A convertible checkout terminal includes a housing having a window and a data capture device for capturing through the window data associated with products to be checked out at the terminal, a customer interface supported by the housing for enabling a customer to interact with the terminal in a self-service mode of operation, a clerk interface supported by the housing for enabling a clerk to interact with the terminal in a full-service mode of operation, and a mode selector for selecting either the self-service mode in which the customer interface is operational, or the full-service mode in which the clerk interface is operational.

In the retail industry, flat bed laser readers, also known as horizontal slot scanners, have been used to electro-optically read one-dimensional bar code symbols, particularly of the Universal Product Code (UPC) type, at full-service, point-of-transaction checkout terminals operated by checkout clerks in supermarkets, warehouse clubs, department stores, and other kinds of retailers for many years. As exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,779; No. 5,124,539 and No. 5,200,599, a single, horizontal window is set flush with, and built into, a horizontal countertop of the terminal. Products to be purchased bear identifying symbols and are typically slid across the horizontal window through which a multitude of scan lines is projected in a generally upwards direction. When at least one of the scan lines sweeps over a symbol associated with a product, the symbol is processed and read. The multitude of scan lines is typically generated by a scan pattern generator which includes a laser for emitting a laser beam at a mirrored component mounted on a shaft for rotation by a motor about an axis. A plurality of stationary mirrors is arranged about the axis. As the mirrored component turns, the laser beam is successively reflected onto the stationary mirrors for reflection therefrom through the horizontal window as a scan pattern of the scan lines.
It is also known to provide a checkout terminal not only with a generally horizontal window, but also with an upright or generally vertical window that faces the clerk at the terminal. The generally vertical window is oriented generally perpendicularly to the horizontal window, or is slightly rearwardly or forwardly inclined. The laser scan pattern generator within this dual window or bioptical terminal also projects the multitude of scan lines in a generally outward direction through the vertical window toward the clerk. The generator for the vertical window can be the same as or different from the generator for the horizontal window. The clerk slides the products past either window, e.g., from right to left, or from left to right, in a "swipe" mode. Alternatively, the clerk merely presents the symbol on the product to a central region of either window in a "presentation" mode. The choice depends on clerk preference or on the layout of the terminal.
Sometimes, the vertical window is not built into the terminal as a permanent installation. Instead, a vertical slot scanner is configured as a portable reader that is placed on the countertop of an existing horizontal slot scanner in a hands-free mode of operation. In the frequent event that large, heavy, or bulky products, that cannot easily be brought to the reader, have symbols that are required to be read, then the clerk may also manually grasp the portable reader and lift it off, and remove it from, the countertop for reading the symbols in a handheld mode of operation.
As advantageous as these laser-based, point-of-transaction terminals are in processing transactions involving products associated with one-dimensional symbols, each having a row of bars and spaces spaced apart along one direction, these terminals cannot process stacked symbols, such as Code 49 that introduced the concept of vertically stacking a plurality of rows of bar and space patterns in a single symbol, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,239, or two-dimensional symbols, such as PDF417 that increased the amount of data that could be represented or stored on a given amount of surface area, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,786. Both one- and two-dimensional symbols, as well as stacked symbols, can be read by employing imaging readers each having a solid-state imager which has a one- or two-dimensional array of cells or photosensors that correspond to image elements or pixels in a field of view of the imager. Such an imager may include a one- or two-dimensional charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, as well as associated circuits for producing electronic signals corresponding to the one- or two-dimensional array of pixel information over the field of view.
It is therefore known to use a solid-state imager for capturing a monochrome image of a symbol as, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,349. It is also known to use a solid-state imager with multiple buried channels for capturing a full color image of a target as, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,895. It is common to provide a two-dimensional CCD with a 640×480 resolution commonly found in VGA monitors, although other resolution sizes are possible.
It is also known to install the solid-state imager, analogous to that conventionally used in a consumer digital camera, in a bioptical, point-of-transaction terminal, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,191,947 in which the dual use of both the solid-state imager and the laser scan pattern generator in the same terminal is disclosed. It is possible to replace all of the laser scan pattern generators with solid-state imagers in order to improve reliability and to enable the reading of two-dimensional and stacked symbols, as well as other targets.
All of the above-described terminals are typically operated by checkout clerks. In an effort to reduce, if not eliminate, the need for checkout clerks and their associated labor cost, a number of self-service, point-of-sale, checkout terminals have been proposed. A self-service checkout terminal is operated by the customer without the aid of the checkout clerk. During operation of the self-service checkout terminal, the customer moves individual products for purchase across a window of the terminal to read their respective symbols, and then places the read products into a carry-out bag, if desired. The customer then pays for his or her purchases either at the self-service checkout terminal if so equipped with a credit/debit card reader, or at a central payment area that is staffed by a store employee. Thus, the self-service checkout terminal permits the customer to select, itemize, and, in some cases, pay for his or her purchases, without the assistance of the retailer's personnel.
However, the known self-service checkout terminals are relatively expensive to install and are sometimes difficult for some customers to operate, thereby potentially causing such terminals to go unused or underutilized, and their expense to be economically unjustified. Some retailers expect their clerks to stand nearby self-service terminals to be rapidly called in for assistance when necessary. Some self-service terminals require that certain equipment be moved into position depending on whether the customer or the clerk is handling the transaction. Dedicated self-service terminals occupy valuable real estate in a retailer's operation, which might otherwise be used for full-service terminals. Full-service terminals are not readily convertible into self-service terminals.

Convertible point-of-sale checkout terminal


An orthogonal frequency division multiplexed wideband communication system provides improved time and frequency synchronization by inserting an unevenly spaced pilot sequence within the constellation data. A receive correlates the received data using the unevenly spaced pilot sequence. The pilot sequence is generated with a maximum length pseudo random noise code and inserted into frequency bins having prime numbers.

This invention relates in general to the field of communication systems, in particular to orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) communication systems and more particularly to an improved synchronization of OFDM communication systems.
Transmission of wideband digital data has become necessary due to evolving standards for high definition television (HDTV), digital video broadcasting, and wideband data networks. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a way to enhance the performance of wideband wireless communication links degraded by co-channel interference, impulsive noise, and frequency-selective fading. In the past, implementation complexity slowed the development of OFDM for useful commercial and handheld applications. With recent advances in semiconductor processing technology and digital signal processing, OFDM is now practical for system solutions including wireless LANs, audio and television broadcast radio links, and land mobile services.
With the recent emergence of wideband cellular, and global satellite networks, a system and method are needed to provide synchronization of wideband wireless transmitted digital data which can be multiplexed onto a multicarrier waveform in a spectrally efficient manner. What is also needed is a system and method for digital synchronization that provides improved accurate timing and frequency tracking estimates for severely degraded and noisy channel environments. What is also needed is a method and system for synchronization correcting large timing misalignment of received multi-carrier waveforms, and provides acquisition of frequency offsets on the order of the RF signal bandwidth.

Wireless communication system and method for synchronization


Methods, computer systems, and computer storage media are provided that enables clinicians to create and interact with snapshots of critical clinical/non-clinical information that is readily accessible in future visits. Initially, an indication to create a key note corresponding to a clinical note of a patient encounter for a patient is received. A selection of a key note section that will be associated with the key note is also received. Upon the clinical note being signed, the key note is created and saved. Upon receiving a request from a user, a key note window is provided in a user interface. The user interface enables the user to expand a header corresponding to a particular key note to display details associated with the corresponding encounter. A hyperlink to original summary notes from which the particular key note was created may be provided by the user interface.

When a patient visits a hospital, prior to the patient/clinician encounter, the clinician typically reviews a summary of all previous visits to gain an understanding of the background for the present visit. In many cases, this requires the patient to obtain and provide numerous documents or information at the beginning of the visit. Even with widespread electronic medical record (EMR) availability, clinicians still have to sort through large amounts of data spread throughout documentation from previous visits to understand the patient visit background. As this consists of both demographic and clinical data, this can be a time-consuming task.


A Legacy User Proxy CSCF (“L-CSCF”) provides multimedia services from a SIP based network to legacy access networks and devices. The L-CSCF includes a legacy service control state machine; a P-CSCF state machine and associated protocols; a mapping between a user's legacy network address and a corresponding network entry point; a database and logic for mapping between legacy user addresses and corresponding authentication data; legacy specific QoS control mechanisms; and an interworking function to handle incompatibilities between the legacy and SIP call models. The L-CSCF may be disposed logically between the legacy network and the multimedia network to translate and process communications such that legacy network and multimedia network devices need not require extensive modifications in order to support operation.

Wireless communications such as the General Packet Radio Service/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System ("GPRS/UMTS") and 1X Radio Transmission Technology/Code Division Multiple Access ("1XRTT/CDMA") markets are evolving to enable multimedia services by converging on a common Session Initiation Protocol ("SIP") based architecture such as those specified in the Third Generation Partnership Project ("3GPP") IP Multimedia Subsystem ("IMS") and 3GPP2 Multimedia Domain ("MMD") standards initiatives. Although some differences exist between IMS and MMD, they are both based on a SIP signaling infrastructure with a Call Session Control Function ("CSCF") node within the signaling and service control infrastructure as illustrated in FIG. 1. A Home Subscriber Server ("HSS") 20 functions as a repository for user profiles, service subscription profiles, user identities and authentication data. A Serving CSCF ("S-CSCF") 22 manages sessions and service control on behalf of a user based on user generated requests and user profile data stored in the HSS 20. An Interrogation CSCF ("I-CSCF") 24 provides a defined entry point into the SIP signaling network, and enables SIP interconnection over operator network boundaries. A Proxy CSCF ("P-CSCF") 26 functions as the user's SIP entry point into the SIP signaling network. The P-CSCF 26 is responsible for managing any access specific functions, such as data encryption, Quality of Service ("QoS") control, and compression such that access details are not visible within the core CSCF network. The multimedia services are provided by application servers. The services are invoked from the S-CSCF 22 via an Intelligent Service Control ("ISC") SIP-based interface 28.
Limited interworking with legacy service components is provided by gateways between the IMS protocols and the native legacy protocols. For example, an IMS Service Switching Function ("SSF") 30 implements a virtual Intelligent Network ("IN") SSF function, as well as an IP Multimedia Service Control ("ISC")/SSF interworking function. This enables an IMS subscriber to invoke legacy Service Control Point ("SCP") based services 32, such as Virtual Private Network ("VPN") and Prepaid. A Media Gateway Control Function ("MGCF") 34 and Media Gateway ("MGW") 36 provide interworking between IMS based Voice over IP ("VoIP") infrastructures 38 and legacy Public Switched Telephone Network ("PSTN") networks 40. This enables an IMS based user to place a telephone call to a PSTN based subscriber.
One limitation of these SIP based architectures is that users must gain access using a specific multimedia device, e.g., IMS enabled device, over a suitable packet based access type, e.g., UMTS packet network, WLAN, etc. Consequently, non-IMS users are unable to invoke services that are integrated within the IMS.

Legacy user proxy call session control function


A novel apparatus for securing a USB hub to a mobile device that comprises a vertical plate; a top horizontal plate and a bottom horizontal plate; the vertical plate and the top and bottom horizontal plates are fused together to form an elongated channel; three through holes on the vertical plate; and at least two screws for attaching said apparatus to a side of a mobile device.

The benefits of mobile devices such as light, compact, less power consumption, etc. come with some tradeoffs. For examples, traditional internal PC components, such as an optical drive or secondary large hard drive, must be externally connected because the mobile devices are so compact that they have no room for the components, and these external components, in turn, require external power supplies. For offices away from home or base offices, people need to carry additional external devices, power supplies, and cables. Obviously, the longer the list of things to pack, the less stress-free the trip is.
Not only the compact mobile devices have no room for expanded components, but they do not have room for too many connector sockets. To remedy the situation, adapter hubs that have multiple sockets of different purposes, such as USB for data transfer, USB for charging, HDMI for external monitor, etc., are invented. However, past hubs based on USB 2.0 or 3.0 specifications only provide up to 2.5 watts of power, just enough to charge a phone or tablet but taking hours, or only transfer up to 400 MB of data per second. Moreover, USB 2.0 is only half duplex, which does not allow full speed for simultaneous incoming and outgoing data transfers. The limitations limit what the hub can provide and, thus, their sizes somewhat. But they did not make the hub any lighter. The USB hubs connect to host devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops, through a limited set of connectors, which are usually 1 or 2. But all the weight of the adapter and connected cables/peripherals is supported by these limited set of connectors. Obviously, such a weight causes the adapter and connector to flex and often times disconnect from the host device. If the disconnection does not occur at first uses, it usually occurs over time gradually because the weight causes the connector plug's or socket's desired shape and dimension change so much that the connector gets loose from the host device's port.
Recently, the USB PD specification supported by USB-C ups the power delivery to 100 watts. It's also bi-directional, so a device can either send or receive power. And this power can be transferred at the same time the device is transmitting data across the connection. 100 watts power source and delivery could let you charge a laptop, which usually requires up to about 60 watts. Moreover, for the first time, USB-C connection could deliver audio data, and a USB-C port could potentially replace the 3.5 mm audio jack. For this technological advent, USB-C is the emerging standard for charging and transferring data, and new USB-C hubs provide even more ports for different connections. Thus, its weigh also increases. Apparently, it is desirable to have a new mechanism or method of attachment for a USB-C hub's connections to the limited set of ports of the mobile device such that the new mechanism or method will support the hub's weight and prevent the ports' and connectors' flexing problem. The need of a new attachment or connection mechanism is even more pronounced because the new USB-C port has a smaller shape and size and, thus, smaller surface for weight force distribution.

Apparatus and method of securing adapters to a mobile device


Methods and apparatus for creating microcode-implemented peripheral devices for a microcontroller core formed in a monolithic integrated circuit. The microcontroller core has a control store for storing microcode instructions; execution circuitry operable to execute microcode instructions from the control store; and means for loading a suite of one or more microcode-device modules defining an optional peripheral device, the optional peripheral device being implemented by microcode instructions executed by the execution circuitry in accordance with the definition provided by the microcode-device modules.

The present invention relates to microcontroller architectures suitable for implementation in an integrated circuit.
An integrated circuit is electrical circuitry formed on a single monolithic semiconductor substrate. An integrated circuit can be implemented with one or more cores, which perform their various functions, and circuitry for communicating with external devices. A core is building-block circuitry that generally provides a desired high-level function. For example, a processor core is circuitry that executes a set of instructions that implement a processor architecture.
A microcontroller is an integrated circuit device. It has a processor core and communications cores or devices for connecting to peripheral devices. Microcontrollers are commonly employed as a primary control chip in a wide variety of non-computer products such as printers, cellular phones, televisions, and automobiles.
Microcontrollers provide programmable control (through programming of the processor core) of peripheral devices connected to them. Such programming is conventionally done using an instruction set defined by an instruction set architecture (ISA) implemented by the microcontroller core. To distinguish the instructions defined by the ISA from microcode instructions that may be used to implement them, the ISA instructions will be referred to in this specification as macro instructions.
Modern microcontrollers incorporate not only a processor core and communications cores, but also incorporate other commonly-employed device circuitry, such as blocks of memory and programmable timers. Integrating previously discrete components may lead to cost savings in the final product, because fewer components are needed. However, integration may increase the number of distinct microcontroller chips (integrated circuit products) that have to be manufactured, as different customers desire different configurations of additional devices.
Microcontroller suppliers traditionally have offered families of chips that differ in their on-chip complement of peripheral devices—things like timers, pulse generators, and so on. Microcontroller chips that include programmable logic with a processor core are also available.

Microcontroller architecture supporting microcode-implemented peripheral devices


The present invention relates to a cross-linkable or cross-linked rubber composition having improved hysteresis properties in the cross-linked state which is useful for the manufacture of treads for tires. The rubber composition of the present invention comprises at least one diene elastomer having a molar ratio of units originating from conjugated dienes which is greater than 30% and comprising carboxylic acid functions along its chain, and a reinforcing inorganic filler. The present invention further relates to a process for preparing such a cross-linkable or cross-linked rubber composition as well as to a tire having reduced rolling resistance and a tread for a tire where the tread comprises the rubber composition of the present invention.

Since fuel economies and the need to preserve the environment have become priorities, it has become desirable to produce mixes having good mechanical properties and as low a hysteresis as possible so that they can be processed in the form of rubber compositions useful for the manufacture of various semi-finished products involved in the make-up of tires, including, for example, underlayers, sidewalls or treads. It is also desirable to obtain tires having reduced rolling resistance.
To achieve such objectives, numerous solutions have been proposed, consisting of, in particular, the modification of the structure of diene polymers and copolymers at the end of polymerization by means of functionalizing, coupling or starring agents. The great majority of these solutions have focused on the use of functionalized polymers, which are active with respect to carbon black, with the goal of obtaining a good interaction between the modified polymer and the carbon black.
By way of illustrating the prior art relating to reinforcing fillers formed of carbon black, mention may be made of U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,716, which describes the reaction of living diene polymers at the end of a chain with a polyfunctional organic coupling agent in order to obtain polymers having improved properties. Mention may also be made of U.S. Pat. No. 3,244,664, which discloses the use of tetra-alkoxysilanes as a coupling agent or starring agent for diene polymers.
Silica has been used as a reinforcing filler in cross-linkable rubber compositions, in particular those compositions intended for use in tire treads, for a long time. However, this use has remained very limited because of the unsatisfactory level of certain physical properties of such compositions, in particular, abrasion resistance.
Thus, it has been proposed, in order to overcome these drawbacks, to use functionalized diene polymers, instead of the non-functionalized polymers which were used before, and in particular polymers functionalized by alkoxysilane derivatives, such as tetraethoxysilanes. For example, mention may be made of U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,721, which describes a rubber composition comprising a diene polymer functionalized by an alkoxysilane having at least one non-hydrolyzable alkoxyl radical, which makes it possible to eliminate the polymerization solvent by steam stripping.
One disadvantage of these functionalization reactions lies in the coupling reactions which accompany them, which generally make it necessary to use an excess of alkoxysilane and/or to employ intensive mixing, in order to minimize these coupling reactions.
Another drawback of these reactions lies in the later implementation of the steam stripping operation, which is necessary to eliminate the polymerization solvent. In fact, generally, experience shows that the functionalized polymers obtained undergo changes in macrostructure during this stripping operation, which result in serious degradation of their properties, unless one is limited to using as the functionalizing agent an alkoxysilane belonging to a restricted family, such as that described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,721.
Consequently, it may be seen from the above that the use of diene polymers comprising an alkoxysilane function to obtain rubber compositions comprising silica as reinforcing filler is not satisfactory, despite the improved physical properties of these compositions.
Thus, research has been conducted on other functionalization reactions, always with a view to obtaining such rubber compositions.
By way of example, mention may be made of French Pat. No. FR 2.740.778, assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, which discloses the incorporation, into rubber compositions that comprise, as the reinforcing filler, silica in a majority proportion (for example, a blend of silica and carbon black), of diene polymers bearing at the chain end a silanol function or a polysiloxane block having a silanol end. For example, a functionalizing agent consisting of a cyclic polysiloxane, such as hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, may be used. The functionalized polymers obtained can be separated from the reaction medium, resulting in their formation by steam extraction of the solvent, without their macrostructure and consequently their physical properties changing.
Mention may also be made of European Pat. No. EP 0 877 047, which discloses the incorporation of such polymers having a silanol function in rubber compositions comprising as the reinforcing filler carbon black having silica fixed to its surface.
It has been possible to establish that these polymers impart rubber properties, in particular, hysteresis and reinforcement properties, in the cross-linked state, which are improved compared with those of control compositions based on non-functionalized diene polymers, and which are at least analogous to those of compositions based on diene polymers comprising an alkoxysilane function.
Mention may also be made of European Pat. No. EP 0 692 493, which establishes that diene polymers bearing at the chain end alkoxysilane groups and an epoxy group result in improved reinforcement properties and in reduced hysteresis losses at small and large deformations.
One disadvantage of these polymers, which comprise a functional group that is active for coupling to silica or to carbon black surface-modified by silica, is that the improvement in the hysteresis and reinforcement properties which they impart to the rubber compositions incorporating them is generally accompanied by a processing ability of the non-cross-linked mixes which is compromised when compared to the processing ability of non-functionalized "control" polymers.
Among the other functionalization reactions studied, mention may be made, for example, of the functionalization of the diene polymers along the chain by COOH functions.
The functionalization along the chain can be effected by direct metallation, in the presence of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMED), by means of butyllithium or metallic sodium (as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,978,161 and 3,976,628, respectively), followed by a carbonation reaction by means of carbonic gas. However, such a process has the disadvantage of generally resulting in cuts in the chain of the modified polymer.
Two specific reagents, of the respective formulae HSCH2CO2CH3 and N2CHCO2CH2CH3, have also been used to graft COOH functions along the chain of a diene polymer. For the description of the reaction mechanisms relating to the use of these two reagents, reference may be made respectively to the following documents: Sanui et al., J. Poly. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed. 12:1965 (1974) and Tanaka et al., J. Poly. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed. 17:2975 (1979). However, one major disadvantage of using one or the other of these two reagents is that it results in significant changes in macrostructure for the modified polymer.
This functionalization along the chain may also be implemented by means of carbon monoxide, either by hydroformylation followed by oxidation of the aldehyde formed (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,145), or by direct hydrocarboxylation of the polymer (as described in Ajjou et al., Macromolecules 29:1784 (1996)). The catalysts used for these reactions are based on rhodium or palladium. One disadvantage of this functionalization by carbon monoxide lies, on one hand, in the drastic nature of the operating conditions and, on the other hand, in the frequent formation of a gel in the reaction medium.
Functionalization by means of maleic anhydride is more widespread. This type of functionalization makes it possible to obtain succinic anhydride units along the chain, which are precursors of the COOH functions. Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,082,817 and 4,082,493 for examples of implementation of such functionalization. However, this method of functionalization may also result in the formation of a gel.
The use of diene elastomers comprising COOH functions along the chain for the preparation of rubber compositions useful in tires, is disclosed, in particular, by U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,091. This document discloses a rubber composition filled with carbon black comprising 25 to 55 phr (where phr represents parts by weight per hundred parts of elastomeric matrix) of polyisoprene and 45 to 75 phr of a diene polymer belonging to the group consisting of homopolymers of conjugated dienes and copolymers of conjugated dienes with mono-olefins, such as EPDM terpolymers (of ethylene, propylene and a diene), where part of at least one of these polymers comprises COOH functions grafted along the chain by reaction with a metal salt of unsaturated carboxylic acid, for example zinc dimethacrylate. The composition thus obtained is supposed to have a sufficiently high rigidity to be used in an internal reinforcement rubber for tire sidewalls, so as to permit travel with a flat tire under satisfactory conditions.

Composition for a tire tread and process for its preparation


A yieldable grout compactor for a cable roof support fixture adapted to be insertable in a uniform diameter borehole or in a stepped borehole in which the grout cartridge and compactor are insertable so as to have the cable perform the piercing and mixing function with respect to the grout material while the compactor is slidable on the cable caused by a sufficient degree of force to permit the grout to surround and anchor the cable. Compactor sleeves are sized with respect to the axial cable length and the internal and external diameters are sized to yieldably permit fixture installation and grout securement of the cable in a manner to obtain a secure anchor for the cable in the back of the borehole.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to mine roof support fixtures and particularly to the placement of the grout anchor which holds the end of a cable in a borehole where anchorage is established through the use of a resinous or cementeous grout.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the creation of underground passages, that geologic forces are released which cause strains in the earth surrounding the mine passage and that strain is reflected by movements of geological material making up the roof of the passage. Means for resisting the forces to re-establish balance are support fixtures that retard movement of the geologic material, not only the roof, but around the passage. Such fixtures can take several different forms. One form is to use cable anchored devices which extend from the surface of the opening in the boreholes to the base of the borehole and are anchored in place through the use of resinous or cementeous grouts. Grouts completely fill the annulus of the hole between the cable and the surrounding geologic mass. Grout anchors are normally of some considerable length, say 2 to 5 feet in length, and may fill the entire annulus in the borehole. It is known that grout anchors perform best when the annulus area between the cable and the surrounding borehole wall is small. For this reason it is advantageous to provide a small diameter hole resulting in as thin an annulus as possible. Examples in the art include Scott U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,180 of Mar. 29, 1983 or Hipkins et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,209 of Oct. 16, 1984, or Calandra U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,252 of May 21, 1985.
A problem in using small diameter boreholes is that the cable may, even so, be quite a bit smaller in diameter than the borehole. In the process of insertion of the grout material which is normally contained within a sausage-like plastic or membrane, the cable may slip past the grout cartridge and not push it to a position for anchoring in the back of the borehole. Also, the cable may pierce or cut the grout package prematurely causing it to break and not get into proper position at the back of the borehole. Another problem is the grout escaping down the borehole and not staying in place to harden and form an anchor.
A problem in using resinous grout cable anchors is that if the grout is very fluid it can escape from the desired anchor area by flowing down the borehole in the annular space surrounding the cable. The larger the borehole, the more chance the grout loss has to happen.
Another problem is quality control of the anchor which is affected by over mixing of the resinous grout, particularly if a quick setting grout is used, say if using a 15 to 30 second formulation. To prevent over mixing it is desireable to use a more fluid grout with a gel time of perhaps two minutes. Also in large boreholes bird cages or other mixing systems must be activated for a longer period of time to assure total mixing of the resinous grout.
In certain roof support fixtures the installation effort is directed to overcoming the problems of placing long bolts in low seams which require coupling of the parts of the fixture and a weakening of the fixture due to the couplings. Couplings are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,209 to increase the cost and the thread on the cable produces stress concentrations. Boreholes into which these types of roof fixtures are placed are larger, so as to accommodate the insertion of oversize couplings. When using a cable type roof bolt, for example a seven-strand cable, which may be a 5/8 inch diameter or 1/2 inch diameter cable, one can readily be placed in a borehole which may have a diameter that approaches one inch in a low seam by bending the cable in order to obtain insertion, thus eliminating the use of couplings. In any case the cable must push the grout cartridge to the back of the hole.

Yielding grout compactor for mine roof support fixture


A surface acoustic wave filter comprises a first electrode structure array which is formed on the piezoelectric substrate, and includes an input/output IDT, two receipt IDTs formed outside the input/output IDT and two reflectors formed outside the two receipt IDTs, and a second electrode structure array which is formed on the piezoelectric substrate and includes an input/output IDT, two receipt IDTs formed outside the input/output IDT and two reflectors formed outside the two receipt IDTs, which are concatenated with each other. In a case that the surface acoustic wave filter is represented by a symmetrical lattice-type circuit which is expressed by a serial arm impedance and a parallel arm impedance and is electrically equivalent to the same, at least two resonances of the serial arm impedance and at least three resonances of the parallel arm impedance are used to form a passband. The surface acoustic wave filter can have wide bands and low spurious signal.

Presently surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters are widely used in instruments of mobile communication, etc. because they have the advantages of small size, light weight, and no adjustment requirement, as well as other advantages. For mobile communication which requires characteristics, such as low propagation losses and high attenuation, SAW resonator filters are suitable.
A SAW resonator filter includes an input interdigital transducer (input IDT), an output interdigital transducer (output IDT), and a reflector. The SAW resonator filter uses resonance phenomena of surface acoustic waves confined in the transducer structure including the input IDT, the output IDT, and the reflector to have a passband of a frequency range which satisfies resonance conditions. A bandwidth of the SAW resonator filter is proportional to an electromechanical coupling coefficient (k.sup.2) of the piezoelectric substrate.
The SAW resonator filters using one resonance can only have narrow bandwidths. In order for a SAW resonator filter to have a wide bandwidth, it is effective to couple a plurality of resonances so that the SAW resonator filter has a wider bandwidth than that using one resonance.
For example, standing waves of acoustic surface waves confined by the IDTs and the reflector can have a wider bandwidth by coupling two resonances (so-called the zeroth mode resonance and the first mode resonance) than by the use of one resonance. A SAW resonator filter including three IDTs to couple the zero-order mode and the secondary mode resonances is also effective.
On the other hand, to realize a SAW resonator filter having high attenuation, it is effective to concatenate two electrode structure arrays.
FIG. 1 shows one example of the SAW resonator filter including concatenated two electrode structure arrays.
A first electrode structure array is disposed on a piezoelectric substrate. The first electrode structure comprises an input/output IDT 1 having N1 pairs of electrodes, and receipt IDTs 2, 2' disposed outside the input/output IDT 1 and having N2 pairs of electrodes which are substantially the same pitch as the input/output IDT and, and reflectors 3, 3' disposed outside the receipt IDTs 2, 2'. The input/output IDT 1 and the receipt IDTs 2, 2' are arranged with the adjacent electrodes spaced from each other by a gap L between the centers thereof.
A second electrode structure array is disposed on the piezoelectric substrate. The second electrode structure comprises an input/output IDT 11 having N1 pairs of electrodes and disposed on the piezoelectric substrate, receipt IDTs 12, 12' disposed outside the input/output IDT 11 and having N2 pairs of electrodes which are substantially the same pitch as the input/output IDT 11, and reflectors 13, 13' disposed outside the receipt IDTs 12, 12'. The input/output IDT 11, and the receipt IDTs 12, 12' are arranged with the adjacent electrodes spaced from each other by a gap L between the centers thereof.
The receipt IDTs 2, 2' of the first electrode structure array, and the receipt IDTs 12, 12' of the second electrode structure array are connected respectively by lines 4, 4' to concatenate the first and the second electrode structure arrays. The lines 4, 4' are connected with each other by a line 5 and have the same potential. The line 5 is provided as required.
Input signals are inputted to the input/output IDT 1 of the first electrode structure array in the first stage. Acoustic surface waves excited by the input/output IDT 1 are multi-reflected and received by the receipt IDTs 2, 2'. Energy of the received surface acoustic waves is converted to electric signals by the receipt IDTs 2, 2' and is supplied to the second electrode structure array on the second stage by the line 4, 4'.
In the second electrode structure array in the second stage, the surface acoustic waves are excited by the receipt IDTs 12, 12' and received by the input/output IDT 11. Energy of the received acoustic surface waves is converted to electric signals by the input/output IDT 11 and outputted.
The SAW resonator filter including the thus concatenated two electrode structure arrays is a filter circuit having the symmetrical structure with respect to the concatenation plane as a reflection plane. It is known that such a filter circuit is represented by a symmetrical lattice-type circuit having a serial arm impedance Za and a parallel arm impedance Zb, as shown in FIG. 2.
In the symmetrical lattice-type circuit of FIG. 2, when absolute values .vertline.Za.vertline., .vertline.Zb.vertline. of the serial arm impedance Za and the parallel arm impedance Zb are local minimum, the SAW resonator filter has resonance as one system. When absolute values .vertline.Za.vertline., .vertline.Zb.vertline. of the serial arm impedance Za and the parallel arm impedance Zb are local maximum, the SAW resonator filter has antiresonance as one system. Standing waves corresponding to the antiresonance are present in the SAW resonator filter.
Here, adjustment to match a resonance frequency of the serial arm impedance Za with an antiresonance frequency of the parallel arm impedance Zb and match a resonance frequency of the parallel arm impedance Zb with an antiresonance frequency of the serial arm impedance Za is made to obtain good filter characteristics.
Prior art relating to a SAW resonator filter which has a widened bandwidth as a result of such method is described below.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 06-85605/1994 discloses a surface acoustic wave filter which is suitable to widen bandwidths. This surface acoustic wave filter is intended to realize wide bandwidths by using a two-IDT structure in a triple mode. When an outside-band spurious signal is high, this acoustic surface wave filter, which has the two-IDT structure, cannot effectively reduce the spurious signal by adjusting pair numbers of the IDTs.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 64-82706/1989 discloses an acoustic surface wave filter having a narrow bandwidth and large attenuation outside the band. This acoustic surface wave filter matches a peak of internal reflection with a peak of reflected waves between digital electrodes to thereby obtain a double mode. This acoustic surface wave filter, which is a double-mode acoustic surface wave filter, has failed to realize sufficient propagation loss reduction and wide bands.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 05-315886/1993 discloses an acoustic surface wave filter having small ripples and large outside-band attenuation. This acoustic surface wave filter is intended to secure small ripples and wide passband widths by using a piezoelectric substrate having an above 10% electromechanical coupling coefficient, and differing an interdigital electrode number of an input interdigital transducer and that of an output interdigital transducer. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 05-315886/1993, a 41.degree.-rotated Y-cut X-propagating lithium niobate substrate having an above 10% electromechanical coupling coefficient is used, as the piezoelectric substrate. When an above 40.degree. and below 45.degree.-rotated X-cut Z-propagating lithium tetraborate substrate having a 1% electromechanical coupling coefficient, for example, is used as the piezoelectric, a specific passband width is only about 0.003, based on FIG. 9 of the specification of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 05-315886/1993, thus sufficiently wide bands cannot be realized.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 05-267990/1993 discloses a surface acoustic wave filter having wide bandwidths and small propagation losses in high frequency regions. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 05-267990/1993 is intended to realize a surface acoustic wave filter of concatenated double mode surface acoustic wave filter having wide specific bands in high frequency regions. The acoustic surface wave filter, which is a double mode acoustic surface wave filter, has limitations regarding propagation loss reduction and widening bands.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 07-38369/1995 discloses a multi-interdigital transducer-type acoustic surface wave filter having large passband widths and large attenuation amounts. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 07-38369/1995 is intended to realize an acoustic surface wave filter using three or more IDTs and defining a pitch between the IDTs. However, based on the study of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 07-38369/1995 by the inventors of the present application, the range defined by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 07-38369/1995 includes the double mode and modes larger than the double mode, and even a 4.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.6 range where preferable propagation characteristics are available includes the double mode and larger modes than the double mode. Accordingly band widening technique based on the operation mode is not disclosed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 01-231417/1989 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 02-202710/1990 also disclose acoustic surface wave filters having wide passband characteristics by the use of the double mode resonance. These acoustic surface wave filters, which are double mode acoustic surface wave filters, have limitations regarding propagation loss reduction and band widening.
As described above, acoustic surface wave filters having low propagation losses and wide bandwidths have been conventionally intended, but no acoustic surface wave filter having a sufficiently large passband width and sufficiently large outside-band attenuation amounts has been realized.
On the other hand, the bandwidth of a SAW resonator filter depends on the electromechanical coupling coefficient (k.sup.2) of the piezoelectric substrate. The recent rapid development of the mobile communication requires SAW filters having bandwidths suitable for used bandwidths and low propagation losses. Piezoelectric substrates of quartz, LiNbO.sub.3, LiTaO.sub.3, or others are used depending on used bandwidths.
The piezoelectric substrates are usually classified in to those having large electromechanical coefficients k.sup.2 and large frequency deflections with respect to temperature, and in to those having small electromechanical coefficients k.sup.2 and small frequency deflections with respect to temperature.
The latter piezoelectric substrates having small electromechanical coefficients k.sup.2 and small frequency deflections with respect to temperature are suitable for narrow band-uses, such as IF filters, etc. and will have significant practical merits if they can have wide bands.
The former piezoelectric substrates having large electromechanical coefficients k.sup.2 and large frequency deflections with respect to temperature are suitable for applications requiring wide band characteristics, such as front ends, etc. and will have significant practical merits of increase of numbers of pass channels, etc. if they can have wider bands.
As described above, if the conventional acoustic surface wave filters can further widen bands, they will be able to find more applications while using merits of the respective piezoelectric substrates.
However, the conventional acoustic surface wave filters, especially the SAW resonator filters can not have bandwidths which are wide enough to enjoy the merits of the respective piezoelectric substrates.
An object of the present invention is to provide an acoustic surface wave filter whose band width is wider than that of the conventional acoustic surface wave filters, and in addition, has further improved outside-band spurious signal.

Surface acoustic wave filter with optimally sized gaps between transducers


A method and associated systems for object identification and subsequent processing based on digital imaging and physical attributes. An object-identification system receives, in a materials-handling environment, a digital image and physical attributes that characterize an unidentified object. An attempt is made to identify the object by matching the image and attributes to those of known objects stored in an image database, an attribute database, or another external source. The object is associated with a label that identifies the actual object, associates the object with a similar object that may be substituted for the actual object in a desired application, or designates the object as unidentifiable. The digital image, label, and external sources used to identify the object may be updated by associating them with metadata gathered during the identification process. Subsequent processing is governed by business rules that operate as functions of the label data.

Modern inventory-control, billing, distribution, and other types of similar systems identify an item of merchandise by means of a machine-readable label affixed to the item. Such a label might show a combination of one or more bar codes, QR (Quick Response) codes, alphanumeric strings, graphics, or other identifiers that allows a reading device to identify information from which a characteristic of the labeled item may be retrieved or inferred.
Some items are so labeled upon manufacture or prior to being shipped to a distribution channel. Others, however, are not labeled or are labeled in a manner that does not facilitate identification by a machine-reading mechanism. In some cases, a sales, distribution, or other facility might use a machine-readable method, but that method may not be fully compatible with a particular type of labeling mechanism used on a particular item.
There is thus a need for a way to automatically identify, classify, and label items that are either unlabeled or labeled in a manner that is incompatible with a particular labeling format, medium, or identification mechanism.

Automated object identification and processing based on digital imaging and physical attributes


According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method comprises editing information related to a part according to a user operation, extracting characteristic information representing a characteristic of the part from information of an object to be edited when an operation to select the part is performed, searching a database for information similar to the characteristic information, searching the database for knowledge information related to the characteristic information, and displaying the knowledge information on a display unit.

1. Field
The present art relates to an information providing system, program, and method which provide knowledge information accumulated in a database and, in particular, to an information providing system, program, and method which effectively realizes accumulation and utilization of knowledge information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as a result of the advance of high-mix low-volume production, a business organization generally progresses development projects for similar commercial products parallel to each other. In such an environment, a know-how obtained in development of a certain product may effectively be utilized for development of another product to enable to efficient development the other product.
To accumulate and share know-how information a knowledge management system is developed. The knowledge management system accumulates various know-hows in a database and searches the database for a know-how required or requested by a user.
In a typical knowledge management system, a user performs a search using search keys such as a keyword, a registrant name, and a registration date included in the knowledge information. The user must select an appropriate search key to refer to necessary knowledge information.
An appropriate search key selected by the user can be selected based on understanding of the user related to a knowledge management system and knowledge information to be searched. However, the user rarely understands both the knowledge management system and the knowledge information to be searched. Therefore, the typical knowledge management system does not efficiently provide knowledge information required by a user.
When a user cannot acquire necessary knowledge information or when necessary knowledge information is buried in unnecessary knowledge information, the user cannot refer to the necessary knowledge information. When the user registers knowledge information in the typical knowledge management system, the user must demonstratively perform an operation of registering the knowledge information. For example, the user sets an appropriate keyword to search for a particular knowledge information by considering a state in which the knowledge information is used when registering the knowledge information. Alternatively, the user inputs the knowledge information on the basis of a standard format regulated by the knowledge management system in registration of the knowledge information. The possibility of using the knowledge information registered on the basis of the standard format in the future is unknown. Furthermore, a user having knowledge information to be registered in the knowledge management system is often busy because the user holds an effective knowledge. For this reason, an operation of continuously registering the knowledge information is difficult. Therefore, knowledge information is not easily accumulated in typical knowledge management systems.
When a large number of pieces of knowledge information are accumulated in a knowledge management system, excessive knowledge information may be required to be searched although a search using an appropriate search key is performed. As a result, the user may miss genuine useful knowledge information. One way of solving this problem is to systematically arrange a large number of pieces of knowledge information registered in the knowledge management system into a smaller number of pieces of knowledge information. However, this operation requires an operator having a wide knowledge related to a field described in the knowledge information and a number of operations to refer to a large number of pieces of knowledge information.
As described above, there is a burden on the operator to continuously perform operations, which especially becomes problematic when the operator is busy.
The disclosed technique solves the problems caused by the above discussed typical technique and other systems in order to cause a design support system such as a three-dimensional CAD to effectively handle knowledge information. This technique automatically searches for, accumulates, and arranges pieces of knowledge information in use by a design support system to effectively utilize knowledge information useful to a user.

Information providing system and information providing method


A module of hollow fiber membranes is re-configured to break up and rearrange a skein into multiple miniskeins each having no more than 250 fibers, all lower miniheaders of the miniskeins being slidably held for vertical movement in vertical slots in an aerator box. Upon shrinkage of the fibers, the lower miniheaders rise in the box. Each miniskein has from 2-12 planar ordered arrays in which the fibers are adhesively secured, preferably without potting the lower miniheaders. The lower ends of the fibers are dead-ended and lower miniheaders are positioned sequentially, transverse to the longitudinal axes of the upper header and the aerator box; its upper miniheader is potted in a choice of configurations. This configuration of miniskeins provides a packing density in each miniheader, whether upper or lower, not attainable in a prior art skein; the use of an aerator box having an area (footprint) no greater than 35% of that of the upper header, provides an effective packing density in the aerator box which provides exceptionally effective use of sparging air and readily removable sludge which drops through the bottom of the aerator box.

Multiple modules, often assembled in a cassette, are deployed in a tank of fluid to be filtered, e.g. water, or wastewater with suspended solids, either for batch filtration, batch-continuous filtration, or less likely, continuous filtration, all processes which are described in the prior art. In all instances, filtration is accompanied with air injected ("sparging air") into the tank so as to generate bubbles which scrub the fibers of a skein to remove solids left on the surfaces of its fibers. Without such scrubbing action, suspended solids in the wastewater would build up on the surfaces of the fibers and around them, and greatly impede filtration.
It is self-evident from the foregoing that, irrespective of the filtration process used, the greater the spacing between fibers, that is, the more open a skein, and the longer the air bubbles can contact the fibers, the longer will their surfaces remain clean, and the better will be the performance of the module. However, the more open a skein, the lower is the surface area of fibers per unit volume of substrate in which the module is deployed, and the higher the cost of using the module.
The prior art has devoted much effort towards configuring a module for a commercially viable process, but has provided little indication as to which features in a module coax the maximum efficiency from a chosen skein of fibers. Modules in which the skein is subdivided into bundles of fibers potted at one end in an upper header and at their opposed ends into multiple lower headers are disclosed in US 2010/0237014, (hereafter "the '014 application", or "'014" for brevity). Improving filtration efficiency is the goal of modules deployed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,811. The configuration of the novel module disclosed herebelow provides enhanced filtration efficiency.
Packing Density of Fibers in a Header:
The prior art has decreed that an economical skein should have as high a packing density "δ" of fibers in a header as is practical with fibers of a given nominal (outer) diameter from 1-3 mm, chosen fiber-to-fiber spacing, and supply of fiber-cleansing air; the length of the fibers is chosen so as to derive maximum benefit from upwardly streaming air bubbles, while avoiding fiber damage because of fiber-to-fiber interaction or fiber shrinkage. Therefore fibers of the aforesaid diameter, in a header, whether upper or lower, in a prior art elongated rectangular module, typically have a maximum practical packing density "δh" of about 0.32 (32%), referred to as "max header density".
The term "packing density" of fibers in a header, sub-divided header or miniheader refers to [the total area occupied by the circular cross-sections of all fibers (based on the outer diameter "d" of each) clustered or bundled within the boundaries in the x-y plane, and within the vertical x-z and y-z planar boundaries of the header, or sub-divided header, or miniheader (referred to as "header"), in which the terminal portions of fibers are secured, whether in arrays or randomly clustered], divided by, [the planar area of the header's footprint in the x-y plane]. A limited number of arrays, that is, from 2-12 arrays, preferably 2-8 arrays, most preferably 2-6 arrays, planarly clustered sequentially, adhesively and back-to-back, the number of fibers in each array limited to 250, are referred to as a miniskein. By "back-to-back" is meant that a pair of arrays may be secured adhesively with a mounting strip therebetween, or with adhesive only, all other arrays, if present, being secured with adhesive only.
For example, a cluster of "n" fibers having an outer diameter "d" occupy a total area of [n=πd2/4] cm2. When the n fibers are anchored in a rectangular header having length "x" cm (measured along the x-axis) and width "y" cm (measured along the y-axis), the footprint of the header is "xy" cm2. The packing density of fibers δh secured in the miniheader is [(n·πd2/4)/xy].
The use of a planar ordered array (or "array" for brevity) to form a header is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,373 and U.S. Pat. No. RE39,294 wherein terminal ends of fibers are fixed, side-by-side on only one side of the mounting strip which provides a physical boundary or barrier for the array. A second such array is prepared on another (second) mounting strip and overlaid upon the first; then a third ordered array is similarly prepared on a third mounting strip and overlaid on the second; and the procedure is further repeated to form a stack of arrays on one side of the mounting strip. The stack of multiple planar ordered arrays (or "arrays" for brevity) on mounting strips is then collectively potted to function as a header.
With a view to optimizing operating costs, a first embodiment illustrated in the '014 application, teaches a bundle of fibers (a "skein") in an elongated rectangular upper header x cm long and y cm wide, arranged in a number of generally parallel sheets or planes (referred to hereinafter as "arrays"); and, the bundle is divided longitudinally into four (4) sub-bundles which are potted in 4 lower sub-headers each 'xs' cm long and 'ys' cm wide, spaced-apart by 'w' cm, the grouped sub-bundles forming a composite open lower header. The term "composite" refers to the header comprising plural sub-bundles, each of which is formed by sub-dividing the skein of the module. The term "open" refers to the spaces between adjacent sub-divided headers which spaces provide through-passage for air bubbles rising between each sub-divided header to scrub the fibers of the sub-bundle.
In another embodiment is shown a module ("400") in which each sub-bundle is an elongated rectangular cluster of arrays in each of three sub-bundles forming the module (see FIG. 11 of the '014 application). In the first embodiment, the 4 spaced-apart sub-bundled lower headers provide open spaces, each xw cm2 in area, therebetween. Each sub-bundle provides a sub-header having an area xs ys cm2. The grouped lower sub-headers are therefore referred to herein as a "composite open lower header".
The area occupied by "n" fibers potted in each of four (4) sub-bundles is 4xs ys cm2 which is less than the total area [4xs ys+3xs w] cm2 occupied by the composite open lower header (which is the footprint of the composite open lower header). If the fibers were sub-bundled and spaced apart in the upper header as shown in FIG. 2, the upper header would be analogously referred to as a "composite upper header" but not a composite open upper header, because the rectangular spaces between spaced-apart sub-bundles in the upper header are filled with potting material and cannot provide an open through passage.
The packing density of the sub-bundled fibers in each sub-header is [(n·πd2/4)/xs ys]/cm2. The "effective packing density" (δhe) of fibers in each sub-header refers to a ratio computed as {the total area 4[n·πd2/4] cm2 of all the fibers} divided by {the planar area of the footprint, whether xy cm2 of a header, or xcyc cm2 of a composite header having length "xc" and width "yc"}, over which footprint the fibers are distributed. The δhe of fibers in the composite lower header is [4(n·πd2/4)/(4xs ys+3xs w)].
If "n" identical fibers having outer diameter "d" are used in a skein the upper ends of which are potted in an upper header A and the lower ends potted in a lower header B, each with the same footprint xy, then δhe of the fibers in each header is the same, irrespective of how the fibers are distributed in each header.
If the n identical fibers are used in a skein the upper ends of which are potted in an upper header A having area xA yA cm2 and the lower ends in a lower header, or composite header, B having a different area xB yB cm2, the δhe for A and B will be different.
It is self-evident that when the area of the lower header is greater than that of the upper header, the δhe for lower header B will be lower than that of the upper header A irrespective of whether the length or width of lower header is greater than those of upper header A, or both length and width are greater. In either case the skein will be more open near the lower header than near the upper header because the δhe for lower header B will be lower than that for the upper header A. Such openness is expected to provide better contact with rising air bubbles and more readily discharged solids which collect at the base of the skein. What cannot be known or knowledgeably calculated is what configuration of skein will provide a combination of a high enough practical packing density δh with a low enough effective packing density δhe to yield an unexpectedly effective and economically viable module.
Splitting a Skein:
To obtain more effective use of air in a header with desirable packing density, the '373 patent and U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,250 disclose splitting a skein by longitudinally splitting the rectangular upper and lower headers (see FIG. 9 of '373) with a defined open channel for an air-supply tube, with additional air-supply tubes on either side of the bottom header, if desired; and in FIG. 10 of '373 is illustrated two individual skeins which are laterally spaced apart, and cleansing or scrubbing air is introduced between the lower headers.
The foregoing concept of splitting a skein is used in the module disclosed in the '014 application in which module the skein is separated into plural, sub-bundled and separated, longitudinal lower headers ("sub-headers" herein), each having a large number of fibers the lower ends of which are dead-ended (plugged) and potted.
The foregoing principles were embodied in the disclosure of the '373 patent which specified that the terminal portions of potted fibers be spaced apart with center-to-center distance of adjacent fibers preferably in the range from about 1.2-5 times (1.2 d-5 d) the outside diameter 'd' of a fiber, with the admonition that spacing the fibers closer increases the risk of fiber-to-fiber contact near the terminal end portions when the ends are potted (see top of col 17).
There is no disclosure in '014 relating to the packing density in each sub-bundle, or the spacing between sub-bundles, so neither the packing density nor the effective packing density of fibers in each header is known. Neither is there any data in the '014 specification indicating that the sub-bundled skein is more cost-effective than a '373 module with conventional, unitary skein, that is, one in which the fibers are not sub-bundled, or one that is split longitudinally as shown in FIG. 9 of the '373 patent.
Shrinkage and Damage:
It is a characteristic of fibers made from synthetic resinous materials (polymers as opposed to ceramics) that they shrink while operating in liquids as they age (not just by aging but by certain specific conditions of temperature and pressure), when the module is put into service. The amount of shrinking depends upon the type of polymer, the diameter "d" of the fiber, and the type of reinforcement, if any, in the fiber. Because the vertical distance "v" (measured along the z-axis) between the upper and lower headers in a typical currently used module is fixed, if the fibers are only slightly, that is in the range from 0.5%-2% longer than "v", shrinkage during operation over time, tends to break them. If the fibers are substantially longer, that is in the range from 5-10% longer than "v", the fibers sway in the aerated substrate, usually wastewater, due to the force of uprising gas bubbles, causing a scrubbing action between adjacent fibers. The longer the fibers, the more they sway, and the greater the likely damage. Damaged fibers leak. A single broken and protruding fiber in an operating skein may be sufficient to have the skein removed from service.
As a result, experience in the field with skeins of commonly used polymeric fibers, and the prior art, suggests that, for headers spaced at a vertical distance 'v', fibers are used which are in the range from 0.5%˜5% longer than 'v'. At the upper end of the range, the slack in the fibers may cause damage due to rubbing against each other, and at the lower end of the range, risk breakage due to being overstretched.
In the '014 disclosure, the fibers are potted in various arrangements. For example, fibers in a sub-bundle may be randomly arranged in a lower header, or potted as a stack of mounting strips, each with an array, as disclosed in '373. The upper ends of fibers of each of the multiple sub-bundles (four shown in '014) may be mixed in the upper header; or, the upper ends of fibers of one sub-bundle may be kept from mixing with fibers of other adjacent sub-bundles in the upper header. In the case where the sub-bundling is preserved in the upper header, the spacing between the fibers may be increased, and the spacing between adjacent sub-bundles decreased relative to the spacing in the lower headers. In the case of fibers arranged in arrays, the rows may be generally evenly spaced in the headers, but at a greater spacing in the upper header (see [0042] of the '014 application).
In other words, the '014 disclosure teaches that there is nothing critical about the arrangement of the fibers either in the upper header or in the subdivided lower headers; and no significance is accorded to the packing density δh within a subdivided header, and/or, the effective packing density δhe in the header.
As an illustrative example, an '014 upper header may have from 8 to 30 arrays and be from 5 to 20 cm in width, the length of an array (number of fibers in an array) being indeterminate; a lower header may have from 1 to 5 arrays and be from 0.5 to 4 cm in width, the length of an array being indeterminate. The headers may be elongated in plan view having a ratio of length to width of, for example, 2 or more or 4 or more or 8 or more.
Volumetric Packing Density of Fibers in a Module in Service in a Tank:
One cannot predict performance of a skein from its volumetric packing density. In particular, there is no indication in '014 as to the length of the fibers, or as to the footprint of the headers, or the vertical distance between the upper and lower headers; or, whether the area of the lower header may be greater than that of the upper header; therefore the volumetric packing density of the '014 skein fibers in the wastewater is not known. The term "volumetric packing density" ("δy") refers to the ratio of [the volume of all 'n' fibers each having a cross-sectional area "πd2/4" and length "L" cm between upper and lower headers vertically spaced apart at 'v' cm, each header having a footprint xy cm2] to [the volume of wastewater occupied by the skein of fibers]. The ratio is computed as δv=[n πd2/4·L]/[xy·v]. The more fibers of given length and given fiber spacing 's', that can be packed into a fixed volume of substrate, the higher the volumetric packing density. When the fibers are relatively straight and taut between upper and lower modules, that is, v=L, then δv will be equal to the packing density "δh".
With fibers of length v≈L, and appropriate fiber spacing 's', higher δv nevertheless allows longer and better contact, therefore better scrubbing with uprising air bubbles because the fibers are more vertical and straighter. When the fibers are much longer than the vertical distance between headers, they will sway back and forth in an uprising stream of air bubbles in an irregularly shaped wastewater column larger than the rectangular parallelpiped xyv, the boundaries of which larger irregular column are constantly changing.
In a comparison of two modules using the same fibers, with the vertical distance 'v' between the opposed faces being the same, and the areas of the upper and lower headers being the same, and the fiber spacing in each header being the same, δv would be expected to be the same. Thus the effect of δv on performance of each module would be expected to be the same.
To improve the performance one might consider decreasing δv to allow more space between fibers, not increasing δv, which would provide opportunities for fibers to scrub against each other, and increases the chance of one or more fibers being damaged. Yet, by sub-bundling the fibers in headers of the '014 composite lower header, and laterally spacing the sub-bundled headers apart, it is clear δv would be increased in each sub-bundle, and also in the adjacent lower portions of the volume of substrate.
In a comparison of two modules, if each module is used for filtering the same wastewater with the same stated amount of air per unit fiber surface, in the same way, that is, cycling the air in a particular manner, any difference in performance of the modules will be attributable to: (i) the difference in packing densities (Δδh) of fibers in each header or sub-divided header; (ii) the difference in effective packing densities (Δδhe) of fibers in each header, or aerator box (or "box" for brevity); (iii) the difference in volumetric packing densities (Δδy); and, (iv) the difference in effective volumetric packing densities (Δδve) of the same number of fibers in a header having an area larger or smaller than the one for which δv was calculated.
In a comparison of the performance of two modules, a difference in performance must be attributable to differences in the foregoing properties which differences are determined by the packing densities of fiber in each, whether and how the headers are sub-divided, and how the sub-divided headers are configured in each header.
The term "performance" refers to the flux or rate of flow of permeate through a unit of membrane surface (liters/m2/hr) (LMH) or (gals/ft2/day) for each module at a specified rate of flow of air (liters/min/m2) or (m3/m2/hr) or (scfm/ft2) of filtration surface, while filtering wastewater which has a fouling rate of 0.1 kPa/min.
The Problem:
The prior art has failed to appreciate the interaction (i) of packing density of fibers in a header of arrays (the term "array" is used herein to denote "a planar ordered array" unless stated otherwise), (ii) of effective packing density of fibers in headers, (iii) of volumetric packing density of fibers in the column of wastewater occupied by the fibers of a skein in operation, and (iv) of effective volumetric packing density of fibers in the column of wastewater occupied by the fibers distributed over a larger area in one header compared to the area in the other, as they together factor into the performance of a module.
Performance of most fiber filtration modules having the same filtration area are expected to be about the same. However, much like in a marathon, it is the long term performance, that is the module's performance after several days of continuous operation under normally encountered filtration conditions, or over a period of at least 48 hours under accelerated sludge-forming conditions, that makes the difference. The prior art also failed to realize that there is an upper limit to the number of arrays overlappingly secured to a single mounting strip because efficient use of filtration surface requires that no more than 73.5%, preferably no more than 52% of the fibers in a lower header be surrounded (that is, fully encircled) by other adjacent fibers.
The goal is to design and construct a more efficient, reliably operable, hence more economical, shell-less module than any available in the prior art.

Hollow fiber membrane module with miniskeins in miniheaders having a zig-zag configuration


A stator of a motor includes a plurality of busbar plates, each laminated above a stator core in an axial direction and connected to a plurality of wires having a substantially U-shaped configuration. Each busbar plate includes a plurality of busbars arranged in a circumferential direction, and a busbar holder of insulating quality to which the plurality of busbars are integrally affixed. The wires include a line portion, and a connecting end portion having a substantially columnar shape protruding from an end surface of the line portion. The busbar makes contact with the end surface of the line portion and is connected by welding to the connecting end portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor, a stator of the motor, a configuration of a wire in the stator, and a manufacturing method of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various components and mechanisms used in a vehicle have been developed with a specific focus on environmental concerns (e.g., energy efficiency, reduction of carbon dioxide emission, and the like). One of such mechanisms is an "idling stop" mechanism which allows an engine of a vehicle that is not in motion to automatically stop in order to reduce the carbon dioxide emission.
However, when a compressor is activated by the engine of such vehicle, each time the engine stops, the components activated by the compressor, such as an air conditioner, also stop. In order to avoid such inconvenience, the compressor of the components, such as an air conditioner, is operated by a motor (e.g., IPM (Interior Permanent Magnet)). That is, the compressor is activated by a car battery, which allows the air conditioner to continue to operate even while the engine is not running. The IPM motor has a high reliability due to a secure connection between the rotor core and a permanent magnet thereof, and is suitable due to its high resistance against thermal demagnetization for use in a motor vehicle.
Since the motor operated compressor is expected to produce a large output while running on a car battery having a relatively low voltage, an electric current run through coils of the stator of such motor becomes great. In order to minimize an amount of heat generated by the coils in such motor, wires having a large cross section (e.g., the wires are rectangular shaped) are used to form the coils.
Conventionally, the wire whose large and rectangular shaped cross section makes it difficult to manipulate when winding the wires around teeth of a stator core to form coils are formed to have a substantially U-shaped configuration prior to being inserted between the teeth. Conventionally, a large circumferential gap between the angular wire and the terminals to be connected thereto is required so as to allow enough space to carry out the connection between the angular wire and the terminal, and therefore required the dimension of the busbar to be enlarged. Such configuration consequently enlarged the dimension of the entire motor.

Motor having multiple busbar plates and wire for the same


An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and a method of fabricating the same capable of minimizing the number of process operations and a decrease in aperture ratio. The OLED display device includes a compensation circuit to compensate for a threshold voltage of a driving transistor. A pixel circuit of the OLED display device can be stably driven, can minimize a threshold voltage of a driving transistor using a minimized structure, and can increase an aperture ratio of the display device.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and a method of fabricating the same and, more particularly, to an OLED display device which includes a compensation circuit capable of compensating for a threshold voltage of a driving transistor, and can decrease the number of process operations, and minimize a decrease in aperture ratio, and a method of fabricating the OLED display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flat panel display device (FPD) has become strongly relied upon as a display device that has superseded a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display device because the FPD is fabricated to be lightweight and thin. Typical examples of the FPD are a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device. As compared to the LCD, the OLED display device has a higher luminance, a wider viewing angle, and can be made thinner because the OLED display device needs no backlight.
In the OLED display device, electrons and holes are injected into an organic thin layer through a cathode and an anode and recombine to generate excitons. The electrons and holes emit light of a certain wavelength as the electrons and holes recombine.
The OLED display device may be classified into a passive matrix type and an active matrix type depending upon how the device drives N×M pixels that are arranged in a matrix shape. An active matrix type OLED display device includes a circuit using a thin film transistor (TFT). A passive matrix type OLED display device can be fabricated by a simple process since anodes and cathodes are arranged in a matrix shape on a display region. However, the passive matrix type OLED display device is applied only to low-resolution, small-sized display devices because of the resolution limit, high driving voltage, and short lifetimes of materials. By comparison, in the active matrix type OLED display device, a TFT is mounted in each pixel of a display region. Thus, a constant amount of current can be supplied to each pixel so that the active matrix type OLED display device can emit light with a stable luminance. Also, since the active matrix type OLED display device consumes less power, the active matrix type OLED display device can be applied to high-resolution, large-sized display devices.
In an active matrix type OLED display device, a threshold voltage of a driving transistor included in each pixel has an inconstant deviation due to problems in the fabrication of a TFT. Since the inconstant deviation of the threshold voltage makes the luminance of the OLED display device nonuniform, the OLED display device needs to include a pixel circuit having a variety of compensation circuits in order to compensate for such inconstant deviation of the threshold voltage.
However, the pixel circuit of the OLED display device further includes a plurality of TFTs and at least one capacitor in order to compensate for the deviation of the threshold voltage of the driving transistor. As a result, the pixel circuit has a complicated configuration, thus degrading reliability and complicating fabrication processes.

Organic light emitting diode display device having first and second capacitors disposed on a substrate wherein the first capacitor comprises an undoped semiconductor layer electrode.


Ethylene-based polymers having a density of 0.952 to 0.968 g/cm3, a ratio of HLMI/MI from 185 to 550, an IB parameter from 1.46 to 1.80, a tan δ at 0.1 sec−1 from 1.05 to 1.75 degrees, and a slope of a plot of viscosity versus shear rate at 100 sec−1 from 0.18 to 0.28 are described, with low melt flow versions having a HLMI from 10 to 30 g/10 min and a Mw from 250,000 to 450,000 g/mol, and high melt flow versions having a HLMI from 30 to 55 g/10 min and a Mw from 200,000 to 300,000 g/mol. These polymers have the processability of chromium-based resins, but with improved stress crack resistance and topload strength for bottles and other blow molded products.

Polyolefins such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) homopolymer and copolymer and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) copolymer can be produced using various combinations of catalyst systems and polymerization processes.
Chromium-based catalyst systems can, for example, produce ethylene-based polymers having good extrusion processability and polymer melt strength, typically due to their broad molecular weight distribution (MWD).
In some end-use applications, such as blow molding, it can be beneficial to have the processability, cycle time, and melt strength similar to that of an ethylene polymer produced using a chromium-based catalyst system, as well as improvements in one or more of stiffness/modulus, strength, and environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR)—and preferably at equivalent or higher polymer densities. Accordingly, it is to these ends that the present invention is generally directed.

Dual metallocene polyethylene with improved processability for lightweight blow molded products


Disclosed are systems and methods useful in waste processing. Disclosed is the use of a regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) unit for production of industrially useable steam. Disclosed are systems including a stripping unit associated with a regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) unit so that the stripping unit provides fuel for the RTO unit and the RTO unit provides a stripping gas for the stripping unit. Disclosed are systems including an RTO unit providing steam to operate a vapor condensation (VC) unit.

The present invention relates to the field of waste processing and specifically to systems and methods useful in processing wastewater contaminated by volatile compounds, especially mixtures of volatile compounds and wastewater also contaminated with non-volatile materials such as salts and metal ions.
Industrial wastewater is often contaminated with harmful compounds including volatile organic or inorganic compounds as well as non-volatile harmful compounds such as detergents, salts and metal ions. As it is unacceptable to dispose of contaminated wastewater in the environment, a significant proportion of the cost for operating an industrial plant is directed to processing wastewater to neutralize the environmental and health dangers that the contaminated wastewater poses. In general, industrial wastewater is neutralized by processes that a) convert the environmentally harmful contaminants to products releasable into the environment and/or b) concentrate the environmentally harmful contaminants into as small a volume as possible for cheap internment.
It is well known in the art to remove volatile compounds from industrial wastewater or other contaminated aqueous streams by a process called steam stripping. In steam stripping, steam is externally generated and used as a stripping gas to remove volatile components from the wastewater into a vapor phase by direct contact with the wastewater inside a stripping column. The vapor phase is condensed to provide a water phase and a volatile compound phase. The volatile compound phase is separated from the water phase in a decanter vessel and incinerated or further processed for recovery while the water phase is typically combined with additional wastewater for an additional stripping step. The wastewater is stripped one or more times until relatively pure water is produced which can be released into the environment at low cost.
Steam stripping is commonly used to treat wastewater contaminated with a single volatile compound or a relatively well-defined mixture of volatile compounds, such as a specific solvent in amounts of up to about 1% by weight (about 10 gram per liter). In such cases, recovery, isolation and sale of the volatile compounds allows a reduction in the cost of operating the steam stripping unit. Thus, a steam stripping unit is advantageously used together with a single specific industrial process to recycle solvents from wastewater produced by the process.
Steam stripping is less efficient for treating wastewater containing complex mixtures of volatile contaminants, for example as may be found in dedicated waste processing plants that receive and process wastewater from multiple sources with ill-defined and changing contaminants. The volatile compound phase recovered from the vapor is a complex and ill-defined mixture of volatile compounds. In some cases, it is economically advantageous to isolate and purify specific components of the mixture, for example by distillation, but most often the components of such complex mixtures are destroyed by incineration. When the mixture includes volatile compounds that produce harmful incineration products such volatile inorganics and halogen-containing organics (e.g., chlorinated and brominated solvents) there is an added expense of scrubbers and traps for processing the wastewater.
Steam-stripping is even less suitable for processing wastewater including non-volatile contaminants, for instance wastewater including detergents, salts, buffers and metal ions in addition to volatile organic and inorganic contaminants. Steam-stripping separates the volatile contaminants from the waste water but at a higher cost: volatilization of volatile compounds from wastewater including a significant proportion of non-volatile contaminants requires more energy and there is increased sediment build up in the stripping column which requires significant maintenance. In any case, in the best case what is achieved is a minor reduction of the volume of the wastewater that still includes the non-volatile contaminants and must be further processed.
There is a need for an efficient and relatively cheap method for processing wastewater, especially wastewater including mixtures of volatile contaminants or including non-volatile contaminants together with volatile contaminants that is superior to methods known in the art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and device for waste-water purification


The present disclosure provides a backlight module and a display device. The backlight module comprises a housing frame and a back plate. The housing frame comprises a main body part, a panel bearing part, and a first clamping part extending toward the back plate. The back plate comprises a bottom wall, a side wall substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall, and a second clamping part extending from the side wall towards the housing frame. The first clamping part is clamped between the second clamping part and the bottom wall.

Generally, in a design of a display device, a housing frame and a back plate of a backlight module are clamped and connected by a clamping part on the housing frame and a clamping hole on the back plate. Since the clamping hole on the back plate cannot be chamfered after a stamping process, and the limiting hole on the back plate is usually obtained through stamping and cutting, sharp burrs are easily formed around the limiting hole and interact with the clamping part on the housing frame, generating debris. The debris falling into the backlight module may cause picture defect of the backlight module, and further affect the display effect of the display device. In the prior art, screw connection between a housing frame and a back plate is not easy to generate debris, but the low assembly efficiency leads to a high production cost.

BEIJING BOE CHATANI ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


An elevating and rotating patient ultrasound stand facilitates accurate ultrasound evaluation. A base provides both elevation changes and rotation. An electric motor lifts and lowers the stand, and rotates on a “lazy susan” style base. One embodiment of a lifting mechanism is a scissors style mechanism and another embodiment is a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder mechanism. The stand resides above the elevating and rotating mechanism and includes arm rests on each side. In one embodiment a seat is attachable to the stand to provide a patient with a rest from standing for a long period of time.

The present invention relates to obtaining patient venous evaluation by ultrasound and in particular to an elevating and rotating stand facilitating ultrasound evaluation of a patient's lower extremity veins.
Ultrasound evaluation is often of a patients legs. Known methods for taking such evaluation includes several repositioning steps and require the ultrasound technologist to kneel or otherwise position themselves below the patient's waste. Thorough evaluation benefits from the ultrasound probe being positioned perpendicular to the skin and a very steady hold. Awkward positions often result making it difficult to achieve the best positioning, hampers obtaining accurate evaluation, and may cause damage to the ergonomic health of the technologist and the patient.

Elevating and rotating ultrasound patient stand


The present invention provides a hybrid light modulator. The hybrid light modulator of the present invention includes an element having a protrusion to diffract incident light even at an early light receiving stage and to control the diffractive angle of the light using a microactuator, unlike conventional diffractive light modulators which reflect and diffract incident light using a plurality of micromirror actuators. Therefore, the present invention realizes device miniaturization and assures easy digital operation. Furthermore, piezoelectric force may be used to provide an actuating force to the element of the hybrid light modulator. Alternatively, electrostatic or electromagnetic force may be used as an actuating force for the hybrid light modulator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to light modulators, and more particularly, to a hybrid light modulator which includes a plurality of ribbons each having a plurality of protrusions to diffract incident light from an early light receiving stage and to control a diffractive angle of the light beam using a microactuator, thereby realizing the miniaturization of a device and assuring the ease of digital operation, unlike conventional diffractive optical modulators in which incident light is reflected and diffracted by the operation of a plurality of micromirror actuators.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an optical signal processing technology has advantages in that a great amount of data is quickly processed in a parallel manner unlike a conventional digital information processing technology in which it is impossible to process a great amount of data in real time, and studies have been conducted on the design and production of a binary phase only filter, an optical logic gate, a light amplifier, an image processing technique, an optical device, and a light modulator using a spatial light modulation theory.
The spatial light modulator is applied to optical memory, optical display device, printer, optical interconnection, and hologram fields, and studies have been conducted to develop a display device employing it.
The spatial light modulator is embodied by a reflective deformable grating light modulator 10 as shown in FIG. 1. The light modulator 10 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,360 by Bloom et al. The light modulator 10 includes a plurality of reflective deformable ribbons 18, which have reflective surface parts, are suspended on an upper part of a silicon substrate 16, and are spaced apart from each other at regular intervals. An insulating layer 11 is deposited on the silicon substrate 16. Subsequently, a sacrificial silicon dioxide film 12 and a low-stress silicon nitride film 14 are deposited.
The nitride film 14 is patterned by the ribbons 18, and a portion of the silicon dioxide film 12 is etched, thereby maintaining the ribbons 18 on the oxide spacer layer 12 by a nitride frame 20.
In order to modulate light having a single wavelength of λo, the modulator is designed so that thicknesses of the ribbon 18 and oxide spacer 12 are each λo/4.
Limited by a vertical distance (d) between a reflective surface 22 of each ribbon 18 and a reflective surface of the substrate 16, a grating amplitude of the modulator 10 is controlled by applying a voltage between the ribbon 18 (the reflective surface 22 of the ribbon 18 acting as a first electrode) and the substrate 16 (a conductive layer 24 formed on a lower side of the substrate 16 to act as a second electrode).
In an undeformed state of the light modulator with no voltage application, the grating amplitude is λo/2 while a total round-trip path difference between light beams reflected from the ribbon and substrate is λo. Thus, a phase of reflected light is reinforced.
Accordingly, in the undeformed state, the modulator 10 acts as a plane mirror when it reflects incident light. In FIG. 2, the reference numeral 20 denotes the incident light reflected by the modulator.10 in the undeformed state.
When a proper voltage is applied between the ribbon 18 and substrate 16, the electrostatic force enables the ribbon 18 to move downward toward the surface of the substrate 16. At this time, the grating amplitude is changed to λo/4. The total round-trip path difference is a half of a wavelength, and light reflected from the deformed ribbon 18 and light reflected from the substrate 16 are subjected to destructive interference.
The modulator diffracts incident light 26 using the interference. In FIG. 3, the reference numerals 28 and 30 denote light beams diffracted in +/− diffractive modes (D+1, D−1) in the deformed state, respectively.
However, the Bloom light modulator adopts an electrostatic method to control a position of the micromirror, which has disadvantages in that an operating voltage is relatively high (usually, 20 V or so) and a correlation between the applied voltage and displacement is not linear, resulting in poor reliability in the course of controlling light.
Conventional light modulators disclosed in the patent filed by Bloom et al. have been used to form structures which display images. In such light modulator, two neighboring elements form one pixel. Of course, three neighboring elements may form one pixel. Alternatively, four neighboring elements may form one pixel. As a further alternative, six neighboring elements may form one pixel. In the case that a display device has an optical system which detects only diffracted light, when no voltage is applied to elements, such as ribbons, the ribbons are maintained in those original positions. At this time, pixels are dark, that is, are in a state of being turned off. Otherwise, when voltage is applied to the ribbons, the ribbons are warped downwards toward the silicon substrate. At this time, the pixels are bright, that is, attain a state of being turned on. A contrast ratio between a dark pixel and a bright pixel is a significant factor in forming the display system. In addition, an important matter in forming the display system is to accommodate the recent trend of miniaturization and high integration of electronic products.
However, the conventional light modulators disclosed in the patent filed by Bloom et al. have reached the limit in miniaturization. In other words, the conventional light modulators cannot be reduced under 3 μm in the width of the element. Furthermore, an interval between neighboring elements cannot be reduced under 0.5 μm.