A main CPU 11, a main memory 12, a main DMAC (direct memory access controller) 13 and a picture processing unit (graphic processing unit or GPU) 15 are interconnected over a main bus 1. In an input/output unit of each of the main CPU 11 and the GPU 15 are mounted programmable packet engines (PPE) 112, 152 capable of modifying the data packetizing/unpacketizing sequence in order to perform packet transfer with freedom in the packet form. This affords freedom to the packet form to realize efficient development and packing of packet data and efficient drawing processing.

In a TV game machine for household use, a personal computer or in a graphics computer, a picture processing apparatus for generating data of a picture outputted and displayed on a TV receiver, monitor receiver, cathode ray tube (CRT) or on a display device, that is display output picture data, is constructed as the combination of a general-purpose memory chip, a central processing unit (CPU) or other processing chips. High-speed processing is enabled by providing a dedicated drawing device between the CPU and a frame buffer.
Specifically, with the above picture processing apparatus, the CPU does not access the frame buffer directly in generating a picture. Instead, the CPU performs geometric processing operations, such as coordinate transformation, clipping or light source calculations and formulates drawing commands for defining a three-dimensional model for drawing a three-dimensional picture as a combination of triangular or quadrangular basic unit figures (polygons) to send the drawing commands over an external bus to the drawing device. For example, for displaying a three-dimensional object, the latter is dissolved into plural polygons and drawing commands associated with the respective polygons are transmitted from the CPU to the drawing device, which then interprets the drawing commands sent from the CPU to the drawing device and calculates the colors of all pixels making up the polygons and the Z-values from the Z-value specifying the color data and depth of apices. The drawing device then performs rendering processing of writing the pixel data in the frame buffer to delineate a figure on the frame buffer. Meanwhile, the Z-value is the information specifying the distance along the depth from the viewing point.
For example, if a three-dimensional object is displayed on the picture generating device, the object is dissolved into plural polygons and the drawing command corresponding to the polygons is transferred from the CPU to the drawing device. For displaying the object more realistically, a technique known as texture mapping or mip mapping is used. There is also known a technique of converting color data of a picture via a color lookup table (CLUT) holding on memory the color conversion data for varying the display colors.
The texture mapping is a technique of bonding a two-dimensional picture (picture pattern), separately provided as a texture source picture, that is a texture pattern, on the surface of a polygon constituting an object. The mip mapping is among texture mapping techniques of interpolating pixel data so that, on approaching to or receding away from a three-dimensional model, the picture pattern bonded to the polygon will not depart from spontaneity.
In a calculation processing system constituted by combining general-purpose memory chips, CPU or other calculation chips, such as TV game machines for household use or personal computers, the memory operating speed or the performance of the external bus is not improved as compared to improvement in the operating frequency of calculation chips or circuit size, such that the external bus proves to be a bottleneck. The memory bus system having a large data transfer volume is generally high in latency and exhibits high performance in large-capacity burst transfer. However, the performance of the memory bus system is not exhibited for a small-capacity random transfer, such as in ordinary CPU accessing.
If a pre-fixed packet, such as a command packet, is used, efficient transfer can be achieved by exploiting a direct memory access controller (DMAC). However, the multifarious algorithm cannot be coped with thus giving rise to redundancy.
The CPU commands are consumed in the packet format and reformat thus lowering the efficiency. If the system has a cache, long packets sufficient to accommodate the packet length cannot be set, such that the burst is usually set to four words and hence the performance of the memory system of the larger data transfer volume cannot be displayed.
In view of the above-described status of the prior art, the present invention has the following objects:
Specifically, an object of the present invention is to reduce the above-mentioned bottleneck in the picture processing apparatus combined from the general-purpose memory chip, CPU and the lie calculation chip.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a picture processing apparatus and a picture processing method for raising the data transfer efficiency.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a picture processing apparatus and a picture processing method for raising the data efficiency on a memory.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a picture processing apparatus and a picture processing method for raising the efficiency in packet data development and packaging efficiency.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a picture processing apparatus and a picture processing method for affording freedom to the packet form.
A still another object of the present invention is to provide a picture processing apparatus and a picture processing method for enabling burst transfer suited to the packet form.

Image processor and image processing method


An emergency resuscitation apparatus with external air volume control includes a housing having top and bottom plates pivotally coupled so as to siphon air into an internal reservoir via an inflow port and propel air out through an outlet port to a patient. A volume control plate is coupled to the bottom plate externally adjacent a second end wall, the volume control plate having a plurality of volume selectors. An air volume limit arm is operatively coupled to the volume control plate and selectively movable between and coupled to a selected volume selector. A volume limiting flange associated with the volume limit arm are positioned in a common vertical plane with top plate such that the volume limit flange prevents upward movement of the top plate beyond the setting of the volume limit arm so as to regulate a quantity of air being expelled.

This invention relates generally to resuscitation devices and, more particularly, to an emergency resuscitation apparatus having an external assembly for setting a volume of air expelled from an outflow port as may be appropriate based on the size or age of a patient.
An emergency resuscitator is a portable device, commonly referred to as a bag-valve-mask, that may be manually operated to repeatedly inflate the lungs of a patient who is in pulmonary arrest, i.e. is not breathing on his own or in patients in respiratory distress secondary to inadequate ventilation and are in need of ventilator assistance. The use of a portable resuscitator, whether in a hospital setting or at the scene of a medical emergency, can be the difference between life or death.
The current resuscitator as it is currently designed was invented in 1953 and was first marketed in 1956. Therefore, there has been no significant design or functional advancement in this device in 60 years.
One problem with current bag-valve-mask resuscitator devices is that they can potentially expel volumes of air significantly larger than that appropriate for the patient. For instance, the lung capacity of a full-grown man is much larger than the capacity of an infant or a child. It is common, with the current technology, for a manufacturer to produce three different sizes of resuscitators: adult, child and infant. To prevent causing injury while using a resuscitator, this requires medical personnel to either choose one of these portable resuscitators specifically designed and adapted for the approximate size of the patient, or simply "estimate" how much to squeeze the resuscitator bag. The potential for causing injury to a patient due to lung over expansion, therefore, is obvious.
The design of the current resuscitator is extremely inefficient. As an example, current resuscitator devices designed for use in the adult patient have air reservoirs containing volumes of approximately 1600-1800 ml depending on the manufacturer. However, they are designed to deliver only 500-700 ml with each squeeze or activation of the device. This allows for a residual amount of air retained in the bag of approximately 1000 ml and therefore, if used improperly, can result in significant over inflation of the patient's lungs and potentially causing alveolar damage. Similar reservoir volume vs volume delivered discrepancies exist with the child and infant versions of the device.
Another deficiency associated with the current manual resuscitator design concept is inconsistency/reproducibility of the volume of air delivered with each activation. The design (football shaped, which is ergonomically extremely poor) and the reservoir volume versus volume delivered discrepancy create an environment where it is extremely difficult, and almost impossible, for the current devices to perform up to published specifications regarding delivered volumes in a consistent and reproducible way in multiple scenarios. Several examples can be cited. First would be differences found when the same device is activated by two different operators who have different size hands and different grip strengths. A second would be seen when the same operator repeatedly activates the same device over time wherein a degree of grip fatigue and strength would have a definite impact. A third would be the fact that during a resuscitation procedure, the operator does not consciously concentrate on the activation function of the device because his/her attention is directed elsewhere. Still another fact is that volume delivered specifications vary as much as 100 to 150 ml per activation of the adult version from manufacturer to manufacturer, therefore, producing a volume delivered discrepancy from device to device.
One portable resuscitator that is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 8,936,024 recognized a need to selectively limit a volume of air expelled from an outlet. Although presumably effective for its intended use, the '024 patent utilizes a complicated assembly that includes a myriad of index pins positioned in a void and multiple cords and cord anchors which must be set to infant, child, or adult settings. The setting of the volume controls of the '024 design are limited to these three approximate volume settings and do not provide for more incremental volume selections for appropriate use. Another significant disadvantage of the '024 design is that in the event of a malfunction of the internal structure of the volume control mechanism it would not be visible to and may not be detected by the operator, because there would be no external indication of the malfunction, making it possible to deliver an inappropriate volume of air to the patient (either too low or too high).
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an emergency resuscitator apparatus having an external control mechanism for limiting a maximum volume of air to be expelled each time a bellows is operated and that delivered volume be more accurate and reproducible than the current technology allows. Further, it would be desirable to have an emergency resuscitator apparatus that may be set to a specific volumetric level (measured in milliliters) to be expelled by the apparatus. Also, it would be desirable to have an emergency resuscitator apparatus that may be set to a multitude of volume settings as compared to only three settings available in the '024 design in order to accommodate the desirable expelled volumes of air calculated for various sizes of individuals that lie between and over those settings provided for by the '024 design. In addition, it would be desirable to have an emergency resuscitator apparatus having a volume limiting flange that prevents the opening of a top plate of a bellows beyond an amount corresponding to a selected volume of air to be expelled by the resuscitator thereby providing a safety mechanism preventing over inflation of the lungs.

Emergency resuscitation apparatus with external volume control


A reformer includes two or more catalyst units in the flow path, capable of generating hydrogen from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis. In the reformer, at least two of the catalyst units satisfy the following relationship: Heat capacity of the upstream-side catalyst unitxe2x89xa6Heat capacity of the downstream-side catalyst unit. The reformer is improved in the relationship between these catalyst units with respect to heat capacity. This improvement leads to improvement of the reformer in safety, heating characteristics during the start-up period, efficiency of hydrogen production and reduction in production of CO as the coproduct.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a reformer for hydrogen generation, suitably used in industries and vehicles.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, production of electricity without causing environmental pollution has drawn attention and an interest in fuel cell has increased. Fuel cell has various advantages such as high efficiency in power generation, formation of small amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and substantially no formation of harmful substances such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) or the like. Therefore, researches and developments on use of fuel cell in on-site type power generator or automobile have been under way recently. In generating electricity using a fuel cell, high-purity hydrogen is required. This hydrogen is produced by using, as a starting material, a hydrocarbon (e.g., butane or propane), an alcohol (e.g., methanol), CO or the like and conducting a catalytic reaction.
The main reaction in the above hydrogen production is steam reforming which takes place in the presence of steam and a catalyst. In the gas produced by steam reforming, however, hydrogen has not a sufficient purity to be used in a fuel cell, and CO which is a coproduct of hydrogen has a deactivating effect on Pt-based electrode used in the fuel cell. Therefore, a CO shift reaction (an aqueous conversion reaction) and a selective CO oxidation reaction are conducted to increase hydrogen purity.
As still another process for generating hydrogen from a hydrocarbon or the like, there is a process which comprises generating hydrogen and CO by a partial oxidation reaction of a hydrocarbon in place of the above-mentioned steam reforming and then conducting the above-mentioned CO shift reaction and CO selective oxidation reaction to obtain hydrogen. As still another process for generating hydrogen from a hydrocarbon or the like, there is a process using a decomposition reaction. A specific example of the decomposition reaction is a decomposition reaction for generating hydrogen from methanol.
It is known, in the reformer for producing hydrogen based on the above reactions, that one of suitable reactor configurations is disposition of a plurality of catalyst units in the flow path for individual reactions, such as steam reforming, CO shift reaction and selective CO oxidation. However, the relationship between these catalyst units with respect to heat capacity has not been fully investigated for the reformer in which two or more catalyst units are disposed.
Attempts have been done to use a honeycomb structure for each of the above catalyst units. However, the relationship between these catalyst units with respect to cell density has not been fully investigated for the reformer in which two or more catalyst units are disposed.
The present invention is developed to improve the above situations. It is an object of the present invention to improve safety, heating characteristics during the start-up period, efficiency of hydrogen production and reduction in production of CO as the coproduct for a reformer in which two or more catalyst units are disposed in the flow path by improving the relationship between these catalyst units with respect to heat capacity.
It is another object of the present invention to improve, e.g., efficiency of hydrogen production and reduction in production of CO as the coproduct for a reformer in which two or more catalyst units of a honeycomb structure are disposed in the flow path by improving the relationship between these catalyst units with respect to cell density, in particular in consideration of the case where the reaction taking place in the catalyst unit is essentially exothermic or endothermic to release or absorb a large quantity of heat, or where the reactant is charged into the reactor at a high concentration.
It is still another object of the present invention to improve, e.g., efficiency of hydrogen production and reduction in production of CO as the coproduct for a reformer in which two or more catalyst units of a honeycomb structure are disposed in the flow path by improving the relationship between these catalyst units with respect to cell density, in particular in consideration of the case where the reaction taking place in the catalyst unit is not so fast as combustion, or where the reactant stream contains a poisonous material to the catalyst, e.g., gasoline.
According to the present invention, there is provided, as a first invention,
a reformer disposed in the flow path of a reactant fluid, which comprises two or more catalyst units capable of generating hydrogen from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis,
wherein, at least two of the above catalyst units satisfy the following relationship:
Heat capacity of the upstream catalyst unitxe2x89xa6Heat capacity of the downstream catalyst unit
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided, as a second invention,
a reformer disposed in the flow path of a reactant fluid, which comprises two or more catalyst units of a honeycomb structure capable of generating hydrogen from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis,
wherein, at least two of the above catalyst units satisfy the following relationship:
Cell density of the upstream catalyst unitxe2x89xa6Cell density of the downstream catalyst unit
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided, as a third invention,
a reformer disposed in the flow path of a reactant fluid, which comprises two or more catalyst units of a honeycomb structure capable of generating hydrogen from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis,
wherein, at least two of the above catalyst units satisfy the following relationship:
Cell density of the upstream catalyst unitxe2x89xa7Cell density of the downstream catalyst unit.
In the present invention, xe2x80x9ca catalyst unit of generating hydrogen from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysisxe2x80x9d includes a catalyst unit which shows a catalytic reaction of increasing purity of hydrogen generated from a reactant fluid containing an organic compound or carbon monoxide, by catalysis, e.g., CO shift reaction and selective oxidation of CO. Also in the present invention, the term xe2x80x9choneycomb structurexe2x80x9d means a structure having a number of through-holes (cells) separated by a partition from each other.


An embodiment relates to a light emitting module, a light emitting module manufacturing method, a light emitting cabinet, and a display device. The display device of an embodiment includes: a support frame; and a plurality of light emitting cabinets including a plurality of light emitting modules disposed on the support frame, wherein the plurality of light emitting modules may include a substrate, a plurality of light emitting units directly mounted on the substrate, and a black matrix disposed on the substrate to surround each of the plurality of light emitting units. The embodiment may implement uniform color and uniform brightness by providing a light emitting module providing full color, and may implement slimness and high brightness by simplifying a configuration of the light emitting module in a chip on board (COB) type. The embodiment may implement low power driving and improve productivity and yield by simplifying the configuration of the light-emitting module.

A light-emitting device (LED) is a p-n junction diode having a characteristic in which electric energy is converted into light energy, may be produced by a compound semiconductor of Group III and Group V elements or the like on the periodic table, and may represent various colors by adjusting a composition ratio of a compound semiconductor.
In a LED, when a forward voltage is applied, electrons of an n layer are combined with holes of a p layer, and energy corresponding to band gap energy between a conduction band and a valence band may be generated, and this energy is mainly emitted in the form of heat or light, and when the energy is emitted in the form of light, the LED functions.
For example, a nitride semiconductor has received a great interest in a development field of an optical device and a high-output electronic device due to high thermal stability and wide band gap energy thereof. In particular, a blue LED, a green LED and an ultraviolet (UV) LED using the nitride semiconductor are commercialized and used widely.
Recently, the brightness problem of a light-emitting diode has significantly been improved, so that the LED is applied to various devices such as a back light unit of a liquid crystal display device, an electric signage, a display device, and home appliances, etc.
A general liquid crystal display device displays images or videos with light passing through a color filter by controlling the transmission ratio of light of a plurality of light-emitting units in which a LED is mounted and liquid crystal. The general liquid crystal display device includes a back light unit including a light source module and an optical sheet, a TFT array substrate, and a liquid crystal display panel including a color filter substrate and a liquid crystal layer. A general light source module includes a plurality of LED packages in which light-emitting chips are mounted on a lead frame substrate and a printed circuit board on which a plurality of LED packages are mounted, and further includes a driving substrate including a drive circuit for driving a light source module and a liquid crystal display panel.
Recently, high definition above an HD class and displays over 100 inches have been required, but a liquid crystal display device and an organic light-emitting display device having complex configurations that are typically used mainly, have been had difficulty in implementing display devices over 100 inches with high definition due to yield and cost.

Light-emitting module manufacturing method and display device


Converter output terminals of a converter are located adjacent to each other on a first side and an external terminal for external connection of a composite module is located adjacent to the converter output terminal. AC input terminals of the converter are located on a second side. Each of the distances between the converter output terminals and between the converter output terminal and the external terminal is set to a first formation pitch. Each of the distances between the AC input terminals is set to a second formation pitch. The first formation pitch is set to be equal to the second formation pitch.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a modular structure in which a converter and an inverter are integrally included.
Description of the Background Art
As disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. WO 98/10508 (FIG. 15), a semiconductor device has a molecular structure described as follows. The semiconductor device includes a metal substrate, a plurality of wires that are fixed to the metal substrate with an insulating layer therebetween, and power circuitry that is electrically connected to the plurality of wires. The power circuitry includes a plurality of circuit portions (such as a converter circuit portion) that are electrically connected between the plurality of wires. The circuit portions include a plurality of external terminals for external connection that are integral therewith and are bonded to the plurality of wires.
The traditional semiconductor device disclosed in International Publication No. WO 98/10508 (FIG. 15) includes, as the external terminals thereof, AC input terminals R, S, and T and converter output terminals P1 and N of the converter circuit portion. The converter input terminals R, S, and T and the converter output terminals P1 and N are located on the surfaces that face each other with the package therebetween.
In the configuration of the traditional semiconductor device described above, the output terminals P and N of the converter are required to be located on the same surface (on one surface) so as to have the shorter wiring for connection with the external capacitor. The AC input terminals R, S, and T of the converter are required to be located on the same surface (on another surface facing the one surface) on ground of the arrangement of, for example, a noise filter. Consequently, the substrate pattern wiring for the entire circuitry including such semiconductor device is limited. Thus, the substrate has unfortunately been difficult to design flexibly.

Modular power conversion semiconductor device


A superconducting bidirectional counter. The device finds application in very fast and very high precision analog-to-digital (A/D) converters. The counter does not need to consume any bias power.

The present invention relates generally to compound flip-flops, superconducting bidirectional counters, and analog-to-digital converters. More particularly, the present invention relates to high-speed, high-resolution truly bidirectional analog-to-digital converters employing superconducting Josephson junctions.
High-performance analog-to-digital converters are required in a variety of electronic devices. Two of the most important measures of an A/D converter's performance are the number of samples converted per second or speed of conversion and resolution measured by the smallest increment in change that can be detected in the analog signal. A/D conversion with a resolution greater than 8 bits and an effective aperture on the order of a picosecond has not been achieved so far. In conventional state of the art semiconductor electronics, flash converters can achieve about 7 effective bits at a few picosecond apertures. In available conventional A/D converters the trend is that the greater the number of bits N (resolution), the poorer the speed of conversion, and the maximum bandwidth falls off faster than 2.sup.-N.
Superconducting technology which employs Josephson junctions as its basic switching elements is well-suited to perform high-speed, high-resolution A/D conversion because of the unique characteristics of Josephson junctions. A Josephson junction is a bistable switching device having a very thin insulating layer between two superconducting electrodes. The Josephson junction has two states: a superconducting zero-voltage state and a resistive voltage state, in which the voltage drop across the device is equal to the energy gap of the superconducting material. When current applied to the junction is increased above the critical current of the junction, the device is switched from the superconducting state to the voltage state. This switching operation can occur in a few picoseconds; therefore the Josephson junction is a high speed switching device.
However, high speed switching (few picoseconds) in underdamped Josephson junctions (those with high shunt resistance) can be achieved only from the superconducting state to the voltage state. The reset switching from the voltage state to the superconducting state cannot be achieved by merely lowering the signal current, the circuit remains in its voltage state. This property is called latching.
To achieve non-latching fast switching from the voltage state to the superconducting state the Josephson junction has to be overdamped, i.e. should include relatively low shunt resistance. In this approach the binary information is not presented by the dc voltage, as in the case of semiconductor transistor logic, as well as in the case of superconducting latching logic. The binary information is presented by very small flux quantum pulses, which can be quite naturally generated, reproduced, amplified, memorized and processed by elementary circuits comprising overdamped Josephson junctions.
One or more of the overdamped Josephson junctions combined with one or more inductors form a logic circuit called a SQUID (Superconductive Quantum Interference Device.) The single SQUID includes an overdamped Josephson junction connected across an inductor to form a superconducting loop. Therefore, a counter employing SQUIDs is a non-latching counter. The magnetic flux in the loop increases by a small quantum when the current applied to the SQUID increases by a small and precisely repeatable increment. This quantum of flux generates a small pulse of voltage across the junction. When the current applied to the junction decreases by a like increment, the magnetic flux in the superconducting loop decreases by the small quantum of flux producing a negative voltage pulse across the junction. This explains why Josephson junction logic provides high resolution in A/D conversion. In this manner the SQUID functions as a quantizer, with the pulses being detected and counted by binary counters.
Superconducting non-latching A/D converters have almost perfect linearity because a single flux quantum is only 2.07 * 10.sup.-15 weber and the current increment or decrement is the flux quantum divided by the value of the inductor in henries.
Superconducting non-latching unidirectional counters have been proposed and partially demonstrated. See J. P. Hurrell, D. C. Pridmore-Brown, and A. H. Silver, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, ED-27, 1887 (1980); V. K. Kaplunenko, M. I. Khabirov, V. P. Koshelets, K. K. Likharev, O. A. Mukhanov, V. K. Semenov, I. L. Serpuchenko, and A. N. Vystavkin, IEEE Trans. Magn., 25, 861 (1989); C. A. Hamilton and F. L. Lloyd, IEEE Electron Device Lett., EDL-3, 335 (1982); A. H. Silver, R. R. Phillips, and R. D. Sandell, IEEE Trans. Magn., MAG-21, 204 (1985).
In prior art unidirectional counters the relative timing of multiple signals arriving at the asynchronous logic gates was extremely critical. The analog signal is inherently fully asynchronous with respect to the A/D conversion. As a result, none of the prior art unidirectional counters were capable of counting analog signals with greater than 100 GHz repetition rates.
Several bidirectional superconducting counters also have been proposed. See R. R. Phillips, A. H. Silver, and R. D. Sandell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,060 (February 1987); K. K. Likharev and V. K. Semenov, IEEE Trans. on Appl. Superconductivity, 1,3 (1991); G. S. Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,243 (April 1991).
The prior art bidirectional counters were basically unidirectional counters with some extra asynchronous logic added to distinguish the down-counting from the up-counting. Therefore, the bidirectional counters had the same timing problem as the unidirectional counters.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved fast and high precision analog-to-digital bidirectional converter.


A double crucible system is disclosed for the production of light conducting fibers. The system has an interior crucible which can be axially displaced in relation to the exterior crucible which is concentric thereto. The spacing of the crucible jets in the exterior and interior crucible in relation to one another is thereby altered so that the proportion of the cross-sections of the fiber core and the fiber casing is continuously altered.

The invention relates to a double crucible system for the production of light conducting fibers.
It is already known to draw light conducting fibers from a double crucible. For example, the publicaton by H.G. Unger, "Optische Nachrichtentechnik", 1976 Berlin, describes a device of this type under the key word "double nozzle method" on pages 39 and 40.
Previously, light conducting fibers produced in accordance with the double crucible method possessed a predetermined ratio between the cross-sections of the fiber cores and the fiber casings. This ratio of the cross-sections was determined by the structure of the double crucible. In order to produce fibers having a different ratio of the casing and core cross-sections, it was previously necessary to employ a different double crucible.
As the double crucibles are generally manufactured from highly pure platinum or platinum-rhodium alloys in order to avoid pollution of the glass melts by the crucible material, double crucibles of this type are extremely expensive and this has an unfavorable influence upon fiber cost.

Double crucible system for the production of light conducting fibers


An iterative and regenerative method for sequencing DNA is described. This method sequences DNA in discrete intervals starting at one end of a double stranded DNA segment. This method overcomes problems inherent in other sequencing methods, including the need for gel resolution of DNA fragments and the generation of artifacts caused by single-stranded DNA secondary structures. A particular advantage of this invention is that it can create offset collections of DNA segments and sequence the segments in parallel to provide continuous sequence information over long intervals. This method is also suitable for automation and multiplex automation to sequence large sets of segments.

Analysis of DNA with currently available techniques provides a spectrum of information ranging from the confirmation that a test DNA is the same or different than a standard sequence or an isolated fragment, to the express identification and ordering of each nucleotide of the test DNA. Not only are such techniques crucial for understanding the function and control of genes and for applying many of the basic techniques of molecular biology, but they have also become increasingly important as tools in genomic analysis and a great many non-research applications, such as genetic identification, forensic analysis, genetic counseling, medical diagnostics and many others. In these latter applications, both techniques providing partial sequence information, such as fingerprinting and sequence comparisons, and techniques providing full sequence determination have been employed (Gibbs et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 1989; 86:1919-1923; Gyllensten et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 1988; 85:7652-7656; Carrano et al., Genomics 1998; 4:129-136; Caetano-Anolles et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 1992; 235:157-165; Brenner and Livak, Proc. Natl. Acad Sci USA 1989; 86:8902-8906; Green et al., PCR Methods and Applications 1991; 1:77-90; and Versalovic et al., Nucleic Acid Res. 1991; 19:6823-6831).
DNA sequencing methods currently available require the generation of a set of DNA fragments that are ordered by length according to nucleotide composition. The generation of this set of ordered fragments occurs in one of two ways: chemical degradation at specific nucleotides using the Maxam Gilbert method (Maxam A M and W Gilbert, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1977; 74:560-564) or dideoxy nucleotide incorporation using the Sanger method (Sanger F, S Nicklen, and A R Coulson, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1977; 74:5463-5467) so that the type and number of required steps inherently limits both the number of DNA segments that can be sequenced in parallel, and the number of operations which may be carried out in sequence. Furthermore, both methods are prone to error due to the anomalous migration of DNA fragments in denaturing gels. Time and space limitations inherent in these gel-based methods have fueled the search for alternative methods.
Several methods are under development that are designed to sequence DNA in a solid state format without a gel resolution step. The method that has generated the most interest is sequencing by hybridization. In sequencing by hybridization, the DNA sequence is read by determining the overlaps between the sequences of hybridized oligonucleotides. This strategy is possible because a long sequence can be deduced by matching up distinctive overlaps between its constituent oligomers (Strezoska Z, T Paunesku, D Radosavljevic, I Labat, R Drmanac, R Crkvenjakov, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1991; 88:10089-10093; Drmanac R, S Drmanac, Z Strezoska, T Paunesku, I Labat, M Zeremski, J Snoddy, W K Funkhouser, B Koop, L Hood, R Crkvenjakov, Science 1993; 260:1649-1652). This method uses hybridization conditions for oligonucleotide probes that distinguish between complete complementarity with the target sequence and a single nucleotide mismatch, and does not require resolution of fragments on polyacrylamide gels (Jacobs, K A, R Rudersdorf, S D Neill, J P Dougherty, E L Brown, and E F Fritsch, Nucleic Acids Res. 1988; 16:4637-4650). Recent versions of sequencing by hybridization add a DNA ligation step in order to increase the ability of this method to discriminate between mismatches, and to decrease the length of the oligonucleotides necessary to sequence a given length of DNA (Broude N E, T Sano, C L Smith, C R Cantor, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1994;91:3072-3076, Drmanac R T, International Business Communications, Southborough, Mass.). Significant obstacles with this method are its inability to accurately position repetitive sequences in DNA fragments, inhibition of probe annealing by the formation of internal duplexes in the DNA fragments, and the influence of nearest neighbor nucleotides within and adjacent to an annealing domain on the melting temperature for hybridization (Riccelli P V, A S Benight, Nucleic Acids Res 1993;21:3785-3788, Williams J C, S C Case-Green, K U Mir, E M Southern. Nucleic Acids Res 1994;22:1365-1367). Furthermore, sequencing by hybridization cannot determine the length of tandem short repeats, which are associated with several human genetic diseases (Warren S T, Science 1996; 271:1374-1375). These limitations have prevented its use as a primary sequencing method.
The base addition DNA sequencing scheme uses fluorescently labeled reversible terminators of polymerase extension, with a distinct and removable fluorescent label for each of the four nucleotide analogs (Metzker M L, Raghavaehari R, Richards S, Jacutin S E, Civitello A, Burgess K and R A Gibbs, Nucleic Acids Res. 1994; 22:4259-4267; Canard B and R S Sarfati, Gene 1994; 148:16). Incorporation of one of these base analogs into the growing primer strand allows identification of the incorporated nucleotide by its fluorescent label. This is followed by removal of the protecting/fluorescent group, creating a new substrate for template-directed polymerase extension. Iteration of these steps is designed to permit sequencing of a multitude of templates in a solid state format. Technical obstacles, include a relatively low efficiency of extension and deprotection, and interference with primer extension caused by single-strand DNA secondary structure. A fundamental limitation to this approach is inherent in iterative methods that sequence consecutive nucleotides. That is, in order to sequence more than a handful nucleotides, each cycle of analog incorporation and deprotection must approach 100% efficiency. Even if the base addition sequencing scheme is refined so that each cycle occurs at 95% efficiency, one will have  less than 75% of the product of interest after only 6 cycles (0.956=0.735). This will severely limit the ability of this method to sequence anything but very short DNA sequences. Only one cycle of template-directed analog incorporation and deprotection appears to have been demonstrated so far (Metzker M L, Raghavachari R, Richards S, Jacutin S E, Civitello A, Burgess K and R A Gibbs, Nucleic Acids Res. 1994; 22:4259-4267; Canard B and R S Sarfati, Gene 1994; 148:1-6). A related earlier method, which is designed to sequence only one nucleotide per template, uses radiolabeled nucleotides or conventional non-reversible terminators attached to a variety of labels (Sokolov B P, Nucleic Acids Research 1989;18:3671; Kuppuswamy M N, J W Hoffman, C K Kasper, S G Spitzer, S L Groce, and S P Bajaj, Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 1991; 88:1143-1147). Recently, this method has been called solid-phase minisequencing (Syvanen A C, E Ikonen, T Manninen, M Bengstrom, H Soderlund, P Aula, and L Peltonen, Genomics 1992; 12:590-595; Kobayashi M, Rappaport E, Blasband A, Semeraro A, Sartore M, Surrey S, Fortina P., Molecular and Cellular Probes 1995; 9:175-182) or genetic bit analysis (Nikiforov T T, R B Rendle, P Goelet, Y H Rogers, M L Kotewicz, S Anderson, G L Trainor, and M R Knapp, Nucleic Acids Research 1994; 22:4167-4175), and it has been used to verify the parentage of thoroughbred horses (Nikiforov T T, R B Rendle, P Goelet, Y H Rogers, M L Kotewicz, S Anderson, G L Trainor, and M R Knapp, Nucleic Acids Research 1994; 22:4167-4175).
An alternative method for DNA sequencing that remains in the development phase entails the use of flow cytometry to detect single molecules. In this method, one strand of a DNA molecule is synthesized using fluorescently labeled nucleotides, and the labeled DNA molecule is then digested by a processive exonuclease, with identification of the released nucleotides over real time using flow cytometry. Technical obstacles to the implementation of this method include the fidelity of incorporation of the fluorescently labeled nucleotides and turbulence created around the microbead to which the single molecule of DNA is attached (Davis L M, F R Fairfield, C A Harger, J H Jett, R A Keller, J H Hahn, L A Krakowski; B L Marrone, J C Martin, H L Nutter, R L Ratliff, E B Shera, D J Simpson, S A Soper, Genetic Analysis, Techniques, and Applications 1991; 8:1-7). Furthermore, this method is not amenable to sequencing numerous DNA segments in parallel.
Another DNA sequencing method has recently been developed that uses class-IIS restriction endonuclease digestion and adaptor ligation to sequence at least some nucleotides offset from a terminal nucleotide. Using this method, four adjacent nucleotides have reportedly been sequenced and read following the gel resolution of DNA fragments. However, a limitation of this sequencing method is that it has built-in product losses, and requires many iterative cycles (International Application PCT/US95/03678).
Another problem exists with currently available technologies in the area of diagnostic sequencing. An ever widening array of disorders, susceptibilities to disorders, prognoses of disease conditions, and the like, have been correlated with the presence of particular DNA sequences, or the degree of variation (or mutation) in DNA sequences, at one or more genetic loci. Examples of such phenomena include human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing, cystic fibrosis, tumor progression and heterogeneity, p53 proto-oncogene mutations, and ras proto-oncogene mutations (Gullensten et al., PCR Methods and Applications, 1:91-98 (1991); International application PCT/US92/01675; and International application PCT/CA90/00267). A difficulty in determining DNA sequences associated with such conditions to obtain diagnostic or prognostic information is the frequent presence of multiple subpopulations of DNA, e.g., allelic variants, multiple mutant forms, and the like. Distinguishing the presence and identity of multiple sequences with current sequencing technology is impractical due to the amount of DNA sequencing required.
The present invention provides an alternative approach for sequencing DNA that does not require high resolution separations and that generates signals more amenable to analysis. The methods of the present invention can also be easily automated. This provides a means for readily analyzing DNA from many genetic loci. Furthermore, the DNA sequencing method of the present invention does not require the gel resolution of DNA fragments which allows for the simultaneous sequencing of cDNA or genomic DNA library inserts. Therefore, the full length transcribed sequences or genomes can be obtained very rapidly with the methods of the present invention. The method of the present invention further provides a means for the rapid sequencing of previously uncharacterized viral, bacterial or protozoan human pathogens, as well as the sequencing of plants and animals of interest to agriculture, conservation, and/or science.
The present invention pertains to methods which can sequence multiple DNA segments in parallel, without running a gel. Each DNA sequence is determined without ambiguity, as this novel method sequences DNA in discrete intervals that start at one end of each DNA segment. The method of the present invention is carried out on DNA that is almost entirely double-stranded, thus preventing the formation of secondary structures that complicate the known sequencing methods that rely on hybridization to single-stranded templates (e.g., sequencing by hybridization), and overcoming obstacles posed by microsatellite repeats, other direct repeats, and inverted repeats, in a given DNA segment. The iterative and regenerative DNA sequencing method described herein also overcomes the obstacles to sequencing several thousand distinct DNA segments attached to addressable sites on a matrix or a chip, because it is carried out in iterative steps and in various embodiments effectively preserves the sample through a multitude of sequencing steps, or creates a nested set of DNA segments to which a few steps are applied in common. It is, therefore, highly suitable for automation. Furthermore, the present invention particularly addresses the problem of increasing throughput in DNA sequencing, both in number of steps and parallelism of analyses, and it will facilitate the identification of disease-associated gene polymorphisms, with particular value for sequencing entire genomes and for characterizing the multiple gene mutations underlying polygenic traits. Thus, the invention pertains to novel methods for generating staggered templates and for iterative and regenerative DNA sequencing as well as to methods for automated DNA sequencing.
Accordingly, the invention features a method for identifying a first nucleotide n and a second nucleotide n+x in a double stranded nucleic acid segment. The method includes (a) digesting the double stranded nucleic acid segment with a restriction enzyme to produce a double stranded molecule having a single stranded overhang sequence corresponding to an enzyme cut site; (b) providing an adaptor having a cycle identification tag, a restriction enzyme recognition domain, a sequence identification region, and a detectable label; (c) hybridizing the adaptor to the double stranded nucleic acid having the single-stranded overhang sequence to form a ligated molecule; (d) identifying the nucleotide n by identifying the ligated molecule; (e) amplifying the ligated molecule from step (d) with a primer specific for the cycle identification tag of the adaptor, and (f) repeating steps (a) through (d) on the amplified molecule from step (e) to yield the identity of the nucleotide n+x, wherein x is less than or equal to the number of nucleotides between a recognition domain for a restriction enzyme and an enzyme cut site.
In another aspect, the invention features a method for sequencing an interval within a double stranded nucleic acid segment by identifying a first nucleotide n and a second nucleotide n+x in a plurality of staggered double stranded molecules produced from the double stranded nucleic acid segment. The method includes (a) attaching an enzyme recognition domain to different positions along the double stranded nucleic acid segment within an interval no greater than the distance between a recognition domain for a restriction enzyme and an enzyme cut site, such attachment occurring at one end of the double stranded nucleic acid segment; (b) digesting the double stranded nucleic acid segment with a restriction enzyme to produce a plurality of staggered double stranded molecules each having a single stranded overhang sequence corresponding to the cut site; (c) providing an adaptor having a restriction enzyme recognition domain, a sequence identification region, and a detectable label; (d) hybridizing the adaptor to the double stranded nucleic acid having the single-stranded overhang sequence to form a ligated molecule; (e) identifying a nucleotide n within a staggered double stranded molecule by identifying the ligated molecule; (f) repeating steps (b) through (e) to yield the identity of the nucleotide n+x in each of the staggered double stranded molecules having the single strand overhang sequence thereby sequencing an interval within the double stranded nucleic acid segment, wherein x is greater than one and no greater than the number of nucleotides between a recognition domain for a restriction enzyme and an enzyme cut site.
In another aspect, the invention features a method for identifying a first nucleotide n and a second nucleotide n+x in a double stranded nucleic acid segment The method includes (a) digesting the double stranded nucleic acid segment with a restriction enzyme to produce a double stranded molecule having a 5xe2x80x2 single stranded overhang sequence corresponding to an enzyme cut site; (b) identifying the nucleotide n by template-directed polymerization with a labeled nucleotide or nucleotide terminator, (c) providing an adaptor having a cycle identification tag and a restriction enzyme recognition domain; (d) ligating the adaptor to the double stranded nucleic acid to form a ligated molecule; (e) amplifying the ligated molecule from step (d) with a primer specific for the cycle identification tag of the adaptor; and (f) repeating steps (a) through (b) on the amplified molecule from step (e) to yield the identity of the nucleotide n+x, wherein x is less than or equal to the number of nucleotides between a recognition domain for a restriction enzyme and an enzyme cut site.
Yet another aspect of the invention pertains to a method for sequencing an interval within a double stranded nucleic acid segment by identifying a first nucleotide n and a second nucleotide n+x in a plurality of staggered double stranded molecules produced from the double stranded nucleic acid segment. The method includes (a) attaching an enzyme recognition domain to different positions along the double stranded nucleic acid segment within an interval no greater than the distance between a recognition domain for a restriction enzyme and an enzyme cut site, such an attachment occurring at one end of the double stranded nucleic acid segment; (b) digesting the double stranded nucleic acid segment with a restriction enzyme to produce a plurality of staggered double stranded molecules each having a 5xe2x80x2 single stranded overhang sequence corresponding to the cut site; (c) identifying a nucleotide n within a staggered double stranded molecule by template-directed polymerization with a labeled nucleotide or nucleotide terminator; (d) providing an adaptor having a restriction enzyme recognition domain; e) ligating the adaptor to the double stranded nucleic acid to form a ligated molecule; (f) repeating steps (b) through (c) to yield the identity of the nucleotide n+x in each of the staggered double stranded molecules having the single strand overhang sequence thereby sequencing an interval within the double stranded nucleic acid segment, wherein x is greater than one and no greater than the number of nucleotides between a recognition domain for a restriction enzyme and an enzyme cut site.
The invention also pertains to a method for removing all or a part of a primer sequence from a primer extended product The method includes (a) providing a primer sequence encoding a methylated portion of a restriction endonuclease recognition domain, wherein recognition of the domain by a restriction endonuclease requires at least one methylated nucleotide; (b) polymerizing by a template-directed primer extension using the primer and a nucleic acid segment to generate a primer extended product; and (c) digesting the primer extended product with a restriction endonuclease that recognizes the resulting double-stranded restriction endonuclease recognition domain encoded by the primer sequence in the primer extended product.
A still further aspect of the invention pertains to a method for blocking a restriction endonuclease recognition domain in a primer extended product. The method includes (a) providing a primer with at least one modified nucleotide, wherein the modified nucleotide blocks an enzyme recognition domain, and at least a portion of the enzyme recognition domain sequence is encoded in the primer; (b) polymerizing by a template-directed primer extension using the primer and a nucleic acid segment to generate a primer extended product; and (c) digesting the primer extended product with an enzyme that recognizes a double-stranded enzyme recognition domain in the primer extended product.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method and device for automated sequencing of double-stranded DNA segments with nested single strand overhang templates, wherein a plurality of double-stranded DNA segments are immobilized at sites of a microtiter support or chip array having a plurality of sample holders arrayed in a matrix of positions on the support. Each DNA segment has an end comprising a single-strand overhang template sequence no longer than about twenty nucleotides in length. The device then implements a protocol simultaneously treating all sample holders with one or more reagents which selectively react with at least one nucleotide of the single-strand overhang template to effectively label the material at each holder, then reading the array by automated detection to determine at least one nucleotide of the single-strand overhang template at each position. Thereafter, the method proceeds by reducing length of each strand of the DNA segment at each holder by a fixed number n greater than 1 at the overhang end, thus yielding a homologously ordered array of shorter and nested DNA segments, each with a single-strand overhang template sequence, which preferably remain immobilized at the same positions on the support where the treatment protocol is repeated to determine at least one nucleotide at each single-strand overhang sequence. The steps of treating, reading and reducing the length of the strands of the DNA segment at each holder by a number of n greater than 1 nucleotides are iteratively performed as automated process steps to produce nested and progressively shorter DNA segments and to sequence the plurality of DNA segments immobilized at the array of sample holders in situ.
In another aspect the invention includes a method for automated sequencing of double stranded DNA segments by attaching a recognition domain to each segment to form a set of DNA segments having the recognition domain nested at an interval no greater than the distance between the recognition domain and its cut site for a given enzyme that recognizes the recognition domain; treating the DNA segments with an enzyme that recognizes the attached recognition domain and cuts each strand of each DNA segment to create an overhang template at a distance of  greater than 1 nucleotide along the DNA segment from the recognition domain so as to generate a set of nested overhang templates; and determining at least one nucleotide of each of the nested overhang templates. Thereafter, the method proceeds by reducing length of each strand at the end of the DNA segment with the overhang template by  greater than 1 nucleotide to produce a corresponding set of shorter DNA segments each with an overhang template. The step of reducing is performed by removing a block of nucleotides, so that each shorter DNA segment with an overhang template is a known subinterval of a previous DNA segment with overhang.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method and device for automated sequencing of double-stranded DNA segments, wherein a plurality of double-stranded DNA segments are immobilized at sites of a microtiter support or chip array having a plurality of sample holders arrayed in a matrix of positions on the support. Each DNA segment has an end comprising a single-strand overhang template sequence no longer than about twenty nucleotides in length. The device then simultaneously treats all sample holders with one or more reagents which selectively react with at least one nucleotide of the single-strand overhang template to effectively label the material at each holder, and reading the array by automated detection to determine at least one nucleotide of the single-strand overhang template at each position. Thereafter, the method proceeds by regenerating material at the respective sample holders by DNA amplification in vitro and reducing length of each strand of the regenerated DNA segment at each holder by a fixed number nxe2x89xa71 at the overhang end, thus yielding a homologously ordered array of shorter and nested DNA segments, each with a single-strand overhang template sequence, which preferably remain immobilized at the same positions on the support, and the treatment protocol is repeated to determine at least one nucleotide at each single-strand overhang sequence. The steps of treating, reading, regenerating and reducing the length of the strands of the DNA segment at each holder by a number of n greater than 1 nucleotides are iteratively performed as automated process steps to produce nested and progressively shorter DNA segment ends and to sequence the plurality of DNA segments immobilized at the array of sample holders in situ.
In another aspect the invention includes a method for automated sequencing of double stranded DNA segments by attaching a recognition domain to each segment to form DNA segments having the recognition domain, regenerating the template precursor by DNA amplification in vitro, treating the DNA segments with an enzyme that recognizes the attached recognition domain and cuts each strand of each DNA segment to create an overhang template at a distance of xe2x89xa71 nucleotide along the DNA segment from the recognition domain, and determining at least one nucleotide of the overhang template. The method includes the step of reducing length of each strand at the end of the DNA segment with the overhang template by  greater than 1 nucleotide to produce a corresponding set of shortened DNA segments each with an overhang template, the step of reducing being performed by removing a block of nucleotides, so that each shortened DNA segment with an overhang template is a known subinterval of a previous DNA segment with overhang.
The invention further contemplates an automated instrument for effectively performing the sequencing, wherein a stage carries the support on a device equipped for providing the respective buffers, solutions and reagents, for stepping or positioning the array for reading, and in some embodiments robotic manipulation for sample transfer, and heating for amplification, e.g., treating at least a portion of material at each sample holder with a primer and heat cycling to regenerate material at the respective sample holders. The stage may be rotatable, spinning to cause fluid provided at a central position to centrifugally flow across the array to alter material immobilized in the sample holders. Preferably the stage holds plural support arrays, and may operate robotically to transfer material from the sites of one support array to the sites of another support array, so that all the samples on one support may undergo one set of process steps in common (e.g., washing, digestion, labeling) while those on the other support undergo another (e.g., heating/amplification or scintillation reading).
Generally, the methods of the invention are applicable to all tasks where DNA sequencing is employed, including medical diagnostics, genetic mapping, genetic identification, forensic anaylsis, molecular biology research, and the like.

Iterative and regenerative DNA sequencing method


A method of varying a transmittance of a transparent conductive film includes forming the transparent conductive film on a substrate and injecting a high energy source into the transparent conductive film to vary the transmittance of the transparent conductive film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transparent conductive film for use in a display device, and more particularly, to a method of varying a transmittance of a transparent conductive film. The present invention further relates to a flat panel display and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A transparent conductive film has an excellent transmittance of more than 80% and a high conductivity, and is used as, for example, a pixel electrode or a common electrode of a solar battery or a display device, such as a plasma display panel (PDP), a liquid crystal display (LCD), and an organic light emitting diode (OLED). The transparent conductive film plays a very important role in transmitting light to reproduce a color.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional organic electroluminescent (EL) display device having a transparent conductive film as a pixel electrode.
An insulating substrate 500 having first and second regions 501 and 502 is provided. A pixel will be formed on the first region 501, and a thin film transistor (TFT) and a storage capacitor will be formed on the second region 502.
A buffer layer 520 is formed on the insulating substrate 500. A semiconductor layer 530 is formed on a portion of the buffer layer 520 over the second region 502. A gate insulating layer 540 is formed over the entire surface of the substrate 500. A gate electrode 551 is formed on a portion of the gate insulating layer 540 over the semiconductor layer 530. A lower capacitor electrode 552 is formed at the same time as the gate electrode 551.
An n-type impurity or a p-type impurity is ion-doped to form source and drain regions 531 and 532. A portion 533 of the semiconductor layer 530 between the source and drain regions 531 and 532 serves as a channel region.
An interlayer insulating layer 560 is formed over the entire surface of the substrate 500. The gate insulating layer 540 and the interlayer insulating layer 560 are simultaneously etched to expose portions of the source and drain regions 531 and 532, thereby forming contact holes 561 and 562.
Next, source and drain electrodes 571 and 572 are formed on the interlayer insulating layer 560 to contact the source and drain regions 531 and 532, respectively. At the same time, an upper capacitor electrode 573 is formed to connect either of the source and drain electrodes 571 and 572. In FIG. 1, the upper capacitor electrode 573 is connected to the source electrode 571. A portion of the interlayer insulating layer 560 formed over the lower capacitor electrode 522 serves as a dielectric layer of the capacitor.
Subsequently, a passivation film 580 is formed on the interlayer insulating layer 560. The passivation film 580 is etched to expose either of the source and drain electrodes 571 and 572, thereby forming a via hole 581. In FIG. 1, the via hole 581 exposes a portion of the drain electrode 572.
Thereafter, a transparent conductive film made of, e.g., indium tin oxide (ITO) is deposited on the passivation film 580 and patterned to thereby form a pixel electrode 590 (i.e., anode electrode) over the first region 501. The pixel electrode 590 is electrically connected to the drain electrode 572 through the via hole 581.
Subsequently, a planarization layer 600 is formed over the entire surface of the substrate 500, and is patterned to form an opening portion 610. The opening portion 610 exposes a portion of the anode electrode 590.
An organic EL layer 620 is formed on the exposed portion of the anode electrode 590. A cathode electrode 630 is formed to cover the organic EL layer 620, thereby completing the conventional organic EL display device.
A flat panel display device such as an active matrix organic EL display device described above includes a switching element and wire lines which are used to apply electrical power to the switching element. Ambient light is reflected from the wire lines made of a metal, and thus a contrast ratio is lowered. In other words, the ambient light is reflected from the lower and upper capacitor electrodes, the source and drain electrodes and the cathode electrode.
A polarizer can be arranged to prevent the contrast ratio from being lowered. However, the cost of incorporating the polarizer is high, increasing the overall manufacturing cost of the organic EL display device. In addition, the polarizer shields light emitted from the organic EL layer 620 and thus lowers a transmittance, leading to a low brightness.
Alternatively, a black matrix made of Cr/CrOx or an organic material can be formed over the rest of the second region 502 except for the first region 501 to prevent the contrast ratio from being lowered. However, this requires an additional mask process to form the black matrix. In addition, with an increase (deepening) of a step difference between the first and second regions 501 and 502, a short circuit between the gate electrode 551 and the source and drain electrodes 531 and 532 may occur.

Method of varying transmittance of transparent conductive layer, flat panel display device and manufacturing method thereof


An apparatus and system is disclosed for extruding commodities such as rice bran and which includes symmetrically disposed beater bar segments on the extruder rotor that will simultaneously impact symmetrically positioned knives mounted within the extruder housing. The apparatus preferably includes a sufficient number of knives and beater bars that impacts occur more than once each ninety degrees of rotation and at substantially equal degrees of rotation from each other. The device includes a widened and lengthened extrusion gap with variable width, a generally solid extrusion rotor, and a control system for adjusting the cooking temperature by varying the width of the extrusion gap. The extruder is fed using a drag conveyor with angled blades which push the rice bran into the extruder housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to extrusion processing and, more particularly, to an extrusion apparatus for processing rice bran.
2. Description of the Background
In recent years published medical studies have shown strong links between heart trouble and high cholesterol levels. As a result, consumers have become much more interested in products, especially natural products, which have beneficial effects on cholesterol levels. Rice bran is a low fat product that has been shown to have a favorable effect on cholesterol levels. Consequently there has been an increased demand for rice bran and particularly for rice bran breakfast cereals. Furthermore, there are indications that rice bran oil, which may be used for cooking oil, has the unique ability, under certain conditions, to lower harmful cholesterol levels up to 30 percent without reducing the amount of so-called good cholesterol that protects against heart attacks. Tests with animals show rice bran oil can even raise the good cholesterol levels in some cases.
Although rice is abundantly grown throughout the world, only a small percentage of the rice bran contained within the raw rice has, in the past, been used for human consumption. The fact is that one of the most nutritious foods known to man, rice bran, becomes rancid within a few hours after the milling process, making it substantially inedible by humans after that time and, after several days, digestible only by animals. If the rice bran is to be saved, it must be stabilized almost immediately after milling.
One method of stabilizing the rice bran involves processing it within an extrusion cooker. A rice bran extrusion cooker, which has been used to process the rice bran, is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,264 to D. L. McPeak, incorporated herein by reference. By processing the rice bran in the McPeak apparatus, for typically less than one second, the rice bran will often experience a ten fold increase in value due to the fact that it can now be used for human as well as animal consumption. The McPeak apparatus has been used in stabilizing the rice bran so that time is available to extract the rice bran oil and also to utilize the remaining defatted rice bran as high protein, low fat food for human consumption.
However, the McPeak apparatus has a number of serious drawbacks. For instance, the McPeak machines often experience an inordinate amount of vibration during operation. In some cases, the vibration is so severe that even providing a suitable mounting for the machine becomes troublesome. The vibration produces wear in the machine due to increased mechanical strain. Also the vibration indicates inefficiency in that the energy spent on vibration is not being used for processing the rice.
Linked to the vibration problem is a rice bran extruder flow problem in that the rice bran is often extruded from the McPeak apparatus in a turbulent or pulsating flow rather than a smooth flow. A turbulent or pulsating output may result in less consistent cooking of the rice bran and therefore lower quality and a generally short shelf life of the processed rice bran.
Another significant problem which can occur in the McPeak machine concerns difficulty in maintaining a steady temperature on the output. The United States Department of Agriculture generally sets a temperature range within which the cooking temperature must remain. A typical range might be 130 degrees Centigrade plus or minus 4 degrees. The McPeak machine has a hand crank to adjust the extrusion gap and thereby vary the cooking temperature. In some instances, however, it has been observed that a very small change in the extrusion gap quickly results in up to a 10 degree Centigrade temperature change, thus making adjustment of the cooking temperature difficult. The instability of the output temperature is such that it is perplexing, if not impossible, to design an automatic control system adapted to the machine that will control the temperature adequately. This problem also results in a processed bran output that is not always of the best quality due to inconsistent cooking.
Power outages can create difficult problems for a rice bran extrusion machine. If the power to the machine should become cut off, within a short time the liquified bran remaining in the extrusion housing begins to solidify. Even after a short period the extrusion shaft may be effectively glued into the extrusion housing. If the bran solution is allowed to cool inside the housing, a large force, in some cases over twenty tons, may be required for disassembly. An operator may not always be immediately available in time to prevent this problem due to the fact that sometimes these machines run for days at a time making constant observation difficult.
Another problem, which the McPeak patent specification addresses, in column 4, is the problem of providing the extrusion device with a continuous feed of rice bran. Rice bran, due to its oil content, has a tendency to bridge or stick rather than flow freely into the extruder housing. The McPeak machine utilizes a hopper to gravity feed the rice bran into a feed conveyor. However, a gravity feeding hopper is, itself, subject to bridging or sticking of the bran.
A further wear related complication with the McPeak machine is that even though most wear occurs near the output end of the extrusion rotor, the entire rotor, including sections of the rotor without appreciable wear, must be replaced when the output end of the rotor requires replacement.
In summary, the McPeak machine is generally subject to problems of excessive vibration, unstable cooking temperature, reduced efficiency and uncertain reliability.
Consequently, there has been a long felt but unfulfilled need in the rice bran processing industry for an improved apparatus utilizing improvements in extrusion processing techniques for rice bran. The industry has long sought improved rice bran processing apparatus and methods which will result in greater reliability and dependability of operation at reduced levels of capital investment and energy consumption.


The fiber webs described herein may be incorporated into filter media and filter elements. The webs may exhibit a high permeability and stiffness, at a low thickness. The stiffness can be sufficient for the webs to be pleated to include sharp, well-defined peaks which can be maintained in a stable configuration during use.

Filter elements can be used to remove contamination in a variety of applications. Such elements can include one or more fiber web(s). The fiber web(s) provide a porous structure that permits fluid (e.g., gas, liquid) to flow through the element. Contaminant particles contained within the fluid may be trapped on the fiber web(s). In filter elements that include multiple fiber webs, different web(s) may be designed to perform different functions and, thus, may have different characteristics and properties. For example, the filter element may include a fiber web that is primarily designed to filter contaminants (e.g., an efficiency web), and another fiber web that is primarily designed to provide mechanical integrity (e.g., a backing).
Permeability relates to the ability of a fiber web to transmit fluid. It can be expressed as the volume of fluid per unit of time that passes through a unit area of a fiber web at a fixed differential pressure. Filter elements that include multiple fiber webs may include webs having different permeability. For example, web(s) that provide mechanical integrity (e.g., a backing), but are generally not relied on for filtering performance, may be designed to have a high permeability so that such web(s) do not lower the overall permeability of the filter media.
Fiber web(s) can be folded to include sharp, well-defined pleats that increase the fiber web surface area which can increase overall efficiency and performance. Fiber webs that do not pleat well may form rounded, non-uniform pleats, when folded. Such non-uniformity may crowd the space between pleats which ultimately restricts air flow, resulting in lowered efficiency and increased resistance to fluid flow across the fiber web. Several fiber web properties can contribute to its ability to pleat well including stiffness and thickness. In general, it may be difficult to pleat fiber web(s) having a high permeability and a low thickness since such web(s) typically may not have a sufficient stiffness, amongst other factors.


An insulation installing implement is manually operable by means of an elongated handle, and is positionable between wall studs or ceiling joists to hold, feed and anchor opposite selvage edges of an insulation blanket against a pair of spaced apart studs or ceiling joists by remote manual control operation of a pair of anchoring devices carried by the frame of the implement.

The present invention relates to the installation of strips of material, especially blankets of insulation between spaced support elements of a building.
Tradesmen have heretofore encountered considerable difficulty in the installation of strips of material such as insulation blankets between the wall studs and ceiling joists of a building. In many instances, the tradesmen must operate on scaffolds, stilts or ladders and a great amount of time is spent in anchoring the upper salvage edges of the blanket to opposed studs. Additionally, maintaining the alignment of the selvage edges with the studs and avoiding wrinkling of the selvage edges has been a considerable problem.
Tensioning of the selvage edges away from each other to hold the blanket taut further causes the tradesmen to expend a considerable amount of time. Consequently, manual installation of blanket insulation has been quite costly.
In many instances, poor alignment and wrinkling of the selvage edges occurs. The wrinkles cause considerable difficulty in the later installation of sheet rock, paneling or ceiling tile or other surface materials generally placed over the insulation blankets when finishing walls or ceilings. Any wrinkles in the selvage edges cause the wall or ceiling finish material to be uneven. In many instances, considerable costs are incurred in removing the wall finish material as well as the insulation blanket in order to correct the improper installations.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to minimize or eliminate problems of the above-noted type.
It is another object of the invention to provide an efficient, manually operable device for use in rapidly installing insulation blankets between building room wall studs or ceiling joists.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel insulation blanket installing device which may be operated manually by an operator standing on the floor of a room without the need for stilts, ladders or scaffolds.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel insulation blanket installing device having tensioning means which engage opposite selvage edges of an insulation blanket for creating taut conditions thereof and straight unwrinkled condition of the selvage edges at a location over or adjacent to studs, whereupon staple drivers or anchoring devices secure the selvage edges in a straight, unwrinkled condition to said studs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel insulation blanket installing device which maintains a continuous feed from a roll of insulation blanket material during successive installation operations carried out between a pair of studs and the next adjacent pair of studs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for installing insulation which may be operated by inexperienced personnel and which provides for an accurate and efficient installation of insulation material between studs or ceiling joists.
Another object of the invention is to provide an insulation installing device which provides for threading of the insulation blanket through channels in the stud runners so that the machine may be raised into position in between the studs with the device being moved along the studs and adaptable to changes in the spacing between the studs, due to improper dimensioning or warpage.
Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.

Apparatus for installing strips of material to support elements of a building


A FLASH memory is organized in a plurality of physical sectors which may be split into a plurality of singularly addressable logic sectors. Each logic sector may include a memory space of a predetermined size and a chain pointer assuming a neutral value or a value pointing to a second logic sector associated with a respective chain pointer at the neutral value. Each logic sector may also include a status indicator assuming at least one of a first value if the logic sector is empty, a second value if the data therein belongs to the logic sector, a third value if the data does not belong to the logic sector, and a fourth value if the data has been erased. Further, each logic sector may include a remap pointer assuming the neutral value or a value pointing directly or indirectly to the chain pointer of a third logic sector.

The present invention relates to the field of electronic circuits, and, more particularly, to a method of managing a memory organized in a plurality of physical sectors.
Nonvolatile memories are characterized by their organization of data in physical sectors. A physical sector represents the minimum amount of data that can be erased, even if it is possible to read and write amounts of data smaller than a physical sector. The term xe2x80x9cpagexe2x80x9d is typically used to indicate such minimum amounts. Because of technology improvements, physical sectors have become greater and greater. This affects the management of blocks of data of relatively small size upon which reading, writing and erasing operations may be carried out independently from the rest of the stored data.
As a result of the importance of FLASH memories, the following description will refer to this type of memory, although the invention may be usefully implemented in any kind of nonvolatile memory. One problem associated with managing large physical sectors is found in the personal computer (PC) environment. This is because almost all of the applications for managing mass storage device memories in a PC (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, memory cards, etc.) use data units of 512 bytes instead of tens or hundreds of Kbytes as is typical of a sector of a FLASH memory. Therefore, an internal organization of single physical sectors is needed to singularly manage each data portion.
A further problem of managing physical sectors of large dimensions is eliminating only a small amount of data in a sector while retaining the remaining data. This is problematic because in FLASH memories it is possible only to erase a whole physical sector and not just a portion of it. One approach to this problem may include having a memory sector (BUFFER) unaccessible by the user for copying and saving data before erasing a particular sector and then restoring the data when the erasing has taken place. To avoid adding a memory device, the BUFFER may be a dedicated sector of the FLASH memory unaccessible by the user. Yet, the sector dedicated to such a function will be subject to repeated programming and erasing cycles with a consequent accelerated degradation compared to other sectors of the FLASH memory.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of managing a nonvolatile memory device and a related memory organization including physical sectors that permit reading and writing operations on portions of the memory having reduced dimensions by splitting a physical sector into a plurality of independently addressable logic sectors.
The method of the invention makes the user xe2x80x9cseexe2x80x9d a physical sector as if it included a number of blocks of data whose pre-established dimensions do not depend from the dimension of the physical sector of the memory. This allows reading, writing and erasing operations even on a single block. The method of the invention is relatively easy and may be implemented without great difficulty by an on board controller/finite state machine of the memory device.
In a memory device where a sector may be erased only as a whole, it is a further object of the invention to provide a method of erasing only a portion of data stored in a physical sector. This is done by using a dedicated unaccessible buffer sector of the memory and while overcoming the known problems of an excessively fast degradation of such a buffer sector.

Logic partitioning of a nonvolatile memory array


A castellated nozzle for connecting a plurality of microelectronic leads to an associated plurality of contact pads and method of using the same. The castellated nozzle includes a body having a plurality of castellations protruding therefrom, with each of the castellations having a contact surface thereon. A channel is formed adjacent to at least one castellation of the plurality of castellations. An opening extends through the body for introducing a heated gas therein. The contact surfaces of the plurality of castellations are aligned to a respective plurality of leads. Typically, the castellated nozzle includes a first plurality of castellations forming a first row and a second plurality of castellations forming a second row. A channel is formed adjacent to at least one castellation. The first and second plurality of castellations are arranged in a staggered format wherein at a first point along the length of the opening one of the castellations in the first row is located opposite to one of the channels of the second row, and wherein at a second point along the length of the opening one of the channels in the first row is located opposite to one of the castellations in the second row. An opening is formed between the first and second row. The castellated nozzle includes a hole for aligning the castellated nozzle to a flexible circuit carrier.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to microelectronic packaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to tools employed to interconnect semiconductor chip packaging structures to semiconductor packaging substrates. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to apparatuses employed to solder bond a plurality of microelectronic leads to their respective contact pads.
2. Background Information
As is well known, soldering represents a common technique employed in numerous joining applications in microelectronics. In accordance with these well-known soldering techniques, flexible circuit carriers are widely used in the design of microelectronic packages to connect various microelectronic packages and devices to one another. For instance, a flexible circuit carrier may be used to interconnect a semiconductor chip packaging structure, such as a multi-chip module, and a semiconductor packaging substrate, such as a printed circuit board.
A problem associated with the design of microelectronic packages is the requirement of providing sound electrical connections between a relatively large number of extremely small conductive leads, i.e., signal, ground, and power conductors, and their respective contact locations. These contact locations, i.e., contact pads, may be applied to a semiconductor chip or other circuit location in a wide variety of configurations. In the microelectronics industry, the precise alignment of a plurality of conductive leads on one semiconductor device to an associated plurality of contact pads on another semiconductor device presents a significant problem. Often, in order to achieve the precise alignment required between the miniature conductive leads and their respective contact pads, sophisticated and expensive alignment systems are necessary. Such systems typically are programmed to achieve extremely close alignment tolerances.
Furthermore, it is often necessary to force the leads, once properly aligned, into contact with their respective contact locations. However, forcing a large plurality of microelectronic conductive leads into contact with a like plurality of contact pads requires a tool which can be precisely aligned so that the leads can be properly displaced to make contact with their associated contact locations. Another device is also needed to heat the contact pads to a temperature sufficient to melt the solid solder thereon so that solder joints can be formed.
As will be disclosed herein, the present invention defines an apparatus and method of using a castellated nozzle for forming sound electrical connections between a semiconductor chip packaging structure, such as a multi-chip module, and a packaging substrate, such as a printed circuit board, without the need for a sophisticated alignment system. These sound electrical connections are achieved notwithstanding the need to force a plurality of leads into contact with their respective contact locations. As will be further defined, such connections can be achieved by soldering. Moreover, the apparatus and method as described herein permits the fluxless solder bonding of conductive leads to their associated contact pads.
The present invention provides a significant improvement over currently known microelectronic soldering devices which effect electrical connections in miniaturized electronic packages and is applicable to tape automated bonding (TAB) technology. The apparatus as defined herein assures strong electrical connections between extremely small microelectronic circuit elements. The apparatus is relatively simple to use, and can be adapted to mass production techniques, thus reducing the overall cost of the final package structure.
Thus, a need exists for an apparatus which simplifies soldering and connection of a plurality of miniaturized microelectronic elements. The structure and method of use of the present invention contains a solution to the aforementioned problems. As defined below, the present invention provides a significant improvement over currently known soldering techniques for performing electrical connections in miniaturized electronic packages.

Castellated nozzle and method of use therof

International Business Machines Corporation


Downhole drilling tools designed and manufactured to reduce bit axial force and torque and to enhance drilling efficiency comprising laying out some cutters in one spiral direction of rotation about a bit rotational axis and other cutters in an opposite spiral direction of rotation; evaluating forces acting on cutters during simulated engagement with a downhole formation (straight and transitional drilling); and modifying cutter layout with respect to a spiral direction of rotation. Some embodiments further comprise, prior to simulation, placing cutters in cutter groups/sets at respective locations to obtain a level of force balance. Multilevel force balanced downhole drilling tools may be designed using five respective simulations: cutter group level, neighbor cutter group level, cutter set level, group of N (N=3 or N=4) consecutive cutters level and all cutters level. Cutter layout procedures and algorithms to minimize respective bit forces and in some embodiments to obtain force balance are described.

Various types of downhole drilling tools including, but not limited to, rotary drill bits, reamers, core bits, and other downhole tools have been used to form wellbores in associated downhole formations. Examples of such rotary drill bits include, but are not limited to, fixed cutter drill bits, drag bits, PDC drill bits, and matrix drill bits associated with forming oil and gas wells extending through one or more downhole formations.
Various techniques and procedures have been used to stabilize such downhole drilling tools and improve their drilling performance. See for example: Brett J. F, Warren T. M. and Behr S. M., "Bit Whirl: A new Theory of PDC bit Failure", SPE 19571, October, 1989; Warren T. M, Brett J. F. and Sinor L. A., "Development of a Whirl-Resistant Bit", SPE Drilling Engineering, 5 (1990) 267-274; Weaver G. E., Clayton R., "A New PDC Cutting Structure Improves Bit Stabilization and Extends Application into Harder Rock Types", SPE/IADC 25734, 1993; Besson A., et al., "On the Cutting Edge", Oilfield Review, Autumn, 2000, p 36-57; and TransFormation Bits, ReedHycalog, 2004.
Prior techniques for forming drill bits comprised laying all cutters in one spiral direction of bit rotation. In most prior methods all cutters were disposed in a spiral direction following bit rotation. Other prior methods attempted to lay cutters on drill bits in a direction opposite to bit rotation. However, the latter attempts generated large torque forces on bits so formed and resulted in slower and inefficient drilling. Prior techniques used to force balance fixed cutter rotary drill bits and other downhole drilling tools often assume that all cutting elements are engaged with a generally uniform downhole formation. Various computer programs and computer models are available to simulate drilling a wellbore based at least in part on such an assumption.

PDC bits with cutters laid out in both spiral directions of bit rotation


A heat process device according to the present invention includes a film-like heating body serving as a heat source for a heat transfer plate on which an object to be processed is mounted and heated. Therefore, the heat process device can be excellent in controlling the heating temperature. It can also apply a uniform heat process to the object. Further, it can be made small in size and easy to operate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat process device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The course of manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuits includes a baking process for heating semiconductor substrates after photo-resist film is applied to them or photo-resist film coated on them is exposed and developed. One of the heat process devices employed at the baking process is disclosed in preliminarily-publicated Japanese Patent Application No. 58-21332. This heat process device is directed to a semiconductor substrate under heat treatment on a heating plate or heat transfer plate for a predetermined time period at a certain temperature, while heating the heat transfer plate by a heating element or a heater housed in a heating substrate or a plate-like insulater. A heat process is thus applied to the photo-resist film on the semiconductor substrate.
This heat process device, however, has the following drawbacks.
The heating element for heating the heat transfer plate comprises arranging and sealing an electric resistance wire in a plate-like insulator or a heating substrate. The arrangement of the electric resistance wire is not uniform in relation to a heat source for heating of the heat transfer plate in this case. Therefore, the heat flux perpendicular to the surface of the heating plate becomes larger as the object heating point comes nearer to the electric resistance wire. When the heat transfer plate of a smaller width is heated by this SCATERED heat flux, temperature distribution on its surface does not become uniform. In order to uniformly apply heat process to the photo-resist film on the semiconductor substrate, therefore, it is required that the heat flux at the surface of the heat transfer plate is made uniform. This requires the heat transfer plate to be made thick so that the diffusion distance of heat can be made so long as to make the heat flux at the surface of the heating plate uniform. The surface temperature of the heat transfer plate can be thus made uniform.
When the heat transfer plate is made thick, however, the heat capacity of the heat transfer plate is increased and this makes it difficult to quickly raise and lower the surface temperature of the heat transfer plate. When the temperature of the thick heat transfer plate is to be raised, for example, it takes a long time until the surface of the heat transfer plate reaches a predetermined temperature after current is applied to the heat transfer plate. When higher current is added to the heat transfer plate to shorten the time during which the surface of the heat transfer plate is heated to the predetermined temperature, the heating temperature becomes too high to heat the heat transfer plate, that is, there is an over shoot in temperature. When the heat transfer plate which is made thick is to be cooled, the cooling of the heat transfer plate cannot be finished in a practical time period. In order to let the heat process device have a high heat process capacity, therefore, it is required that the heat transfer plate be made large-sized. This also makes the whole device large-sized and heavy.
Further, the heating element and the heating plate or the heat transfer plate are different parts, and indirectly contact via a very small gap. In general, there is a certain amount of the thermal contact resistance between them. The speed of transmitting heat from the heating element to the heating element depends greatly upon the thermal contact resistance of them at the time of assembly. As the result, heating capacity is different for every heat process device thus made. When the heat source is complicated in its structure, breaking of the resistance wire as well as inferior insulation may be caused, thereby lowering the reliability of the devices thus made.


Systems and methods for directing foot traffic are disclosed. Crowd data is gathered from one or more crowd data sources to monitor crowd densities of a geographic area. Locations are received for pedestrian client devices within the geographic area. Augmented reality commands are determined and supplied to the pedestrian client devices to direct movement of users, generally away from more dense zones and toward less dense zones within the geographic area. The augmented reality commands may direct haptic augmented reality output by a pedestrian client device and/or an accessory associated therewith.

In crowded cities foot traffic proceeds with little guidance other than what a pedestrian can see in front of himself or herself. Having a person direct foot traffic in the middle of a crowded area, such as a subway exit area, may not be very practical. Giving further visual feedback through signage in these crowded areas has limitations, too. For example, a lot of visual information may already be present in the area, such that people may not be able to see further signage. As another example, other individuals of the crowd surrounding an individual may block vision (e.g., especially for the vision of a shorter individual). Also, people have other distractions like smartphones with directions and messages. Moreover, new digital signage is expensive to install and maintain.
Taking advantage of augmented reality channels and modalities like haptics may help guide people to areas with lighter foot traffic.

Systems and methods to direct foot traffic