response has defined the enzyme as a critical regulator of inflammation, the antiviral response, and the subsequent activation of the adaptive immune response. Consequently, an extensive investigation into physiological and pathological functions of IRAK1 in regulating these processes has been performed. In particular, these studies have implicated IRAK1 inhibition as potential treatment for myocardial contractile dysfunction following burn, autoimmune conditions associated with hyper inflammation, myocardial dysfunction, microbial septic response, human myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In Waldenström macroglobulinemia cells, the MYD88 L265P somatic mutation is highly prevalent and responsible for malignant growth through activation of nuclear factor NF-κB. Two downstream signaling branches, one including BTK and one including IRAK1, both regulate NF-κB activation in Myd88L265P expressing WM cell lines. IRAK1 inhibitors should be pursued for the disease since genetic knockdown of either BTK or IRAK1 leads to modest cell killing; and IRAK1 is activated in viable cells isolated from WM patient currently receiving Ibrutinib therapy WM cell lines, and primary patient samples treated with an IRAK1/4 inhibitor and a BTK inhibitor display augmented inhibition of NF-κB signaling and more robust cell killing. Although IRAK1 was identified over twenty years ago, and its critical function in autoimmunity and inflammation has been widely recognized, medicinal chemistry efforts directed at the development of selective inhibitors of IRAK1 have not been reported. Thus, it is important to develop selective inhibitors of IRAK (e.g., IRAK1 and IRAK4) for use as research tools as well as therapeutic agents in the treatment of diseases.

Inhibitors of interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinases and uses thereof


Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including, a user group identification section, a first content analysis section, a second content analysis section, and a metadata setting section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and an information processing program. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of setting information expressing how a human being feels in a content as metadata, an information processing method to be adopted by the information processing apparatus and an information processing program implementing the information processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there have been proposed a variety of techniques for setting metadata in a musical content and making use of metadata set in the musical contents to recommend a specific musical content to a user.
The metadata set in a musical content includes information for identifying the content and other information on the content. The information for identifying a musical content includes the genre of the content, the name of an artist singing the content and the release date of the content. On the other hand, the other information on a musical content includes the sound volume, tempo and harmony of the content. In general, the other information on a musical content is information obtained as a result of carrying out signal processing on the content itself and analyzing the result of the signal processing.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-16095 discloses a technique for making use of an evaluation, which is given to a content on the basis of pulse data, in a search for a specific content to be recommended to a user. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-128884 discloses a technique for creating a summary of a content typically on the basis of brain waves generated in a user when the user is viewing the content and/or listening to the content.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method and information processing program


A rear viewing arrangement is provided for a motor vehicle to permit the operator to view traffic conditions to rearward from left and right sides of the vehicle, as well as directly behind the vehicle. Left and right video cameras are mounted on the left and right sides of the motor vehicle forwardly of the drivers position. Each camera attachment has a miniature video camera viewing angle directed generally rearwards, and a housing or shroud that is in the form of an aerodynamic fairing disposed over the associated camera to protect the same and to minimize the amount of protuberance laterally from the side of the vehicle. The fairing also avoids unnecessary airflow turbulence, thereby streamlining the vehicle. The images viewed from these camera assemblies reproduced on an LCD viewing screen, which is integrated with the instrument cluster on the vehicle dashboard. The operator can easily observe the conditions to rearward without having to divert his or her attention from the road ahead.

This invention relates generally to devices for rearward viewing from vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks, or the like. The invention is more particularly concerned with video camera and viewing screen systems which can provide a driver or other vehicle operator a view of traffic conditions to rearwards, at least from right and left sides of the vehicle.
Conventionally, passenger vehicles and trucks are provided with outside mirrors disposed at the left (driver) side and right (passenger) side of the vehicle, and in most cases with a rear view (center) mirror providing a view through the rear windscreen. These mirrors are necessary for safe vehicle operation and give the driver a view of traffic conditions behind the vehicle. The views from the right and left outside mirrors are especially useful to detect another vehicle in an adjacent lane, if the operator is planning to make a lane change or turn.
These conventional mirrors have a number of drawbacks. For example, in order to look at the rearward traffic conditions in the right side mirror, the operator has to take his or her eyes off the road ahead and instead divert his or her attention onto the small view provided by the outside mirror. This is often done even while traffic conditions ahead are rapidly changing. However, for safe vehicle operation the need to divert one's attention from the road should be minimized. Also, the outside mirror adjustment depends on the operator position, and so if the driver adjusts the seat upwards or downwards, or back or forth, the outside mirrors also have to be readjusted.
Adjusting the mirrors in traffic can be a dangerous maneuver. Also, objects or passengers in the vehicle can often block the driver's views through the center rear view mirror and the view of the right outside mirror.
Further, because the mirrors are positioned to be in line with the driver's position, the driver's view in the outside mirrors does not always reveal another vehicle in an adjacent lane and even with the rear of the vehicle (i.e., in a so-called blind spot). This occurrence of blind spots in the rear view mirrors and outside mirrors has been an ongoing problem.
The outside mirrors also produce significant amount of wind drag, because they project a substantial distance sideways from the vehicle. These mirrors are also subject to damage if the vehicle is driven or parked where there is only a small amount of sidewards clearance.
Another problem with conventional mirrors arises during night-time operation. If another vehicle is approaching from the rear or overtaking, the mirrors reflect glare from that vehicle's headlights directly at the driver of the leading vehicle. Even if the other vehicle dims its lights, the amount of light reflected in the driver side outside mirror can produce enough glare to cause momentary night blindness. Shades or tinted glass can help to reduce glare, but these can also impair the normal rearward view.
A number of proposals have appeared in recent times for supplementing a vehicle operator's view by use of a video camera mounted somewhere on the vehicle. These have generally involved mounting video cameras in box-like housings carried on arms that project from the vehicle. Typical of these are the arrangements described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,027,200; 4,910,591; and 3,689,695. Video viewing arrangements for viewing from the rear of a tractor trailer are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,214,266 and 4,277,804. A camera arrangement from guiding a tractor or other farm vehicle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,814. These previous proposals do not suggest any practical solution to the problems encountered with conventional outside mirrors.

Consolidated rear view camera and display system for motor vehicle