Polynucleotides isolated from chickpea are disclosed herein. The disclosed polynucleotides of the present invention provide genotype-dependent spatial information on the presence and relative abundance of each gene. The transcriptomic analysis of the polynucleotides revealed (649) non-cannonical genes besides many unexpected candidates with known biochemical functions, which have never been associated with pathostress-responsive transcriptome. The polynucleotides disclosed in the present invention can be used as a molecular tool for isolation of novel genes from plants that can be used for plant improvement. Further, the polynucleotide responsible for improving immunity against fungal pathogen in plants is disclosed herein. The present invention also provides a method of improving immunity against fungal pathogen in plants. Transgenic plants exhibiting improved immunity against fungal pathogen are also provided in the present invention.

The ultimate phenome of any organism is modulated by regulated transcription of many genes. Characterization of genetic makeup is thus crucial for understanding the molecular basis of phenotypic diversity, evolution and response to intra- and extra-cellular stimuli. Living cells have evolved to perceive and integrate different signals from their surroundings and to respond by modulating the appropriate gene expression. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) provide an invaluable resource for analysis of gene expression associated with specific organs, growth conditions, developmental processes and responses to various environmental stresses (White et al., 2000; Ewing et al., 1999; Jantasuriyarat et al., 2005). It bridges the gap between the genome sequences and gene function. ESTs have been useful for intra- and intergenomic comparisons, gene discovery, generation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), cloning of genes from MStag peptide sequences, transcript pattern characterization, identifying splice variants, erroneous annotations in the genome database and incomplete prediction of gene structure (Ramirez et al., 2005; Udall et al., 2006). Further, the transcriptome of cells and organs comprise a focused set of transcripts that fulfills discrete but varied cellular functions. The analyses of organ specific transcriptome provide additional information about localization of gene function and pathway compartmentalization. Whereas the transcriptome research is quite advanced in animals, yeast, bacteria and reference plants like Arabidopsis and rice (Takabatake et al., 2008; Melamed et al., 2008; LeBlanc et al., 2008; Wellmer et al., 2006; Satoh et al., 2007) there is relatively less information in crop plants.
Legumes are valuable agricultural and commercial crops that serve as important nutrient sources for human diet and animal feed. About one third of human nutrition comes from legumes and in many developing countries, legumes serve as the only source of protein. Many secondary metabolites in legumes have been implicated in defense and are of particular interest as novel pharmaceuticals. Five tribes constitute the family fabaceae, of which one representative genus each from four tribes have been used to generate ESTs. However, the tribe ciceri having a single genus Cicer, remained as the understudied legume. Chickpea is the world's third most important food legume grown in over 40 countries representing all the continents. Despite its importance in plant evolution, role in human nutrition and stress adaptation, very little ESTs and differential transcriptome data is available, let alone genotype-specific gene signatures. It is grown on about 10 mha area worldwide and the global production exceeds 8 million tons. In many water-deficient regions of the world, it serves as an important protein-rich food and an increasingly valuable traded commodity. Chickpea has one of the highest nutritional compositions of edible legume and does not contain any specific major anti-nutritional factor, rather it is used in herbal medicine. Despite the importance of chickpea in the study of plant evolution, its role in nutritional requirement in humans, and stress adaptation nothing is known about the genes responsible for these traits—primarily because it is recalcitrant to genetic analysis. Unlike genetically tractable plants such as tomato, maize and Arabidopsis, chickpea produces a limited number of seeds. Furthermore, its genome is large (732 Mbp) as compared to Arabidopsis (125 Mbp). Consequently, chickpea has remained outside the realm of both modern genome-sequencing initiatives and large scale functional genomics studies. Currently available completely annotated plant genome sequences make it possible to study the genomes of agriculturally important genetically complex crop plants such as chickpea by comparing the ESTs derived from them. Only very recently, attention has been given from both genomics and proteomics perspect to this important food legume. Because of its evolutionary position as a key node within legumes as well as its nutritional and medicinal significance to humans, chickpea is ideally suited for genomic prospecting.
Transcriptional programs that regulate development and stress response are exquisitely controlled in space and time. Elucidating these programs that underlie development is essential to understand the acquisition of cell and tissue identity. Root in higher plants is a highly organized structure that plays a key role in nutrient acquisition and water uptake besides its primary function of mechanical support to the plant. Nevertheless, it is essentially the entry point for the soil borne pathogens into the plant body. Of the soil borne root pathogen, vascular wilt is the most important disease. Vascular wilt caused by Fusarium is ubiquitous evolutionarily and effects crop plants across families. In particular, chickpea wilt, is widespread in occurrence and on an average causes substantial loss of 10 to 15% in production every year worldwide. During the infection process the fungus invades roots and spreads systemically through the host's vascular system, breaking down the cell walls to form gels that block the plant's transport system thereby causing yellowing and wilting symptoms. In general, the wilt symptoms appear as chlorotic spots on the lower leaves followed by discoloration and necrosis. Vascular discoloration occurs from the roots to the young stems, followed by a yellowing and wilting of the leaves before final necrosis. When uprooted the stem is split vertically and internal discoloration is visible in pith and xylem. The susceptible genotypes take less than 25 days for wilting whereas the resistant ones do not show any symptoms of wilting up to 60 days. Fusarium, an ubiquitous pathogen that causes disease not only in plants but also is a threat to other living organisms, including human (Nucci & Anaissie, 2007; Sander et al., 1998).
Microarray technology is a powerful tool that can be used to identify the presence and level of expression of a large number of polynucleotides in a single assay. Strength of microarray technology is that it allows the identification of differential gene expression simply by comparing patterns of hybridization.
Immune responses are controlled by dynamic and variable gene expression changes which lead to reprogramming of many cellular functions. It has been postulated that the outcome of the defense response seems to be finely tuned by cross-talk between various signaling pathways (Koornneef and Pieterse, 2008) resulting in quantitative and/or kinetic effects on the resistance response (Katagiri, 2004). Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors represent a family of proteins that contains a bHLH domain, a motif involved in DNA binding and dimerization (Murre et al., 1989). Members of the bHLH TF superfamily proteins are known to perform diverse regulatory functions. In animals they act as regulatory factors in different processes such as neurogenesis, cardiogenesis, myogenesis, and hematopoiesis (Jones, 2004). Although, the members of bHLH TF superfamily have been studied in mammals, but investigation of plant bHLH is still in its infancy.
The genetic improvements in plants beyond current capabilities are urgently needed for production of more food worldwide, implying thereby enhanced growth and development of plants with increased tolerance to stress. Environmental stresses including disease have major effects on agricultural production and food security. During the past, there have been attempts to develop high yielding plant varieties by engineering stress tolerance. Although there have been isolated instances of reports on developing plants with increased stress tolerance but not much has been achieved towards genetic enhancement of plants in terms of immunity. Thus, there is a critical need to discover molecules such as polynucleotides, genes, ESTs of agricultural importance, their functional analyses and exploitation for sustainable crop production.

Polynucleotides derived from chickpea and uses thereof

National Institute of Plant Genome Research


A lighting configuration that is a combination of far dark field lighting and a modified dark stripe lighting is disclosed. The novel combination provides a more robust detection of flaws on, e.g. a moving web of transparent film, than either would provide alone or through a summation of their individual parts.

In recent years, with the assistance of capable computing, it has been possible to use automated equipment to perform some of the inspection tasks that previously required a human eye. Such "machine vision" techniques have become more sophisticated, and among other things have been employed for the inspection of sheets and webs of material. Good illumination of the article being inspected is needed for the proper deployment of machine vision, especially when inspecting for surface defects on transparent or semi-transparent webs.
One technique that has been employed is the so called, "far dark field" technique, which is used to detect defects that strongly scatter light. When using the far dark field technique, one or two light sources are placed so that their light falls upon the article to be inspected (for example, a film or similar material) at an angle to the line of vision of the camera. In the absence of an upset condition, e.g. a defect, the camera will normally see no light from these sources. Only when a surface defect passes through the beams will light be reflected toward the camera so that flaws are seen as lighted areas on a normally dark image.
Another technique is the so called, "dark stripe" technique, which is used to detect defects that weakly scatter or deflect light. When using the dark stripe technique, illumination from a source is aimed through the web and directly at the camera. This illumination is diffused and attenuated with a dark stripe mask. This mask is intended to block the majority of diffuse light from the view of the camera. Only when a surface defect that reflects or refracts the light rays from their indirect paths will light be diverted towards the camera so that flaws are seen as lighted areas on a normally dark image.
Each has some advantages for highlighting the flaws on clear webs, but there are some defects that resist detection with one or the other of these methods.

Method and apparatus for illuminating material for automated inspection


An electronic device having a keyboard fixed through a set of suckers and most suitably applied to the host body of an electronic product is provided. The electronic device includes a casing, a keyboard module and at least a sucker. The keyboard module has at least a key and the sucker is used for attaching the keyboard module to the casing. Furthermore, the sucker includes a first coupling part and a second coupling part. The first coupling part is used for sucking up the keyboard module and the second coupling part is used for fixing the sucker to the casing so that the electronic device and the host body can be assembled together smoothly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic device having a keyboard module.
2. Description of the Related Art
In this information era, people's reliance on electronic products is increasing every day. Our demands for high performance and portable electronic devices have produced many types of indispensable gadgets. In fact, notebook personal computers, cellular phones and personal digital assistant (PDA) have become indispensable tools in our everyday life.
All the aforementioned electronic products have at least a man-machine interface for inputting user instructions so that the system inside the electronic product can respond by executing such instructions. At present, the most commonly used man-machine interface is a keyboard module. FIG. 1 is a diagram providing a view of a partially disassembled conventional electronic product. Using a notebook computer 100 shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the notebook computer 100 has a keyboard module 110, a host body 120 and a screen 130. The keyboard module 110 has a plurality of first latching elements 112 and a plurality of keys 114. Furthermore, the first latching elements 112 are disposed on the respective sides of the keyboard module 110. In addition, the host body 120 has a plurality of second latching elements 122 that corresponds to the first latching elements 112 and a receptacle 124 for accommodating the keyboard module 110. The second latching elements 122 are latching grooves disposed on the respective sidewalls of the receptacle 124, for example.
Accordingly, the keyboard module 110 is enclosed inside the receptacle 124 and fixed to the host body 120 by latching the plurality of first latching elements 112 to the corresponding second latching elements 122 on the respective sidewalls of the receptacle 124.
However, to accommodate and fix the keyboard module inside the receptacle, the first latching elements must latch onto the second latching elements disposed on the respective sides of the receptacle so that the keyboard module and the receptacle are tightly joined together. The aforementioned assembling process often lead to the bulging of the keyboard module above the receptacle. Ultimately, overall quality of the notebook computer is affected. In particular, when there is any dimensional mismatch between the electronic device and the receptacle or any dimensional mismatch between the first latching elements and the second latching elements, the smoothness of the keyboard module mounted inside the receptacle will be directly affected. When a user presses down on the key on the keyboard module, the floating sensation may result.

Electronic device with sucker-fixed keyboard


A curable silicone composition, comprising (A) a fluorosilicone represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR1## wherein Rf represents a perfluoroalkylene group or perfluoropolyether group having 11 to 30 carbon atoms, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 each represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group, a and p are each an integer of 2 or over, b and c are each an integer of 0 or over, and X is a triorganosilyl group, (B) an organohydrogensiloxane containing two or more Si--H groups in the molecule, and (C) a platinum family metal catalyst. This composition upon curing gives a rubberlike elastic product excellent in solvent resistance, chemical resistance, water repellency, and oil repellency and low in moisture permeability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a curable silicone composition capable of forming a cured product excellent in solvent resistance, water repellency, and oil repellency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Curable silicone compositions are used in various fields since they can form rubberlike elastic cured products excellent in properties such as heat resistance. Such a curable silicone composition is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,136, i.e., the U.S. Patent discloses a curable composition, consisting essentially of a homogeneous mixture of
(A) a siloxane polymer or copolymer of the formula ##STR2## (B) a curing agent of the formula ##STR3## (C) an effective amount of a platinum-containing catalyst; where, in (A) and (B), each R and R' is independently methyl, phenyl, or 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl, each R.sub.f is independently a perfluoroalkylene radical of 2 to 10 carbon atoms, a perfluorocycloalkylene radical, or a perfluoroalkylene radical of 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a perfluorocycloalkylene radical containing one or more --C--O--C-- lincages; p has a value of 0 to 2 q inclusive, so that, when p=0, siloxane (A) is a siloxane polymer, but when p has a value of from greater than 0 to q, inclusive, siloxane (A) can be either a random copolymer or an alternating copolymer and when p has a value of from greater than q to 2 q, inclusive, siloxane (A) is only an alternating copolymer having no more than 2 adjecent CH.sub.3 (CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2) SiO units, q has an average value of at least 3, each a is independently 1,2 or 3, there being an average of greater than 2.0 silicone-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule of (B) and the amount of (B) being such that there is, in said curable composition, from 0.5 to 3.0 silicone-bonded hydrogen atoms for every silicone-bonded vinyl radical. PA1 (A) a fluorocarbonsiloxane represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR4## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent an unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group, R.sup.3 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, Rf represents a bivalent perfluoroalkylene group or a bivalent perfluoropolyether group represented by the following general formula: ##STR5## wherein n is an integer of 0 to 8, m and l are each an integer of 0 to 5, and j and k are each an integer of 0 or 1, provided that l+m+n+j+k is an integer bringing the number of carbon atoms to 11 to 30, a is an integer of 2 to 300, b is an integer of 0 to 300, c is an integer of 0 to 5,000, p is an integer of 2 to 8, and X is a triorganosilyl group represented by the following formula: ##STR6## wherein R.sup.4 is an unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group having an aliphatic unsaturated bond, and R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, PA1 (B) an organohydrogensiloxane containing two or more Si--H groups in the molecule, and PA1 (C) a platinum family metal catalyst, PA1 the amount of the component (B) being such that the amount of the Si--H groups is 0.5 to 5.0 mol per mol of the aliphatic unsaturated group in the composition.


A system for random number generation may include non-volatile memory, and a random number stored on the non-volatile memory. The system may also include a key linked to the random number. The system may further include a computer-apparatus designed to use the random number based upon the key.

The disclosure relates to the field of computer systems, and, more particularly, to computer systems using random numbers.
Digital computers can require large numbers of high quality, random numbers in many applications like security, game type simulations and diverse areas of computational modeling of biology, finance, and nuclear breakdown. However, random physical processes that could produce strings of random numbers are essentially incompatible with standard computers that are essentially deterministic, finite-state devices. As such, several options are used although all have serious limitations.
Pseudo-random number (PRN) generators are the most common approach to generate bases for chaotic systems of equations. The number calls to these random number generating functions can be very high and force a surprising large number of floating point operations (sometimes consuming near 100% of CPU time). However these pseudo-random approaches are deterministic and require seed numbers that may be hard to "randomly" produce, especially in large quantities (e.g., typical approaches based on calendar or clock times do not work in massively parallel machines with very large numbers of cores running parallel). In some cases, the seed can be reverse engineered so that pseudo-random becomes worthless for security or encryption applications. Interesting, the deterministic nature of the pseudo-random number generator have the ability to exactly reproduce a stochastic simulation—a feature that is favored by some computational researchers that may need debug a code or validate a particular result with the same "random" input.
Analogue random number (ARN) generators are based on noisy systems that are then used to generate random strings of bits. While ARN's potentially may generate more random numbers than PRN's, downsides include high power costs and difficulties in constructing and tuning analogue circuits on digital silicon chips. One company has recently patented circuit designs of the ARN type, while another company's 10 year research program recently switched from ARN circuits to digital approaches that have lower power consumption and few fabrication problems.
Many chaotic physical systems can be used to generate streams of high-quality random numbers, e.g., precomputed random numbers (PCRN). For example, random numbers can be generated from radioactive break down or even lava lamps, e.g., random number generator that worked by taking pictures of the patterns made by the floating material in lava lamps, extracting random data from the pictures, and using the result to seed a pseudo-random number generator. The main downside of these approaches is the limitation of producing large enough quantities of good random numbers and making them available for digital calculations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

International Business Machines Corporation


A device for cooling a sheet includes a conveyance path for the sheet between a first unit and a second unit. The conveyance path is formed of guide plates arranged in an opposed manner and through which the sheet is conveyed. A cooling unit cools the sheet which passes through the conveyance path, the cooling unit including at least one fan that supplies cooling air generally along a sheet conveying direction. At least one slit is formed in each of the guide plates. At least one introduction wall extends from one of the guide plates and guides cooling air from the at least one fan through the at least one slit and into the conveyance path.

Conventionally, an image forming apparatus such as a Multi Function Peripheral (MFP) is used to form an image on a sheet (paper). For enabling the reuse of the sheet by erasing an image formed on the sheet, there exists a technique where an image is printed on the sheet using a coloring agent having a decoloring property such as ink containing a leuco dye.
A coloring agent having decoloring property is erased when the coloring agent is subjected to a high temperature. Accordingly, to reuse a sheet, the sheet is heated using an erasing device, thus erasing an image formed on the sheet. The erasing of an image formed on a sheet may also referred to as "decoloring" in the explanation made hereinafter.
In the erasing device, a platen roller and a heat source are arranged in an opposed manner with a sheet conveyance path interposed between the platen roller and the heat source. The sheet is heated by conveying the sheet between the platen roller and the heat source, thus erasing a coloring agent having decoloring property. A cooling fan for cooling the device is mounted downstream of the platen roller and the heat source. Accordingly, the sheet which is conveyed through a conveyance guide is cooled by air from the cooling fan.
However, the conventional device has a drawback that the sheet may not be efficiently cooled. A device for erasing an image on a sheet may also have a scanner for converting a printed content into electronic data before the sheet is decolored or for sorting a sheet on which a residual image is present after decoloring. However, when a temperature of the sheet is high at the time of conveying a sheet again to the scanner for sorting the remaining image after the sheet is decolored, toner on the sheet adheres to a glass surface of the scanner thus giving rise to a drawback that the quality of a scanned image is deteriorated.

Device and method for erasing and cooling a sheet


A device includes a wafer chuck, a first nozzle, an actuator, and a first elongated cup. The first nozzle is disposed over the wafer chuck. The first elongated cup is coupled to the actuator. The actuator is capable of moving the first elongated cup from a first position to a second position. The first elongated cup shields the first nozzle from the wafer chuck at the first position. The first elongated cup is free of shielding the first nozzle from the wafer chuck at the second positon.

In the manufacturing of integrated circuits, cleaning techniques such as wet chemicals and dry plasma are used to remove various contaminations from wafers, for example, fall-on particles from processing chambers and photoresist residuals from dry etching. However, the wet cleaning process can be one of the contamination sources to wafer, for example, the defects formed by a process liquid dropped accidentally from a nozzle onto the wafer in the wet cleaning process.

Wet cleaning apparatus and manufacturing method using the same


A memory system including a programmable memory, such as a flash memory, may include a write buffer. A processor may generate and store a queue of commands to write a sequence of valid bytes in a reclaim operation. A controller in the memory system may perform the write commands in the write buffer without intervention by the processor.

Flash memory (sometimes called "flash ROM") may be erased and reprogrammed in blocks instead of one byte at a time. Flash memory may be used to hold control code, e.g., the basic input/output system (BIOS) in a personal computer. When BIOS needs to be changed (rewritten), the flash memory may be written to in byte sizes, making flash memory relatively easy to update. Flash memory may also be used in modems and enable the modem manufacturer to support new protocols as they become standardized.


An optical-fiber cable includes an assembly of buffer tubes including at least two flexible buffer tubes that are held together compactly by adhesion to one another. The cable further includes a plurality of optical fibers, which are housed within the buffer tubes, a jacket surrounding the assembly of buffer tubes, and at least one longitudinal strength member that is provided at the periphery of the assembly of buffer tubes. According to one aspect, the jacket is formed of polyethylene, the buffer tubes are formed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or a thermoplastic elastomer possessing flexible diol segments, and the buffer tubes are contained within the jacket in a helical or SZ stranding configuration. According to a second aspect, a fiber optic buffer tube includes low and high melting point materials forming domains and a matrix, respectively, and preferably further includes a filler. The domains are embedded in the matrix. The latter buffer tubes are bonded together by thermal activation of the domains.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an improved fiber-optics cable (referred to as optical-fiber cables herein) and to a corresponding fabrication process. In particular, the present invention pertains to a process of bundling optical fiber buffer tubes, to form an improved flexible optical core, and to an improved flexible optical core assembled in a SZ stranding configuration.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There are three general types of optical-fiber cable structures. Typically, for each of the three general structures, the jacket is made of a polymeric material and is extruded around what is commonly referred to as the optical core.
In the first structure, commonly known as a xe2x80x9cloose-tubexe2x80x9d construction, the optical core includes a central strength member around which buffer tubes are assembled in either a helical or SZ stranding configuration. The buffer tubes contain optical fibers or optical fiber ribbons, and the tube assembly is surrounded by a jacket. In this first structure, the tubes containing the optical fibers have relatively thick and rigid walls, which are made of a polymeric material. With this first structure, the optical fibers can be displaced relative to the tubes, in which they are housed. Cables possessing this first type of structure are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,667 and European Patent EP-A-0,846,970.
In the second structure, the optical core includes a single tube, typically referred to as central tube construction, which is made of a polymeric material and which houses the optical fibers. If necessary, the central tubes include ribbons that may be assembled together in a spiral configuration. The central tube is surrounded by a jacket that is defined by a wall. Strength members can be embedded in the jacket wall.
In the third type of structure, the optical core includes buffer tubes made of polymeric material. The buffer tubes house the optical fibers and are assembled together in a helical or SZ stranding pattern. The buffer tube assembly is surrounded by a jacket, within which strength members are embedded. In this third structure, the buffer tubes are relatively thin and flexible and hold the optical fibers snugly, such that displacement of the optical fibers relative to each other and to the buffer tubes is highly constrained.
For certain installations, optical-fiber cables may be arranged such that, along certain paths, sections of the cable are vertical. In such vertical sections of optical-fiber cable, an optical core assembled in a SZ stranding configuration can unravel due to the effects of gravity, with each buffer tube tending to unwind and spread out vertically in a rectilinear manner. The risk of de-stranding associated with this undesirable phenomenon is particularly significant near the reversal points, where the winding direction of a buffer tube in a SZ stranding configuration reverses. More generally, unraveling and de-stranding can occur whenever the optical core or the optical cable is subjected to a tensile strain, e.g., during manufacturing or installation.
Optical-fiber cables with the first structure typically include a binder, which holds the buffer tubes in position, thereby avoiding the problem of de-stranding. Binders can be used with such optical-fiber cables because of the relative rigidity of the buffer tubes used in the first type of structure. This rigidity prevents any tightening stress exerted by the binder on the buffer tubes from being transmitted to the optical fibers.
However, binders cannot be used satisfactorily on optical-fiber cables with the third, flexible optical core structure because these cables use thin walled buffer tubes that offer little resistance to the crushing stresses that binders can produce. Consequently, the transverse stress exerted by a binder on the buffer tubes is easily transmitted to the optical fibers, thereby subjecting the optical fibers to stresses that can interfere with their optical performance. Thus, another technique is needed to prevent vertical sections of a flexible optical core or elongated core, assembled in a SZ stranding configuration, from de-stranding.
In addition, the use of binders is undesirable, in that they add cost and require special stranding equipment. Furthermore, accessing the cable requires cutting through the binders, leading to an additional access step. Accordingly, an alternative to the use of binders is desirable for these additional reasons.
An additional problem with known flexible optical cores, which are assembled in a SZ stranding configuration, is that it is difficult to strand the constituent buffer tubes uniformly, to form an optical core of uniform strand geometry. This difficulty stems from the flexibility of the buffer tubes used in such a core and from the absence of a central strength member to support the buffer tubes and couple them by friction. Accordingly, an improved bundling method is needed to improve the core cohesion and to maintain a certain amount of stranding (i.e., the number of turns in the S or Z direction) through subsequent manufacturing steps.
Preferably, the improved tube bundling technique would provide a buffer tube assembly that will maintain its geometry under load. In particular, ensuring a sufficient amount of stranding is essential for core cohesion and bending properties, and in order to provide predictable mid-span access. However, because flexible optical cores possess no central strength member, mechanical relaxation of the buffer tubes, as well as tension applied on the optical core (e.g. during a jacketing process step, or during routing the optical core in a splice box), may cause the buffer tubes to unravel or de-strand. As indicated above, such unraveling or de-stranding poses potential problems. Accordingly, an improved stranding method is needed to maintain ordered stranding under load.
According to one object of the present invention, it is sought to prevent vertical and/or strained sections of flexible buffer tube, fiber optic cable cores from unraveling or destranding. Additionally, a second object is to avoid the use of binders, thereby reducing costs, providing a streamlined process, and simplifying access to the cables. According to a third object of the present invention, it is sought to provide an improved stranding for optical cores formed of flexible buffer tubes, in order to promote core cohesion, to maintain a certain amount of stranding through subsequent manufacturing steps, and to maintain a uniform stranding geometry under load.
The present invention achieves these and other objectives by providing an opticalfiber cable including an assembly of buffer tubes which includes at least two flexible buffer tubes that are thermally bonded to one another. The optical-fiber cable further includes a plurality of optical fibers, which are housed within the buffer tubes. A jacket surrounds the assembly of buffer tubes.
According to a second aspect of this embodiment, the jacket is made of polyethylene and the tubes are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or a thermoplastic elastomer with flexible diol segments.
According to a third aspect, the buffer tubes are contained within the jacket in either a helical or a SZ stranding configuration.
According to a fourth aspect, the optical-fiber cable includes mechanical reinforcement strands, which are preferably made of aramid and, more preferably, are positioned between the tubes and the jacket and arranged helically.
According to a fifth aspect, at least one strength member is provided at the periphery of the assembly of buffer tubes. Preferably, the strength member is embedded in a wall of the jacket.
According to a sixth aspect, the optical-fiber cable further includes water-proofing elements such as water-proofing tape that is positioned between the tubes and the jacket when in an annular assembly, expandable elements that are positioned within the jacket when in an interwoven tube assembly, and/or a filler material, which is used within the tubes.
The present invention also provides a process for the fabrication of an optical-fiber cable including forming an assembly having at least two flexible buffer tubes, the buffer tubes comprising a polymeric material and housing optical fibers. A jacket comprising a polymeric material is heated to an extrusion temperature and extruded around the buffer tubes to surround the assembly of buffer tubes. The buffer tubes are thermally bonded to one another by controlling the extrusion temperature of the polymeric jacket material.
According to another characteristic of this process, the jacket is made of polyethylene and the tubes are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or of a thermoplastic elastomer possessing flexible diol segments, whereby the extrusion temperature is between 170 and 240xc2x0 C. More preferably, the extrusion temperature is between 200 and 240xc2x0 C.
According to yet another characteristic of this process, at least one filiform strength member is provided at the periphery of the assembly of buffer tubes.
A second embodiment of the present invention provides a fiber optic buffer tube formed of a low melting point material forming domains and a high melting point material forming a matrix. The domains are embedded in the matrix.
According to a second aspect of the second embodiment, the low and high melting point materials are a low and a high melting point thermoplastic, respectively.
According to a third aspect, the low melting point material constitutes less than forty percent and, more preferably, less than twenty percent of the buffer tube material.
According to a fourth aspect, the buffer tube further includes a filler. Preferably the filler includes calcium carbonate, talc, and/or super-absorbent polymer. powder. More preferably the filler constitutes less than forty percent of the buffer tube material. Still more preferably, the low melting point material constitutes less than forty percent of the buffer tube material and the high melting point material constitutes more than fifty percent of the buffer tube material.
According to a fifth aspect, the high melting point material has a melting point which is at least 25xc2x0 C. higher and, preferably, at least 50xc2x0 C. higher than the melting point of the low melting point material.
According to a sixth aspect, the low melting point material is ethylene-octene copolymer, ethylene-propylene copolymer, EVA copolymer, EAA copolymer, or some other copolymer or terpolymer of a polyolefin.
According to a seventh aspect, the high melting point material is impact modified polypropylene copolymer or propylene-ethylene copolymer. Preferably, the low melting point material is ethylene-octene copolymer, EVA copolymer, or EAA copolymer. More preferably, the buffer tube further includes a calcium carbonate filler, the high melting point material is a propylene-ethylene copolymer with a melting point above 140xc2x0 C., the low melting point material is an ethylene-octene copolymer with a melting point below 100xc2x0 C., and the domains have a length-scale of 10-100 xcexcm on an outer surface of the buffer tube.
According to yet another aspect, the high melting point material is impact modified polypropylene copolymer, and the low melting point material is very low density polyethylene (VLDPE).
The present invention also provides a method of bonding fiber optic buffer tubes. The method includes bundling a plurality of buffer tubes, which tubes are formed of low melting point domains embedded in a high melting point matrix. The method further includes thermally activating the low melting point domains, thereby softening the domains and causing a portion of the domains to bond to domains of a neighboring buffer tube.
According to another characteristic of this method, the thermal activation step is accomplished by applying a heated jacket to the plurality of bundled buffer tubes. Alternatively, the thermal activation step is accomplished by applying heat using IR radiation or a convection oven.

Optical-fiber cable containing thermally bonded fiber optic buffer tubes and fabrication process


A method and apparatus is disclosed for extending the dynamic range of an electronic imaging system to permit the use of lower cost, lower resolution devices to digitize and process the analog image signal generated by an electronic image sensor. Multiple images captured at different exposure levels are stored in a framestore. An electronic data processing unit then compares the pixels from the image captured at a normal exposure level to preselected exposure ranges to determine if the pixel is underexposed or overexposed. If the pixel is underexposed, the pixel is replaced with a corresponding pixel from an image captured at a higher exposure level. If the pixel is overexposed, the pixel is replaced with a corresponding pixel from an image captured at a lower exposure level. A two level optimization routine is employed, wherein median exposure valves are used to compensate for subject motion.

The invention is generally related to providing automatic exposure correction in electronic imaging systems. The invention is related more specifically to a method and apparatus for extending the dynamic exposure range of electronic imaging systems that utilize electronic image sensor devices to generate image data.
Electronic image sensor devices have been utilized in a wide variety of products including film scanners, motion video cameras and still video cameras, to generate image data. The analog image output signal from the electronic image sensor is typically converted to a digital image signal by an analog-to-digital converter prior to image processing or storage. It has been found that most scenes have a natural scene contrast of about a ten bit dynamic range, thereby requiring the use of standard sixteen bit devices, at a minimum, to perform the digital conversion and signal processing. The expense of electronic imaging systems could be reduced if lower cost eight bit devices could be used to convert and process the image signal.

Method and apparatus for extending the dynamic range of an electronic imaging system


The present invention relates to a game table with a plurality of player stations with an integral lighting system. The game table, for example, a poker table, includes a light window adjacent all of the player stations. An illumination device is fixedly disposed beneath the light window. With such a configuration, lighting is provided from beneath the table, which minimizes shadows during television taping.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game table with an integral lighting system and more particularly to a game table, such as a poker table, that includes an integral lighting system which provides lighting suitable for television. The invention also relates to a method for providing lighting during television taping of games using a game table, such as poker tournaments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various poker game tournaments are known to be televised. Because of the various camera angles required and the effects of shadows, improvements have been made to optimize televising of such game tournaments. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,054 to Orenstein discloses a poker table which facilitates televising a poker tournament. In particular, the Orenstein patent discloses a poker table with a plurality of player stations. In order to enable the television audience to see each player's cards without disclosing the cards to other players sitting around the table, a card viewing window is disposed adjacent each player's station around the poker table. Various mirrors and cameras are disposed beneath the card viewing window to enable the cards, placed face down on the viewing window, to be displayed to a television viewing audience without disclosing the cards to other players sitting around the table.
While the above-mentioned system allows the television viewing audience to view the poker hands during the game, other problems exist with respect to televising of such game tournaments. For example, shadows are always a problem in such a situation. Thus, there is a need for a method for minimizing shadows during television taping of various game tournaments.

Method for televising an event involving a game table incorporating integral lighting


A controller compares hardware structure information stored in a nonvolatile memory and hardware structure information of an updated program obtained from an interface unit, and transfers the updated program to the nonvolatile memory to change a current program when a result of the comparison exhibits matching. When a controller determines that a user must determine execution/nonexecution of rewrite processing, the controller instructs the display unit to perform display, and performs the rewrite processing according to a user's instruction received from an input unit. The program can be updated appropriately corresponding to various conditions such as improvement in performance of the device, changes in operation environment and others determined by a user. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an information processing device, which can update a control program even in the case where the device has a different structure, when the user determines that such updating is allowed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing device capable of updating a stored program.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, many electric devices operate according to control programs stored in the devices. The control programs are updated for the purposes of overcoming disadvantages in operation of the devices, adding new functions to the devices and others.
In many cases, a new control program (which will be referred to as an "updated program" hereinafter) is provided together with a determination program for determining whether a control program, which is currently stored in the device (and will be referred to as a "current program" hereinafter), is to be updated or not. A program provider provides the determination program on the assumption that a user not having sufficient information about the device may update the control program.
As examples of the device and method for updating the control program, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2000-207180 has disclosed an information processing device and a program rewriting method, in which a determination routine for determining whether a program in the device is to be rewritten or not is stored in a memory card together with a program for rewriting, and the device executes the routine on the memory card to determine whether the update is necessary or not so that the determination of whether the program is to be updated or not is performed individually according to each of various environmental changes after shipment of products.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-256057 has disclosed an update method for a control program of a service device, which is formed of various kinds of hardware, as well as the service device. The service device performs update processing by identifying an update program suitable for the device itself, and thereby can correctly update the program even when such a change is made in structure that cannot be dealt with by the update program incorporated into the device.
For preventing occurrence of a problem that the device becomes inoperable due to rewriting of the control program, many conventional determination programs are configured to determine that the control program cannot be updated when an execution condition set in the updated program does not match with an execution condition set in the current program. The execution condition is information, e.g., related to a structure of a device executing the control program.
However, even when the execution condition of the updated program does not strictly match with that of the updated program, devices having certain structures can execute the updated program in some cases. Even in such cases, when the update processing is attempted according to the determination program, the determination program determines that the control program cannot be updated. Therefore, the control program is not updated.
Specific examples will now be described. For example, it is assumed that there is a disc reproducing device of reproducing video audio information recorded on a disc such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), and a control program is stored in a flash memory included in the device. The disc reproducing device can reproduce only the video audio information recorded only in the NTSC (National Television System Committee) system.
When this disc reproducing device reproduces the video audio information recorded in the PAL (Phase Alternation by Line) system, the video audio information is reproduced according to the NTSC system. The vertical frequency in the NTSC system is generally 60 Hz, and the vertical frequency in the PAL system is generally 50 Hz. Therefore, when it is attempted to reproduce the information recorded in the PAL system, disadvantages such as a disturbance in picture occur due to a difference in vertical frequency.
It is assumed that a device manufacturer has prepared ten thousand flash memories, which have stored programs for reproducing video audio information, e.g., in the NTSC system, for manufacturing disc reproducing devices. It is also assumed that five thousand flash memories among the ten thousand memories are mounted on the products without changing the programs. The other five thousand flash memories are mounted on disc reproducing device reproducing the video audio information in the PAL system.
In many cases, a circuit (decoder circuit) reproducing the video audio information recorded on the disc is operable in both the NTSC and PAL systems. Therefore, it is assumed that the device manufacturer has considered that it is not necessary to prepare newly the flash memories storing the program reproducing the video audio information in the PAL system, and it is merely required to rewrite the control program stored in the five thousand flash memories.
However, the execution condition (the record system of the video information to be reproduced) of the updated program is set to the PAL system although the execution condition of the current program is set to the NTSC system. According to the conventional method, therefore, the determination program determines that the program cannot be updated, because there is a difference in execution condition between the programs. The device manufacturer must execute another method for updating the control program. For newly updating the programs in a factory of the device manufacturer, a large number of devices must be processed so that operators must perform time-consuming works.
For reducing the required labor and time, such a method may be envisaged that the current program is forcedly rewritten and replaced with the updated program without executing the determination program. However, when a failure is found in an operation of the devices after the update of the program, or when the devices do not operate after the update of the program, the device manufacturer must identify the cause at much expense in time and effort.

Information processing device capable of updating a stored program


Pourable fat compositions, provided with thickeners having a good closed-shelf life are obtained, if the compositions have the following composition:. 0-45 wt % herbs, spices, nuts or seeds PA1 5-60 wt % of thickener PA1 0-5 wt % of emulsifier PA1 0-10 wt % of milk proteins PA1 0-10 wt % of egg yolk powder PA1 1-10 wt % salt PA1 50-89 wt % of fat blend, comprising PA1 0-20 wt % of flavour-compositions. (i) 90-99.8 wt % liquid oil PA2 (ii) 10-0.2 wt % hard fat, that can form crystal network

In EP 21 483 it is disclosed that flavor enhancing materials in the form of ionic salts, such as sodium chloride can be incorporated in liquefiable fats if they are first micronised to a particle size of 1-10 microns. In that instance compositions can be obtained, which are stable for more than 2 hours. Incorporation of a hardstock fat can increase the stability to about 6 months. Examples of hardstock fats mentioned are fully hydrogenated normally solid fatty triglycerides with an IV <15. These hardstocks can contain fatty acid residues with 12-22 C-atoms. Examples of hardened oils are given on p.8, 1.3-8, however this listing does not include hardened rape seed oils. Although the disclosure of this document is very generic in the definition of the flavor enhancing component, it is also clear from this document that the only flavor enhancing components, that were actually considered, are ionic salts. Therefore this document does not provide directions how to come to pourable fat compositions with very high contents of herbs and/or spices, that would be stable for long periods of time (=having long closed shelf life).
From WO 94/08470 salad dressings are known, wherein the fat phase can contain a hardened rapeseed oil component. The dressing further can contain up to 4 wt % of a herb or spices. As this reference relates to water-containing dressings, this document does not provide a solution for system wherein no waterphase is present and that contain high amounts of herbs and/or spices.
In our co-pending European patent application 96202913.8 we disclosed a fat-composition that fulfils all above requirements. So accordingly above EP patent application concerns a pourable fat-composition, that is ambient-stable, and wherein the fat-composition comprises:
10-45 wt % of herbs, spices, nuts and/or seeds PA1 0-20 wt % of cheese particles PA1 1-10 wt % of an edible salt PA1 50-89 wt % of a fat blend, comprising: PA1 0-45 wt % of herbs, spices, nuts and/or seeds PA1 5-60 wt % of a thickener, in particular selected from natural or modified starches, natural or modified gum PA1 0-10 wt % of milk proteins PA1 0-10 wt % of egg yolk powder PA1 0-5 wt % of emulsifier PA1 0-35 wt % of meat-extract or gravy flavour PA1 1-10 wt % of an edible salt PA1 30-89 wt % of a fat blend, comprising: PA1 (i) thickener is mixed with part of the liquid oil, which optionally is preheated PA1 (ii) the mix, resulting of (i) is optionally heated at 70-85.degree. C. for 2-10 min. PA1 (iii) the mix, resulting from (i) or the heated mix, resulting from (ii) is cooled to a temperature of maximum 25.degree. C. PA1 (iv) the rest of the liquid oil is mixed with the hard-fat component at a temperature below 30.degree. C. PA1 (v) the products from (iii) and (iv) are mixed under the addition of the remaining components resulting in the product.
(i) 90-99.8 wt % of liquid oil PA2 (ii) 10-0.2 wt % of a hard fat component, that has the ability to form a crystal network in the endproduct, preferably being hardened high erucic rapeseed oil, while the total-composition is flavoured by the presence of 0.5-5 wt % on total composition of flavour-ingredients. PA2 (i) 90-99.8 wt % of liquid oil PA2 (ii) 10-0.2 wt % of a hard fat component, that has the ability to form a crystal network in the endproduct, preferably being hardened high erucic rapeseed oil,
Above compositions are substantially free of trans fatty acids. In fact the amounts of trans acids are less than 5 wt %, preferably less than 0.5 wt %. (Calculated on total fatty acid content.)
Although above compositions can be applied successfully in many application these compositions are unsuitable for application in products like Ready-to-use Roux; Ready-to-use brown or white sauces or Ready-to-use Sauce Hollandaise, optionally obtainable by adding an aqueous liquid and applying heat. In order to make them suitable for those applications it was found that a thickener should be incorporated in the compositions according to EP 96202913, while the amount of spices, herbs, nut and/or seeds could be lowered or could even be absent.

Pourable fat compositions containing a thickener


A shutter device includes a light blocking unit and a voice coil motor. The voice coil motor includes a permanent magnet module, a guide track assembly and a coil assembly. The coil assembly is arranged on the guide track assembly, and the permanent magnet module is adapted to produce a magnetic field in the guide track assembly. The light blocking unit includes two shutter blades both connecting to the coil assembly. When energized, the coil assembly will produce a magnetic field having a direction same as or opposite to the direction of the magnetic field in the guide track assembly so that the coil assembly moves forward or backward along the guide track assembly to drive the two shutter blades to open or close. A method controls the shutter device. An exposure dose control method is used with a photolithography machine including the shutter device.

Photolithography is a technique to print a featured pattern onto the surface of a substrate. Substrates commonly used include semiconductor wafers and glass substrates, which are surface-coated with a light-sensitive material. During a photolithography process, a wafer is placed on a wafer stage and the pattern is projected onto the surface thereof by means of an exposure device incorporated in the photolithography equipment.
One of the important metrics for assessing the performance of a photolithography machine is exposure dosage, and accurate control of exposure dose would pose a direct impact on the etching accuracy of the photolithography machine.
Exposure systems adopted in existing medium-end and low-end photolithography machines use high-pressure mercury lamps as their light sources. Such an exposure system utilizes a mechanical shutter disposed in the optical path to enable or disable exposure, and the exposure dose is determined by the exposure time. Specifically, this process may involve: stabilizing an output optical power of the high-pressure mercury lamp by preheating or environmental control; based on a calculated exposure time, starting exposure by opening the shutter and concurrently starting a timer; and upon the expiration of the exposure time, stopping exposure by closing the shutter.
Depending on their blade motion patterns, mechanical shutters for exposure are generally categorized into rotary and linear ones. Shutter motion control is typically achieved in an open-loop or closed-loop manner.
There has been proposed in the prior art a dual-blade rotary shutter which is linearly driven by a permanent magnet attached thereon under the effect of variations in the direction of a magnetic field resulting from changes in the direction of an electric current flowing in an associated coil group. However, the speed control mechanism of this shutter has not been disclosed sufficiently and remains unclear. Another shutter proposed in the prior art is designed to be electromagnetically driven to move linearly. However, this shutter is intended for use in the field of cameras and has a clear aperture diameter of less than 10 mm. In addition, optical energy used in camera applications is too low to meet the requirements of photolithography machine applications.
Still another shutter proposed in the prior art is a motor-driven single-blade rotary shutter which switches between exposure and non-exposure configurations under closed-loop control within a time duration of 150-170 ms (a minimum duration from start of opening to full closure) and delivers a minimum exposure dose of 300 mJ at a light-source illumination intensity of 2000 mW/cm2. However, this shutter is faced with the following major challenges:                (i) exposure at a low dose which is lower than 300 mJ requires the use of an optical attenuator for attenuating the illumination energy;        (ii) the limited exposure duty cycle causes remarkable reductions in yield in low dose exposure; and        (iii) the presence of the optical attenuator and the limited shutter movement speed lead to lower utilization of light-source energy per unit time.

Shutter device, method of controlling same, photolithography machine, and method of controlling exposure dose thereof

Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (Group) Co., Ltd.


A turbine blade system for a gas turbine engine includes a turbine blade having a trailing edge region extending in a lateral direction and in a lengthwise direction from a pressure side surface to a trailing edge. The trailing edge region includes a plurality of riblets extending in the lengthwise direction from the pressure side surface toward the trailing edge. The trailing edge region defines a plurality of ejection slots each laterally disposed between two of the riblets. The plurality of riblets each define an upper surface having at least a portion in the lengthwise direction being curved relative to the pressure side surface so as to generally shield the upper surface from a high heat load propagating from the pressure side surface and to facilitate cooling air flowing from the ejection slots to flow over the upper surface.

The trailing edge regions of turbine blades are often cooled by discharging spent cooling air through an array of holes or slots, which intersect and connect an internal cooling circuit and the external surface of the airfoil near the trailing edge region. The method of cutting back the pressure side to permit discharge of coolant to the pressure side of the airfoil is commonly referred to as "pressure side bleed". In this system, cooling air is discharged from the pressure side, just upstream of the trailing edge, through an array of cooling holes, or ejection slots. The cooling holes are typically separated by solid features, which are hereinafter referred to as "riblets". The current art includes riblets that form straight cooling passages and "diffusing" riblets that include an angle so that coolant can expand and spread to provide an increasing film cooling effect on the exposed trailing edge features. Examples of the current art can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,529, European Patent EP 1213442 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,341.
The current method of forming riblets typically involves a combination of casting and machining operations. The surface features inside the slot are typically a product of the casting process and are therefore called as-cast surfaces. The casting process typically leaves additional stock on the top of the lands, and also on the pressure side surface just forward of the pressure side bleed location. This material is typically removed following the casting process with both the aft pressure side and land top surfaces brought to the desired profile using an abrasive media.
With reference to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B, an example of a turbine blade for a gas turbine engine illustrating such a cooling arrangement is indicated generally by the reference number 10. The blade 10 includes a plurality of ejection slots 12 and riblets 14 disposed along a trailing edge region of the blade. A conventional pressure side bleed slot geometry is illustrated in the enlarged views of FIGS. 2A and 2B. A problem to be solved involves cooling of the trailing edge region of a turbine blade using the pressure side bleed feature. In the current state of the art, coolant ejected from the pressure side bleed arrangement provides a cooling effect upon the surfaces contained within an ejection slot 12, while hot gas conditions from the pressure side of a blade and flowing along a pressure side surface 16 prevail on an upper or land surface 18 on the top of a riblet 14. Since the hot gas conditions exposed to the land surface 18 on the top of a riblet 14 can represent an extraordinary heat load, the ability to effectively cool the trailing edge region can be limited.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a turbine blade trailing edge configuration that overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks and disadvantages.

Turbine blade trailing edge construction


This invention describes how combined session and resource tracking in a mobile node (MN) and/or basestation in a dynamic network resource environment can be used to control reactions to resource shortages. The session that is to experience a resource shortage is detected either by the MN, or communicated to the MN where session signaling is used to modify the session according to MN and basestation policy/configuration. The basestation can alternatively modify the session itself with all the session peers, on behalf of the MN. The specific new reaction to resource shortages that is then enabled is to place the session on hold such that the resources are freed, but so that the session state is maintained in the peers. This is preferable to dropping the session, as is generally the case in dynamic environments, if the likely period of resource loss is short and the session modifications require less overhead than restarting the session when the resources return after dropping the session. In addition, before having resources removed, the basestation can provide the MN with an opportunity to upgrade the priority of its resource request compared to other users in the cell, so that a resource auction is conducted to decide which MN actually loses its resources.

Many user applications require a minimum amount of resources, e.g., communications bandwidth, to be useful. One example is traditional voice telephony that below either a target minimum bandwidth or above a maximum delay becomes unusable. During call set-up in traditional fixed telecom networks, a signaling channel first checks that sufficient resources exist between the caller and callee before admitting the call and ringing the callee in the case of voice. If there is insufficient resource then the call is refused with a network busy signal. Once admitted, calls are usually dropped by the network only if equipment fails or due to pre-emption mechanisms such as emergency over-rides. This model has continued into much of the traditional wireless industry where the resources are checked and then only dropped under network control as before. A new source of network failures though in wireless networks is that the hand-off between cells can result in a dynamic step-change in network conditions (new cell being fully occupied) that can cause the call to be dropped.
In existing cellular systems the media flow (e.g. voice and/or audio) and call control channel are tightly coupled resulting in both the call signaling and call media forcibly being dropped at the same time. This prevents the signaling channel from being used to advise the mobile node of the resource problem and give the MN options as to how things should proceed. In next generation IP data applications, the session control signaling, e.g., session signaling which may be implemented using, e.g., Session Initiation Protocol—"SIP" and media planes used to implement data transfer and data application signal using, e.g., Realtime Transfer Protocol—"RTP", are designed to be distinct and separable. This allows, in some IP based communications systems, session control signaling and data signaling to be controlled independently.
In IP based applications, multiple user of an IP device may interact as a group, e.g., as part of a group game session. Dropping group members due to the temporary loss of bandwidth by an individual member can result in an inconvenient and un-enjoyable experience for the remaining group members. The sudden loss of a player may leave the other players without notice as to the dropped player's absence. Furthermore, the need for a dropped player to establish a new communications session in order to rejoin the group can result in relatively lengthy delays even after bandwidth has been restored to the dropped member. It would be far more desirable if a group member, e.g., player, subject to a sudden decrease in bandwidth could notify the other group members of a temporary absence and simply halt data communications without terminating the control portion of the group communications session. Thus, the other group members would be aware of the temporary absence of the group member subject to temporary bandwidth limitations and the group member can reestablish the data portion of the connection as soon as bandwidth is restored without having to establish an entirely new communications session.
In some cases, sudden decreases in bandwidth may be due to re-allocation of bandwidth in a cell in which a mobile node is operating or the previous allocation of bandwidth to other mobile communications users in a cell into which a mobile node is traveling. When confronted which such bandwidth problems, which would normally result in a connection being dropped, it would be nice to give the user who is about to have a connection dropped the opportunity to upgrade the user's priority, e.g., by paying a premium, to maintain an existing communications session. In this manner, a user could prevent the loss of the connection by selecting, e.g., to pay a premium to have the connection maintained. Unfortunatley, existing communications systems do not offer a mobile node user this opportunity.
In view of the above discussion, it is apparent that there is a need for methods and apparatus that would allow a communication session to be maintained even when changes in conditions, e.g., due to a mobile device's poor location or signal interference, result in insufficient resources to continue the data portion of the communications session. In addition, there is a need for providing users of mobile devices an opportunity upgrade their relative priority in terms of resource allocation before dropping a connection due to a resource request from a mobile device having a higher priority or because of the previous allocation of the required resources to another device.

Methods and apparatus for controlling IP applications during resource shortages


A manufacturing method of an ink-jet recording head for improving relative positional accuracy between a piezoelectric element and a pressure generating chamber to improve ink ejection characteristics and stability thereof. The manufacturing method includes the steps of: forming a passage-forming layer on a passage-forming substrate and imparting etching selectivity to a region that will be a space portion of the passage-forming layer; forming a vibration plate on the passage-forming layer and a piezoelectric element; performing anisotropic etching on the passage-forming substrate to form a penetrated portion at least to a region that will be the space portion, etching the passage-forming layer to form the space portion, and forming a pressure generating chamber opposite the space portion; and joining a nozzle plate to the passage-forming substrate.

The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording head, in which a piezoelectric element is formed via a vibration plate in a portion of a pressure generating chamber communicating with a nozzle orifice that ejects ink droplets, and ink droplets are ejected by displacement of the piezoelectric element. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a manufacturing method of the same and an ink-jet recording apparatus.
Two types of recording heads are put into practical use with regard to the ink-jet recording head, in which a portion of a pressure generating chamber communicating with a nozzle orifice that ejects ink droplets is constituted of a vibration plate, and the vibration plate is deformed by a piezoelectric element to pressurize ink in the pressure generating chamber, thus ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle orifice. One is a recording head using a piezoelectric actuator of longitudinal vibration mode that expands and contracts in the axis direction of the piezoelectric element, and the other one uses a piezoelectric actuator of flexural vibration mode.
The former can change volume of the pressure generating chamber by abutting an end surface of the piezoelectric element against the vibration plate, and manufacturing of a head suitable to high density printing is enabled. On the contrary, a difficult process in which the piezoelectric element is cut and divided in a comb teeth shape to make it coincide with the array pitch of the nozzle orifice and a method so that the cut and divided piezoelectric element is aligned and fixed to the pressure generating chamber is necessary, thus there is a problem of a complex manufacturing process.
On the other hand, in the latter, the piezoelectric element can be fabricated and installed on a vibration plate by a relatively simple process in which a green sheet, which is piezoelectric material, is adhered while fitting the shape thereof to the pressure generating chamber shape and is sintered. However, a certain size of vibration plate is required due to the usage of flexural vibration, thus there is a problem that high density array of the piezoelectric elements is difficult.
In order to solve the disadvantage of the latter recording head, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-286131, a recording head is proposed, in which an even piezoelectric material layer is formed across the entire surface of the vibration plate by a deposition technology, the piezoelectric material layer is cut and divided into a shape corresponding to the pressure generating chamber by a lithography method, and the piezoelectric element is formed so as to be independent of another piezoelectric element for each pressure generating chamber.
According to the above-described process, a work for adhering the piezoelectric element on the vibration plate is unnecessary, and there is an advantage that not only the piezoelectric element can be fabricated and installed by accurate and simple means, lithography method, but also the thickness of the piezoelectric element can be made thin and a high-speed drive is enabled.
In such an ink-jet printing head, in general, the pressure generating chamber is formed so as to penetrate in the thickness direction of the plate by performing etching for the plate by use of a specified mask pattern from the plate surface opposite that having the piezoelectric element made thereon.
However, in such an ink-jet recording head, an error sometimes occurs in aligning the mask pattern for forming the piezoelectric element and the mask pattern for forming the pressure generating chamber, alternatively slippage of light exposure sometimes occurs due to a warp or the like of the plate where the pressure generating chamber is formed. Therefore, there is a problem that the relative positional accuracy between the piezoelectric element and the pressure generating chamber is lowered.
Moreover, in the case, for example, where a single crystal silicon substrate of a plane (110) of the plane orientation is employed as a plate, a position of the pressure generating chamber, the position being close to the vibration plate, is not stable due to variation of the vertical degree of a plane (111) thereof. Therefore, the relative positional accuracy between the piezoelectric element and the pressure generating chamber is lowered, thus causing problems of low ink ejection characteristics and low stability thereof.
Furthermore, in the case where the pressure generating chambers are arrayed in a high density, the thickness of compartment walls between the pressure generating chambers is made thin which results in lack of rigidity of the compartment walls, thus causing the problem that cross talk occurs among the pressure generating chambers.
For example, in the piezoelectric actuator of longitudinal vibration mode, a structure is conceived, in which a wide width portion is provided in a portion of the pressure generating chamber, the portion being dose to the vibration plate, and the width of portions of the pressure generating chamber other than the wide width portion is made narrow to thicken the corresponding compartment wall portions. However, in this case, an operation such as processing and pasting for the wide width portion of the pressure generating chamber is required, thus causing problems on operationality and accuracy.

Ink-jet recording head, manufacturing method of the same and ink-jet recording apparatus


The present disclosure provides selective phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma inhibitors of Formula (I) including (I-a), (I-b), (I-c), and (I-d), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. These compounds are useful for the treatment of conditions mediated by one or more PI3K isoforms, such as PI3K gamma (PI3Kγ). The present disclosure further provides methods of inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma using these compounds for treatment of disorders related to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase gamma activity.

The class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) regulate phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) phosphorylation. PI3K Converts PIP2 to the scaffolding binding element phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3). PIP3 plays a key regulatory role in cell survival, signal transduction, control of membrane trafficking and other functions. (Di Paolo, G. et al. Nature 2006, 443, 651; Parker, P. J. et al. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 2004, 32, 893; Hawkins, P. T. et al. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 2006, 34, 647; Schaeffer, E. M. et al. Curr. Opin. Immnunol. 2000, 12, 282). Its dysregulation leads to various disease states such as cancer, inflammatory and auto-immune disorders.
The Class I PI3Ks consist of four kinases further delineated into 2 subclasses. Class 1A PI3Ks consist of three closely related kinases, PI3Kα, β, and δ existing as heterodimers composed of a catalytic subunit (p110α, β or δ) and one of several regulatory subunits. They generally respond to signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). PI3Kγ single class 1B isoform, responds mainly to G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), and is composed of a p110γ catalytic subunit and one of two distinct regulatory subunits. PI3Kα and PI3Kβ are ubiquitously expressed throughout a wide variety of tissue and organ types. The expression pattern of PI3Kδ is restricted, to spleen, thymus, and peripheral blood leukocytes (Knight, Z. et al. Cell 2006, 125, 733). PI3Kγ is found mainly in leukocytes, but also in skeletal muscle, liver, pancreas, and heart (Cantly, C. Science 2002, 1655).
Recently, Schmid showed that p110γ can be activated by receptor tyrosine kinases and TLR/IL1Rs in myeloid cells. PI3kγ serves as a single convergent point promoting tumor inflammation and progression. In an animal model, treatment of mice with selective PI3Kγ inhibiter inhibited myeloid cell p110γ catalytic activity and adhesion to VCAM-1, due to effect on the tumor microenvironment instead of direct inhibition of tumor cells. (Schmid, M. C. et al. Cancer Cell 19, 715-727, 2011, PLoS ONE 8, e60226, 2013). Furthermore, inhibition of PI3Kγ enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreased the expression of immune-suppressive factors in tumors and TAMs. Kaneda and De Henau concluded that PI3Kγ controls the TAM switch between immune suppression and immune stimulation. (Kaneda, M. M. et al. Nature 539, 437-442, 2016; De Henau, O. et al. Nature 539, 443-447, 2016).
Camps et al. described that treatment with selective PI3Kγ inhibitor AS-60485023 suppresses the progression of joint inflammation and damage in two distinct mouse models of rheumatoid arthritis (Camps M, et al., Nat. Med. 2005, 11, 936-943).
Based on the studies in cellular levels and efficacies observed in various disease models, PI3Kγ inhibitors could potentially be used to treat a variety of diseases such as inflammation, metabolic and cancer (Cushing, T. D., et al, J. Med. Chem. 2012, 55, 8559-8581; Ruckle, T. et al, Nat. Rev. Drug Discovery 2006, 5, 903-918; Stark, A. K. et al, Curr. Opin. Pharmacol. 2015, 23, 82-91).
PI3K gamma selective inhibitors have been disclosed in recent years. IPI-549 has been in the clinical trials as single agent and combination immuno-oncology therapies with check point agent PD-1 inhibitor Nivolumab (Evans, C. A. et al, ACS Med. Chem. Lett. 2016, 7, 862-867). Pemberton N et al reported that selective PI3K gamma inhibition resulted in a dose dependent inhibition of LPS-induced airway neutrophilia in rats (Pemberton, N. et al, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2018, 61, 5435-5441). Modification of a series of azaisoindolinones by Come, J. H. et al provided CNS-penetrant and orally bioavailable PI3K gamma inhibitors that were efficacious in murine EAE model, which demonstrated PI3K gamma inhibition have the potential for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (Come, J. H. et al, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2018, 61, 5245-5256).
PI3K gamma inhibitors with related structure but different binding mode have been disclosed in recent years. For example, WO2015048318 disclosed (R)-6-(1-(2,2-difluoroethyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-4,7,7-trimethyl-2-(5-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxyethyl)pyhdin3-yl)-6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyridin-5-one as a selective inhibitor of PI3K gamma. WO2011087776 disclosed Isoindolinone inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. WO2017153527 disclosed novel inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase gamma. Discovery of highly isoform selective orally bioavailable phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) γ inhibitors, and design and synthesis of a novel series of 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) inhibitors were reported (Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2018, 61, 5435-5441 and Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2018, 61, 5245-5256).
However, these reported PI3K gamma inhibitors have less optimal potency, selectivity and pharmacokinetic properties. Therefore, there are needs in the art to develop novel PI3K gamma inhibitors that have improved potency, selectivity and pharmacokinetic properties.

NANJING ZHENGXIANG PHARMACEUTICALS CO., LTD.


This fuel injection control device includes: a fuel injection valve; a piezoelectric element or a solenoid which drives the fuel injection valve; a fuel pump which pressurizes fuel and supplies it to the fuel injection valve; a magnetostrictive element which drives the fuel pump; and a magnetostrictive element driving coil which drives the magnetostrictive element; and the magnetostrictive element driving coil also serves as a voltage elevation coil for a drive circuit which drives the piezoelectric element or the solenoid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection control device.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-364900, filed Oct. 24, 2003, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
A fuel injection control device has been known which controls the injection of fuel electrically order to enhance the efficiency of combustion. In a fuel injection valve of such a fuel injection control device, the opening and closing of the valve is performed by driving a movable iron core portion with the magnetic force which is generated by a solenoid (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-274329).
Furthermore, since it is necessary to control the fuel injection control amount minutely in order to enhance the efficiency of combustion, sometimes a piezoelectric element such as a piezo element or a magnetostrictive element or the like is utilized for opening and closing the fuel injection valve (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. H09-310655).
In recent years, in order to enhance the efficiency of combustion, so called direct injection type engines have come into use, in which the fuel is directly injected into the engine. With this type of engine, since the structure is such that the fuel which is compressed at a high pressure is sent to a fuel injection device which is provided at the cylinder head portion and is directly injected into the cylinders, accordingly a high pressure fuel pump, a high pressure fuel pipe, a fuel injection valve whose responsiveness is good, and a voltage elevation circuit which drives them all, are essential elements in the structure.
However, with a fuel injection valve of the former solenoid type, or with one of the latter type which utilizes a piezoelectric element or a magnetostrictive element or the like, there is the problem that the system as a whole becomes costly, since it is necessary to provide, as separate items, not only the voltage elevation circuit, but also a high pressure pump and a high pressure fuel pipe and the like.
Thus, the present invention proposes a fuel injection control device with which a reduction in cost can be anticipated, since the high pressure fuel pipe is made unnecessary by integrating together the fuel injection valve, whose responsiveness is good, and the high pressure fuel pump.


To obtain large, high-quality crystals of a metal orthophosphate, in particular GaPO4 or AlPO4, from a nutrient solution with the use of seeds, a seed crystal is used having at least two rod- or wafer-shaped legs which form an angle with each other and define a main growth region, and which are positioned eccentrically in the single crystal grown. Contagious faces of two seed legs, which have been chosen for crystal growing, enclose an angle  less than 180xc2x0. In this way the yield of the high-quality crystal region will be increased.

This invention relates to a method for the growing of single crystals of metal orthophosphates of the crystallographic point group 32, especially GaPO4 or AlPO4, from a liquid culture medium using seed crystals with surfaces especially selected for the crystals to be grown.
Such crystals are piezoelectric and have a single optical axis, i.e., they have a preferred crystallographic direction, which is designated z or c or as xe2x80x9coptical axisxe2x80x9d. The crystallographic axes X, Y, Z, and the growth surfaces R, r, m, and z of such crystals are shown in FIG. 1. In a position normal to the wall surfaces m there are three symmetry-equivalent Y-axes (only one shown) and normal to the plane Y and Z there are three X-axes (only one shown). The X-axes are polar, i.e., the + and xe2x88x92 directions have different physical properties, such as etching characteristics and velocity of growth. The GaPO4 monocrystal (gallium orthophosphate) has better physical properties than quartz. Particularly to be noted are its piezo effect which is twice as large as in quartz, a higher coupling constant (of interest for surface acoustic wave (SAW) elements) and the absence of an xcex1-xcex2 phase transition at 573xc2x0 C., which permits the material to be used up to 900xc2x0 C.
For the manufacture of large series of sensors or resonators based on a metal orthophosphate, the use of already existing technology facilities would be desirable. Most lithographic processing plants (for instance for the application of SAW layers) are designed for semiconductor materials, where wafers of 3xe2x80x3 diameter or larger are processed. To make good use of the advantages of the new crystals both, from an economic and technological point of view, large undisturbed crystal regions will thus be required.
The absence of natural seeds has given rise to various growth processes in order to obtain single crystals of as large a size as possible. The problem is that the y faces and m faces and the major rhombohedral faces (R faces) will limit growth (see FIG. 1), which means that only seeds of suitably large Y-dimensions will yield satisfactory results. In the direction of the crystallographic X-axes, however, growth is relatively fast.
Terminology for the directions and faces in metal orthophosphates is summed up in tables 1 and 2. Directions are given in the form of surface normals in brackets (the face being specified by the Bravais-Miller index).
From the growth criteria described above it follows that the optimum choice would be a straight seed 1 whose dimensions should be as large as possible in Y-direction, from where the X wing could develop (see FIG. 2, which also shows the symmetry-equivalent axes Yxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x3 and Xxe2x80x2, Xxe2x80x3). With artificial metal orthophosphates only relatively small dimensions are obtainable when spontaneous crystals are used, even in the case of multiple growth cycles, because the growth rate in Y-direction is extremely low.
The hydrothermal growth process disclosed in AT-B 398 255 will permit use of the longer Y-rods of quartz as seed crystals for producing metal orthophosphates (epitaxy on quartz) . In this way considerable dimensions may be achieved in the X- and Y-directions. During the hydrothermal growth process of the epitaxial method problems will occur in the form of growth disturbances. Next to Brazil twinning, the main disturbance will concern the seed quartz itself, which will be a foreign body inside the grown crystal. This situation is shown in FIG. 3, where individual crystal regions are marked out as seen in the direction of the Y-axis. Inclusions, dislocations and cracks due to mechanical stresses are found in the xe2x80x9cdirect z regionxe2x80x9d 4. On the other hand, the excellent crystal quality of the xe2x80x9cindirect z regionxe2x80x9d 5 has come as a surprise. The xe2x80x9cdirect x regionxe2x80x9d 6 is marked by disturbances in the form of inclusions of the nutrient solution. Depending on conditions of growth, it will be possible nevertheless to use partial regions thereof for applications. The border region between disturbed and undisturbed areas of direct X-growth is formed by the so-called 123 surfaces. These faces are denoted by surface indices {1,2,{overscore (3)},3}. Starting from this region crystals may be grown without the risk of a disturbed direct x region.
Other known methods have been employed to obtain a larger Y dimension by placing several seed crystals one behind the other in a straight line, as discussed in EP-A 0 123 809, for instance, according to which the faces (z faces) selected for crystal growth are arranged in a plane, the individual wafers having a hexagonal cross-section. EP-B1 0 515 288 presents a method of hydrothermal growth using wafer-shaped seed crystals consisting of crystallization nuclei, which are arranged on a planar base element.
Although it has been attempted to use slowly growing surfaces as seed material, this has only served to confirm the slow growth rates. As a consequence the view has been held until now that the use of straight Y-rods will offer the fast growing x faces maximum space for growing and thus help obtain maximum yield.
It is an object of this invention to propose a method for growing large, high-quality crystals of metal orthophosphates, while avoiding growth disturbances as far as possible.
In accordance with the invention this object is achieved by using a seed crystal with at least two rod- or wafer-shaped legs forming an angle with each other and defining a main growth region, which are positioned eccentrically in the single crystal grown. It has been found unexpectedly that conventionally slow-growth surfaces will grow much faster if two contiguous crystallographic faces selected for crystal growing form an angle of  less than 180xc2x0 with each other.
The new process will permit the growing of crystals that are just as large as the ones obtained by using conventional straight seeds, whilst the seed crystal is moved to the edge of the main growth region, thus permitting use of the entire growth zone (e.g., indirect z region). The useful surface area, for example in the X-Y plane, may be doubled in this way, permitting wafers of 3xe2x80x3 diameter to be obtained from metal orthophosphate crystals. This is made possible by a new configuration and alignment of the seed crystals.
The invention provides that the seed crystal be obtained from a single crystal as a monolith forming at least two legs, or that it consist of individual rod- or wafer-shaped single crystal elements whose crystallographic axes are aligned so as to be parallel to each other. Best results are obtained by aligning the axes as accurately as possible, although deviations of 2xc2x0 to 3xc2x0 will be tolerated.
Different seed geometries can be obtained by cuts from a single crystal piece, or by fitting together (xe2x80x9csplicingxe2x80x9d) individual crystal elements. If a splicing technique is used, a most accurate alignment of the legs of the seed crystal is essential, which must be maintained while the seed cystals are beginning to grow.
Best results will be obtained if the seed crystals can be taken from a single piece of crystal, i.e., monolithically. In that instance any problems concerning mechanical stability or configuration will be avoided and the relative alignment of the legs of the seed crystals is provided automatically. Minor errors of absolute orientation (i.e., small rotations in the angle of the seed crystals) to the extent of a few degrees have virtually no influence on the quality of growth.
It is further provided by the invention that the seed crystal consist of crystal material that is a homeotype of the single crystal to be grown. GaPO4, AlPO4, FePO4, GaAsO4, AlAsO4, SiO2, or GeO2 are the materials preferred in this context. With the use of an epitaxial process a thin layer of the desired crystal material is applied. This process must be performed in two steps, however. The advantage of the epitaxial method is that quartz seeds can be used which are considerably larger and less costly than seed crystals based on metal orthophosphates.
In the instance of a seed crystal with rod-shaped legs it is preferable for the main axes of the legs to define a plane normal to the crystallographic Z-axis.

Method for the growing of single crystals


An active matrix display includes an annealed flexible dielectric substrate, a thin-film-transistor (TFT), a pixel electrode, and an interconnect. The annealed substrate includes at least a first surface and a second surface. The TFT is formed on the annealed flexible dielectric substrate first surface. The pixel electrode is formed on the annealed flexible dielectric substrate first surface. The interconnect is formed on the annealed flexible dielectric substrate, and includes a conductor having an interconnect contact and a pixel electrode contact formed thereon. The interconnect contact is electrically coupled to the TFT, and the pixel contact is electrically coupled to the pixel electrode.

Presently, there is an increasing interest in developing flexible AM (active matrix) displays for both military and commercial applications. This is at least partially because active matrix display technology provides the potential to realize relatively rugged, full color, lightweight, low power, and low cost flexible displays. Currently, most active matrix displays use rigid glass substrates. Many of these rigid active matrix displays have been, and continue to be, in commercial use in a variety of applications and sizes. For example, relatively small size (e.g., ˜2-inch diagonal) displays have been used in some digital cameras and mobile phones. Relatively large size (e.g., >˜15-inch diagonal) active matrix displays have been used in various other consumer products including, for example, personal computers (PCs) and televisions (TVs).
Although rigid active matrix displays are generally reliable and robust, flexible active matrix displays offer certain potential advantages. For example, flexible active matrix displays may enable many unique display applications, due to the inherent ruggedness and unique form factors of conformability and rollability during use, transportation, and storage. Flexible displays may also be amenable to roll-to-roll manufacturing processes, which may provide significant reduction in manufacturing costs.
Unfortunately, the current processes for fabricating active matrix displays typically are not adequate for the fabrication of active matrix displays using flexible plastic substrates. This is due, at least in part, to the flexible substrate having a CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) that is significantly larger (˜20 ppm versus ˜3 ppm) than the typical thin films that are used to form thin-film-transistors (TFTs) on the substrate. As a result, thermal stresses may arise, which can lead to curling and warping of the flexible substrate during processing. In most instances, it is not be possible to conduct the various photolithography operations on curled and warped substrates, thereby making it rather difficult, if not impossible, to process the substrate to completion. Moreover, the flexible substrates may shrink during various TFT processing operations, resulting in dimensional instability that may make layer to layer alignment fairly difficult.
Hence, there is a need for a method of fabricating an active matrix display backplane directly on a flexible substrate that does not cause significant thermal stresses in the substrate during TFT processing and/or is relatively dimensionally stable. The present invention addresses one or more of these needs.

Flexible active matrix display backplane and method


A cutting cup for a sphere making machine. The cutting cup includes a cylindrical ring having an outer wall, an inner wall, a bottom wall, and a top wall, the top wall having at least one beveled facet angled downwardly from the outer wall to the inner wall. A cutting element is attached to each of the beveled facets. Each of the cutting elements has a cutting edge adapted to at least partially contact a workpiece to be formed into a sphere. A mounting member is attached to the bottom wall of the cylindrical ring for attaching the cutting cup to the spindle of a sphere making machine.

The present invention relates to an improved cutting cup for sphere making machines.
It is known in the lapidary art to make spheres of rock and similar materials using a sphere making machine. In making rock spheres, the piece of rock is first cut into a perfect cube. The corners of the cube are then cut off, and then the resulting corners cut off again for a total of 32 cuts. The resulting rough sphere is ground so it is fairly rounded, and then placed into a sphere making machine. Machines for making such spheres have either two or three concave grinding cups that are rotated by spindles to grind against the surface of the rock to create a sphere. The interior of the concave grinding cups typically contains a coating of an abrasive, such as 40/50 mesh diamonds sintered to a cup made of cast iron.
Such sphere making machines are commercially available. A two head "little sphere" machine is available as Covington Model 382, and a two head "large sphere" machine is available as Covington Model 381. A three head sphere machine is available as Covington Model 383.
With the conventional grinding cups currently commercially available it typically takes 4–6 hours to form a rock sphere.