To provide an electronic apparatus capable of easily detecting a terminal that forms a loop connection state with a simplified configuration.

In recent years, HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) has been in widespread use as a communication interface that transmits a digital video signal, that is, an uncompressed (baseband) video signal (hereinafter referred to as "image data") and a digital audio signal (hereinafter referred to as "audio data") associated with the video signal from, for example, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) recorder, a set-top box, or another AV source (Audio Visual source) to a television receiver, a projector, or another display at high speed. For example, Patent Document 1 describes the HDMI specification in detail.
In addition, in recent years, in addition to widely used personal computers, even general consumer products have been frequently connected to the Internet. For terrestrial digital broadcasting and BS digital broadcasting, Ethernet is defined as means for providing EPG information. In general, television sets and apparatuses that support digital broadcasting have a RJ-45 connector mounted thereon.
Furthermore, as video recording means, video recording apparatuses that record video received via Ethernet are provided. Still furthermore, in the near feature, video distribution via the Internet, such as IP-TV, is planed to be provided. Therefore, in the near feature, apparatuses each having a plurality of Ethernet connectors may be commercially available. In such a case, loop connection may occur depending on how the terminals are connected.
For example, Patent Document 2 describes loop monitoring and detecting means that counts received MAC frames having the same FCS (Frame Check Sequence) value and determines that a network is in a loop mode if the number of received MAC frames having the same FCS value within a predetermined time period is a predetermined threshold value or greater.    Patent Document 1: Publication No. WO2002/078336    Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-13737

Electronic apparatus and method for detecting loop in electronic apparatus

Abstract: A control unit counts the number of broadcast packet supplied from a switching hub to a communication unit within a predetermined time period and determines whether the number of packets exceeds a threshold value (ST2, ST3). If the number of packets exceeds the threshold value, the control unit determines that an abnormal connection state occurs, that is, a loop is detected and starts a process in which the control unit identifies a network terminal that forms the loop connection state (ST3, ST5). The control unit counts the number of broadcast packets that reach each of the network terminals, that is, broadcast packets input to each port of the switching hub. Thereafter, the control unit determines whether the network terminal that has received the number of packets exceeding the threshold value is present, that is, whether an abnormally connected terminal is present (ST5, ST6). If an abnormally connected terminal is present, the control unit displays a message indicating abnormal connection, the abnormally connected terminal, and a message prompting connection change (ST7).


A method is provided for measuring insertion loss in cables. The method comprises the steps of measuring a first insertion loss IL12 of a first circuit path including the series connection of a first cable and a second cable, measuring a second insertion loss IL23 of a second circuit path including the series connection of the second cable and a third cable, measuring a third insertion loss IL13 of a third circuit path including the series connection of the first cable and the third cable, and calculating an insertion loss of three or more cables using the formulas:

In most RF systems, it is common to test cable paths within the system to verify that the cables are capable of signal transmission with minimal degradation. An example of a typical RF cable measurement would be an insertion loss measurement. Insertion loss provides a measure of the power loss along a transmission line and is typically measured in dB. Insertion loss varies with the type of cable, operating frequency, and cable length.
Insertion loss measurements can be used to troubleshoot or to verify cable performance. A common instrument for performing these measurements is a vector network analyzer (VNA). Vector network analyzers can measure and display the complete amplitude and phase characteristics of an electrical network. VNA hardware typically includes a sweeping signal source, a test set to separate forward and reverse signals, and a phase-coherent receiver.
Scattering Parameters, or s-parameters, are the reflection and transmission coefficients between the incident and reflection waves. They are used to describe the behavior of a device under linear conditions at radio frequencies. Each parameter is typically characterized by magnitude, decibel and phase. The expression in decibel is 20log(Sij) because s-parameters are voltage ratios of the waves. For a two port network, S11 is the reflection coefficient of the input, S21 is the forward transmission gain, S12 is the reverse transmission gain, and S22 is the reflection coefficient of the output. S12 and S21 measurements (such as Insertion Loss, Time Delay Matching, and Phase Matching) using a VNA usually involve two test cables. After calibrating out the errors due to the VNA, test cables and adapters, one test cable is connected between a first port on the VNA (Port 1) and one end of the cable under test. A second test cable is connected between a second port of the VNA (Port 2) and the other end of the cable under test. Where the endpoints of the cables or Units Under Test are not physically located close to each other, or the test cables have to be routed around obstructions, longer test cables than desired or practical may be necessary to perform S12 or S21 measurements.
If the length of the test cables significantly exceeds the length of the cables to be tested, the errors introduced by the test cables can begin to cause inaccuracies in the measurements. In many cases, the cables to be tested are installed in equipment, such as an aircraft, and cannot be easily removed.
It would normally be feasible to test short cables by the standard method of attaching a test cable to each side of the cable under test. However, in some instances, such as when testing cables in an aircraft, long test cables would be required so that connections can be made to the ends of the cables under test. Traditional test methods for testing RF cabling that utilize long test cables are expensive due to additional test cable requirements for ruggedness and other cable characteristics. Long test cables have greater insertion loss as well as phase and insertion loss stability problems, and also create potential safety hazards. For example, there is an increased chance of a person tripping over the test cable and causing Foreign Object Debris (FOD) damage or personal injury. Long test cables also result in an increased risk of the test cable being damaged by oil or grease, or being run over or stepped on. In addition, long test cables can be intrusive on other tasks being performed in the immediate area.
There is a need for a cable test method that eliminates the need for long test cables.

Alternate test method for RF cable testing to avoid long test cables

Abstract: IL      1        =                            IL          12                -                  IL          23                +                  IL          13                    2                  IL      3        =                  IL        13            -              IL        1                        IL      2        =                  IL        23            -              IL        3                        IL      n        =                  IL                  3                    n                    -              IL        3            Where n is the number of cables to be tested.


Systems and method for improving operation of a radio frequency system are provided. One embodiment provides a radio frequency system that includes an amplifier device with a first data path and a second data path. Additionally, the radio frequency system includes a controller that instructs the radio frequency system to transmit a calibration signal, which includes a first portion that excites the first data path and a second portion that excites the second data path; determines time skew between the first and second data paths based at least in part on phase shift between a first sample of a feedback signal and the first portion, phase shift between a second sample of the feedback signal and the second portion, or both; and instructs the radio frequency system to adjust delay applied on the first data path, the second data path, or both based at least on the time skew.

The present disclosure relates generally to radio frequency systems and, more particularly, an amplifier device used in a radio frequency system.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Electronic devices often include a radio frequency system to facilitate wireless communication of data with another electronic device and/or a network. To facilitate wireless communication, the radio frequency system may include a transceiver that outputs an analog representation of at least one component (e.g., phase and/or amplitude) of the data to be wirelessly transmitted as an analog electrical signal and/or a digital representation of at least one component of the data to be wirelessly transmitted as a digital electrical signal. Since the electronic device may be separated from the other electronic device and/or network by some distance, the radio frequency system may include an amplifier device that generates an amplified analog electrical signal by amplifying the analog electrical signal to a target magnitude (e.g., strength).
To facilitate generating the amplified analog electrical signal, the amplifier device may process the electrical signal using multiple data paths. For example, when implementing envelope elimination and restoration (EER), the amplifier device may include a first data path that process an amplitude component of the electrical signal and a second data path that processes a phase component of the electrical signal. Based at least in part on the amplitude component, the envelope data path may adjust voltage supplied to a power amplifier in the amplifier device. In this manner, the power amplifier may recombine the amplitude component with the phase component and increase magnitude based on the voltage supplied from the first data path. Thus, fidelity (e.g., accuracy) of the amplified analog electrical signal to the electrical signal may be dependent on how well synchronized the multiple paths are with one another.

Radio frequency time skew calibration systems and methods


This device comprises an elastic guide wire onto which is fitted a semi-rigid tubular mandrel which is in turn fitted into a thin-walled tubular sheath. A catheter in the form of an easily divisible flexible tube has a distal end that permanently holds a blood filter. The catheter's proximal end receives a locating member that can be confined under the skin of a patient to insure that no infection develops. After the filter is temporarily implanted, a removable strengthening cable can be inserted into the catheter to advance the filter along the sheath to a chosen position in a vein, in particular the inferior vena cava, of the patient. The locating member makes it easy to remove the filter whenever the risk of pulmonary embolism is no longer present.

This invention relates to a device for temporarily implanting, in a vein of the human body, and in particular in the inferior vena cava of a patient, a blood filter, and more particularly a blood filter of the type that is elastically expandable in the radial direction.
The function of blood filters is to hold back the blood clots that may form in the course of phlebitis or other vascular or cardiovascular disorders, in order to prevent their migration towards the pulmonary arteries where they could cause an embolism.
The filters generally used for this purpose have the shape of a small umbrella consisting of a plurality of flexible branches that can be radially expanded. In the rest position (retracted state) the branches extend approximately parallel to one another and occupy a reduced dimension in the radial direction, and this allows them to be positioned in a vein. Once in place inside the vein, the branches spread automatically outward and are immobilized against the wall of the vein, thereby anchoring the filter at the desired site.
Filters of this type are preferably positioned in the inferior vena cava, a little below the level of the kidneys.
The equipment that permits positioning of the filter traditionally comprises a guide rod and a mandrel which make it possible to insert a sheath into the vein to the desired depth, in such a way that the end of the sheath arrives at the site where the filter is to be positioned. When the filter is positioned in the inferior vena cava, it is known to carry out the implanting via a percutaneous access route or by "denudation" at the level of the right internal jugular vein. The positioning is thus carried out starting from the jugular vein, and via the superior vena cava. After the sheath is positioned, the mandrel and the guide rod are withdrawn. The filter is then introduced into the sheath by a special syringe and displaced inside the sheath, along its entire length, by the mandrel, the latter in this case having the role of a pusher. When the filter arrives at the free end of the sheath (previously positioned at the desired site in the inferior vena cava), the filter spreads open automatically and anchors in the wall of the vein. The sheath is then removed, and the filter remains permanently in position.
The main disadvantage of this technique is that the filter can be withdrawn only by performing a very delicate surgical operation. Unfortunately, the permanent positioning of the filter in the vena cava is a source of complications, in particular, the filter can trigger a thrombosis. Moreover, the patient with this filter in place must take anticoagulant medication for life.
These disadvantages are all the more regrettable since, in a great many forms of treatment, the positioning of the filter in the vein is necessary only for a limited period, generally a few weeks or a few months, corresponding to the period during which there is a real risk of embolism.
For this reason a technique has recently been proposed for implanting the filter temporarily and removably, so it can be withdrawn after a certain time has elapsed.
For this, the mandrel which is used for implanting the filter is permanently integral with the latter; after the filter is implanted, the mandrel remains inserted in the vein and projects from the body via the access route used for the implanting, that is, at the level of the neck, in the region of the jugular vein, when the filter is implanted in the vena cava. Unfortunately, such a rod, which is relatively rigid, is very uncomfortable for the patient; moreover, because the mandrel projects from the skin, it constitutes a source of infection that may lead to serious complications, especially septicaemia.

Device with a locating member for removably implanting a blood filter in a vein of the human body


The present disclosure relates to a climate management system having an outdoor coil of a refrigerant circuit, a first indoor coil of the refrigerant circuit, and a second indoor coil of the refrigerant circuit disposed downstream of the first indoor coil with respect to a flow of air directed across the first indoor coil and the second indoor coil. The climate management system is configured to, in a cooling mode, direct refrigerant flow in a first direction through the outdoor coil, direct refrigerant flow through the first indoor coil, and restrict refrigerant flow from the second indoor coil. The climate management system is also configured to, in a heating mode, direct refrigerant flow in a second direction through the outdoor coil, direct refrigerant flow through the second indoor coil, and restrict refrigerant flow from the first indoor coil. The second direction is opposite the first direction.

The present disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. A wide range of applications exist for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example, residential, light commercial, commercial, and industrial systems are used to control temperatures and air quality in residences and buildings. Such systems often are dedicated to either heating or cooling, although systems are common that perform both of these functions. Very generally, these systems operate by implementing a thermal cycle in which fluids are heated and cooled to provide the desired temperature in a controlled space, typically the inside of a residence or building. Similar systems are used for vehicle heating and cooling, and as well as for general refrigeration. Some HVAC systems may utilize an indoor heat exchanger to act as a condenser or an evaporator, depending on the mode of operation of the HVAC system. Particularly, in a heating mode, the indoor heat exchanger may be utilized as a condenser and, in a cooling mode, the indoor heat exchanger may be utilized as an evaporator. However, because the indoor heat exchanger may be designed to function as both a condenser and an evaporator in such embodiments, the indoor heat exchanger may be less efficient as an evaporator compared to a heat exchanger that is specifically designed to function as an evaporator, which may result in a decreased efficiency of the HVAC system.

Heat pump with hot gas reheat systems and methods


A torque distribution control device for a four-wheel drive vehicle includes a rotational speed differential responsive type control coupling combined with a front differential of a front wheel drive line. The control coupling has a variable orifice for varying its torque transfer characteristic and thereby varying distribution of engine torque between front and rear wheels. The orifice opening of the variable orifice varies depending upon a variation of a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, e.g., the orifice opening increases as the lateral acceleration increases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a torque distribution control device for a four-wheel drive vehicle, i.e., a device for controlling distribution of engine torque or power between the front and rear wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle on the basis of a vehicle running condition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of a prior art torque distribution control device for a four-wheel drive vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 61-169326 or 62-50231.
Such a prior art control device includes a multi-disc clutch incorporated in a front wheel drive line or rear wheel drive line for producing a desired transfer torque through control of a hydraulic pressure supplied thereto. The clutch engaging force, which is determined by the hydraulic pressure, increases as a detected rotational speed differential between the front and rear wheels increases. The ratio of the clutch engaging force (i.e., transfer torque) relative to the rotational speed differential between the front and rear wheels increases as the lateral acceleration of the vehicle increases.
A problem of the prior art torque distribution control device is that a control performed thereby is complicated. That is, with the prior art control device, it is necessary to obtain the rotational speed differential between the front and rear wheels by computation on the basis of the signals from vehicle wheel speed sensor, and vary the clutch engaging hydraulic pressure in response to a variation of the rotational speed differential so that a desired torque distribution is obtained. Accordingly, the control device is required to have a rapid responsiveness without causing any hunting.
Another problem is that the device is expensive since it requires a microcomputer having a high responsiveness, in order to exercise a complicated control and reduce a computation time.
A further problem is that the device is heavy and bulky, i.e., it requires a large space due to the provisions of a hydraulic pump, accumulator, etc.

Torque distribution control device for four-wheel drive vehicle


A fuel cell device is equipped with an ECU 60 which executes a start-up control of a fuel cell stack 20, and executes a normal electric distribution control, after completion of the start-up control, for controlling a supply flow rate of a fuel gas to an anode electrode and a supply flow rate of an oxidant gas to a cathode electrode, so that a predetermined target current is supplied from the fuel cell stack 20 to an electric load 31. The ECU 60 makes a current adjustment element 30 to be in a state where a current larger than a minimum current necessary for the fuel cell stack 20 in the normal electric distribution control is supplied from the fuel cell stack 20 to the electric load 31, in the start-up control, during the period from starting of the supply of hydrogen to the anode electrode 22 until a gas channel of the anode electrode 22 is filled with hydrogen.

Recently, a fuel cell using hydrogen and oxygen is attracting attention as a power source. During start-up of the fuel cell, supply of hydrogen to an anode channel is started, and air inside the anode channel is substituted with hydrogen. During this process of the air inside the anode channel being substituted with hydrogen, an oxidation-reduction reaction is carried out at a region A at the inlet side of the anode channel which is filled with hydrogen and at a region B at the outlet side thereof which is filled with air.
With this oxidation-reduction reaction, electromotive force is generated at the region A and the region B, platinum in a catalyst layer of the cathode exhibits high potential by the potential difference between the region A and region B, which encourages elution of the platinum, so that electrolyte membrane becomes deteriorated.
Therefore, there is proposed a technique of suppressing deterioration of the electrolyte membrane by reprecipitating platinum flowing out from the catalyst layer of the cathode, by maintaining potential of the cathode at 0.6V or less for a predetermine time or more, when it is determined during start-up of the fuel cell that the interior of the anode channel is filled with hydrogen (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open 2009-64681).


A desensitized firing circuit has a pair of diodes, a resistor, and a sevble wire loop used in combination with an existing firing circuit. With the severable wire loop intact, current flow through the resistor is shunted to ground, and the circuit operates in a sensitive mode. With the loop severed, current flows through the resistor and one of the diodes to the base of an input switching transistor, thereby maintaining this transistor in a conductive state until a sufficiently large and properly shaped negative input signal is received.

This invention relates generally to firing circuits for explosive devices, and more particularly to a desensitized firing circuit for use with magnetic land mines.
Magnetic mines have been employed in the past which utilize the magnetic signature of a target moving past the mine. Frequently, the mine firing circuits used with such mines use over-the-peak detectors which generate fire signals after the magnetic signature has passed its peak amplitude. Prior art over-the-peak firing circuits have been used primarily in a water medium. When used on land, these prior art circuits have been found to be more sensitive than desirable, thereby producing spurious firing signals. In addition, prior art firing circuits are susceptible to certain types of mine sweeping, such as step or square wave pulsing.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A device to actuate a contamination cover on a machine bracket, the device comprising a master cylinder positioned on the machine bracket; a first slave cylinder positioned on the machine bracket and connected to the contamination cover; and a closed master-slave circuit connecting the master cylinder to the slave cylinder wherein the actuation of the master cylinder drives the slave cylinder for the transition of the contamination cover from a close to an open position.

Worktools, such as shears, grabs, or buckets may be coupled with host machines, such as excavators, to perform work operations like cutting, grabbing or excavating. The worktools may be coupled to a boom or stick mechanism of the host machine via a fixed connection or a quick release connection.
A quick release connection may allow for a relatively easy exchange of the worktool whereby the operator connects or changes a worktool without leaving the cab. The machine mounting bracket is arranged to slide into the worktool mounting bracket, when the worktool is positioned on the ground. After aligning the mounting bracket of the worktool and the mounting bracket of the machine, a locking device may be moved into a locked position to lock the worktool to the machine.
When connecting the work tool to the machine, the hydraulic hoses of the machine and work tool pressure fluid circuits may be connected for driving the work tool. Automatic hydraulic hose connection systems are known which may be activated by the operator from the cab for connection of the hydraulic hoses. Such systems may often be dependent on the connection of the work tool to the machine. Hydraulic hose couplers may be provided and arranged so that during connection of the work tool to the machine the hose couplers are also automatically connected. When the work tool mounting bracket is connected to the machine mounting bracket, the hose couplers may be contemporaneously connected.
The worktool or machine unused during a specific operation may be subject to external elements such as moisture and dust or other contaminants which may settle on the fluid connectors of the hydraulic lines. Such contamination may damage the fluid connectors of the worktool or the machine during a coupling procedure or may result in impeding the coupling of the machine mounting bracket and the worktool mounting bracket.
WO199927194 discloses a device for protecting connection elements on construction equipment from grime, dust and water. The connection elements may serve to connect lines for liquid and gaseous mediums or for electric cables. A covering arrangement may protect the connection elements. The covering arrangement may comprise a tubular and movable envelope provided with openings which cover or expose the connection elements through rotation of the envelope around the connection elements. The envelope may be provided on the worktool bracket or the machine bracket and may be rotated by actuation of a lever connected thereto.
The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to improving or overcoming one or more aspects of the prior art system.

Device to actuate a fluid connector contamination cover


A polarity-convertible Josephson driver circuit includes first and second driving voltage generating circuits, a driven line, and a load resistor. Each of the first and second driving voltage generating circuits has a loop circuit for forming at least one loop, the loop circuit being constituted by inductances and Josephson junctions so that a plurality of series-connected circuits each constituted by the inductances and the Josephson junctions are parallelly connected between an output point and a reference point, and a control line which has one terminal connected to an input point and the other terminal connected to the output point and is arranged to magnetically coupled to the loop circuit. The driven line connects the output points of the first and second driving voltage generating circuits to each other. A load resistor is inserted in the driven line.

The present invention relates to a superconducting integrated circuit using Josephson junctions and, more particularly, to a polarity-convertible Josephson driver circuit capable of injecting a current into a driven line such as a word or bit line of the memory cell array of the superconducting memory integrated circuit and arbitrarily reversing the direction of the current.
FIG. 9 shows an equivalent circuit for explaining a conventionally known polarity-convertible Josephson driver circuit (the Spring National Convention of the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan, 1988, C-66, "Polarity-Convertible Driver Circuits"). This prior art will be described below with reference to FIG. 9.
As shown in FIG. 9, a conventional polarity-convertible Josephson driver circuit comprises four magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuits G.sub.1 G.sub.2, G.sub.3, and G.sub.4, three resistors R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.L, and a driven line L. In a memory circuit, the driven line L corresponds to the word or bit line of a memory cell array.
In this driver circuit, when a signal is input to a control signal input terminal S.sub.1 while a bias current is supplied to bias input terminals B.sub.1 and B.sub.2, the magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuits G.sub.1 and G.sub.3 are switched from a superconducting state to a voltage state, and the bias current is injected from an output terminal O.sub.1 into the driven line L through the resistor R.sub.1. The bias current flowing in the driven line L flows into ground through the magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuit G.sub.4. With the above operation, an output current can be generated by the driven line L in the clockwise direction in FIG. 9.
On the other hand, when a signal is input to a control signal input terminal S.sub.2, the magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuits G.sub.2 and G.sub.4 are switched from a superconducting state to a voltage state, and a bias current is injected from an output terminal O.sub.2 into the driven line L through the resistor R.sub.2. The bias current flowing in the driven line L flows into ground through the magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuit G.sub.3. With the above operation, an output current can be generated by the driven line L in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9.
As described above, the driver circuit can realize a polarity-convertible operation capable of injecting a current into the driven line L and arbitrarily reversing the direction of the current.
In this prior art, however, since the four magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuits (two-junction SQUID gates) are used, the circuit area is increased, and large-scale integration cannot be easily performed. In addition, since control lines respectively connected to the control signal input terminals S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 must be magnetically coupled to the set of two magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuits G.sub.1 and G.sub.3 and the set of two magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuits G.sub.2 and G.sub.4, respectively, the inductances of the control lines are increased, and the driver circuit cannot be easily operated at high speed.
Since the magnetic coupling Josephson gate circuits are used, an input signal current relatively larger than an output current is required. Furthermore, since the inductances of the control lines are increased, the driver circuit cannot be easily operated at high speed.

Polarity-convertible Josephson driver circuit


According to one embodiment, a storage device includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller. The controller is configured to select a first mode as a write mode to write data from the host to the nonvolatile memory when the controller receives a first instruction from the host. In the first mode, n-bit data is written into a memory cell in a first area of the nonvolatile memory, n being a positive integer more than or equal to 1. The controller is configured to select another mode different from the first mode as the write mode when the controller receives a second instruction from the host.

A solid-state drive (SSD) including a nonvolatile memory is known as one of storage devices. The SSD receives data from a host device (hereinafter referred to as a host) and writes it to the nonvolatile memory.
An SSD including first and second write modes has been developed. In the first write mode, priority is given to a write speed. In the second write mode, priority is given to a data write size. The SSD selects one of the write modes based on a write state and the like.
However, the SSD determines its selection timing of the write mode. Therefore, write performance may not be increased at a timing desired by the host.
Embodiments described herein aim to provide a storage device, a storage system and a control method, which are capable of increasing write performance at a timing desired by a host.

Storage device having a controller configured to select modes as write modes based on received instructions, storage system, and control method


The method concerns the reliable start-up of a crystal oscillator where the drive levels the crystal is subjected to are kept low in order to avoid over-driving the crystal. After applying a start-up value of a parameter controlling the drive level where the drive level associated with the start-up value is rather high such that reliable start-up is ensured the parameter is modified step-wise so as to reduce the drive level until the crystal oscillator ceases to operate regularly. To assess whether this is the case, the frequency of the crystal oscillator is compared with the frequency of an auxiliary oscillator. A safety margin is added to the parameter and the result stored in a non-volatile memory as an operating value. The crystal oscillator is then restarted with the start-up value and after a delay the operating value is applied.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,940,137 B2 discloses a method for controlling loop gain of a crystal oscillator circuit using a bias current. A bias current which is employed as a parameter for controlling the drive level of the oscillator is set to a high value at start-up and then reduced stepwise until the amplitude of the oscillator signal falls below a threshold. This requires a rather complicated circuit with expensive high-quality components for monitoring the amplitude and controlling the bias current via a feedback loop involving rectifying and analog to digital (A/D)-converting the output signal and digital to analog (D/A)-converting a digital signal which controls the bias current. The rather involved signal processing also causes elevated levels of power consumption.


An apparatus for use with a portable router, a small template, and a template guide to rout virtually any shape onto workpieces that would normally be considered too small for standard portable routers to handle. The apparatus comprises a main body for supporting a router; locating means for locating the router with respect to the main body and mounted on the main body; support means extending down from the main body, for supporting the main body on a support surface for movement across the support surface; and a template guide mountable on the router around the router bit and extending below the support means, whereby, in use, with a workpiece and a template secured to the support surface and with a template on top of the workpiece, the router is supported by the main body and the support means above the template and workpiece and the template guide abuts the template to guide the router bit around the template.

In order to cut small intricate shapes using a router it is often necessary to employ a template having the size and shape desired. A method of making and using such templates is disclosed in the literature including De Cristoforo, R. J., The Portable Router Book, 2nd Edition (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: TAB Books, 1994) at pp. 222-226. Types of templates include various sizes and designs of letters and numbers and other customized shapes. These templates are typically tack-nailed or spot glued onto a workpiece, and the surrounding workpiece material is then removed to transfer the shape of the template onto the workpiece. In order to accommodate the thickness of the template, it is necessary to raise the base of the router above the surface of the workpiece. Runner and base designs for raising a router base is shown in the literature including Spielman, P., Router Jigs and Techniques (New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1988) at pp. 203-205. The runners shown on page 203 and 204 of Spielman position the router bit flush with the surface of the workpiece. This setup is used for trimming plugs which are protruding from the top surface of the workpiece and does not disclose the use of a template.
While the use of templates, and runners to raise the base of the router is known, the prior art fails to show how a router can be used with a template to rout intricate shapes and designs into small workpieces. In particular, the prior art does not show how small workpieces can be secured, how a template shape can be transferred to small workpieces of varying thicknesses, and how the shape of the template can be transferred through the entire thickness of the workpiece.

Router base adapter unit for small templates


Described are enzymatic methods of making food products and modifying food flavor using, for example, a lipase and a lactase, and related enzyme compositions and food products.

Enzymes can be used to modify the flavor, texture and aroma of food and beverages. One example of enzyme use in the food industry is found in cheese making. Cheese manufacturers use enzymes to make cheese and enhance flavor. For example the enzyme rennet (a protease) turns milk into curds and whey. Other enzymes turn bland cheese curd into different flavored cheeses. The flavors of most natural cheeses are due to enzymes produced by microflora naturally present in cheese, while the flavors of enzyme modified cheeses (EMCs) are due to enzymes added during the production process.
EMCs are a type of processed cheese produced by adding enzymes, such as lipase and/or protease, to immature cheese to impart desired flavor. EMCs are typically made from young (immature) cheese (such as mild cheese curds) to which enzymes are added to develop the desired cheese flavor in a short time period (e.g., in about 24 hours). The flavor of an EMC can be 10 times as strong as a natural cheese, and depends largely on the enzyme reaction used to produce the EMC. Commercially, EMC is used as a processed cheese product, or as a powder that can be added to other food products to impart a cheese flavor, such as snack chips, soups, etc.
EMCs are commonly produced with lipases. Lipases break down the lipids present in the cheese, releasing fatty acids that impart flavor. For example, the release of high levels of butyric acid imparts "blue" flavor notes to cheese. Different lipases have different fatty acid profiles that result in different flavors.
There remains a need, therefore, for enzymatic methods for producing EMCs with desired flavors.

Enzymatic methods of flavor modification


A methanation catalyst, a carbon monoxide removing system, a fuel processor, and a fuel cell including the same, and more particularly a non-supported methanation catalyst including the catalytically active non-precious metal particles and the metal oxide particles, and a carbon monoxide removing system, a fuel processor, and a fuel cell including the same. The methanation catalyst has high selectivity for the methanation of carbon monoxide instead of the methanation of carbon dioxide and the reverse water gas shift reaction of carbon dioxide, which are side reactions of the methanation of carbon monoxide, maintains high concentration of generated hydrogen as small amounts of hydrogen and carbon dioxide are consumed, and effectively removes carbon monoxide at low operating temperatures of 200° C. or less.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a methanation catalyst, and a carbon monoxide removing system, a fuel processor, and a fuel cell including the same, and more particularly, to a methanation catalyst having high selectivity for a methanation of carbon monoxide rather than a reverse water gas shift reaction of carbon dioxide, which is a side reaction of the methanation, maintains high concentration of generated hydrogen, and effectively remove carbon monoxide at a low operating temperature of 200° C. or less, and a carbon monoxide removing system, a fuel processor, and a fuel cell including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fuel cells are electricity generation systems that directly convert the chemical energy of hydrogen from hydrocarbons, such as methanol, ethanol and natural gas, and the chemical energy of oxygen to electrical energy.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an energy conversion process to produce electricity in a fuel cell 4. As illustrated in FIG. 1, air that includes oxygen is supplied to a cathode 1 and a fuel containing hydrogen is supplied to an anode 3, electricity is generated as an electrolyte membrane 2 allows hydrogen ions to flow from the anode 3 to the cathode 1 through the electrolyte membrane 2 while electrons e are forced to flow through a circuit, which produces usable energy. The hydrogen and oxygen combine at the cathode 1 to produce water.
Fuel cell systems consist of a fuel cell stack, a fuel processor (FP), a fuel tank, a fuel pump, etc. The fuel cell stack is a main body of a fuel cell, and includes several to several tens of unit cells each including a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and a separator (or bipolar plate). With reference to FIG. 2, hydrogen is extracted from the fuel in a fuel processor 10 so as to be supplied to the fuel cell stack 20. The fuel processor 10 includes a desulfurizer 11, a reformer 12, a burner 13, a water supply pump 16, first and second heat exchangers 14a and 14b, and a CO removal unit 15 comprising a CO shift reaction device 15a and a CO removal device 15b. The hydrogen is extracted in a reformer 12 of the fuel processor 10.
The fuel pump supplies the fuel in the fuel tank to the fuel processor. The fuel processor 10 produces hydrogen by reforming and purifying the fuel and supplies the hydrogen to the fuel cell stack 20. The fuel cell stack 20 receives the hydrogen and generates electrical energy through electrochemical reactions of the hydrogen with oxygen.
The reformer 12 of the fuel processor 10 reforms a hydrocarbon fuel using a reforming catalyst. The hydrocarbon fuel contains a sulfur compound, which easily poisons the reforming catalyst. As such, it is necessary to remove the sulfur compound prior to reforming the hydrocarbon fuel. Thus, the hydrocarbon fuel needs to be desulfurized prior to the reforming process.
In addition to hydrogen, hydrocarbon reforming produces carbon dioxide and a small amount of carbon monoxide as by-products. Since CO poisons catalyst materials in electrodes of the fuel cell stack, reformed fuel cannot be directly supplied to the fuel cell stack. Thus, a CO removal process is needed. It is preferable to reduce the CO levels to less than 10 ppm.
CO can be removed using a high and low temperature shift reaction represented by Reaction Scheme 1 below.

A high-temperature shift reaction is performed at a temperature of 400 to 500° C. Generally, a high-temperature shift reaction is followed by a low-temperature shift reaction at a temperature of 200 to 300° C. Even though these reactions are performed, it is very difficult to reduce the CO levels to less than 5,000 ppm.
To solve this problem, a preferential oxidation (PROX) reaction represented by Reaction Scheme 2 below can be used.

Air is additionally supplied since the PROX reaction needs an excessive amount of oxygen. However, the concentration of hydrogen to be supplied to the fuel cell is decreased by the PROX reaction as carbon dioxide is generated.
Thus, a methanation reaction as shown in Reaction Scheme 3 is used to remove carbon monoxide and to overcome disadvantages of the PROX reaction.

Platinum, which is a precious metal, has been widely used in the PROX reaction, and ruthenium, which is also a precious metal, and cobalt and nickel loaded on an alumina support, which are non-precious metals, have been widely used in the methanation as catalysts.
The conventional methanation catalyst has high activity in the methanation of carbon monoxide as well as the methanation of carbon dioxide and the reverse water gas shift reaction, which are side reactions of the methanation of carbon monoxide and are shown below.

The side reactions consume hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell stack. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop a cost effective methanation catalyst that is simple to manufacture. Further, the methanation catalyst should be formed of a non-precious metal catalyst that does not require a support and that maintains high concentration of generated hydrogen as only small amounts of hydrogen and carbon dioxide are consumed in the reactions and has a high selectivity for the methanation of carbon monoxide rather than the methanation of carbon dioxide and the reverse water gas shift reaction of carbon dioxide.
Meanwhile, in a fuel processing system employing the PROX catalyst and the methanation catalyst, the operating temperature of the PROX catalyst is in the range of 100 to 200° C. and the operating temperature of the conventional methanation catalyst is in the range of 220 to 300° C. Thus, it is difficult to set an appropriate operating temperature range when the two catalysts are used together, and separate reactors are needed for the PROX reaction and the methanation reaction.

Methanation catalyst, and carbon monoxide removing system, fuel processor, and fuel cell including the same


A steering knuckle assembly for vehicles includes a connector for connecting a tie rod to a knuckle body via a ball joint is freely attached to and detached from the knuckle body. In the case of changing a ball joint point at a terminal end of the tie rod, only the connector is separately developed and then mounted on the knuckle instead of developing a new knuckle structure, thereby reducing fabrication cost as well as improving workability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering knuckle assembly for vehicles, which can be readily changed in the case of changing a tie rod end point having a decisive influence on the toe change of a vehicle so as to have appropriate toe characteristics without developing a new knuckle structure unlike in the prior art.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a steering system is used by a driver to change the traveling direction of a vehicle, and comprises an operation unit, a gear unit and a link unit.
The operation unit includes a steering wheel, a steering shaft and a column, and the driver directly operates the steering wheel to control both the gear unit and the link unit.
The gear unit functions to transfer the movement of the operation unit by changing the direction thereof. In a typical small vehicle, the gear unit utilizes a rack and a pinion so that rotation of the pinion imparts lateral movement to the rack meshed with the pinion.
The link unit functions to transfer the operation of the gear unit to front wheels while properly supporting the relational position of right and left wheels. The link unit comprises a tie rod connected to both ends of the rack and a steering knuckle which is connected to the tie rod via a ball joint.
In these circumstances, as the driver operates the steering wheel, the pinion cooperates with the rack so that the tie rod connected to the rack moves laterally so as to steer the wheels.
Some of conventional technologies related to the steering knuckle assembly are disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,150, Japanese Patent laid-open Publication No. Hei 5-193513, Japanese Patent laid-open Publication No. Hei 6-201305 and so on. According to these documents, an axle is inserted into a central portion of a knuckle via a ball bearing, in which a hub is inserted into the central portion of the knuckle, and a brake disk is attached to the hub.
Further, a ball joint bracket is mounted on a lower portion of the knuckle so that a ball joint which is arranged in a terminal end of a lower arm of a suspension can be coupled with the knuckle, and a terminal end of a tie rod is connected to the lower portion of the knuckle via the ball joint. On an upper portion of the knuckle, there is mounted a caliper for pressing against a rotating brake disk to create braking force.
According to the afore-described conventional knuckle assembly, however, in the case of changing a tie rod end point (i.e., a central point of the ball joint between the knuckle and the tie rod) which has a decisive influence on the toe change of a vehicle, the entire knuckle assembly is developed into a knew structure thereby raising fabricating cost as well as lowering workability.


A multiprocessor system capable of responding to various types of processing to improve the processing efficiency of the entire system. Each of a plurality of processors holds information indicating the program control mode, a VLIW mode or a multithread mode, in a program synchronization flag of a program controller. A master processor, responsible for program control of the entire system, notifies an instruction memory section for storing instructions in a program of updated information when the program synchronization flag information is updated.

The present invention relates to a technology on program control in multiprocessor systems.
FIG. 17 shows examples of conventional configurations of processor systems realizing parallel operation of a plurality of arithmetic units and registers. In a multiprocessor system shown in FIG. 17(a) threads (processing units) in processors 110 and 120 are operated independently, in general. This system is therefore considered to exhibit high throughput for applications executing a plurality of independent threads in parallel.
In a very long instruction word (VLIW) system shown in FIG. 17(b), a single instruction code includes description of fields for controlling a plurality of arithmetic units and registers. This system is therefore considered to exhibit high throughput for a single thread.
Superiority of one of the processor systems described above over the other differs depending on the application. Therefore, the processor system to be adopted should preferably be determined according to the features of threads in the application.
Problem to be Solved
In recent embedded systems, various types of processing exist in a mixed state, and therefore it is difficult to determine what processor system should be adopted. For example, there is a case of including both processing of a single thread, which requires very high throughput to realize high-speed real-time processing, and parallel processing of a plurality of threads, which does not require so high throughput. In this case, whatever processor system is adopted, it will never be optimum. In most cases, therefore, a margin is provided for the throughput of any processor system adopted, and this poses a big barrier to attainment of lower power consumption and higher speed of the system.

Multiprocessor system and program optimizing method

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A system and method for improving fuel usage of a dual fuel engine is described. Fuel type is delivered to engine cylinders in response to operating conditions.

A system for operating a dual fuel engine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,787. This patent describes a supplying fuel to a cylinder of an engine using a carburetor and a port fuel injector. The port fuel injector timing of one engine controller is intercepted by another engine controller and reduced by an amount that is relative to the amount of fuel introduced to the engine by the carburetor. If one of the fuels is depleted then the engine is operated on a single fuel.
The above-mentioned system can also have several disadvantages. Namely, the system recognizes only a few modes to operate a dual fuel engine. Further, the recognized modes are not selected in a manner that leverages the attributes and quantity of a particular fuel.
The inventors herein have recognized the above-mentioned disadvantages and have developed a system and method that offers substantial improvements.

System and control method for selecting fuel type for an internal combustion engine capable of combusting a plurality of fuel types


A bio-oil production process involving torrefaction pretreatment, catalytic esterification, pyrolysis, and secondary catalytic processing significantly reduces yields of reactor char, catalyst coke, and catalyst tar relative to the best-case conditions using non-torrefied feedstock. The reduction in coke as a result of torrefaction was 28.5% relative to the respective control for slow pyrolysis bio-oil upgrading. In fast pyrolysis bio-oil processing, the greatest reduction in coke was 34.9%. Torrefaction at 275° C. reduced levels of acid products including acetic acid and formic acid in the bio-oil, which reduced catalyst coking and increased catalyst effectiveness and aromatic hydrocarbon yields in the upgraded oils. The process of bio-oil generation further comprises a catalytic esterification of acids and aldehydes to generate such as ethyl levulinate from lignified biomass feedstock.

Catalytic cracking has been shown to improve the quality of pyrolysis oils generated from a variety of high oxygen content feedstocks including rice husks, rice straw (Chen et al., (2003) Energy Conversion & Management 44: 1875-1884), pine wood (Carlson et al., (2011) Energy Environ. Sci. 4: 145-161; Chen et al., (2003) Energy Conversion and Management 44: 1875-1884; Valle et al., (2007). Int. Chem. Reactor Engineering 5: 1-10), maple wood (Adjaye & Bakhshi (1995) Fuel Processing Technol. 45: 185-202; Adjaye & Bakhshi (1995) Fuel Processing Technol. 45: 161-183), and poplar wood (Lu et al., (2010) Fuel 89: 2096-2103).
The cracking process was developed by the petroleum industry to crack and rearrange high boiling, high molecular weight petroleum crude oil fractions to yield predominantly gasoline and other light hydrocarbons (Corma et al., (2007) J. Catalysis 247: 302-327). Cracking catalysts generally used for treating biomass-derived oils have been acidic zeolites with ion exchange capacity and size selectivity functionality. They have also been shown to effectively deoxygenate bio-oil feedstocks and form desirable end-products, including small alkanes and aromatics (Park et al., (2010) Appl. Catalysis B: Environmental 95: 365-373; Corma et al., (2007) J. Catalysis 247: 302-327; Adjaye & Bakhshi (1995) Fuel Processing Technol. 45: 185-202).
Catalyst coking, however, is a significant problem that progressively reduces the effectiveness of the catalyst. Many studies have sought methods to reduce coke formation (Corma et al., (2007) J. Catalysis 247: 302-327; Valle et al., (2007). Int. Chem. Reactor Engineering 5: 1-10; Elliott & Neuenschwander (1996) in: Bridgwater & Boocock (Eds.), Developments in Thermochemical Biomass Conversion. Blackie Academic & Professional, London, Vol. 1, pp. 611-621). Adjaye and Bakhshi (Adjaye & Bakhshi (1995) Fuel Processing Technol. 45: 185-202; 161-183) attempted to catalytically crack fast pyrolysis bio-oil with five different catalysts (ZSM-5, H-Y-zeolite, H-mordenite, silicalite, and silica-alumina). While the yield of organic liquid product was highest with ZSM-5 (34% w/w of feed), the coke yield was also significant at 20-29 wt %. If coking can be reduced, catalytic upgrading using acid zeolites would become an economically viable method to produce hydrocarbon fuels from lignocellulosic feedstocks.
One way to minimize coke formation on zeolite catalysts is to remove coke precursors from the oil prior to cracking upgrading. Compounds that are considered to promote coke formation include aldehydes, oxyphenols, furfural, and lignin-derived oligomers (Gagnon & Kaliaguine (1988) Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 27: 1783-1788; Lu et al., (2010) Fuel 89: 2096-2103). Other attempted methods have involved hydrotreating of bio-oil (Gagnon & Kaliaguine (1988) Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 27: 1783-1788; Laurent & Delmon (1994) Applied Catalysis A: General 109: 77-96; Centeno et al., (1995) J. Catalysis 154: 288-298; Wildschut et al., (2009) Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 48: 10324-10334). The studies have indicated that the carbohydrate fraction is a major contributor to coke formation. There is, however, currently little research that attempts to remove coke precursors from bio-oil before upgrading.

Torrefaction reduction of coke formation on catalysts used in esterification and cracking of biofuels from pyrolysed lignocellulosic feedstocks

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.


Provided is a heat pump hot water supply apparatus configured to directly supply water heated by a gas cooler to a utilization side. The heat pump hot water supply apparatus is configured to execute operation modes including a first operation mode and a second operation mode. The first operation mode includes causing the water heated by the gas cooler to return to a water tank as intermediate-temperature water. The second operation mode is an operation mode to be performed after the first operation mode, and includes mixing the water heated by the gas cooler and the intermediate-temperature water in the water tank, and directly supplying the mixed water to the utilization side.

There has been known a heat pump hot water supply apparatus configured to generate hot water by heating water through use of a gas cooler of a heat pump cycle, store the hot water in a water tank, and supply the hot water stored in the water tank to a utilization side. Further, as a related-art heat pump hot water supply apparatus, there has also been proposed a heat pump hot water supply apparatus configured to directly supply the hot water generated by the heat pump cycle to the utilization side (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
The heat pump hot water supply apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 is configured to execute a hot water storage operation mode and a hot water direct supply operation mode. The hot water storage operation mode is a mode of storing the hot water generated by the heat pump cycle in the water tank, and the hot water direct supply operation mode is a mode of directly supplying the hot water generated by the heat pump cycle to a bath that is the utilization side to fill the bath with the hot water. In the hot water direct supply operation mode, immediately after activation of the heat pump cycle, the heat pump hot water supply apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 directly supplies the water heated by the gas cooler of the heat pump cycle to the bath to fill the bath with the hot water. Further, the heat pump hot water supply apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 is constructed such that, when a temperature of the hot water in the bath is lower than a set temperature after completion of the filling of the bath with the hot water, the hot water in the bath is reheated using the hot water stored in the water tank.
When the water is heated by the gas cooler of the heat pump cycle to generate the hot water to be stored in the water tank, to prevent growth of bacteria such as Legionella in the water tank, it is necessary to generate hot water having the high temperature (for example, 65 degrees Celsius or more). In contrast, when the water is heated by the gas cooler of the heat pump cycle to generate the hot water to be directly supplied, a hot water temperature in this case can be set lower than a hot water temperature during the hot water storage operation. For example, when a set temperature of the hot water in the bath is set to 40 degrees Celsius, a temperature of the hot water to be generated by the heat pump cycle can be set to around 40 degrees Celsius. As a feature of the heat pump, as the temperature of the hot water to be generated is lower, a coefficient of performance (hereinafter referred to as COP) of the heat pump cycle is improved. In the heat pump hot water supply apparatus described in Patent Literature 1, the hot water generated by the heat pump cycle is directly supplied to the bath to fill the bath with the hot water, thereby improving COP of the heat pump cycle.


A counter-rotatable generator includes a generator stator concentric with concentric counter-rotatable radially inner pole and outer magnet rotors. The magnet rotor encircles the pole rotor and the pole rotor encircles the generator stator. A rotor air gap is disposed between the magnet and pole rotors, and a transformer air gap is disposed between the pole rotor and the stator. The magnet rotor includes a circular array of magnets having circumferentially alternating north/south and south/north orientations, retained within a magnet retention ring, and the magnets are circumferentially separated from each other by non-magnetic material spacers. One stator includes an annular hub, axial windings around equi-distantly spaced axial poles on the annular hub, radial cores extending radially outwardly from and equi-angularly spaced about a pole hub on the annular hub between the first and second axial windings, and radial windings around the radial cores.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electrical generators and motors and, more particularly, electrical generators and motors with counter-rotatable rotors.
2. Description of Related Art
Aircraft systems are increasingly being designed to accommodate greater and greater electrical loads as are other applications for generating electricity. Electrical power is extracted mechanically from the engines that power aircraft as well as other vehicles. When operating an aircraft engine at relatively low power levels, e.g., while idly descending from altitude, extracting electrical power from the engine mechanical power may reduce the ability to operate the engine properly. Current turbofan aircraft gas turbine engines requiring higher demands for aircraft power utilize very large generators mounted to a core engine driven gearbox. At flight conditions where lower thrust is required but high electric power such as approach, the core engine must run fast to keep up the demand but the resultant is more thrust which must be spoiled to maintain approach speeds thus reducing fuel efficiency.
Electrical power may be extracted from the high-pressure (HP) engine spool in a gas turbine engine. The relatively high operating speed of the HP engine spool makes it an ideal source of mechanical power to drive the electrical generators connected to the engine. However, it is desirable to draw power from other sources within the engine, rather than to rely solely on the HP engine spool to drive the electrical generators. The low-pressure (LP) engine spool provides an alternate source of power transfer, however, the relatively lower speed of the LP engine spool typically requires the use of a gearbox, as slow-speed electrical generators are often larger than similarly rated electrical generators operating at higher speeds. Electrical generators operating off the LP rotor or spool require large generators due to low speeds of the LP rotor or gearboxes to increase speed. These generators are a simple rotor and stator configuration.
Therefore, there is a need for an electrical generator for aircraft turbofan gas turbine and other engines that can be used to provide a great amount of electrical power over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The invention provides a method for obtaining local anesthetics encapsulated in liposomes, such as multi vesicular liposomes, with high encapsulation efficiency and slow release in vivo. When the encapsulated anesthetic is administered as a single intracutaneous dose, the duration of anesthesia and half-life of the drug at the local injection site is increased as compared to injection of unencapsulated anesthetic. The maximum tolerated dose of the encapsulated anesthetic is also markedly increased in the liposomal formulation over injection of unencapsulated anesthetic. These results show that the liposomal formulation of local anesthetic is useful for sustained local infiltration and nerve block anesthesia.

1. Field
This invention relates to liposomal formulations of compounds such as drugs. More particularly this invention relates to methods of encapsulating anesthetics in multivesicular liposomes with high efficiency and sustained in vivo rates of release.
2. Description of the Related Technology
A local anesthetic's duration of action following administration is usually sufficiently long to cover the pain inflicted during most surgical procedures. However, the duration of action is not long enough to cover most post-operative pain, or pain from many invasive diagnostic procedures, or from injuries. Continuous infusion or repeated infiltration of a local anesthetic into a surgical wound, diagnostic "port" or injury site is impractical. Therefore, a sustained-release formulation of a local anesthetic would be useful for pain management, especially in view of the current trend for out-patient surgeries and emergency care centers. Desirably, such formulations are useful in trauma and diagnostic pain, as well.
Several approaches to develop sustained-release formulations of local anesthetics have been described in the literature. For example, polylactic-co-glycolic acid polymer micro spheres containing both bupivacaine and dexamethasone have produced long duration of local anesthesia. Crystalline forms of local anesthetics have also been shown to have long duration of action. Lipophilic bupivacaine free-base incorporated into the membranes of multilamellar liposomes and proton-gradient-loaded large unilamellar liposomes have shown efficacy lasting 6 to 11 hours.
Multivesicular liposomes (MVL) are being developed as a lipid-based sustained-release drug delivery system for local, regional or systemic drug delivery. Sustained release of many water-stable drugs encapsulated into MVL has been shown in animal models via intrathecal, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal and epidural routes of administration, as well as in human patients via intracerebroventricular, intrathecal, subcutaneous and epidural routes. A multicenter, randomized phase III clinical trial of a MVL formulation of cytotoxic agent cytarabine has shown that this formulation is more efficacious than free cytarabine in treating leptomengial carcinoma.
MVL are defined as liposomes containing multiple non-concentric chambers within each liposome particle, resembling a "foam-like" matrix. Such particles are to be distinguished from multilamellar vesicles (MLV), also known as a multilamellar liposome, which contain multiple concentric chambers within each liposome particle. A further distinct particle is the unilamellar vesicle (ULV), also known as a unilamellar liposome, which encloses a single internal aqueous compartment. The present invention relates to MVL. The prior art describes the preparation of MVL (Kim et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 728, 339-348, 1983).
Many of the cationic biologically active substances used in MVL encapsulation techniques are used as salts of monoprotic mineral acids (for example, as hydrochloride salts). The prior art has used such commonly available monoprotic mineral acid salts of cationic biologically active substances for encapsulation into liposomes without any modification into a salt of diprotic or triprotic mineral acid. The prior art has also used organic acids such as citric or glutamic acids to effect encapsulation.

Sustained-release liposomal anesthetic compositions


A surface modified lithium titanate and preparation method thereof is provided. In the surface modified lithium titanate, the deactivating groups distributed on the surface of the lithium titanate are —O—P—RR′R″, —O—P—(OR)R′R″, —O—P—(OR)(OR′)R″, and —O—P—(OR)(OR′)(OR″), where R, R′ and R″ are identical or different C1˜C8 alkyl or alkenyl groups. The deactivating groups are bonded to the lithium titanate via a bond or a bridge. The exemplary surface modified lithium titanate can effectively lower its catalytic activity, reduce the gassing of lithium ion batteries, and therefore improve the high temperature storage and high temperature cycle performance of lithium titanate batteries. The exemplary preparation method is simple, has great repeatability, a low cost, low pollution to the environment, and is suitable for industrial production.

Field
The present disclosure relates generally to lithium titanate, and more particularly, to a surface modified lithium titanate and preparation method thereof.
Background
When lithium titanate, as a zero strain material, is used as a cathodic material for a lithium ion battery, the lithium ion battery has excellent cycle performance and relatively long service life. Studies have found that when lithium titanate is used as the cathodic material, the cycle life of the lithium ion battery at normal temperature may reach more than 20,000 times, which results in an excellent prospect for the application of lithium titanate in a lithium ion battery. In addition, lithium ion batteries that use lithium titanate as the cathodic material (hereinafter the "lithium titanate battery") have features of a stable discharge voltage and a high voltage plateau, and do not cause lithium precipitation. Accordingly, lithium titanate batteries are very safe, and therefore offer great advantages for applications in electric automobiles. However, lithium titanate batteries have poor cycle performance at high temperatures, and could produce a relatively large amount of gas, leading to a greatly shortened service life.
Therefore, there is a need for a surface modified lithium titanate for reducing the catalytic activity of lithium titanate, thereby significantly improving the gassing issue in lithium titanate batteries and improving the high temperature performance of lithium titanate batteries.

Surface modified lithium titanate and preparation method thereof


A multi-band antenna for a portable communication device is disclosed, in which the communication device includes a first housing, a second housing and a substrate. The multi-band antenna includes a feeding portion, a system ground plane, a metal ring, a resonant cavity, a first and a second radiating portion. The system ground plane is disposed on the substrate. The metal ring is connected to the first housing, and forms a space with the first housing to accommodate the substrate, in which the metal ring is electrically coupled to the system ground plane through a plurality of ground ends. The resonant cavity is formed between the system ground plane and the metal ring to generate a first resonant mode. The first and the second radiating portion are disposed on the second housing, for generating a second and a third resonant mode, respectively.

1. Field of Invention
The subject application relates to a multi-band antenna. More particularly, the subject application relates to a multi-band antenna for a portable communication device.
2. Description of Related Art
With various exterior designs of portable communication devices, portable communication devices having metal frames have become popular. Generally, in a design of an antenna for a portable communication device having a metal frame, the metal frame is cut into a plurality of discontinuous metal structures, so that the antenna can radiate radio frequency (RF) signals.
A conventional portable communication device utilizes a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) and a discontinuous metal frame to construct a multi-band antenna, such that requirements of lightness, thinness, short length, and small size of the portable communication device may be realized. However, constraints in the design of a multi-band antenna are encountered due to the spacing among an antenna main body, a system ground plane and the metal frame, increasing the difficulty of design. Moreover, this discontinuous metal structure may cause a frequency shift and radiation efficiency decline of resonant modes, thereby negatively affecting the communication quality of the portable communication device.
In view of foregoing, there is an urgent need in the related field to provide a solution.

Multi-band antenna for portable communication device


A method for adjusting power management setting of the operating system while the system is in a sleep state. When a user attaches or removes power to the information handling system while the system is in a standby mode of operation, the sleep state system generates a wakeup event. During the resume process, the operating system checks a current power state of the information handling system and compares the current power state to the power state settings present when the information handling system entered the sleep state, resets the power state settings if necessary and then causes the information handling system to reenter the sleep state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of information handling systems, and more particularly to retaining power management settings across sleep states within an information handling system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
It is known to provide an information handling system with various power management settings via, for example, the operating system of the information handling system. The power management settings are often used in portable information handling systems.
With portable information handling systems, if a user attaches or removes power while the system is in a sleep state, the operating system has no knowledge that changes have occurred to the system configuration that was present when the information handling system entered the sleep state. Accordingly, the operating system does not change the power policy of the information handling system. Due to this, battery consumption of the system could be much higher than what the user expects.
It would be desirable to provide a way to adjust power management setting of the operating system while the system is in a sleep state.

System for retaining power management settings across sleep states


There are provided a porous plate dielectric substance, pillar-shaped electrodes respectively formed in pores belonging to a first group and pores belonging to a second group alternately arranged on the dielectric substance, insulator layers made of an organic insulator formed on tips of pillar-shaped electrodes in the pores of the first and second groups so as to fill the pores and hide electrodes respectively provided on one principal surface and another principal surface of the dielectric substance and connected to base ends of the pillar-shaped electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a capacitor element and a method of manufacturing the capacitor element in which a product of electrostatic capacity and voltage proof (CV product) per unit volume is higher as compared with electrolytic capacitors in related arts.
2. Background Art
An electrolytic capacitor using Al2O3 which is a kind of oxide of valve metal as a dielectric film is widely used from the past. The electrolytic capacitor is formed by combination of a dielectric film and an electrolyte component, being polarized. The area is intended to be expanded by roughening a surface of the Al2O3 film or some other ways, however, the attempt for higher capacity is reaching the limit. There is also a problem that applications are limited because the capacitor is polarized.
In order to solve the above problems and to allow the capacitor to have higher capacity, the following proposal is made. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, a method of obtaining a capacitor structure body is proposed, in which a porous substrate 4 having many pores 5 shown as a plan view in FIG. 35 is used as a mask, a first electrode 6a is formed by regularly arranging many pillar-shaped bodies 2a on a surface of a sheet electrode 2 on a capacitor substrate 1 by a thin-film deposition process or etching as shown in FIG. 36 as a cross-sectional view, next, a dielectric thin film 8 is formed by depositing a dielectric material having a permittivity of 100 or more on a surface of the first electrode 6a by using a MOCVD (organometallic vapor phase growing method), and further, a second electrode 6b is formed on a surface of the dielectric thin film 8 as shown in FIG. 37 as a cross-sectional view.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2003-249417
However, in the manufacturing method of the capacitor structure body as described in the above background art, the pillar-shaped bodies 2a are formed by using the porous substrate 4 as a mask, therefore, adhesion of the electrode material in the porous substrate 4 and inner walls of pores 5 of the porous substrate 4 and expansion of the pores 5 by the etching of the porous substrate 4 itself are liable to occur. Accordingly, there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain the pillar-shaped bodies 2a having an uniform cross-sectional shape and a desired linear dimension.
In addition, the dielectric thin film 8 is formed by depositing the dielectric material having the permittivity of 100 or more on the surface of the first electrode 6a on which the pillar-shaped bodies 2a stand by using the MOCVD, therefore, when the height of the pillar-shaped bodies 2a becomes high, the difference of film thickness in the dielectric thin film 8 is liable to occur at a region facing a source gas and directly coming into contact with the source gas and at a region not directly coming into contact with the source gas on the surface of the first electrode 6a. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to stably obtain a capacitor in which a product of electrostatic capacity and voltage proof (CV product) per unit volume is high.

Capacitor element and method of manufacturing capacitor element


An amplifier device, including: at least one input contact, an amplifier section for amplifying a signal presented at said input contacts whereby an amplified signal is obtained; said amplifier section being connected to said input contact; a bias current source connected to said amplifier section for providing a bias current which at least partially controls the gain of the amplifier section, at least one output contact connected to the amplifier section, for receiving the amplified signal from the amplifier section and transmitting the amplified signal further. The bias current source is an alternating current source having an adjustable duty cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an amplifier device; a method for operating an amplifier device; and to electronic devices including an amplifier device.
2. Related Art and Other Considerations
In amplifier devices control of the gain of an amplifier may be required. For example in integrated receivers used for the reception of radio signals it may be necessary to control the gain if a very large (adjacent) channel interference is present in the frequency spectrum of the received signals.
It is known in the art to control the gain of an amplifier device in an analog way by changing the gain determining elements in the amplifier device. For example, if the gain is controlled by a resistance, a second resistance may be placed in series or in parallel, thus increasing or reducing the gain.
It is also known in the art to control the gain of an amplifier device with a differential pair, for instance, two bipolar transistors with their emitters connected to each other and the collectors forming differential output contacts. The desired attenuated signal is then obtained from one of the differential output contacts while the other differential output contact is disregarded.
Furthermore, it is known to control the gain of an amplifier device by adjusting the DC bias current of the amplifier device. This may for example be implemented with a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) connected with the collector to an adjustable current source. The bias current is then controlled by the voltage over the base of the BJT.
However, each of the known gain controls is disadvantageous because of one or more of the following reasons. The control curve (i.e. the attenuation as a function of control signal) may be non-linear; the implementation or design of the device is complicated and time-consuming; or the generation of the control voltage has to be implemented in an analog (not digital) way.


For walls of shopping cart baskets, advertising panels which include a plate element and a frame element which fits on the plate element and is releasably held in place thereon by a tab-and-slot arrangement. When held in place, a slot and a card display area which is encircled by the frame element are formed between the plate and frame elements. An advertisement display card can then be easily slid into and out of the display area through this slot. Projections on at least one of the elements keep the carol from falling out of place when in the area. Retrofitted and molded-in panel versions are disclosed. Plate elements of the retrofitted version can be secured together on the inside and outside of the basket wall providing inwardly and outwardly disposed display areas. The molded-in panel has its plate element molded with anti recessed in from the outer surface of a wall of the plastic cart basket, and thus when positioned centrally on a basket side wall with the frame element held thereon, the panel does not prevent the carts from nesting. The frame element of the molded-in version, however, is preferably identical to that of the retrofitted version and is also releasably retained in position using tabs and slots. The frame anti plate elements are both symmetrical about their longitudinal axes.

The present invention relates to carts used in supermarkets and other retail stores. It is further directed to advertising panels which are to be retrofitted on existing shopping carts.
Carts having a frame and a basket used in supermarkets are commonplace. The shopping cart typically has a metal cart frame on which wheels are mounted. A basket is mounted on the cart frame and includes two side walls, a front wall, a back wall, and a bottom portion. The basket may be made from wires welded together to form a gridlike construction. Alternatively, the basket may be molded from plastic. The carts may be formed in various configurations including the standard configuration (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,774), jumbo or minicarts, over-the-counter carts (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,346) and scanner carts (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,199). These patents are all directed to carts having plastic baskets. Regardless of the type of cart and whether the basket is made plastic or wire, the basket is formed almost entirely of an open latticework construction.
The practice of fastening framed advertising panels to shopping carts is becoming widespread and can be a very effective advertising technique. Advertising panels are typically fastened to the outside and inside of the front wall of the shopping cart basket. These panels are used with either wire or plastic baskets. The advertising panels allow easy handling of the advertisement. With existing carts, only retrofitted framed advertising panels may be disposed on the carts. Also, panels may be disposed only on the front walls of the cart baskets because panels disposed on the side walls would prevent nesting of carts and would be damaged when attempting to nest carts together.
One known technique for retrofitting advertising panels onto shopping cart baskets is that of Actmedia Inc, wherein two separate advertising panels are mounted on either side of the front wall of the basket. The panels are attached to each other through the latticework of the front basket wall placing screws through holes in both advertising panels. Each advertising panel is formed of one piece of plastic and includes two elements, namely, a plate and a frame. The plate is rectangular and serves as the backing for the advertisement. The frame is also rectangular and is hingedly formed on the plate. The frame has tabs disposed on its top and side members which fit behind ridges disposed on the top and side peripheral walls of the plate. When the frame is snapped into the plate, the front surfaces of the frame are substantially flush with the protruding edges of the peripheral top, right and left walls of the plate.
However, this apparatus has many disadvantages. First, the frame must be hinged away from the plate to insert and remove advertisements. Additionally, the plastic hinges connecting the frame to the plate often deteriorate and break within a short time. This requires the replacement of the entire advertising panel. Because the frames are integrally formed as one piece with the plates, when the hinge or other components break, the entire panel must be replaced. Moreover, these advertising panels are formed with solid plates by injection molding plastic. As the plates cool, the plastic shrinks, causing the plate to warp. This occurs because the inner portion of the plate cools at a slower rate than the outer portion. Because high density polyethylene shrinks at least 0.20" per inch during cooling, a typical advertising panel would be 3/16 inch smaller after cooling. Slower cooling causes greater shrinkage. However, more rapid cooling on one side of the panel than on the other side causes stresses which further result in an inwardly concaving surface. The advertisement is less securely held within the panel when abutting a curved surface rather than a flat surface. This also detracts from the effectiveness of the advertisement as the concavity causes the advertisement to bow or reflect light and thereby be less readable.

Basket wall with placard display assembly


A liquid crystal display device including a substrate, a thin film transistor provided at an area adjacent to an intersection of a gate line and a data line on the substrate, a protective layer provided on the substrate to cover the thin film transistor, a pixel electrode provided on the protective layer and connected through the protective layer to the thin film transistor, a first hole in a surface of the pixel electrode and positioned above an adjacent gate line and a spacer positioned within the first hole. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes the steps of forming a thin film transistor at an area adjacent an intersection between a gate line and a data line on a substrate, forming a protective layer covering the thin film transistor, forming a pixel electrode provided on the protective layer and passing through the protective layer to be electrically connected to the thin film transistor, defining a hole in a surface of the pixel electrode by patterning the pixel electrode on the protective layer above an adjacent gate line and depositing a spacer into the first hole using an ink-jet device.

1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display and a fabricating method thereof wherein a spacer is positioned.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display (LCD) controls the light transmittance of each liquid crystal cell in response to a video signal. Accordingly, a picture is displayed corresponding to the video signals on an LCD panel having liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix. To this end, the LCD panel includes an active area having liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix and driving circuits for driving the liquid crystal cells in the active area.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional LCD includes an upper plate consisting of a black matrix 20, a color filter 16, a common electrode 14 and an upper alignment film 12 that are sequentially provided on the upper substrate 11. The conventional LCD also includes a lower plate consisting of a lower substrate 1 on which a thin film transistor (TFT) 25/6/26/27/28/30, a pixel electrode 22 and a lower alignment film 10 are sequentially provided. In addition, the conventional LCD includes a spacer 24 and a liquid crystal (not shown) provided between the upper plate and the lower plate.
In the lower plate, the TFT includes a gate electrode 25 connected to a gate line (not shown), a source electrode 28 connected to a data line (not shown), and a drain electrode 30 connected, via a contact hole 23, to the pixel electrode 22. Further, the TFT includes a gate insulating film 6 for insulating the gate electrode 25, and an active semiconductor layer 26 on the gate insulating film for creating a conductive channel between the source electrode 28 and the drain electrode 30 when a gate voltage is applied to the gate electrode 25. As shown in FIG. 1, ohmic semiconductor layers 27 are provided respectively between the active layer 26 and the source/drain electrodes 28 and 30 and doped with an impurity for an ohmic contact between the active semiconductor layer 26 to the source electrode 28 and between the active semiconductor layer 26 to the drain electrode 30.
When a gate signal is applied to the gate line of the TFT, a data signal from a data line can be switched through the TFT to the pixel electrode 22. As a result, the liquid crystal is rotated by means of a voltage difference between a data signal applied to the pixel electrode 22 via the TFT and a common voltage Vcom applied to a common electrode 14. Accordingly, light transmission quantity through the liquid crystal is determined by the arrangement of the liquid crystal.
The pixel electrode 22 is positioned at an area adjacent to the intersection of a data line and a gate line, and is made from a transparent conductive material having a high light transmittance. The pixel electrode 22 is provided on a protective film 8 that is on the surface of the lower substrate 1, and is electrically connected, via a contact hole 23 in the protective film 8, to the drain electrode 30. An upper portion of the lower substrate 1, provided with the pixel electrode 22, is coated with an alignment film 10 that is subjected to a rubbing process, which completes the assembly of the lower plate.
The black matrix 20 of the upper plate is formed on the upper substrate 11 in correspondence with the TFT area of the lower plate and an area adjacent to the intersection of a gate line and a data line. The black matrix 20 also defines a liquid crystal cell area in which a color filter 16 will be formed. Further, the black matrix 20 plays a role in preventing light leakage and absorbing an external light such that contrast can be enhanced. The color filter 16 is formed in the cell area as defined by the black matrix 20. The color filter 16 specifically transmits a wavelength of light for a certain color, such as red, green or blue colors. The common electrode 14 formed on the color filter 16. The alignment film 12 is formed by coating an alignment material, such as polyimide, on the common electrode 14 and then the rubbing process is carried out.
Ball spacers, like ball spacer 24, are sprinkled onto either one of the upper plate or the lower plate of an LCD panel by means of a jet nozzle to define a gap between the upper plate and the lower plate. The ball spacers should be uniformly distributed for the purpose of keeping a uniform cell gap across the LCD panel. However, it is difficult to uniformly distribute ball spacers due to the randomness in any sprinkling system. If the ball spacers are not uniformly distributed in the LCD panel, the cell gap in individual liquid crystal cells may not be uniform such that a stain-like appearance phenomenon is created in one or more areas on the LCD panel. In addition, if a user applies a pressure to the screen at the exterior of the LCD panel when ball spacers are used, a ripple phenomenon can occur in which the picture on the LCD panel has darkened areas shaped like waves. The darkened wave-shaped areas occur because the ball spacers have been shifted around between the upper plate and the lower plate.
Recently, there has been a study to provide a spacer that is fixed and patterned at a specific location to overcome the disadvantages of the ball spacer 24 and its sprinkling system. Hereinafter, a manufacturing method of the pattern spacer will be described with reference to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C and FIG. 3. More particularly, FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C are cross-sectional views showing a process of manufacturing a conventional pattern spacer, which will be described in conjunction with FIG. 3, which is a flow chart.
A spacer material 42a, as shown in FIG. 2A is coated onto a substrate 40, as referred to in step S31 of FIG. 3. The substrate 40 can be either one of the upper plate provided or the lower plate provided with the TFT. The spacer material 42a can be a material that is a mixture of a solvent, a binder, a monomer and a photo-initiator. As referred to in step S32 of FIG. 3, the spacer material 42a is subject to a pre-baking to eliminate a solvent within the spacer material 42a, thereby making the spacer material 42a into a paste-like state.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2B, a photo mask 44 having a transmission part 44a shielding part 44b is aligned on the spacer material 42a. As referred to in step S33 of FIG. 3, when ultraviolet (UV) radiation is irradiated onto the spacer material 42a through the photo mask 44, the spacer material corresponding to the transmission part 44a is exposed to the ultraviolet radiation.
As shown in FIG. 2C and referred to in step S34 of FIG. 3, the spacer material 42a is developed. When the spacer material 42a is developed using a negative process, the spacer material 42a that is not exposed to the ultraviolet radiation is removed while the spacer material that is exposed to the ultraviolet radiation is left. When the spacer material 42a is developed using a positive process, the spacer material 42a that is exposed to the ultraviolet radiation is removed while the spacer material that is not exposed to the ultraviolet radiation is left. As referred to in step S35 of FIG. 3, the spacer material 42a is cured to form a spacer 42 having a desired height.
The spacer 42 for keeping a cell gap in the LCD panel can occupy about 20% of the entire area in a liquid crystal cell. If the spacer 42 is formed by the above-mentioned photolithography technique, then more than 95% of the coated spacer material 42a is wasted as a result of a spin-coating process of the photolithographic material. Thus, the conventional photolithography wastes a lot of material in forming the spacer 42 and is inconvenient in that it requires a complex five-step process.
To reduce the waste of material and the number of process step, there has been a spacer formation method suggested using an ink-jet device as shown in FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C. As shown in FIG. 4A, an ink-jet device 50 is aligned to a formation position of a spacer on a substrate 40. In this alignment state, a spacer material 58 is jetted from the ink-jet device 50 to the substrate 40. The substrate 40 corresponds to at least one of the upper and lower plates of a LCD panel. The ink-jet device 50 jets the spacer material 50 using a thermal system or a piezoelectric system. Typically, the latter system is preferred. The ink-jet device 50 using the piezoelectric system consists of a vessel 52 for containing a material to be jetted, and an ink-jet head 54 for jetting a material from the vessel 52.
The vessel 52 is filled with the spacer material 58, and the ink-jet head 54 is provided with a piezoelectric device and a nozzle 56 for jetting the spacer material 58 from the vessel 52. When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric device, a physical pressure is generated to cause a capillary phenomenon in which a flow path between the vessel 52 and the nozzle 56 repeatedly contracts and relaxes. Due to this capillary phenomenon, the spacer material 58 jets out of the nozzle 56 onto the substrate 40, as shown in FIG. 4B. Then, a curing process is used that exposes the spacer material 58 on the substrate 40 to an ultraviolet ray from a light source 60, as shown in FIG. 4C. Thus, the spacer material 58 can be hardened into a spacer 59 with a width W and a height H, as shown in FIG. 4C.
However, the spacer 58 material is affected by gravity while falling onto the substrate 40, as well as, by being jetted from the ink-jet device 50. Thus, the spacer material has a wide spread or large dispersion on the substrate 40 when forming a spacer 59 of at least a minimum height for keeping the cell gaps between the upper plate and the lower plate of the LCD panel. As a result, it is only possible to obtain a spacer 59 of a certain height corresponding to the maximum width of the spacer 59 on the substrate. If the height of the spacer for keeping a minimum cell gap is not obtained, then brightness and contrast are reduced causing a deterioration of picture quality. If the width of the spacer is too wide for a black matrix area of the upper plate or a TFT area of the lower plate, then aperture area of the LCD panel is reduced.

Liquid crystal display with spacer positioned within a hole of a pixel electrode and a fabricating method thereof