Systems including a bit sequence program controller to program in sequence non-volatile memory cells in an array of programmable non-volatile memory cells. The bit sequence program controller determines the bits that require programming by comparing the bits of the program word with an erased logical state of the array of programmable non-volatile memory cells. The bit sequence program controller further indicates which non-volatile memory cells in a word of non-volatile memory cells in the array of non-volatile memory cells require programming to match the program word. The bit sequence program controller counts the number of the bits that require programming in the program word by counting the number of bits of the program word that are not in an erased logical state to determine when the programming should be completed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to non-volatile programmable memory, and specifically to programming an array of electrically programmable non-volatile memory cells.
2. Background Information
Non-volatile programmable memories are well known. One of the earliest non-volatile programmable memories were one time programmable (OTP) memory cells which used a diode or transistor with a fuse or an antifuse to program the cell to indicate a logical one or a logical zero when the cell was addressed. Another initially one time programmable memory cell was an electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) cell. The EPROM was a transistor that was electrically programmable by storing a trapped charge underneath its gate. The trapped charge underneath the gate changed the gate to source threshold voltage of the EPROM. The gate to source threshold voltage was the voltage level above which the EPROM transistor would turn on to conduct a current between its source and drain. The EPROM cell later became erasable by using ultraviolet light radiating through windows in an integrated circuit to reduce or remove the trapped charge so the threshold voltage would return to normal. The UV erasing of the EPROM cell allowed it to be multiprogrammable. However, UV erasing required removal of the integrated circuit from a printed circuit board. To avoid the UV erasing, an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) cell was introduced. The EEPROM memory cell made it possible to program while it remained in circuit on the printed circuit board. In order to be both electrically erasable and programmable, the EEPROM cell included a transistor that uses a floating gate to store a charge. A charge pump triggered upon programming or erasing was needed in the same circuit to generate a high voltage to apply or erase a trapped charge onto or from a floating gate of an EEPROM cell. For a given voltage level, a programming time period is required that is needed to store and erase the charge from the floating gate. Over an array of memory cells this programming time can become significant causing other circuits to wait which delayed the return to functionality of a system.
To reduce the programming time of an array of non-volatile programmable memory cells, it is desirable to program as many EEPROM cells in parallel together as possible. However, there is a limit to the current that can be supplied by a given charge pump. Because programming the EEPROM cell requires a relatively high programming voltage and current to form the trapped charge, the available charge pump current limits how many cells can be programmed in parallel together.
It is desirable to reduce the programming time of an array of non-volatile programmable memory cells and more efficiently program an integrated circuit containing non-volatile programmable memory cells.

Systems with non-volatile memory bit sequence program control


A personal computer system comprises physically separate units and an interconnection between the units. An attached computing module (ACM) contains the core computing power and environment for a computer user. A peripheral console (PCON), contains the power supply and primary input and output devices for the computer system. To form an operational computer system, an ACM is coupled with a PCON. The plug-in module design of the ACM, and the concentration of high-value components therein (both in terms of high-value hardware and high-value files), makes it easy for a user to transport the high-value core between multiple PCON's, each of which can enjoy a relatively low cost. The concentration of a user's core computing environment in a small, portable package also makes it possible for large organizations to perform moves, adds, and changes to personal computer systems with greater efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of personal computers. In particular, the invention relates to a personal computer comprising a computing module that attaches to a mating peripheral console.
2. Description of Related Art
Most computer systems are designed as standalone, self-contained units. A personal computer (PC) is constructed with a motherboard, enclosed within a case, acting as the central circuit board that connects all devices together including the central processing unit (CPU), system memory, graphics devices, audio devices, communications devices, a power supply, hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, add-on cards, and others. While some components may be exposed to the exterior of the case for easy substitution and replacement, such as removable diskette drives or PCMCIA cards for a notebook computer, the CPU is fixed within the case. A new generation of processor "modules," such as Intel's Mobile CPU module, contain the CPU and certain support circuitry within a pluggable module, but the module is directly attached to the motherboard, enclosed within the computer case, and removed only for servicing. As such, the CPU, which is an expensive component of the computer, cannot be readily utilized apart from the system in which it is installed.
Improved modular designs for personal computer systems have been suggested in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,616 (Kikinis) shows a notebook computer comprised almost entirely of pluggable modules. This design wins the advantages most often associated with modularity, i.e., flexibility in configuration and ease of servicing. At this level of modularity, however, no single module is sufficient in itself to preserve the core computing capability and environment of the computer user.
Another approach to personal computer modularity suffers from the same shortcoming. The recently developed Device Bay standard defines a mechanism for easily adding and upgrading PC peripheral devices without opening the computer case. Device Bay supports a wide variety of storage devices. The Device Bay standard supports only peripheral devices, however, and not CPU or memory modules.
Notebook computers with docking stations represent a partitioning of PC components that permits the core computing capability and environment of the user to be isolated to a portable physical package, i.e., the notebook computer. The notebook is self-contained and fully able to operate apart from any docking station, having all core computing capability plus primary input and display devices integrated into a single package. The docking station is an optional accessory that may be used to hold secondary or bulky peripheral devices.
The portability of notebook computers is, however, constrained by several factors. As a fully functional computer system, a notebook computer requires a substantial power supply. Batteries and AC adapters are both heavy limiting the ability to produce a device that is lightweight. A notebook computer also supplies primary input and display devices for the user. Usable keyboards and readable display screens limit the ability to produce a device with small dimensions that can support the software applications most commonly used on personal computers.
The most significant partitioning of a desktop personal computer occurs in the IBM Aptiva S Series. The Aptiva S PC's incorporate a system tower with a physically separate media console connected by a bus cable. The media console contains frequently accessed peripherals, such as CD-ROM and diskette drives, and has a connection for the keyboard and mouse. This construction removes the bulky tower case from the desktop by locating a small set of low performance peripherals near the monitor, as much as six feet away from the tower. The major components of the system, including the CPU, memory, hard disk drive, add-on cards, power supply, etc., remain together in the tower case.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a personal computer that allows the user to localize their core computing power and software environment in a small, lightweight, single, portable, physical package.

Personal computer peripheral console with attached computer module


When a data sharing server receives an instruction to share a first tab of a first web browser of an information processing apparatus serving as a sharing source with a second web browser of an information processing apparatus serving as a browsing terminal, the data sharing server transmits access data and data on session storage related to the first tab to the second web browser. The data sharing server deletes association between the data on the session storage and the information processing apparatus serving as the sharing source, and associates the data on the session storage with the information processing apparatus serving as the browsing terminal.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method of a network system.
Description of the Related Art
With the sophistication of web applications, various function enhancements are made in HyperText Markup Language 5 (HTML5). Among the enhanced functions are web storage and IndexedDB functions for storing data in a storage area intended for a web browser.
Web storage can automatically store data into a storage area of an information terminal such as a personal computer (PC) or a smartphone from a web server side providing a website at the timing when the website is browsed. Such an enhanced function makes services that the website provides available by using locally cached data even if the PC or mobile terminal browsing the website is offline.
There has recently been a technique for sharing information about open tabs between web browsers of different information terminals. According to such a technique, for example, a website that has been browsed in a tab of a web browser of a tablet terminal can be instructed to be displayed and browsed on a web browser of a portable terminal, and vice versa.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-120603 discusses a conventional technique for sharing data between web browsers. According to the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-120603, a server receives data determined to be sharable between web browsers, from a web browser, and stores the data. The server then transfers the stored data to a web browser of another information terminal to achieve the data sharing between the web browsers of the different information terminals.
Web storage described above includes two types of data storage modes LocalStorage and SessionStorage. LocalStorage is specified to share data in a storage area between different tabs of a web browser on an information terminal. SessionStorage is specified not to share data in a storage data between different tabs of a web browser on an information terminal. LocalStorage and SessionStorage have such a difference in specifications.
As described above, SessionStorage is specified not to share data between different tabs. According to such a specification, SessionStorage is not able to be handed over or shared between different information processing apparatuses. If SessionStorage is shared and used by different information processing apparatuses, an operation intended by the website side may be unable to be implemented because the shared use of data of SessionStorage between different information processing apparatuses violates the original specification.
The technique for sharing data between web browsers discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-120603 does not take account of data of such a specification for not sharing data between different tabs of a single web browser like SessionStorage (session storage). If data of a specification for not sharing data between different tabs of a single web browser like SessionStorage is shared and used between web browsers of different information processing apparatuses by using the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-120603, an operation intended by the website side may be unable to be implemented as described above because of the violation of the original specification.


A method is taught for assigning spreading codes to mobile stations located within a cell, as is a CDMA communications system that operates in accordance with the method. The method includes steps of (A) assigning a set of spreading codes for use in a particular cell; (B) determining values of entries in a spreading code performance table (fixed or dynamic) based on a weighted combination of cross-correlation factors between individual ones of the spreading codes of the set of spreading codes, and also based on an auto-correlation factor of individual ones of the spreading codes of the set of spreading codes, within a delay spread range that is typical for the particular cell; and (C) assigning a spreading code from the performance table by selecting a spreading code that will cause a least amount of interference with a sub-set of already assigned spreading codes.

This invention relates generally to spread spectrum, code division/multiple access (CDMA) wireless communications systems and, more particularly, to method and apparatus for optimizing the allocation of spreading codes to mobile subscriber terminals.
Next generation cellular telecommunications systems (i.e., so-called third generation (3G) systems), such as the Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS) in Europe and CDMA2000 system in the United States, will be based on wide bandwidth CDMA technology. These systems are expected to enable the simultaneous transmission of real-time video streams, packet mode data and/or speech in the same cell and on the same frequency channel.
The current second generation systems were originally designed for low bit rate circuit switched services (speech). In one well known second generation CDMA system (TIA/EIA IS-95) there is only one, relatively long spreading factor that is used. That is, while there are many spreading codes in use, there is only one spreading factor or code length.
However, for the proposed third generation systems the implementation of high bit rate services will require that shorter spreading codes be used (e.g., spreading sequences as short as four chips). An alternate method for implementing high bit rate services is to employ multi-code transmissions, wherein a plurality of logical links and spreading codes are allocated for the same connection (user and service), and wherein the data stream is split and transmitted in parallel over the plurality of logical links. In some cases both methods can be used together (i.e., short spreading sequences and multiple parallel links.)
In theory, both of these methods provide nearly identical spectrum efficiency and link performance. However, the first method (i.e., shorter spreading codes or decreased spreading factor) is preferable from the mobile station (MS) point of view, as the complexity and the processing requirements, and thus the current consumption, are reduced as compared to the use of multiple links and spreading codes for one connection.
One major disadvantage to the use of the shorter spreading codes (decreased spreading factor) is that as the spreading codes are made shorter, their performance in an actual multipath channel is decreased. This is due primarily to poor auto-correlation and cross-correlation characteristics of short spreading codes, as compared to longer spreading codes.
FIG. 1A is a graph that illustrates the results of a simulation of the effect of unequal and non-optimized inter-code interference in a wide bandwidth CDMA communication system. As can be seen, the performance of different links can vary dramatically. This is due to dissimilar spreading code correlation characteristics in a multipath environment. The codes used in this simulation were derived from an orthogonal Walsh tree.
This problem was mitigated in the currently deployed second generation CDMA systems by the use of long scrambling codes (as opposed to spreading codes) to average cross-correlation effects between the spreading codes.
It should be noted that in the presently envisioned third generation CDMA systems the use of long scrambling codes has also been proposed so as to average the interferences resulting from dissimilar spreading code correlation characteristics in a multipath environment.
FIG. 1B is a graph showing cross-correlation functions for short (8-bit) Walsh spreading codes as a function of code delay, wherein for clarity only four of a possible 56 cross-correlation functions are depicted, one for good, two for moderate, and one for poor cross-correlation results.
FIG. 2 illustrates the cross-correlation results for an eight chip long Walsh code without the use of a long scrambling code (delay range seven chips), while FIG. 3 shows the significant averaging in interference that results when the long scrambling code is added.
It can be appreciated that in the second generation CDMA communications systems the use of long scrambling codes was adequate to overcome the cross-correlation effects of short spreading codes in a multipath environment. However, the second generation CDMA systems are essentially symmetrical service systems optimized for speech transmissions, wherein the same bit rate is used in the uplink (mobile station to base station) and in the downlink (base station to mobile station) directions. In such symmetrical systems the major system capacity limitation has traditionally been limited by the uplink, where errors in the mobile station power control has been the primary problem. However, in the proposed third generation systems the downlink will be managed separately from the uplink, as many data services are very unsymmetrical. For example, a user performing WWW-browsing may have a very low bit rate requirement for the uplink (e.g., one sufficient for handling only low speed manual character input) , while the downlink may have a very high bit rate requirement (e.g., if the user has requested a WWW page containing graphics and/or video and audio content).
Referring to FIG. 4, in the conventional second generation CDMA systems the spreading codes are typically allocated to users in a random or xe2x80x98naturalxe2x80x99 order. In the natural order allocation technique, the spreading codes can simply be allocated in first-free-location-found order from a table containing spreading codes. These spreading codes are typically stored in the table in the order in which they are output by a generator polynomial.
The inventor has recognized that should it be desired to not use the long scrambling code, which guarantees moderate performance for all spreading code combinations, then this conventional spreading code allocation technique will not be optimum for assigning spreading codes in the third generation (and higher) CDMA telecommunications systems.
It is a first object and advantage of this invention to provide an improved technique for allocating spreading codes to users.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide an optimized spreading code assignment technique in a CDMA system that does not employ scrambling codes.
The foregoing and other problems are overcome and the objects of the invention are realized by methods and apparatus in accordance with embodiments of this invention.
A method is disclosed for assigning spreading codes to mobile stations located within a cell, as is a CDMA communications system that operates in accordance with the method. The method includes steps of (A) assigning a set of spreading codes for use in a particular cell; (B) determining values of entries in a spreading code performance table based on a weighted combination of cross-correlation factors between individual ones of the spreading codes of the set of spreading codes, and also based on an auto-correlation factor of individual ones of the spreading codes of the set of spreading codes, within a delay spread range that is typical for the particular cell; and (C) assigning a spreading code from the performance table by selecting a spreading code that will cause a least amount of interference with a sub-set of already assigned spreading codes. Preferably the data to be transmitted is not scrambled with a scrambling code, but is only spread using the assigned spreading code. The steps of determining and assigning can be performed by a Radio Resource (RR) Management software module or function that runs on a data processor of a base station controller.
The step of determining the values of the entries in the performance table may be further based on a consideration of a simultaneous presence of high data rate mobile stations, within the delay spread range that is typical for the particular cell. The step of determining can establish a fixed performance table or a dynamic performance table, wherein the values of the entries are updated in real-time or substantially real-time.
The spreading code can be assigned to a mobile station by a spreading code handover technique, wherein an already assigned spreading code is unassigned and replaced by a newly assigned spreading code. In this case a spreading code handover is performed upon an occurrence of a condition wherein an amount of performance improvement that will be experienced by replacing an already assigned spreading code with a new spreading code exceeds a threshold value.
Preferably the step of assigning assigns a spreading code that is selected to minimize an RMS correlation metric error value for all, already assigned spreading codes.

Enhanced code allocation method for CDMA systems


The invention relates to a rotary electric machine including a stator, powered by a polyphase current, having a magnetic circuit with teeth forming intervening slots for receiving electrical conductors. The magnetic circuit is made up of an assembly of sectors defining air-gaps intersecting the teeth at half-width.

In many known rotary machines, the magnetic circuit of the stator is formed by superposing magnetic laminations that are generally annular in shape, each lamination being made by being cut out, with teeth defining intervening slots for passing electrical conductors of a primary or a secondary magnetic circuit.
Application EP-A-0 823 771 describes a stator having one winding on each tooth. The magnetic circuit of the stator is made up by assembling together sectors which define air-gaps halfway across the slots. Subdividing the stator into sectors weakens the stator since the bearing surfaces between the sectors are relatively narrow. Furthermore, the magnetic flux passes through as many air-gaps as there are sectors, thereby reducing the efficiency of the machine.

Rotary electric machine having a stator made up of sectors assembled together


A number of embodiments of reinforcing arrangements for vehicle bodies wherein the suspension forces for the ground engaging element are transmitted to the vehicle body and reinforcement is provided in this area. Rather than providing rigid reinforcement, as with the prior art, various forms of damping arrangements are disclosed including those which permit different damping in one direction from the other and utilizing either elastic or hydraulic viscous type dampers.

This invention relates to a reinforcing member for vehicles and vehicle body structures and more particularly to an improved reinforcing arrangement for the vehicle suspension components for suspending the ground engaging element of the vehicle upon the vehicle body structure.
It is well known in vehicle structure that the vehicle has a body which may include a separate frame or which frame may be formed semi-integrally with the body. Ground engaging elements are suspended from the vehicle body by a suspension system so as to provide a smooth and compliant ride as the vehicle travels along the terrain that it traverses. One type of vehicle suspension system is the so called xe2x80x9cstrut typexe2x80x9d in which the suspension includes a pillar or strut that is mounted on an upper portion of the body frame and which is telescopic to permit the movement of the ground engaging member.
It has been the practice to provide some form of body rigidifying structure adjacent the point of the vehicle body where this strut is connected. This is particularly true in frameless vehicles and one embodiment of this type of prior art construction is shown in FIG. 1 wherein the prior art vehicle body is indicated generally by the reference numeral 21 and which has an engine compartment 22 that is defined in part by means of a pair of fender skirts 23. The upper ends of the suspension unit for the wheels is connected adjacent these fender skirts 23. A pair of reinforcing bars 24 are interconnected at one end to the fender skirts 23 and at the other end to another part of the vehicle body to provide a rigidifying arrangement for the structure.
FIG. 2 illustrates another type of prior art reinforcing structure for a vehicle, indicated in this instance by the reference numeral 25 and which is shown from the underside. Adjacent the mounting of the suspension arms, there is provided a reinforcing frame element 26 that is interconnected between the frame rails 27 of the vehicle body and a front cross member 28.
Although these types of structures provide a rigid base for the vehicle body in the area of the suspension unit, the rigidity of these elements causes elastic deformation upon the application of a load which when the load is removed, applies a reverse force back on the vehicle body at the point of attachment. Therefore, this causes vibrations and stress concentrations on the connection that can in fact deteriorate the performance and in fact can give rise to deterioration in the drivability and the ride of the vehicle.
It is, therefore, a principle object to this invention to provide an improved vehicle body structure and reinforcing arrangement for association with the vehicle ground engaging element suspension of the vehicle.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved rigidifying structure for a vehicle body that will provide sufficient rigidity but also which will avoid the inducement of vibrations and stress concentrations in the attached structure.
This invention is adapted to be embodied in a vehicle having a vehicle body assembly. A ground-engaging element is providing for engaging the surface along which the vehicle passes. A suspension system suspends the ground-engaging element for suspension travel relative to the body assembly. A reinforcing member is attached at one end to a reinforcing part of the vehicle body to which the suspension system is affixed to receive forces transmitted to the reinforcing part. Another end of the reinforcing member is attached to another part of the body assembly and to which a generally axial force is applied from the suspension system through the reinforcing member. A damping system is provided for generating a damping force against the generally axial force on the reinforcing member.

Reinforcing member for vehicles and vehicle body structure


A method of forming split gate electrode MOSFET devices comprises the following steps. Form a tunnel oxide layer over a semiconductor substrate. Form a floating gate electrode layer over the tunnel oxide layer. Form a masking cap over the floating gate electrode layer. Pattern a gate electrode stack formed by the tunnel oxide layer and the floating gate electrode layer in the pattern of the masking cap. Form intermetal dielectric and control gate layers over the substrate covering the stack and the source regions and the drain regions. Pattern the intermetal dielectric and control gate layers into adjacent mirror image split gate electrode pairs. Pattern a source line slot in the center of the gate electrode stack down to the substrate. Form source regions through the source line slot. Form drain regions self-aligned with the split gate electrodes and the gate electrode stack.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor devices and more particularly to MOSFET memory devices and methods of manufacture thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,274 of Tang et al. for "Self-Aligned Source Process and Apparatus" and shows a method and apparatus for self-aligning a source region with a field oxide region and a polysilicon gate and word line in a semiconductor device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,671 of Tang et al. for "Process for Self Aligning a Source Region with a Field Oxide Region and a Polysilicon Gate" teaches a method and apparatus for self-aligning a source region with a field oxide region and a polysilicon gate and word line in a semiconductor device. The method and apparatus allows reduced memory cell size and improved device density by substantially eliminating the bird's beak encroachment and corner rounding effects usually found between neighboring cells due to inadequacies in the prior art photolithography process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,455 of Liu for "Method for Protecting a Stacked Gate Edge in a Semiconductor Device from Self Aligned Source (SAS) Etch" shows a process for protecting the stacked gate edge of a semiconductor device. The process provides the step of spacer formation before the Self-Aligned Source (SAS) etching is accomplished.

Method for shrinking array dimensions of split gate flash memory device using multilayer etching to define cell and source line

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


A camera wherein the light emitted by a subject, which has passed through a photographic optical system, is formed as an image on an area sensor, and which includes an electronic viewfinder that indicates the image of the subject based on the output from the area sensor and an apparatus that detects image shaking caused by camera shake, based on the output from the area sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a camera which is equipped with an apparatus which detects camera shake and, more particularly, to a camera having both the above-mentioned shake-detecting apparatus and an electronic viewfinder which forms an image of the photo subject on an area sensor and displays the image based on the output from the sensor. It also relates to a camera containing the above-mentioned shake-detecting apparatus and a focus-detection apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras with an electronic finder have been previously published. For example, such a camera is disclosed in a Laid-Open Patent Application Sho 62-35329. However, this camera does not contain any apparatus which detects camera shake.
On the other hand, cameras with an electronic finder which can also detect camera shake have also been published. One example is found in a Laid-Open Patent Application Sho 63-129328. According to the application, the shake-detecting camera with an electronic finder contains a CCD area sensor for detection of camera shake, and detects camera shake by comparing the image at one instant with that at another instant. However, this camera does not use the TTL method.
Furthermore, video cameras containing a shake-correcting optical system and an electronic finder have been published. One example is disclosed in a Laid-Open Patent Application Sho 61-150581. In video cameras, the area sensor is used for picture-taking, and the electronic finder is used to follow the subject. In the case of conventional video cameras with a shake-correcting optical system, as in the one in the above application, camera shake is detected and corrected through an angular velocity sensor.
One problem arising in connection with the above-given conventional cameras is that the camera tends to become larger, because it is equipped not only with an optical system and an area sensor for camera shake detection, but also with an electronic viewfinder which also comprises an optical system and an area sensor.
The camera in a Laid-Open Patent Application Sho 63-12932 described above does not include a shake-correcting optical system, and does not use the TTL method; therefore, it is not able to confirm the desired image's correction region. In the case of a video camera with a shake-correcting optical system and an electronic finder, although the shake-corrected image is viewable in the finder, the camera shake in the part of the camera where the image of the subject is formed cannot be corrected; consequently, the photo taken is blurred.
Moreover, because conventional cameras with an electronic finder and a shake-detecting apparatus do not use the TTL method, a parallax effect results. As a result, it has been difficult to correct the shake. Further, since video cameras which use the TTL method are not still cameras, it has not been necessary to consider the optical path.
On the other hand, while conventional auto-focus cameras contain a finder screen with a diffusing surface because the focal point is confirmed on this screen, conventional shake-detecting cameras perform the same function using a beam of light passing through the finder screen.
Where the finder screen has a diffusing surface, as in the case of conventional cameras, one problem has been that the beam which should strike the shake-detecting sensor becomes diffused and the light intensity on the sensor surface decreases. Another problem has been that the roughness of the diffusing surface creates an image on the sensor, which reduces the precision of the shake-detecting capability. On the other hand, if the finder screen were made transparent, there would be a different problem: though the light intensity on the shake-detecting sensor would increase, it would no longer be possible to confirm the focal point on the finder screen.
In addition, in order to perform detection and correction of image shaking using the photo-image detecting method, it is necessary to have a separate optical path for detection as well as a separate optical path for auto-focusing, since these operations are both performed during exposure.
One embodiment in which these two purposes are partly served by one optical path is published in a Laid-Open Patent Application Sho 57-133414. In this application, the optical path for auto-focusing is located Just under the pentaprism, and images for shake detection purposes are produced through a half-mirror.
As explained above, in order to perform detection and correction of camera shake using the photo-image detecting method, it is necessary to have a separate optical path for shake detection in addition to the optical path for auto-focusing. Consequently, because of the necessity of having two different optical paths, compact cameras with these capabilities cannot be produced.
Further, in the case of the embodiment where the two purposes are partly served by one optical path, not much beam is available, since the area that the half mirror can reflect is only a fraction of the finder's field of vision; subsequently, there has been a problem of insufficient light.

Camera with camera-shake detection apparatus

c/o Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka Kokusai Bldg., 3-13, 2-chome

Azuchi-Machi, Chu-Ku, Osaka-Shi, Osaka 541


Reactive metal granules, especially of magnesium and/or magnesium alloys, are produced directly from molten metal. The metal is fed under pressure to a granulation nozzle which forces the metal to acquire a circular motion of increasing velocity before it reaches the outlet of the nozzle and disintegrates successively into small fragments and droplets. These fragments and droplets are formed in an inactive gas atmosphere in an enclosed system and are thereafter solidified and cooled in a nonoxidizing cooling bath. An apparatus includes a granulation chamber made up of two parts which can be fitted to each other at various positions with an air tight locking system.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the production of particles/granules of reactive metals, particularly of magnesium and magnesium alloys, having an extremely high oxygen affinity and an appreciable vapor pressure at normal granulation temperatures. However the apparatus is suitable for the production of granules of all reactive metals having a certain vapor pressure, for example aluminum, zinc and calcium.

Apparatus for production of metal granules


This invention provides both a pump and a lubrication and cooling system with a pump which includes a pump housing, a rotor, a relief valve and a bypass valve. The relief valve is configured to relieve pump pressure when the pump pressure is indicative of an abnormal restriction of flow. The bypass valve is configured to direct fluid flow from an outlet chamber of the pump to an intake chamber of the pump when pressure in the outlet chamber is at a value associated with a predetermined speed of rotor rotation.

It is desired to provide a lubrication and cooling system for a transmission and a pump for use in such a system which responds to fluid flow restrictions that might occur in a cooler or in a filter. It is also desired to provide such a system for a transmission and a pump which reduces the opportunity for pump cavitation at elevated pump speeds.


The invention relates to a process for purifying factor VII and/or activated factor VIIa (F VII/F VIIa) by means of binding to immobilized soluble thromboplastin.

The invention relates to a process for purifying factor VII and/or activated factor VII (F VII/F VIIa) by means of binding to immobilized soluble thromboplastin.
Coagulation factor VII (FVII) constitutes, together with thromboplastin (tissue factor, TF), the complex which initiates the extrinsic coagulation pathway. When tissue injury occurs, TF is exposed, enabling FVII and/or FVIIa to bind to its extracellular protein domain. A hydrophobic protein region anchors TF in the membrane.
In the presence of (preferably negatively charged) lipids and calcium, the physiologically active component of the FVII/FVIIa mixture, namely TF-FVIIa, efficiently activates factor X (FX). FXa in turn (together with FVa, lipids and calcium) catalyzes the generation of thrombin. The subsequent formation of fibrin ensures wound closure, inter alia.
FVII which is bound to membrane-located TF is in turn activated by autoactivation (mediated by TF-FVIIa) or by FIXa, FXa and thrombin, thereby further amplifying the cascade-like activation of the coagulation system.
Correspondingly, a deficiency of FVII can be associated with hemostatic complications such as a tendency to hemorrhages. As a coagulation factor whose synthesis to form the physiologically functional molecule depends on the presence of vitamin K, complications can correspondingly arise, for example in association with oral anticoagulation (with vitamin K antagonists) before operations; consumption coagulopathies and liver damage represent additional indications for providing FVII replacement therapy. FVIIa, on the other hand, is a constituent of activated PPSB preparations which can be used in association with acute hemorrhages. In addition to this, FVIIa possesses a so-called factor VIII-bypassing activity which is used when providing replacement therapy to hemophilliacs who are suffering, for example, from FVIII intolerance (e.g. antibodies).
FVII/FVIIa is normally concentrated from plasma or culture supernatants (in the case of recombinant preparation) using several preparation steps, a procedure which is usually associated with corresponding losses of yield. As a protein which is related both structurally and in its properties to other coagulation factors, its purification from a corresponding mixture is both difficult and elaborate. In addition to this, there is the danger, in the case of FVII, that, as the purification process becomes more elaborate, an activation (to FVIIa) will occur which (in conformity with the sought-after preparations) must be avoided. Preparations using suitable immobilized monoclonal antibodies represent examples of rapid methods. Usually, however, elution conditions are required (pH 3 -pH4) which damage the protein irreversibly. Partial denaturation results in corresponding losses of yield and can also cause the conformationally altered molecular structures to become antigenic.
The underlying object of the present invention is therefore to provide a process for the rapid and mild purification of FVII/FVIIa.
The object was achieved as follows: FVII and/or FVIIa are removed from an FVII/FVIIa-containing solution by binding them to an immobilized sTF (xe2x80x9csolublexe2x80x9d thromboplastin, soluble tissue factor), unbound molecules are removed from the matrix by washing and FVII/FVIIa is subsequently eluted under mild conditions. In this context, sTF is thromboplastin which lacks the transmembrane moiety and the cytoplasmic moiety and is consequently the extracellular domain of TF.
We have found that the interaction of FVII/FVIIa with sTF can be utilized to purify FVII and/or FVIIa. Thus, whereas the xe2x80x9cphysiologicalxe2x80x9d complete (lipid-binding) TF brings about autoactivation and proteolysis or feedback activation of the bound FVII by FIXa, FXa and thrombin, FVII which is bound to sTF remains unaffected (Morrissey; Thromb. Haemostas. 1995; 74:185-188).
The binding of FVII and/or FVIIa to sTF is optimized in the presence of doubly charged ions, particularly by calcium, whereas other proteins can be removed in unbound form. Accordingly, an immobilized sTF is adsorbed to a matrix, FVII and/or FVIIa are, in the presence of calcium, bound to sTF from out of a solution and unbound molecules are removed from the solid phase by washing. The elution is carried out in a mild manner using a buffer which contains a chelating agent such as citrate, oxalate, tartrate, EDTA or the like.
The sTF can be adsorbed to a solid phase by way of non-covalent bonding or be immobilized by means of covalent bonding. Suitable binding partners are conventionally prepared sTF (prepared proteolytically from complete TF), recombinantly prepared sTF or FVII/FVIIa-binding moieties (peptide regions from sTF). The sTF, or appropriate FVII-binding regions, can be coupled to substances which simplify or optimize immobilization (e.g. as a spacer function, see below).
In a preferred approach, an sTF (Fc-sTF) which is coupled to an Fc fragment is used, as described in EP 464533 (Lauffer et al). The sTF is optimally presented, and the efficiency of the purification system is increased, by, for example, binding the Fc-sTF to an anti-Fc column or to a protein A matrix or protein G matrix. Since samples which contain Fc fragments or immunoglobulins can lead to displacement of the Fc-sTF from the matrix, it is advisable to couple the Fc-sTF covalently to the matrix using known methods.
Doubly charged ions, preferably calcium, preferably in the form of CaCl2, at a concentration of from 0.01 to 500 mM, particularly preferably of from 0.5 to 50 mM, are added to the FVII/FVIIa-containing solution. The solution should have a pH of from 5.0 to 10.0, preferably of from 7.0 to 9.5. This solution is brought into contact with the sTF-matrix and the matrix is washed with a buffer solution which preferably has a pH of between 7.0 and 9.5 and a calcium concentration of between 0.5 and 50 mM. Elution is effected using a solution which contains a chelating agent, preferably citrate, oxalate, tartrate, NTA, EDTA or EGTA, in concentrations of 0.1-1000 mM, preferably between 5 and 200 mM. The solution has a pH of from 5.0 to 10.0, preferably of from 5.5 to 8.5, particularly preferably of from 6.0 to 7.5.
Samples which contain activated factors can give rise to additional generation of FVIIa (possibly from the excess of factor VII which is present) and consequently to artificial results. In order to avoid this risk, antithrombin III/heparin can be added to the sample before contact with the immobilized sTF. Since FVIIa is only inhibited slowly by ATIII/Hep. at room temperature or at higher temperatures in comparison to other, potentially interfering factors (FIIa, FIXa, FXa, etc.), the latter can be blocked, without having a significant effect on the content of FVIIa, if the intention is to purify FVIIa. TF-bound FVIIa can sometimes be inhibited more efficiently by ATIII/Hep. than are the free molecules (however, without functional heparin, ATIII reacts only very slowly, in analogy with soluble FVIIa). Therefore, the heparin which is added can be neutralized with known reagents such as protamine sulfate/Polybren(copyright) prior to contact with sTF, with the subsequent procedure being as described above.
Reversible inhibitors, e.g. benzamidine, and other cofactor-dependent inhibitors which themselves, or their accelerators, can be neutralized (for example heparin-cofactor II/heparin) are also suitable for this step of the process.

Process for purifying factor VII and activated factor VII


Gas analyzer systems which include: (1) a transducer for outputting a signal indicative of the concentration of a specified gas in a sample which may contain that gas, and (2) an airway adapter or cuvette with a flow passage for confining the sample to a particular path traversing the transducer. The cuvettes feature radiant energy transmitting windows which are flush mounted in apertures on opposite sides of the cuvette flow passage and are fabricated from a polymer such as biaxially oriented polypropylene which is malleable, yet resistant to wrinkling, warping, and other forms of distortion. Retainer rings keep the windows flat and distortion free with an accurately reproducible spacing between the windows.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,859,858 and 4,859,859 were issued to Knodle et al. on 22 August 1989; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,436 was issued to Apperson et al. on 6 October 1992. These three patents disclose analyzers for outputting a signal indicative of the concentration of a designated gas in a sample being monitored by the apparatus.
The gas analyzers disclosed in the '858, '859, and '436 patents are of the non-dispersive type. They operate on the premise that the concentration of a designated gas can be measured by: (1) passing a beam of infrared radiation through the gas, and (2) then ascertaining the attenuated level of the energy in a narrow band absorbable by the designated gas. This is done with a detector capable of generating a concentration proportional electrical output signal.
One important application of the invention at the present time is monitoring the level of carbon dioxide in the breath of a medical patient. This is typically done during a surgical procedure as an indication to the anesthesiologist of the patient's condition, for example. As the patient's wellbeing, and even his life, is at stake, it is of paramount importance that the carbon dioxide concentration be measured with great accuracy.
In a typical instrument or system employing non-dispersive infrared radiation to measure gas concentration, including those disclosed in the '858, '859, and '436 patents, the infrared radiation is emitted from a source and focused into a beam by a mirror. The beam is propagated through a sample of the gases being analyzed. After passing through the body of gases, the beam of infrared radiation passes through a filter. That filter reflects all of the radiation except for that in a narrow band centered on a frequency which is absorbed by the gas of concern. This narrow band of radiation is transmitted to a detector which produces an electrical output signal proportional in magnitude to the magnitude of the infrared radiation impinging upon it. Thus, the radiation in the band passed by the filter is attenuated to an extent which is proportional to the concentration of the designated gas. The strength of the signal generated by the detector is consequently inversely proportional to the concentration of the designated gas and can be inverted to provide a signal indicative of that concentration.
In a typical medical application of the gas analyzers just described, a cuvette is employed to sample a patient's gas exchange via a nasal cannula or to connect an endotracheal tube to the plumbing of a mechanical ventilator. The cuvette confines expired and inspired gases to a specific flow path; and it furnishes an optical path between an infrared radiation emitter and an infrared radiation detector unit, both components of a transducer which can be detachably coupled to the cuvette.
A typical cuvette is molded from an appropriate polymer, and it has a passage defining the flow path for the gases being monitored. The optical path traverses the flow path with apertures in the wall of the cuvette and aligned along and on opposite sides of the flow passage allowing the beam of infrared radiation to enter the cuvette; traverse the gases in the flow passage; and, after being attenuated, exit from the cuvette to the filter and radiation detector. Transmissive sapphire windows in the apertures confine the gases to the cuvette flow passage and keep out foreign matter while minimizing the loss of infrared energy as the beam enters and exits from the cuvette.
Sapphire is a relatively expensive material. Consequently, cuvettes of the character just described are invariably cleaned, sterilized, and reused. The cleaning and sterilization of a cuvette is time-consuming and inconvenient; and the reuse of a cuvette may be perceived as posing a significant risk, especially if the cuvette was previously employed in monitoring a patient suffering from an infectious disease. Another disadvantage of using sapphire windows is that adhesive bonding is the only viable technique for mounting the windows to the cuvette. This technique is slow and expensive, and care must be taken that the windows are accurately positioned.
Efforts have been made to reduce the cost of cuvettes by replacing the sapphire cuvette windows with windows fabricated from a variety of polymers. These efforts have heretofore been unsuccessful.
One, if not the major, problem encountered in replacing sapphire cuvette windows with windows fabricated from a polymer is that of establishing and maintaining a precise optical path length through the sample being analyzed. This is attributable to such factors as a lack of dimensional stability in the polymeric material, the inability to eliminate wrinkles, and the lack of a system for retaining the windows at precise locations along the optical path.
One proposal for solving this problem is made in U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,492 issued 26 November 1991 to Yelderman et al. The patented approach is to squeeze the cuvette between two housing segments of the transducer with which it is used in the course of assembling the cuvette to the transducer. If the same transducer is employed and if its housing is dimensionally stable, this will in theory ensure that the distance between the two cuvette windows is the same each time the same cuvette is used.
This solution has major drawbacks. Squeezing the cuvette is apt to wrinkle or otherwise distort the perhaps initially not distortion-free plastic windows; and this may affect the transmittance of the windows enough to cause a significant error in the concentration of the gas being monitored. Furthermore, in the Yelderman et al. design, the windows are spaced inwardly from the flow passage-associated ends of the optical path apertures. This leaves cavities communicating with the flow passage in which unwanted debris can collect; and these crevices can adversely affect the flow of gases through the cuvette. Also, the structure employed to position and retain the plastic windows in the body of the cuvette is important; and Yelderman et al. contains only the sketchiest of suggestions of how this might be accomplished, let alone a description of a window retaining system that would minimize wrinkles and other distortions and accurately hold the windows in place, particularly considering the squeezing of the cuvette needed to assemble the cuvette to its adapter. Another problem with the Yelderman et al. hardware is that of assembling the cuvette to the adapter because of the interference fit between these two components.


An interconnect bracket which mechanically and electrically connects an auxiliary device to a main unit. Very few additional parts are required and the auxiliary device is user installable with minimal tools. The interconnect bracket provides the electrical connection by employing traces which run the length of the bracket. The interconnect bracket attaches to the bottom surface of the main unit and is configured to fit within receiving recess slots such that the bracket is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the main unit. As a result, no visible connectors or cables are necessary. The interconnect bracket is lightweight and contains guides which assist in the installation of the auxiliary device. The interconnect bracket provides a means of connection which enables the auxiliary device to separate from the main unit when subjected to forces such as would be experienced if the coupled units were dropped. This reduces the potential for damage to the components of the main unit and auxiliary device.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to support brackets for upgrade expansion modules which incorporate electrical connectors.
2. Related Art
Conventional telephone model product lines typically include a basic telephone which contains the most basic and common features desired and used by the telephone user. In addition to these basic functions, a basic telephone may need to perform additional functions which a customer may need or desire. These are typically referred to as upgrade features. Examples of such upgrade features include adding a speaker, encryption or decryption of the voice message, adding a headset to the telephone, or interfacing the basic telephone to a recording device to record voice messages. Typically, these upgrade features require function keys or push buttons to enable the user to provide input and control.
One conventional technique used to provide additional function keys has been to create a new, larger telephone with a larger surface area than the basic telephone. The larger surface area will then support the basic function keys as well as the additional keys associated with the upgrade feature. This technique has proven to be uneconomical due to the cost of designing and maintaining multiple model product lines of telephones, including a product line with basic features as well as other product lines with specific upgrade features. This technique has also resulted in additional costs to support trained service personnel to install the new models with the upgrade features at the customer's site.
Another conventional technique has been to add an expansion module containing the additional function keys to the basic telephone. An expansion module which contains additional function keys is referred to as a key expansion option (KEO) module. One conventional method for adding a KEO module to a basic telephone is to attach a piece of sheet metal to the bottom of the basic telephone and then attach the KEO module to the same piece of sheet metal. Electrical connections between the KEO module and the basic telephone are provided via a cable assembly. A disadvantage of this technique is the increased cost of additional parts and assembly. In addition, the bottom surface of the basic telephone must be dedicated to this KEO module attachment, thereby limiting the additional features which can be added to the basic telephone. Also, the weight of the entire telephone is significantly increased, leading to more component failures if the telephone is dropped.
There is a need for a coupling mechanism, for connecting a KEO module to a basic telephone which is user installable and cosmetically appealing. There should not be, for example, visible wires nor dangling cables connecting the KEO module and the basic telephone. The basic telephone should not have connectors visible to the user when no KEO module is installed. Also, the attachment means should be light in weight in order to avoid damage to the basic telephone or KEO module components should the telephone be dropped.

Apparatus for electrically and mechanically connecting an auxiliary device to a main unit


The invention relates to a continuous process for coating bundles of fibers, particularly carbon fibers, with a layer of silicon--which may be present as the carbide, oxide, nitride, or plasma polymer with carbon and hydrogen or in elementary form--by radio-frequency sputtering. The coated fibers are suitable in particular for the manufacture of reinforced plastics.

The present invention relates to a process for coating fibers with a thin, surface-protective, adhesion-promoting layer of silicon by means of sputtering.
At higher temperatures carbon fibers are not generally stable in contact with metals that form carbides, such as aluminum, so if they are intended to reinforce such metals they must be provided with a protective diffusion barrier before being embedded in the metal matrix. Protective layers are also necessary for fibers that are exposed to oxidizing media, especially at higher temperatures. Silicon carbide provides a suitable protective surface layer, being chemically stable to metals, resistant to abrasion, light, and resistant to oxidation and having low thermal expansivity.
It is known that carbon fibers are treated by various methods of forming surface-active groups before being embedded as reinforcement in matrices of synthetic resins; these groups, which improve adhesion between the fiber and the polymer matrix, can for instance be formed by superficial thermal, wet, or electrochemical oxidation. Besides methods of superficial oxidation, processes for forming polymer coatings are also known; they comprise radiation-induced graft reactions and electropolymerization at the surface of the fiber, which can be carried out anodically or cathodically. The polymer coating promotes adhesion between fiber and matrix.
Many processes for coating carbon fibers are known, but coating from the gas phase by the process known as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the one used most often.
These processes have the disadvantage that the temperature of the substrate has to be between 800.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C. if it is to be coated with a layer of silicon carbide, and are hence suitable solely for coating carbon or silicon carbide fibers. Because of the necessity of using high temperatures there is only a limited possibility of influencing the morphology and structure of the coating, and hence its chemical, physical, and mechanical properties and its adhesion to the surface of the fiber.
The use of vaporization processes for coating fibers with silicon carbide (which necessarily involve a chemical reaction: silicon reacts with an atmosphere of hydrocarbon) requires that the individual filaments in a bundle of fibers should be first spread out mechanically, since the stream of particles emitted by the vapor source is only slightly dispersed geometrically. In addition, the reactive components must be activated by high substrate temperatures or by the use of a plasma.
German Patent No. C 32 49 624 describes the manufacture of fibers with a superconducting layer of a niobium compound by the reactive direct-current sputtering of niobium. Here too the bundle of fibers had to be spread out mechanically, which led to the rupture of fibers.
Japanese Patent No. A 119 222/85 describes carbon fibers with a refractory coating, silicon carbide for instance. The coating is preferably applied by chemical vapor deposition (CVD); other methods, such as sputtering, are mentioned without any details.
The object of the present invention was to provide a technically simple process for coating reinforcing fibers with a surface-protective, adhesion-promoting layer of silicon, this process allowing many individual fibers in a bundle of fibers to be homogeneously coated at the same time.
We have found that this object is achieved if the coating is applied by radio-frequency sputtering.


Provided are an organic electroluminescent device having high efficiency and a long lifetime, and a production method of the device. The organic electroluminescent device includes an anode, a cathode, and a stacked body interposed between the anode and the cathode and formed by sequentially stacking at least an inorganic compound layer and an organic emission layer, in which the inorganic compound layer has a hole-transporting ability and a work function of the inorganic compound layer changes continuously in a film thickness direction of the inorganic compound layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescent device and a production method of the device, and a display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electroluminescent device (EL device) has been attracting attention because the device is of a self-emission type, has high visibility, is excellent in display performance, can respond at a high speed, and can achieve a thickness reduction, so that the device has a potential to serve as a display device such as a flat panel display.
Of the electroluminescent device, an organic electroluminescent device using an organic compound as a light-emitting body has, for example, the characteristics that the device can be driven at a lower voltage than the voltage at which an inorganic electroluminescent device is driven, the area of the device can be easily enlarged, and the device can easily provide a desired emission color by selecting an appropriate light-emitting material. Accordingly, the organic electroluminescent device has been actively developed as a next-generation display.
Meanwhile, an organic electroluminescent device is produced by employing a dry process in which layer formation is performed by a vacuum evaporation method or the like; or the so-called coating film formation process in which layer formation is performed by a spin coating method, a casting method, an ink-jet method, or the like. Alternatively, the device is sometimes produced by a combination of the dry process and the coating film formation process.
Here, an organic electroluminescent device produced by the above coating film formation method (hereinafter, referred to as "coating organic electroluminescent device") has, for example, the following merits: (1) the device can be produced at a low cost as compared to an organic electroluminescent device produced by the dry process; (2) the device can be increased in area easily as compared to the organic electroluminescent device produced by the dry process; and (3) the controllability of doping in a slight quantity is excellent as compared to the organic electroluminescent device produced by the dry process.
FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a general constitution of a coating organic electroluminescent device. An organic electroluminescent device 110 illustrated in FIG. 7 includes sequentially an anode 101, a hole injection layer 102, a light-emitting layer (hereinafter simply referred to as "emission layer") 103, an electron injection layer 104, and a cathode 105 sequentially provided on a substrate 100.
In the organic electroluminescent device 110 shown in FIG. 7, a mixture of polythiophene and polystyrene sulfonic acid (PEDOT:PSS) as represented by the following formula is generally used in the hole injection layer 102, and the layer is formed by a method such as spin coating.

Here, PEDOT:PSS is soluble in water and insoluble in a non-polar solvent. Accordingly, even when the emission layer 103 is formed by a coating process involving dropping a solution prepared by dissolving a constituent material of the emission layer 103 in a non-polar solvent onto the hole injection layer 102 (PEDOS:PSS film), the PEDOT:PSS film will not be eluted. Therefore, PEDOT:PSS is regarded as a suitable hole injection material in production of a coating organic electroluminescent device.
When the emission layer 103 is formed by the coating film formation process, polyphenylene vinylene, polyfluorene, or polyvinyl carbazole, or a derivative thereof is used and formed into a film on the above PEDOT:PSS film by a spin coating method or the like. Subsequently, the electron injection layer 104 formed of, for example, lithium fluoride and a metal electrode as the cathode 105 are sequentially formed on the emission layer 103 by a vacuum evaporation method, whereby the organic electroluminescent device 110 is completed.
As described above, the coating organic electroluminescent device has such excellent characteristic that the device can be produced by a simple process and is therefore expected to find use in a variety of applications. However, the coating organic electroluminescent device involves the two problems to be solved that the device cannot provide sufficiently large emission intensity and does not have a sufficient lifetime.
Although various hypotheses have been made on the reason why the device cannot obtain sufficiently large emission intensity, one possible main reason for the foregoing is the degradation of PEDOT:PSS as a constituent material for the hole injection layer 102. This is considered to be attributable to that during energization of the device, sulfur atoms and hydrogen atoms derived from the sulfo groups, and an ionic component such as sodium ions contained as an impurity diffuse into the emission layer 103 to cause an undesirable action in the emission layer 103.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, an inorganic oxide disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-114759 has been proposed as a constituent material for a hole injection layer serving as an alternative to PEDOT:PSS. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-114759, a device is produced by forming a film of a metal oxide of vanadium, molybdenum, or the like on an ITO electrode, and the sequentially stacking a buffer layer (electron-blocking layer), an emission layer, and an electrode (cathode) thereon. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-114759 also shows that a device using an inorganic oxide as a constituent material for a hole injection layer is superior in emission efficiency and lifetime to a device using PEDOT:PSS as a constituent material for a hole injection layer.
Similar reports have been made also on an evaporation organic electroluminescent device. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H01-312873 shows that the use of an inorganic compound as a constituent material for a hole injection layer (hole-transporting layer) can reduce the drive voltage and can improve the durability of the device; and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-063771 shows that the use of an organic compound as a constituent material for a hole injection layer (hole-transporting layer) can reduce the drive voltage and can improve the durability of the device.
In addition, when an energy barrier at an interface between adjacent layers in an organic electroluminescent device is large, the lifetime of the device may be shortened by an increase in the drive voltage or accumulation of charge at the interface portion. Accordingly, in the organic electroluminescent device, the energy barrier at an interface is preferably made as small as possible. Here, in order to solve the energy barrier problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-324680 makes the proposal that a layer obtained by mixing organic compounds constituting two adjacent organic layers is inserted into an interface portion between the two organic layers. Attempts have been made to reduce an energy barrier at an interface between two organic layers on the basis of the proposal.
The use of an inorganic compound as a constituent material for a hole injection layer in the organic electroluminescent device disclosed in each of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2006-114759, H01-312873, and H09-063771 has surely improved the characteristics of the device. However, the use is insufficient for further improvement in the characteristics of the device because the use simultaneously involves the problems of generation of an interface barrier between the hole injection layer and another layer and an increase in resistance of the hole injection layer itself.
In addition, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-324680, the formation of the mixed layer can surely reduce the interface barrier. However, because the technology involves joining of organic compounds soluble in a non-polar solvent, it is difficult to apply the technology disclosed in the document to a coating organic electroluminescent device.

Organic electroluminescent device and production method of the device, and display apparatus


The invention relates to a method for the fabrication of a stent of a filiform material resorbable by the body, which stent is coated with heparin to avoid thromboses.

The invention relates to a method for making a stent coated with antithrombotic reagents, of filiform material resorbable by the body.
In balloon angioplasty of peripheral, renal and coronary arterial stenoses, a laceration of the vascular innermost skin, i.e., a dissection of the intima, may occur, which ultimately may lead to a vascular occlusion. Available as therapeutic measures are then an emergency bypass operation or the implantation of a vascular prothesis, or vascular support, of a so-called stent in the vessel. Such stents are tubular and reticulate implants inserted in the damaged vessel at reduced diameter and expanded to their final diameter only at the point in the vessel that is to be supported. The stent expands either due to its innate elasticity (so-called self-expanding stents) or expansion is brought about by a balloon which can be inflated inside the stent (so-called balloon-expandable stents). Prior stents consist normally of metal, for instance surgical refined steel, tantalum or nitinol; more recently, also stents of polymers have been proposed.
EP 0 466 105 A2 describes a vascular prosthesis which, however, from its structure, is not intended as a stent but more so as a vascular replacement. This vascular prothesis is not dilatable and, therefore, cannot be advanced such as a stent, by means of a catheter, through a blood vessel to a damaged site and positioned and dilated there. Furthermore, the core of this prior art document is constituted by providing a biocompatible interior surface of a vascular prothesis. Proposed for that purpose is the use of biological material, notably of collagen and elastin fibers, for making the inner coat. To stabilize this inner "biological" coat, a second, synthetic ply is externally applied on said coat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,275 claims a stent fabricated of metal filaments. While plastic and biocompatible materials are mentioned also as stent material, only the fabrication of a stent of metal filaments of a specific alloy is described as the disclosed embodiment. This stent is subjected to a thermal treatment at 520.degree. C., thereby fixing the metal filaments in their new form.
A considerable disadvantage of the prior stents, notably those of metal, is that they either remain as a permanent foreign body in the treated vessel or must be removed again in the course of a further operation.
To eliminate this problem, stents have been proposed which are made of material which the body can resorb. EP 0 428 479 A1 describes a stent of polycaprolactone, e.g.; also known are stents of poly-L-lactic acid, a material resorbable as well by the body (refer to Agrawal, C. M. et al. "Evaluation of Poly(L-lactic acid) as a material for intra-vascular stents"; Biomaterials, 13 (3), 176-182; 1992.
Common to all of the aforementioned stents is a pronounced thrombogeneity which, despite intensive medicamentous anticoagulation, may lead to a subacute stent thrombosis with formation of an infarct (with stents in coronary arteries). Meant by medicamentous anticoagulation is here the administration of anticoagulant substances which propagate throughout the entire system of blood vessels and, thus, result in anticoagulation in the entire system of blood vessels. A disadvantage of medicamentous anticoagulation is that wound healing problems occur also at the insertion site of the stent, mostly in the thigh or groin area, since blood coagulation is being suppressed also at this site.
EP 0 528 039 A1 describes a stent of filiform resorbable material, which stent is made by braiding and may be coated with antithrombotic reagents. Disadvantageous on the fabrication method of this stent is that the filiform braiding is prior to the thermal treatment removed from the forming cylinder, with the result that the stent shrinks during the subsequent thermal treatment.
DE-PS 28 31 360 describes the heparinization of a surface of a medical object wetted by the blood and which, however, does not consist of resorbable material. Arising from the resorbability of the material, though, are specific problems in conjunction with a heparin coating, and at that, notably a swift release of the heparin coating in the course of resorption. This is also why in using resorbable material it is mostly proposed to work the heparin into the resorbable material (refer to EP 0 528 039 A1), instead of applying it externally in one coat.

Vascular prosthesis made of resorbable material


A ground sensing system for an aircraft attaches to the aircraft's landing gear to provide a ground touch indication. The ground sensing system includes a bracket, an upper arm, a lower arm, a roller and a sensor. The bracket is mounted to the landing gear while the upper arm is pivotally and biasly coupled to the bracket. The lower arm is pivotally and biasly coupled to the upper arm. The roller mounts to the lower arm and extends just slightly beneath a lowermost surface of the tire when the aircraft is airborne. The sensor is triggered once a portion of the upper arm has sufficiently entered the sensor's field of view, which occurs when the roller is urged upward by the ground during landing.

Landing gear systems for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, which include rotary-wing aircraft (e.g., helicopters), may be non-retractable or retractable. Some VTOL aircraft have a nose landing gear while others have a tail landing gear, and still others have both. The landing gear components for a VTOL aircraft are generally similar to those components used in a fixed-wing aircraft landing gear system. The main landing gear system generally supports the VTOL aircraft on the ground and cushions it from shock during landing. The main landing gear system typically includes a shock strut, torque arm, which may also take the form of a drag beam or side beam depending on a retraction direction of the landing gear, an axle or spindle, one or more wheels or tires, a braking system and a weight-on-wheels system, which may take the form of a weight-on-wheels sensing switch.
The weight-on-wheels switch provides ground or flight status indications for various systems of the VTOL aircraft and for a variety of maneuvers. By way of example, the weight-on-wheels switch provides an indication as to whether the aircraft is touching the ground or airborne. When the aircraft is on the ground, the switch is compressed in relationship to a small stroke of the shock absorber, which results from at least an incremental amount of the aircraft weight being transferred to the ground. Typically, only a small amount of the aircraft's weight is required to achieve the small stroke of the shock absorber, where the stroke distance is generally about 0.25 to about 0.50 inches. Next, an on-board computer system of the VTOL aircraft receives an indication that the aircraft is at least touching the ground.


A dashboard interface includes a plurality of software buttons provided on a panel. Each software button represents one of a plurality of applications. Upon a user selecting a first software button, a first application represented by the first software button is started. Upon a user selecting and dragging a visual representation of a second application to the panel, a new software button representing the second application is added to the panel. Upon a user selecting a different software button size in a configuration menu, the size of each software button in the plurality of software buttons is changed. The plurality of applications are listed in a configuration menu. The order in which the plurality of software buttons is displayed on the panel reflects the order of the listing of the plurality of applications. Upon a user changing the order of the listing of the plurality of applications, the order in which the plurality of software buttons is displayed on the panel is changed.

The present invention concerns a customizable control interface for a computer which provides control of applications and resources.
In a computer systems such as personal computers, there is a continual search to provide a user simple and intuitive interfaces to computer applications and resources. For example, many personal computers use the Microsoft Windows operating system, available from Microsoft Corporation having a business address of One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Wash. 98052.
Various utilities have been designed to run with the Microsoft Windows operating system. These include, for example the PowerLauncher utility available from hDC Computer Corporation, having a business address of 6742 185th Ave NE, Redmond Wash. 98052, the SideBar utility available from Paper Software, Inc., having a business address of P.O. Box 567 New Paltz, N.Y. 12561, the Rooms for Windows utility available from Xerox Corporation, XSoft Production Education, having a business address of 3400 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, Calif. 94303, the Wide Angle utility available from Attitash, having a business address of 20 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, N.H. 03063, the Squeegee utility available from ICOM Simulations, Inc., having a business address of 648, S. Wheeling Road, Wheeling, Ill. 60090. The above described utilities variously implement functionality for launching programs, printing, viewing screens and showing virtual screens.

Customizable program control interface for a computer system


Among other things, on a wireless handheld device that has a display and keys, an interface is provided that enables a user to control aspects of presentation of video material on a display of the handheld device, the interface including presentation on the display of visible tokens that are associated with respective keys.

This description relates to television interfacing.
A television typically has an excellent user interface device to control its functions: the remote control. The remote control is crafted specifically for the television application, is well-labeled, and is large enough to contain lots of buttons, one for every conceivable purpose and then some.
On the other hand, a mobile device (e.g. a phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), portable gaming device), being smaller and designed for a different purpose, provides a different kind of manual user interface, such as a bell keypad, a stylus and a four-way pointer, or possibly nothing (e.g., if commands are voice activated; see, for example, www.agiletv.tv)
Television may be broadcast to a mobile device, e.g., using digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB), digital video broadcasting: handhelds (DVB-H), and cellular streaming such as MobiTV or Cingular TV).


In a semiconductor device provided with terminals for external connection, input terminals, power supply terminals and ground terminals are disposed close together on part of one edge portion of two opposing edge portions. Output terminals are disposed in the vicinity of both ends of the one edge portion and on another edge portion of the two edge portions. A ground wiring is routed from the other edge portion and connected to the ground terminals. In so doing, elemental devices connected to the input terminals are disposed close together, whereby needless gaps do not arise between the elemental devices. A ground potential is also supplied by the ground wiring.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor device disposed with terminals for external connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCD) and plasma display panels (PDP), whose screen size is easy to enlarge, are currently gaining attention over displays using Braun tubes.
In these plasma display panels, high-voltage circuits and logic circuits that control the high-voltage circuits are disposed at output terminals of a PDP address driver integrated circuit (IC) inside a PDP module. Amplifier circuits are also disposed at input terminals of the PDP address driver IC. The addresses of the pixels of the plasma display are designated as a result of these circuits operating.
In order to reduce the manufacturing cost of the PDP module, the number of output terminals of a single PDP address driver IC is increasing and the number of parts inside the PDP module is being reduced. Specifically, the number of output terminals is being increased from 96 to 192 or 256. Further, in order to reduce the manufacturing cost of the PDP module, the PDP address driver IC is increasingly being mounted with respect to a tape carrier package (TCP) rather than a chip on flexible film (COF).
A technology has been proposed where the input terminals are arranged in one row on one edge portion of the PDP address driver IC, and where the output terminals are arranged in another row on the other edge portion of the PDP address driver IC (abbreviated below as "the one-row type"). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a one-row type of PDP address driver IC.
In the one-row type, all of the input terminals 31 are disposed in one row on one edge portion, and all of the output portions 34 are disposed in another row on the other edge portion. Also, in the one-row type, a power supply potential is supplied from two power supply terminals 32 at both ends of a power supply wiring, and a ground potential is supplied from three ground terminals 33 at both ends and in the vicinity of the center of a ground wiring.
In the one-row type, when the PDP address driver IC is to be mounted with respect to a TCP, the terminals of the TCP are disposed in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the PDP address driver IC. Thus, the length in the winding direction of the TCP becomes shorter and the manufacturing cost of the PDP module is reduced. Moreover, in the one-row type, even when the number of output terminals of the PDP address driver IC is increased and the routing of the wiring connecting elemental devices to elemental devices is lengthened, it is more difficult for the wiring resistance of the ground wiring to increase because the three ground terminals 33 are disposed with respect to the ground wiring. Thus, as it is harder for the wiring resistance to rise, it is harder for the ground potential to rise, and it is therefore more difficult for the PDP address driver IC to malfunction.
Another technology has also been proposed where the output terminals are disposed in two rows on one edge portion and on the other edge portion of the PDP address driver IC (abbreviated below as the "two-row type"). FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a two-row type of PDP address driver IC.
In the two-row type, all of input terminals 41 are disposed close together on one lateral-direction end of the PDP address driver IC, and output terminals 44x of output portions 44 are disposed in two rows on one edge portion and on the other edge portion. Also, in the two-row type, a power supply potential is supplied from two power supply terminals 42 at both ends of a power supply wiring, and a ground potential is supplied from two ground terminals 43 at both ends of a ground wiring.
In the two-row type, no gaps arise between the amplifier circuits in the vicinity of the input terminals 41 because the amplifier circuits connected to the input terminals 41 are arranged close together. Thus, the manufacturing costs of the PDP module and the PDP address driver IC are reduced because the chip size is reduced (see Gen Tada, Kazuhiro Kawamura and Masaru Saito, "PDP Address Driver IC Technology," in Fuji Electric Journal, Vol. 76, No. 3 (2003), pp. 172-174). As an application of this type, there is also a three-row type of PDP address driver IC where the input terminals 44x are disposed in three rows (see Yoshihiro Shigeta and Gen Tada, "A Color Plasma Display Driver IC," in Fuji Electric Journal, Vol. 69, No. 8 (1996), pp. 426-428).
However, in the one-row type, high-voltage circuits (under the power supply terminals 32 and the ground terminals 33) connected to output terminals 34x are disposed in the vicinity of the output terminals 34x, amplifier circuits connected to the input terminals 31 are disposed in the vicinity of the input terminals 31, and the high-voltage circuits operating at about 70 V are much larger than the amplifier circuits. For this reason, gaps arise between the amplifier circuits in the vicinity of the input terminals 31. Thus, the manufacturing costs of the PDP module and the PDP address driver IC are increased because the chip size is increased.
Also, in the two-row type and in a three-row type disclosed in the two aforementioned publications, when the PDP address driver IC is to be mounted with respect to a TCP, the terminals of the TCP are disposed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the PDP address driver IC. For this reason, the length in the winding direction of the TCP becomes longer, and the manufacturing cost of the PDP module increases. Moreover, in the two-row type and the three-row type, when the number of output terminals of the PDP address driver IC increases and the routing of the wiring connecting elemental devices to elemental devices becomes longer, it becomes easy for the wiring resistance of the ground wiring to rise because only the two ground terminals 43 are disposed with respect to the ground wiring. Thus, as it becomes easy for the wiring resistance to rise, it becomes easy for the ground potential to rise, and it becomes easy for the PDP address driver IC to malfunction.


A roll breaker (20) in the form of a lever (130) of the first class with a fulcrum (54) adjustable in height. A striker assembly 70 is positioned near one end (136) of the lever, and the other end (131) is inserted in the roll to be broken. When the striker is wound and triggered, by a motor (112), it impacts downward on the lever end 136. A bumper (30) is provided to determine the depth of insertion of the lever end (131) into the roll, and an arrangement (137, 140) is also provided to prevent the second end of the lever from rising above a predetermined level.

Paper is frequently supplied from paper mills in the form of rolls, of length and width required by the purchaser. In the final stage of manufacture a band of paper, from a reel which may be thirteen or fourteen feet wide, is passed through apparatus which cuts the band into a number of longitudinal strips, of selected widths, and rewinds them all simultaneously about a common axis, to give a set of rolls which abut end to end, each roll being between six and a half inches and thirty-six inches in width, and the rolls having a common diameter of thirty inches to fifty inches, for example.
In theory these rolls are entirely separate after rewinding, but in practice little overlaps occur during the rewinding process, due to uneven moisture in the set, or to vibration in the rewinding machinery caused by excess bearing clearance in the machine, or development of out-of-round in the rolls being rewound. Paper movement is at the rate of 5000 to 7000 feet per minute, so it is extremely difficult to avoid vibrations.
After a roll of the desired diameter is rewound, it is removed from the machine and the shaft on which the paper was rewound is pulled out of the roll axially. Normally about half of the rolls break apart axially fairly easily; others may be separated by manually inserting one end of a pipe axially into the end of the roll, and lifting up on the other end of the pipe with a snapping or dropping action. This is obviously a procedure calling not only for skill but for physical strength, and back injuries to paper makers performing this function are not uncommon.
It also frequently happens that two or more rolls are so bound together by overlaps that they cannot be separated as above, and it becomes necessary to drive wooden wedges between the rolls to separate them. This is injurious to the paper, and purchasers sometimes refuse to accept paper bearing wedge marks.
It is thus desirable to develop apparatus for separating or "breaking" the rolls from a rewinding machine easily, efficiently, safely, and without damage to the paper.


An electric plug blade made of a conductive material has two sections of recesses formed in the rear part of the blade. An insulation material houses the rear part of the blade to define an insulation part, and the front part of the blade remains unhoused by the insulation material for connecting to a wall outlet.

Generally, electric plugs have conductive blades made of, for example, metal partially embedded in an insulation housing of the plug. A portion of each of the blades is exposed for insertion and establishing electrical connection with a socket or wall outlet. Sometimes, when a plug is not fully inserted into a socket, an accidental touch to the exposed portion of the plug blade may cause an electrical shock. This is especially dangerous to children playing near the socket. Therefore, it is desirable to make a safer plug.


A frequency synthesizer (200) with temperature compensation and frequently multiplication. The synthesizer (200) having a temperature uncompensated frequency oscillator (202) coupled to a phase locked loop (206) including at least one temperature compensating and frequency multiplication element (208). The element (208) preferably being a multi-modulus divider. The element (208) is programmed by a control circuit (210) to vary as a function of temperature and to vary as a function of a fractional frequency multiplication factor. The element (208) also may provide adjustment of the nominal frequency of the frequency oscillator (202). The frequency oscillator (202) and preferably all the elements of the synthesizer (200) are temperature compensated by the element (208) to produce a temperature stable multiplied output frequency (238).

Frequency synthesizers have typically been provided with reference frequency signals from crystal controlled frequency oscillators having temperature compensation circuits for use in frequency stabilized radio communications. These compensation circuits may be composed of analog or digital devices and are used to provide a relatively flat frequency output over temperature. Typically, a capacitive element is provided to allow absolute adjustment of the final frequency of the oscillator. This capacitive element is generally either in the form of a trim capacitor or an analog varactor controlled by an applied DC voltage. By adjusting this capacitance, the user is able to adjust (warp) the oscillator onto a desired final frequency.
As should be recognized by those skilled in the prior art, the frequency adjustment range (warpability) of a crystal controlled frequency oscillator is limited by the physical size of the crystal and its electrodes. An increase in warpability necessitates the use of a crystal with an increased width-to-thickness ratio. However, an increase of width-to-thickness ratio causes a crystal to be more fragile and more costly than a crystal without a higher warpability requirement. Further, the long term stability of a highly warpable crystal is compromised due to its more sensitive nature.
Warpability may also be increased by the use of a capacitive element having a larger tuning range. However, this typically requires that the element be of a physically larger size. Along with increasing the cost and size of the oscillator, the size of the element may bring other problems. In particular, analog varactors are necessarily large and do not scale as well with integrated circuit process shrinks as do digital circuits. Additionally, these reactive elements have their own variation with temperature, outside of the crystal temperature variation, which must be controlled by an applied voltage, as well as being compensated along with the crystal temperature variation. For good temperature performance of a varactor, a high supply voltage is needed for bias. However, this restricts the use of a lower voltage, single-supply operated frequency oscillator. Further, the oscillator AC voltage output swing must also be controlled to prevent the varactor from conducting.
In typical frequency synthesizer applications, the frequency is manipulated three or more times. First, a crystal controlled frequency oscillator has temperature compensation circuitry applied to provide a relatively flat frequency output over temperature. Second, the oscillator is warped onto a desired frequency. Third, this corrected oscillator frequency is multiplied in a phase locked loop (PLL) to produce the higher frequencies required in local oscillators in radio communications equipment. It would be advantageous to temperature compensate a synthesizer output frequency with a single element without incorporating additional synthesizer elements.
There is a need for a temperature compensated frequency oscillator using a PLL frequency synthesizer which: achieves more accurate, linear and repeatable temperature compensation with more simplified circuitry; does not need tunable reactive elements to warp the oscillator onto the desired frequency thereby allowing smaller, less expensive elements to be used; provides a temperature-dependent frequency multiplying element whereby temperature compensation of the crystal oscillator and other circuit elements in the frequency synthesizer is achieved. In addition, it is desirable to provide a low cost, small sized, low current drain, high yield oscillator and PLL that allows control of the temperature compensation of the crystal oscillator and other circuit elements, warping, and frequency multiplication of the PLL without incurring any detrimental spurious frequency responses.

Frequency synthesizer with temperature compensation and frequency multiplication and method of providing the same


In embodiments, a system may comprise a circuit component to perform a function; and a supervisor component (e.g., a safety component) coupled to the circuit component to monitor proper functioning of the circuit component. The circuit component may be configured to initiate provision of diagnostic information to the supervisor component, or to indicate to the safety component whether the circuit component will be responsive to a query from the safety component for diagnostic information.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Mission critical or safety sensitive systems like computer-assisted or autonomous driving (CA/AD) systems in CA/AD vehicles, industrial systems, software defined cockpit systems, and so forth, often integrates functional-safety enabled components. For these systems, it is necessary for the proper functioning of these components to be monitored.

Electronic component monitoring method and apparatus


A seatbelt fastening prompting apparatus comprises a display device of driving assistance information which displays driving assistance information on a screen, a seatbelt fastening detection device which detects a fastening situation of a seatbelt as to whether the seatbelt is fastened or unfastened, a vehicle speed detection device which detects a vehicle speed, and a control device which allows the screen to display warning contents to the effect that the seatbelt should be fastened, when an ignition switch is turned on and the seatbelt is detected as being unfastened by the seatbelt fastening detection device. In the seatbelt fastening prompting apparatus, the warning contents are changed to raise a warning level thereof step by step in accordance with the vehicle speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seatbelt fastening prompting apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, it has been common to warn a driver by means of a warning lamp disposed on an instrument panel when the driver is driving in a state where a seatbelt is unfastened. However, because this warning lamp may be difficult to see, there has been a possibility that attention paid to fastening seatbelts is lowered, therefore leading to a deterioration of a seatbelt fastening rate.
Accordingly, there has been a technology adapted to prompt a passenger to fasten a seatbelt by means of a voice and an image when a vehicle is being driven in a state where the seatbelt is unfastened (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-211357).