An electrophotographic photosensitive member wherein a charge generating layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a gallium phthalocyanine crystal in which an organic compound is contained, wherein the organic compound is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of dimethylsulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methylformamide, N-propylformamide, N-vinylformamide and N-methylpyrrolidone, the content of the organic compound is 0.1% by mass or more and 2.0% by mass or less based on a gallium phthalocyanine in the gallium phthalocyanine crystal, and a charge transporting layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a polycarbonate resin having structural units represented by formulae (1) and (2).

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus including the electrophotographic photosensitive member.
Description of the Related Art
Currently, an electrophotographic photosensitive member is generally a functional separation type laminated photosensitive member in which a charge-generating function (charge generating layer) and a charge-transporting function (charge transporting layer) are shared in respective separate layers.
With respect to a charge-generating substance having the charge-generating function, the emission wavelength of a semiconductor laser commonly used as an image exposing unit is as long as from 650 to 820 nm, and therefore a charge-generating substance having a high sensitivity to light of a long wavelength is developed in progress.
A phthalocyanine pigment is effective as such a charge-generating substance having a high sensitivity to light up to a long wavelength region, and in particular, oxytitanium phthalocyanine and gallium phthalocyanine, having excellent sensitive characteristics, have been heretofore reported with respect to various crystal forms and improved production methods.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-331107 discloses a hydroxygallium phthalocyanine crystal containing a polar organic solvent. N,N-dimethylformamide is used for a conversion solvent to thereby allow the polar organic solvent to be incorporated in the crystal, providing a crystal having excellent sensitive characteristics.
On the other hand, the charge transporting layer sharing the charge transporting function is demanded to have mechanical strength and less degradation of discharge because of having the charge transporting function and being located on the outermost surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Accordingly, a charge transporting material having high mobility and a resin having a strong mechanical strength and having resistance to discharge are developed in progress.
In particular, a problem is that the charge transporting layer is made thinner due to abrading in repeated use of the photosensitive member, to thereby result in an increase in electric field strength to cause fogging (a phenomenon where a toner is slightly developed in a region in which the toner is not to be essentially developed).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-026574 describes a polycarbonate copolymer excellent in wear resistance, and provides a photosensitive member excellent in wear resistance.

Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus


A STRAMR structure is disclosed. The STRAMR structure can include a spin torque oscillator (STO) device in a WG provided between the mail pole (MP) trailing side and a trailing shield. The STO device, includes: a flux guiding layer that has a negative spin polarization (nFGL) with a magnetization pointing substantially parallel to the WG field without the current bias and formed between a first spin polarization preserving layer (ppL1) and a second spin polarization preserving layer (ppL2); a positive spin polarization (pSP) layer that adjoins the TS bottom surface; a non-spin polarization preserving layer (pxL) contacting the MP trailing side; a first negative spin injection layer (nSIL1) between the ppL2 and a third spin polarization preserving layer (ppL3); and a second negative spin injection layer (nSIL2) between the ppL3 and the pxL, wherein the nFGL, nSIL1, and nSIL2 have a spin polarization that is negative.

As the data areal density in hard disk drive (HDD) writing increases, write heads and media bits are both required to be made in smaller sizes. However, as the write head size shrinks, its writability degrades. To improve writability, new technology is being developed that assists writing to a media bit. One approach that is currently being investigated is microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR). In this scheme, a field generator is placed in close proximity to the write element to produce a high frequency oscillating field in the media film plane. The frequency range of the oscillating field could be from 5 GHz to 50 GHz. Because of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR), it becomes possible to switch media grains at fields below their normal coercivity i.e. a lower write field may be used, but only in the immediate vicinity of the microwave assisted write element.
The microwave field generator typically is made of a spin torque oscillator (STO), which resembles a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) GMR or TMR structure in that the current flows perpendicular to the film, although the magnetization directions in the stack are different from those of a CPP GMR/TMR sensor. US patent application US2008/0019040A1 (Zhu et al.) provides details of the STO stack structure.
Spin transfer torque devices (also known as STO) are based on a spin-transfer effect that arises from the spin dependent electron transport properties of ferromagnetic (FM)-spacer-FM multilayers. When a spin-polarized current passes through a magnetic multilayer in a CPP (current perpendicular to plane) configuration, the spin angular moment of electrons from a first FM layer (FM1) that are incident on a second FM layer (FM2) interacts with magnetic moments of FM2 near the interface between the FM2 and non-magnetic spacer. Through this interaction, the electrons transfer a portion of their angular momentum to FM2. As a result, spin-polarized current can switch the FM2 magnetization direction if the current density is sufficiently high. STO devices are also referred to as spintronic devices and have FM layers that may have a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) component where magnetization is aligned substantially perpendicular to the plane of FM1 and FM2. However, unlike Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) where PMA is necessary to keep magnetization perpendicular to plane in a free layer and reference layer, for example, STO devices in MAMR and related applications have a sufficiently strong WG field to align magnetization in FM layers without requiring inherent PMA in the FM layers.
MAMR typically operates with the application of a bias current across the STO device and between the TS and MP in order to apply spin torque on an oscillation layer (OL) so that the OL's oscillation generates a high frequency RF field. The RF field induces a precessional state and lower coercivity in a magnetic bit to be written in a magnetic medium. Simultaneously, a MP write field is applied from an air bearing surface (ABS) to the magnetic medium, and lower field strength is needed to write the bit because of the RF field assist. In spin-torque-assisted FGL reversal schemes, FGL magnetization flips to an opposite direction when the applied current across the STRAMR device is sufficiently large thereby increasing the WG reluctance, which causes a greater MP write field output. Both MAMR and STRAMR typically require a relatively high current density (>108 A/cm2) in order to apply a useful spin torque effect for generating a RF field or for FGL flipping. Since the required applied current for optimum FGL flipping is near the maximum value that can be tolerated to ensure good device reliability, there is a need to design an improved STRAMR scheme that operates efficiently with a considerable reduction in applied current density. There also is a need to design is desirable an improved STRAMR scheme that enables a greater write field enhancement as a result of a greater degree of FGL magnetization flipping at a given current density.

Magnetic flux guiding device with spin torque oscillator (STO) film having negative spin polarization layers in assisted writing application


Disclosed is a color-file communicating facsimile apparatus that is capable of communicating non-document image files through a simple method. A FIF (Facsimile Information Field) is provided with bits indicating that a color file to be transmitted is an sYCC JPEG-encoded file in which the concept of resolution is absent and bits specifying the sYCC full-color mode. If these bits have been set, a transmitting side sets resolution information and image-width information to any values and a receiving side ignores resolution information and image-width information in the FIF and performs print-out using information that has been obtained from header information of the received JPEG file. If these bits have not been set, ordinary transmission, reception and print processing are carried out.

Conventional facsimile machines are mainly of the type that communicate monochrome information. In the communication of monochrome information, the receiving machine notifies the transmitting machine of its receivable resolution by way of a DIS (Digital Information Signal), and the transmitting machine instructs the receiving machine of the transmitted resolution and document width by way of a DCS (Digital Control Signal). This exchange of control information is performed in similar fashion also in the communication of color information as defined by current ITU-T recommendations.
Further, e.g., JP-A-7-177332 discloses that improving efficiency of facsimile transmission of which originals include a monochrome page and a color page by extending DIS and DCS specified in ITU-T Recommendation T.30 and by informing whether a color page is included in the originals being transmitted or not and information relating to receiving capability of a color original.
At the present time, facsimile machines that communicate color information use JPEG encoding stipulated by ITU-T Recommendation T.82 and execute the transmission of grayscale information and full-color information in Lab color space according to ITU-T Recommendation T.42.
Meanwhile, the rapid popularization of digital cameras in recent years has been accompanied by fast-growing demand for the facsimile transmission of color-file information (color-image information) for color images captured by such cameras. The color space used in a digital camera is sYCC (sRGB-based YCC) and not Lab.
Transmission of JPEG full-color document information in Lab color space in the prior art is strictly transmission of document information, namely information read by a reading unit, in a manner similar to a case where monochrome document information is transmitted as binary information, and therefore resolution and image-width information can be obtained and it is possible to specify resolution and image width in a DCS signal. On the other hand, in the case of JPEG full-color transmission in sYCC color space, there are many instances where the transmission is of image information captured by a digital camera and stored in, e.g., a memory card. However, the concept of resolution is absent from an image file (non-document image information), which is produced without the reading of a document as in the manner of an image file in sYCC color space captured by a digital camera. Consequently, in a case where such an image file is transmitted using the above-described control procedure, it is required that the image width and resolution information specified in the control procedure (DCS) be decided by the number of pixels in the main-scan direction and the number of pixels in the sub-scan direction. This necessitates the task of converting file information.

Facsimile apparatus and facsimile communication method


A tiled display device is disclosed. The disclosed tiled display device includes a plurality of display panels each having an image display part in which a plurality of pixels are formed. The tiled display device includes a support frame having a plurality of panel receiving portions such that the plurality of display panels are tiled side by side and received therein. The tiled display device also includes a plurality of light guides each formed of an optical fiber bundle and disposed on the corresponding display panel, each light guide having an image receiving surface and a display surface that have different surface areas from each other, wherein a light and an image transmitted from the image display part are received by the image receiving surface and are reproduced on the display surface. In addition, the tiled display device includes a black matrix film provided on the display panel and having apertures and a light shielding portion to prevent the light from being leaked to a dead zone between optical fibers in the optical fiber bundle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a tiled display.
2. Background of the Related Art
As visual information transmitting devices become increasingly important, the scope of an electronic display device industry is being enlarged. The demand for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, one of the electronic display devices, which is desirably thin and light and consumes small power, is rapidly increasing. Also, with the improved standard of living of consumers, a product having a larger size and better image quality is in more demand.
However, the LCD device has a limit in implementing a large screen by enlarging a size of a liquid crystal panel itself because of its own characteristics. Thus, what is called a projection TV having an optical system with a small liquid crystal panel and implementing a large image by magnifying and projecting an image on the screen has emerged. Recently, a tiled liquid crystal display device in which several liquid crystal devices are tiled side by side to form a large size display device is being put to practical use.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,980,755, 5,067,021, 5,068,740 and 5,079,636, the tiled LCD device is fabricated by tiling at least two liquid crystal panels side by side. A key to fabricating such a tiled LCD device is to prevent boundary lines between a plurality of liquid crystal display devices from being displayed on a screen.
FIG. 1 is a schematic construction view which illustrates a related art tiled display device. The tiled display device 10 is formed by fixing a plurality of display panels 30a-30d to a frame 20. The frame includes an outer wall frame 20a forming an outer wall, a partition wall frame 20b interposed between the plurality of display panels 30a-30d, and a bottom plate 20c which the display panels 30a-30d are placed on. Here, each of the display panels 30a-30d is received in a space formed by the partition wall frame 20b and the outer wall frame 20a and is tiled.
However, in a large screen formed through the aforementioned tiling technology, because an image is not formed at an area of the support frame 20, a seam phenomenon (artificial boundary) occurs in that a boundary line is displayed on the screen corresponding to the support frame 20, including the partition wall frame 20b. Thus, an entirely-unified image cannot be displayed.
Accordingly, in order to prevent a seam line from being displayed at a seam area between display devices, namely, at a partition wall frame area, a method of guiding light emitted from the display panels and thus extending a path of the light up to an upper portion of the partition wall frame has been proposed. Here, one of light guides introduced for light diffusion is an optical fiber bundle.
The optical fiber bundle includes an image receiving surface receiving a light source and an image, and a display surface reproducing the received light source and image on a screen of the tiled display device. The light source and the image are magnified by using a difference in distribution density of optical fibers on the image receiving surface and the display surface. Namely, as the display surface has a wider area than that of the image receiving surface to make the optical fiber distribution density on the display surface smaller than that on the image receiving surface, an area of a dead zone between the optical fibers is increased. Accordingly, a light source and an image are magnified and displayed.
However, in the optical fiber bundle that magnifies a light source and an image in the aforementioned manner, because the display surface has a sectional area wider than that of the image receiving surface, optical fibers disposed at a region adjacent to an outer inclined surface are inclined at an angle greater than that at which optical fibers disposed at a central portion are inclined. For this reason, a dead zone between optical fibers on an edge portion becomes wider than that at a central portion.
Accordingly, the brightness of an image transmitted to the edge portion of the optical fiber bundle becomes lower than that of an image transmitted to its central portion, which causes the brightness of an image implemented on a seam area to be different from the average brightness of an entire image. Therefore, a method for achieving uniform brightness distribution over an entire screen of the tiled display device is required.

Tiled display device with black matrix film having different aperture ratios


A focus error signal detection device comprising an optical system for guiding a reflection beam reflected from an optical information recording medium to a photo-detection system side. A beam dividing system is arranged for dividing the reflection beam to two beams. Two photo-detecting units are arranged for detecting the two divided beams, respectively, each unit having light receiving surfaces arranged on a same plane. A beam position adjusting system is arranged for adjusting optical axes of the two divided beams with respect to predetermined positions of the photo-detecting units by simultaneously moving the two detecting units with respect to the beam dividing system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a focus error signal detection device for an optical information read/write apparatus such as an optical disk device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method for detecting a focus error signal in an optical information read/write device according to the related art in this field, there is known Foucault method which has a high detection sensitivity in comparison to the other focus error signal detection methods and enables to reliably detect the error signal even if the angle of the optical axis of the incident light flux is changed.
There are various kinds of device for detecting the focus error signal in accordance with Foucault method.
A first example of the focus error signal detection device utilizing Foucault method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 1-144235. This example is arranged in such a way that a condenser lens and a beam splitter are combined together to form one unit which lens is disposed for converging the light reflected from the optical information medium on the light receiving element surface and which splitter is disposed on an optical path of the reflection light and divide the flux of the reflection light to two luminous fluxes or more.
A second example of the focus error signal detection device of the related art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 1-98131. In accordance with the second example, the focus error signal is detected by Foucault method with the use of a diffraction grating having two areas in such a way that considering the change of diffraction angle due to the fluctuation of wavelength and the deformation of the optical spot on the light receiving element caused by the diffraction angle change, the divisional line of the light receiving element is inclined with respect to the direction of diffraction so that the outputs of adjacent light receiving elements are always the same.
A third example of the focus error signal detection device of the related art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 2-49227. In accordance with the third example, the detection device is arranged in such a way that the reflection light reflected from the optical information recording medium passes through a roof type prism and a triangle prism and after that the reflection light is detected by a pair of light receiving elements, each having a detection area which is divided to two parts wherein the focus error signal is detected in a state where the two elements are disposed in a same plane.
However, with respect to the first example of the related art, it is troublesome to adjust the optical axis of the device at the time of detecting the focus error signal with the use of Foucault method.
Also, with respect to the second embodiment of the related art, the divisional line for dividing the light receiving surface of the light receiving element is inclined by 20 to 30 minutes in order to cancel the influence from the wavelength fluctuation of the diffraction grading element whereas it is necessary to incline the light receiving element by 5 to 10 degrees to adjust the position thereof, which makes it difficult to obtain a reliable adjustment of the device for detecting the focus error signal with the use of Foucault method.
Further, with respect to the third example of the related art, a pair of two-divided light receiving elements are disposed in a same plane by using prisms to obtain a compact structure of the device, which however, either disables to fully adjust the focus error signal or enables to adjust the focus error signal with the use of optical elements of very high accuracy as a result of which the cost of the device becomes high.
As mentioned above, the focus detection method with the use of Foucault method is advantageous in that the detection sensitivity is high and the focus can be detected even the optical axis is dislocated whereas it also has a disadvantage that the focus spot diameter is small so that it becomes hard and troublesome to adjust the position of the photo-detector. Such a troublesome adjustment operation has to be done for each of two focus spots, which necessitates two photo-detectors as a result of which it becomes difficult to obtain a small and compact structure of the device.
To obviate such a problem, a focus control device has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 2-14434, for instance. The focus control device disclosed in the patent document comprises two pairs of parallel plates are combined in an X-shape so that two Foucault spots of semi-circle are generated. However, the proposed device disclosed in the patent document, for example, has disadvantages that it is not easy to arrange the parallel plates that it is hard to obtain a compact structure of the device that it becomes necessary to adjust the rotational position of the photodetectors and that the focus is not reliably detected when the optical axis is dislocated since the optical path lengths of the two paths becomes different from each other when the optical axis is inclined.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 2-49227 discloses an optical head which comprises a detection system arranged from a photodetector and a prism combined together and disposed on a same plane.
However, the optical head structure disclosed in the patent document has also disadvantages that it is hard to produce a fully satisfactory prism structure and that it is not possible to adjust the position of the photodetector by Foucault method.

Focus error signal detection device with separating prism


A stator core for an electrical machine and a method for producing the same. Said stator core comprising a core back and a plurality of teeth arranged circumferentially at the core back and extending radially there from. The core back being made of at least one sheet of electrically insulated soft magnetic material arranged as a spiral. Said method comprising the acts of winding a sheet of electrically insulated soft magnetic material into a spiral in order to form a core back and attaching a plurality of teeth to the core back so that the teeth are circumferentially separated and extends radially from the core back.

The stator of electrical machines generally comprises teeth and a core back. The function of the teeth is to lead magnetic flux induced in the teeth by a coil arranged round the teeth and, thus, the teeth increases the efficiency of the interaction between the stator and a rotor, in respect of a stator having no teeth. The core back is arranged to magnetically connect the teeth to each other in order to provide a flux feedback loop having low reluctance, i.e. it may be seen as closing the magnetic circuit generating flux for interaction with a rotor.
The stator cores of electrical machines has generally been made of solid soft magnetic material, e.g. iron. One problem with these types of stator cores is that eddy currents is induced in the stator core. To reduce this problem with eddy currents the stator cores of today is made of laminated sheets of electrically insulated soft magnetic material or of iron powder being electrically insulated.


A semiconductor device having a delay drift compensation circuit that compensates for a delay drift caused by temperature and voltage variations in a clock tree includes a clock driver having an output port, a first circuit having an input port, a first signal path between the output port of the clock driver and the input port of the first circuit and a first delay drift compensation circuit. The first delay drift compensation circuit, which is coupled with the first signal path, reduces a delay time of the first signal path when a power supply voltage increases, and increases the delay time of the first signal path when a temperature increases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a delay drift compensation circuit that compensates for delay drift caused by temperature and voltage variations in a clock tree.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, high-speed memory devices, such as synchronous DRAMs, operate in synchronization with an external clock signal. As the speed of clock signals has continued to increase with advances in semiconductor fabrication techniques, delay-locked loops (DLLs) or phase-locked loops (PLLs) have been used to reduce skew (time offset) between clocks.
A DLL receives a reference clock signal from an external source, generates an internal clock signal and synchronizes it to the reference clock signal, and provides the internal clock signal to an input and output circuit of a memory device. A conventional DLL includes a clock driver and a phase detector. The time required for transmitting the internal clock signal from an output port of the clock driver to an input port of the phase detector is referred to as feedback path delay. The time required for transmitting the internal clock signal from an output port of the clock driver to the input and output circuit is referred to as clock distribution path delay. It may be preferable that the feedback path delay be equal to the clock distribution path delay.
A clock distribution path is generally long. To make the feedback path delay equal to the clock distribution path delay, the feedback path and clock distribution path can be designed to be the same length. However, a long feedback path increases the layout area of a DLL and the power consumption of a clock driver. The increased power consumption of the clock driver can considerably deteriorate a noise environment of the DLL.
The feedback path delay may be increased to equal the clock distribution path delay, for example, by reducing the feedback path length and by installing a loading capacitor on the feedback path. However, the feedback path delay can differ from the clock distribution path delay due to temperature and voltage variations in the clock tree.
For example, as the temperature increases, the clock distribution path delay increases, because the resistance of the clock distribution path increases with temperature. However, the increase in feedback path delay may not be proportional to the increase in the clock distribution path delay. The phase of the internal clock signal generated by the DLL may undesirably drift with temperature and voltage variations in the clock tree.

Semiconductor device having delay drift compensation circuit that compensates for delay drift caused by temperature and voltage variations in clock tree


A method and apparatus to securely distribute embedded firmware to a module in an industrial control system is disclosed. A security certificate corresponding to the firmware is generated utilizing a proprietary algorithm. The certificate includes an identifier corresponding to the module on which the firmware is to be loaded and an identifier corresponding to a removable medium on which the firmware is distributed. The removable medium is inserted into the module in the industrial control system on which the firmware is to be loaded. The module reads the security certificate and verifies that the firmware is intended for the module and verifies that the security certificate includes the identifier for the removable medium which was inserted into the module. If the firmware is intended for the module and the security certificate includes the identifier for the removable medium, the module loads the firmware from the removable medium.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to a system and method for providing secure distribution of embedded firmware to modules in an industrial control system and more specifically, for utilizing a proprietary encryption certificate to distribute embedded firmware via a removable medium, such as a Secure Digital (SD) memory card.
An industrial control system typically includes at least one industrial controller configured to execute a control program and multiple modules distributed about the controlled machine or process. Industrial controllers are specialized computer systems used for the control of industrial processes or machinery, for example, in a factory environment. Generally, an industrial controller executes a stored control program that reads inputs from a variety of sensors associated with the controlled process and machine and, sensing the conditions of the process or machine and based on those inputs and a stored control program, calculates a set of outputs used to control actuators controlling the process or machine.
Industrial controllers differ from conventional computers in a number of ways. Physically, they are constructed to be substantially more robust against shock and damage and to better resist extreme environmental conditions than conventional computers. The processors and operating systems are optimized for real-time control and are programmed with languages designed to permit rapid development of control programs tailored to a constantly varying set of machine control or process control applications.
Generally, the industrial control systems have a highly modular architecture, for example, that allows different numbers and types of input and output modules to be used to connect the industrial controller to the process or machinery to be controlled. This modularity is facilitated through the use of special "control networks" suitable for highly reliable and available real-time communication. Such control networks (for example, ControlNet, EtherNet/IP) differ from standard communication networks (e.g. Ethernet) by guaranteeing maximum communication delays, by pre-scheduling the communication capacity of the network, and/or providing redundant communication capabilities for high-availability.
As part of their enhanced modularity, industrial control systems may employ modules that are configurable to perform different functions. A module may include, for example, sockets or slots configured to receive additional hardware such as an option card. Different option cards may be configured to execute different functions yet may be plugged into the same socket or slot. Optionally, a module may include all of the hardware components to perform several different functions. However, the hardware components may require a specific firmware and/or configuration in order to enable the hardware and the respective functions. Even if a module is not configurable, it likely includes a processor executing firmware to perform its intended function.
The increased reliance on firmware in the modules in an industrial control system presents certain challenges. On occasion, it may be necessary to provide new firmware to the module. For example, the firmware may receive an upgrade to improve performance and/or correct a problem in the module. Alternately, a customer may alter the configuration of their control system and desire a different set of functions in the module be enabled. However, as is known in the art, many utilities exist to copy software files. Consequently, it is not desirable to simply transmit a new firmware file to a client for installation in the module. A client may, for example, purchase an upgrade for a single module and install the new software in multiple modules. Similarly, the potential exists for the software file to be loaded onto a computer or server, publicly accessible, for example, via the Internet. The firmware would then be available to all users of the module without purchase of an upgrade.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved method for secure distribution of embedded firmware.

Method and apparatus for secure distribution of embedded firmware


A method for producing a positive electrode active material, a positive electrode active material produced thereby, and a positive electrode and a lithium secondary battery including the same are provided. The method includes preparing a nickel-manganese-aluminum precursor having an atomic fraction of nickel of 90 atm % or greater in all transition metals, and mixing the nickel-manganese-aluminum precursor, a cobalt raw material, and a lithium raw material and heat treating the mixture.

In recent years, with the popularization of mobile devices and electric power tools and the increasing demand for environmentally friendly electric vehicles, the requirements for an energy source driving the same are gradually increasing. In particular, there is a demand for developing a positive electrode active material having stable driving and long-life properties under high energy density and high voltage.
As a positive electrode active material of a lithium secondary battery, a lithium transition metal composite oxide is used. Among such lithium transition metal composite oxides, a lithium cobalt composite metal oxide such as LiCoO2, which has a high functional voltage and excellent capacity properties, has been mainly used. However, LiCoO2 is very poor in thermal properties due to the destabilization of a crystal structure according to de-lithium, and is also expensive. Therefore, LiCoO2 has a limitation in being used as a power source in a field such as an electric vehicle or the like in a large amount.
As a material to replace LiCoO2, a lithium manganese composite metal oxide (LiMnO2 or LiMn2O4, and the like), a lithium iron phosphate compound (LiFePO4 and the like), or a lithium nickel composite metal oxide (LiNiO2 and the like) has been developed. However, when compared with LiCoO2, LiNiO2 is poor in thermal stability, and when an internal short circuit occurs due to external pressure or the like in a charged state, a positive electrode active material itself is decomposed, thereby causing the rupture and ignition of a battery.
Accordingly, as a method for improving the thermal stability of LiNiO2, which is low, while maintaining the excellent reversible capacity thereof, a nickel cobalt manganese-based lithium composite transition metal oxide in which a part of Ni is substituted with Mn and Co (hereinafter, simply referred to as an 'NCM-based lithium oxide') has been developed. However, typical NCM-based lithium oxides which have been developed up to the present have insufficient capacity, so that there has been a limitation in the application thereof.
In order to overcome such limitations, in recent years, studies have been conducted to increase the content of Ni in an NCM-based lithium oxide to improve the capacity properties of a positive electrode active material. In recent years, high-nickel positive electrode active materials containing Ni in an amount of 80 atm % or greater in all transition metals are being developed. However, such high-nickel positive electrode active materials have a problem in that the structural stability of the active material is rapidly reduced when exposed to a high temperature, so that lifespan properties are rapidly deteriorated.
In addition, there is a problem with a positive electrode active material of a high-nickel layered structure having a high Ni content in that during synthesizing the positive electrode active material, a rock salt phase is easily formed on the surface thereof, and if the rock salt phase is formed, output properties and charge and discharge properties are deteriorated. If the content of cobalt in the positive electrode active material is increased, the mixing of cations or the formation of a rock salt phase may be suppressed to a certain degree. However, since cobalt is expansive, production costs are increased, thereby reducing economic feasibility.
Accordingly, there is a demand for developing a high-nickel positive electrode active material which is capable of suppressing the formation of a rock salt phase while using a small amount of cobalt and which has excellent initial charge and discharge properties, rate properties, and high-temperature lifespan properties.

High-nickel positive electrode active material, producing method thereof, positive electrode and lithium secondary battery comprising the same


An image color enhancement method for a display comprises the steps of: gathering tristimulus values of CIE1931 color space in light of all RGB combination of an image shown on the display, and computing a relative chrominance value and a relative luminance value; obtaining a RGB triangle of color gamut of the display according to the chrominance value; for a chromaticity point D1 which is relative to the RGB triangle of a RGB data, defining a relative saturation is

The liquid crystal display (LCD) which has some advantages of thin body, low power consumption, no radiation and many other advantages is widely applicable, for example, mobile, digital camera, TV screen and so on. The liquid crystal displays in the market nowadays belong to the backlight type liquid crystal displays which comprise liquid crystal display panels and backlight modules. The liquid crystal display panel is disposed in opposite to the backlight module. The backlight module provides the light source for the liquid crystal display for showing the images on the liquid crystal display panels. With the society development, the user requirement of the image quality of the LCD is more and more. In order to enhance the color saturation of the screen, an image color enhancement method is used for image processing and enhancing the visual effect of displaying images.
There are two main image color enhancement methods: the first enhancement method is that the three color components RGB of the image directly processes the same zooming and panning without transferring the color space, then to achieve the hue unchanged; the second enhancement method is that the color space transfers for the color components from the RGB space to the other space, for example HSV space or HSL space, and it transfers back to the RGB space after the corresponding enhancement computing. Comparing with the first enhancement method, the second one can obtain better color enhancement effect. But pertaining to the second enhancement method, the hue is usually changed and results in the color cast while saturation enhancement; or the image has oversaturation which results in distortion when processing the image having higher saturation.

Image color enhancement method and device for display

Abstract: S                                      1        =                  OD        1            OD        ;adopting a gain function to conduct gain computing for the relative saturation S1 and obtaining a gain saturation S2; according to a formula OD2=OD*S2, obtaining the gain saturation S2 relative to the chrominance point D2 in the RGB triangle and the chrominance point D2 is located in the line OD; computing the RGB data corresponding to the chrominance point D2 and obtaining the RGB data after saturation enhancement. An image color enhancement device is for executing the image color enhancement method.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


An overhead console for motor vehicles and the like includes a storage bin configured to support and store sunglasses. The bin is movably mounted to the base for movement between an opened position and a closed position. The storage bin includes a body made of a substantially rigid polymer material forming a cavity for storing sunglasses. An elastomeric material is molded to the body of the storage bin, and provides a soft surface on the inner side of the body to support sunglasses. The polymer material of the body forms walls having one or more apertures therethrough, and the elastomeric material extends through the apertures to mechanically connect the elastomeric material to the body of the storage bin.

Various overhead consoles for motor vehicles have been developed. Overhead consoles are typically positioned on the lower side of the-roof of a vehicle where it is readily accessible to a vehicle operator and/or passenger. In addition to lights, displays, and the like, overhead bins may include various storage features.
Storage bins for sunglasses are one type of storage feature. Existing storage bins for sunglasses may be pivotably mounted to the overhead console for movement between open and closed positions for insertion and removal of the sunglasses. One known type of storage bin construction includes a molded plastic shell forming a cavity for the sunglasses. One or more pieces of foam are glued to the inside surface of the shell to cushion sunglasses positioned in the storage bin.
During fabrication of such storage bins, the shell is molded and then moved to another manufacturing facility or area within the manufacturing facility. Foam pieces are cut to size, and adhesive is applied to the shell and/or the foam pieces. The foam pieces are then positioned in the shell and the adhesive is allowed to set. This fabrication process typically includes numerous operations to cut the foam pieces to size, apply the adhesive, and position the foam pieces in the shell. A substantial number of these operations may be done in a time-consuming, manual manner. Also, proper sizing, positioning, and adhesive bonding of the foam pieces creates quality control issues and may lead to scrapped parts, production delays and the like.
Accordingly, a storage bin construction alleviating the above-identified disadvantages of known storage bins would be beneficial.


The performance of a leaf spring disc clamp can be enhanced by increasing the flatness of an annular contact surface while the clamp is in its fully deflected, installed position. Such a disc clamp exhibits substantially improved flatness at a minor expense in applied axial force. It has been determined that a lapping process can be used to achieve a desired level of performance without fully deflecting the clamp prior to installation in a disc pack. The performance of the disc clamp may be further enhanced by providing one or more slots within a central portion of the disc clamp and joining the slots with a central aperture in the central portion in order to more uniformly distribute the clamping force around a peripheral portion of the disc clamp and thereby improve disc flatness during disc drive operation.

The invention relates generally to disc drives and more particularly to a lapped disc clamp used to secure a disc platter assembly to a spin motor, as well as, a process for manufacturing the lapped disc clamp and a disc clamp designed to more uniformly equalize the clamping force exerted on the disc.
Disc drives are data storage devices that store digital data in magnetic form on a rotating storage medium on a disc. Modern disc drives comprise one or more rigid discs that are typically coated with a magnetizable medium and mounted on the hub of a spin motor for rotation at a constant high speed. Information is stored on the discs in a plurality of concentric circular tracks typically by transducers (xe2x80x9cheadsxe2x80x9d) mounted to an actuator assembly for movement of the heads relative to the discs. During a write operation, data is written onto the disc track and during a read operation the head senses the data previously written on the disc track and transfers the information to the external environment. Critical to both of these operations is the accurate locating of the head over the center of the desired track.
The heads are each mounted via flexures at the ends of actuator arms that project radially outward from the actuator body or xe2x80x9cExe2x80x9d block. The actuator body typically pivots about a shaft mounted to the disc drive housing adjacent the outer extreme of the discs. The pivot shaft is parallel to the axis of rotation of the spin motor and the discs, so that the heads move in a plane parallel to the surfaces of the discs.
Typically, such actuator assemblies employ a voice coil motor to position the heads with respect to the disc surfaces. The voice coil motor typically includes a flat coil mounted horizontally on the side of the actuator body opposite the actuator arms. The coil is immersed in a vertical magnetic field of a magnetic circuit comprising one or more permanent magnets and vertically spaced apart magnetically permeable pole pieces. When controlled direct current (DC) is passed through the coil, an electromagnetic field is set up which interacts with the magnetic field of the magnetic circuit to cause the coil to move in accordance with the well-known Lorentz relationship. As the coil moves, the actuator body pivots about the pivot shaft and the heads move across the disc surfaces. The actuator thus allows the head to move back and forth in an arcuate fashion between an inner radius and an outer radius of the discs.
Modern disc drives typically include one or more discs mounted to the spin motor. Spacers are used to provide the separation between discs necessary for the actuators arms to movably locate the heads in relation with the disc surfaces. The discs and spacers collectively form a disc stack assembly, or disc pack, that is mounted on the spin motor hub and held together with a leaf spring disc clamp.
Disc clamps can be either stamped or milled. While milled clamps are more rigid and less prone to deflecting the abutting disc surface, they are relatively expensive to produce. Consequently, stamped leaf spring disc clamps, which are substantially less expensive, have become popular. The clamp is typically a circular spring-steel, sheet metal structure having a central portion and a rib portion at or near the OD of the clamp, with an annular rib formed in the rim portion of the clamp. The central portion of the leaf spring disc clamp has a partial aperture that is bent or deflected toward the center of the clamp, forming a leaf spring above the level of the annular rib, and includes a plurality of screw holes spaced symmetrically about the central portion of the clamp. The screws used to mount the disc clamp springingly bend and deflect the central portion of the clamp toward the upper surface of the motor spindle as the screws are tightened, thereby forcing the annular rib into firm contact with the uppermost disc surface and applying a clamping force to the disc stack.
This type of disc clamp is not without problems. The disc clamp is secured with a plurality of screws, typically 3, circumferentially spaced around the center of the clamp. The majority of the clamping force is exerted by the rib portion adjacent the screw locations, with a somewhat reduced level of clamping force exerted by the rib portion between the screw locations. This variation in clamping force can mechanically distort the discs in a phenomenon sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9cpotato chipping,xe2x80x9d meaning that the portions of the disc nearest the clamp screws are displaced further than the portions of the disc between the screws.
One solution to xe2x80x9cpotato chippingxe2x80x9d is to increase the number of mounting screws used to secure the disc clamp to the spin motor hub. As more screws are used and are spaced closer together, the discrepancy in clamping force is reduced but not eliminated. A disadvantage of this approach is that the use of additional screws complicates the manufacturing and assembly process.
Mechanical distortion of the disc surface can, in turn, lead to undesirable variations in the read/write signals detected and written by the heads of the disc drive. Since the heads will fly at varying heights around the circumference of the disc while attempting to follow a distorted disc, the signals used to read and write data on the discs may be inadequate to ensure reliable data storage and recovery.
Against this backdrop the present invention has been developed. The performance of a leaf spring disc clamp can be enhanced by increasing the flatness of an annular contact surface in its fully deflected, installed position. Such a disc clamp exhibits a substantially improved flatness in the installed state at a minor expense in applied axial force and thus has a more uniform force distribution applied around the annular contact surface. It has further been determined that a lapping process can be used to achieve a desired level of performance without fully deflecting the clamp prior to installation in a disc pack.
Accordingly, an aspect of the invention is found in a method of manufacturing a leaf spring disc clamp for use in a disc drive to clamp a data storage disc to a spindle hub of a spin motor. The method includes the steps of forming a piece of spring sheet metal into a generally circular leaf spring disc clamp having an annular rim portion and a central bowed leaf spring portion. The clamp is then placed on a lapping surface, and a force is applied to the central portion of the clamp to partially deflect the central portion of the clamp from an undeflected position toward the lapping surface. The clamp is then moved relative to the lapping surface to abrade and remove a portion of the rim portion to form a flattened annular contact surface on the rim portion.
Another aspect of the invention is found in a leaf spring disc clamp for fastening a data disc to a disc spin motor hub in which an annular rim portion forms an annular rib that has a flat annular contact surface thereon for uniformly distributing clamping force onto the data disc.
Yet another aspect of the present invention involves providing one or more slots within the central portion of the disc clamp and joining the slots with a central aperture in the central portion in order to more uniformly distribute the clamping force around the annular rib of the disc clamp and thereby improve disc flatness during disc drive operation.
These and other features as well as advantages that characterize the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.

Disc drive disc clamp for exerting an equalized clamping force on a disc


A device (10) for measuring a frequency of an input signal (IN) that is expected to comprise a carrier signal (CS) either being unmodulated (CSU) or being modulated (CSM) according to a predefined signal coding and relates to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder.

Frequency measuring is usually carried out on uncoded and/or unmodulated signals, because the known measuring methods deliver wrong measuring results when applied to coded signals. For instance, document JP 09203756 discloses a network analyzer having a measuring frequency signal source which generates the desired measuring frequency by using a reference frequency given by a built-in reference frequency signal source. Signals from the frequency signal source are counted by a first counter, while signals from an external reference frequency signal source are counted by a second counter. From the two count values of the counters, a calculation control part judges the accurate frequency of the built-in signal source, thereupon controls the measuring frequency signal source, and emits signals having the desired frequency. The aim of this known device is to enhance the frequency certainty of a measuring signal using a simple circuit at reduced costs.
However, the known device fails in applications where the frequency of a signal has to be determined that is present in a signal coded and modulated form, so that it may have DC signal portions and portions where the carrier signal is oscillating with the carrier signal frequency. Such signals are widely used in the field of RFID systems where a high frequency electromagnetic signal is wirelessly transmitted from an RFID reader to RFID tags being in the transmission range of the RFID reader. The electromagnetic signal is used to carry data and instructions for the RFID tags and to energize the RFID tags when they are configured as what are called passive tags having no power supply on board. The data are usually coded in the electromagnetic signal in a serial signal coded format, for instance according to Manchester coding or Miller coding or modified Miller coding etc. The output of each of said codings is a serial bit stream containing '0' and '1' bits. This bit stream is used to modulate a high frequency carrier signal (e.g. having a carrier signal frequency of 13.56 MHz). Due to the modulation, the resulting signal that is transmitted by the RFID reader contains portions where the carrier signal is oscillating and DC portions (provided that the modulation depth is set to 100%). In order to ensure proper working of the RFID tags, it is necessary to continuously measure the frequency of all input signals in order to discriminate between input signals that meet the specifications and can therefore be properly processed within the RFID tags and incidental signals sent out by external signal sources which must not be processed in the RFID tag in order to prevent malfunctioning. However, due to the signal coding conventional frequency measuring methods fail, since they cannot cope with signals showing high frequency portions and DC portions of varying lengths (but still being within the specification of the RFID system). Another problem is to discriminate between permissible signal coded modulated signals and incidental signals of lower frequencies. In that case the problem is to discriminate between the DC portion of the modulated signal and the regular duty cycle of the low frequency incidental signal.

Device and method for measuring the frequency of a signal coded modulated carrier signal


A temperature sensor for measuring temperature in accordance with a time-of-life of a fluorescent light that is produced by a fluorescent material, and is provided with a light source for imaging an excitation light, a fluorescent material for producing fluorescent light by the excitation light, a photoreceptor element for detecting the fluorescent light and outputting a fluorescent light signal in accordance with the fluorescent light intensity, and a signal processing circuit for calculating a temperature based on the fluorescent light signal from the photoreceptor element, where the signal processing circuit calculates integral values for the fluorescent light signals in the respective intervals A through C that have identical time durations, and then, based on the integral values, for two intervals, calculates a difference value, and then calculates a ratio of two difference values, to be a variable that varies in accordance with the temperature, and then references the relationship between the temperature and the ratio between difference values, stored in advance, to convert the calculated variable into the temperature.

Fluorescent temperature sensors are that use phosphors are used broadly as temperature sensors. In a fluorescent temperature sensor, the temperature is measured using a phosphor the wherein the fluorescent characteristics vary depending on the temperature. Specifically, the phosphor is exposed to an excitation light from a light source, and the fluorescent light that is produced by the phosphor is detected. The temperature is measured through the change in the characteristics of the fluorescent light, such as the fluorescent light time-of-life.
A fluorescent material, which includes a phosphor, is disposed at an end of an optical fiber. When the excitation light is radiated from the light source, it is illuminated onto the phosphor through the optical fiber. The fluorescent light that is produced by the phosphor is detected by a photosensor through the optical fiber. The fluorescent intensity decays in accordance with, for example, I0e−at, where t represents time and e represents the base of the natural logarithm (2.718 . . . ). The I0 and a are arbitrary positive numbers.
A fluorescent temperature sensor of this type wherein the fluorescent relaxation time is calculated to measure the temperature has been disclosed previously. (See Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2002-71473, hereinafter "JP '473".) In this temperature sensor, after an LED turns OFF, the time until the reference luminous energies S1 and S2 fall to 1/e of their original energies is defined as the fluorescent relaxation time. The temperature is calculated from the relationship between the fluorescent relaxation time and the temperature T, measured in advance.
Furthermore, there has also been a disclosure of a device wherein the temperature is measured through integrating the fluorescent intensity. (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,687, hereinafter "U.S. '687".) In this method, the fluorescent intensity is integrated over three time intervals (T1 through T2, T2 through T3, and T3 through T4). (See FIG. 8.) When the time of integration of the middle integration interval (T2 through T3) is defined as n2Δt, and the times of integration in the integration intervals on both sides (T1 through T2 and T3 through T4) are defined as n1Δt and n3Δt, then n2Δt=n1Δt+n3Δt. θ is defined as the value that results from subtracting the integration value of the middle interval (T2 through T3) from the sum of the integration values of the two intervals (T1 through T2 and T3 through T4). The temperature is measured using this θ.
In a photosensor, there will be noise or offsets (zero levels) included in the detected fluorescent intensity signal, when compared to the fluorescent component that is produced by the phosphor. That is, in the fluorescent intensity signal that is actually detected by the photosensor, there will inevitably be an offset (zero level) that is determined by the electronic circuitry for the measurement, by noise, etc., which changes over time. There will also be variation in the initial fluorescent intensity immediately after the light source is turned OFF. In the temperature sensor set forth in JP '473, the temperature calculation is performed with the noise and the offset still present. As a result, accurate measurements are not possible.
Furthermore, in U.S. '687, lock-in detection is used, making it difficult, in theory, to provide high-speed response. That is, in the method set forth in U.S. '687, the integration intervals cannot be set flexibly, so the detection time must be long. As a result, considerable time is required from one measurement to the next when the light source is turned ON and then OFF. In this way, the method set forth in Patent Reference 2 has a problem in that it is difficult to provide rapid response speed.
The present invention is to resolve these problem areas, and the object thereof is to provide a temperature sensor and a temperature measurement method capable of accurate measurements with rapid response speeds.

Temperature sensor and temperature measuring method


The present invention generally relates to a roller skate, and preferably an in-line roller skate having a foot platform suspended between front and rear wheels for increased stability. One feature the present invention is a retractable wheel positioned between the front and rear wheels. Another feature of the invention is a contoured toe piece removably attached to the foot platform and a heel piece pivotably attached to the foot platform. A still further feature of the invention is that the heel piece is slidable to allow the skate to accommodate shoes of various sizes. A still further feature of the present invention is its effective and easy to use streamline brake system.

Various types of in-line roller skates are well known in the art. Examples of such roller skates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 622,815; 681,368; 3,767,220; 4,363,492 and 4,943,075, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein.
One problem with in-line roller skates is that they are difficult to turn and maneuver, especially when the wearer is traveling at a high rate of speed. Consequently, the skates can only be used safely in large open areas and at low speeds.
Another problem with typical in-line skates is that the skater has difficulty in stopping, especially when skating at a high rate of speed. When the skates are provided with brakes, the brakes are either cumbersome to use or have parts that project from the sides of the skates which can be easily broken during use and are hazardous to the skater.
A still further problem with typical in-line skates is that the wheels do not wear down evenly. A skater who favors his or her right foot will wear down the wheels on the right skate more quickly. In addition, the inside edges of the wheels tend to wear down more quickly. In-line skates are not usually interchangeable between the right and left feet. This problem can be overcome by using the skates alternately on different feet, but skates are typically not interchangeable.
A still further problem with typical in-line skates is that they are not adjustable to accommodate differences in shoe or foot sizes of different skaters.
The various features of the present invention overcome one or more of these problems.


The present invention relates generally a manufacturing process which results in a completely hydrogel polymer device that maintains lumen patency which allows for numerous applications. Catheters and stents are particular examples, and their composition, mechanical characteristics, and the significantly unique ability to conduct and allow fluids to pass from one end to the other without physiological rejection, inflammation, or manifestation of complications due to implant or otherwise undesirable outcomes when used for ambulatory and or therapeutic interventions is the purpose of the invention.

Generally, the common approaches utilized in the art to fabricate a product from hydrolyzed PAN entail typically coagulating a single layer or heavily plasticizing a solvent based formula hydrolyzed PAN, in order that it may be molded or extruded by conventional thermoplastic extrusion or injection molding methods. Unfortunately, do to limitations, these materials and related processes are not reliable and often lead to inconsistencies in production and/or components.
As referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,406 and in fact improvements so noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,618 are probably not necessary when manufacturing a product with the disclosed process. Many types of devices are available and generally well known in the art of catheter design and construction which exhibit various curved and coiled end geometrical configurations for anchorage while others rely on material and polymer characteristics to increase performance and patient comfort. It is also generally known that some devices can be particularly difficult to implant, and withdraw. Unfortunately these designs do not minimize migrations and their lubricous coatings, which will erode off, do not diminish patient comfort, and encrustation.
In a typical modality, conventional thermoplastic polyurethane Ureteral Stent or Catheter is likely to migrate due to physiological or peristaltic organ and or muscle movement. Thereafter the device may become dislodged from its location rendering it ineffective. Additionally, after a relatively short period of time urine salts for example typically adhere to the coated and uncoated devices diminishing flow, and comfort, increasing patient pain and jeopardizing device integrity. The disclosed invention will alleviate these unacceptable complications.


A varactor device includes a capacitance circuit having a capacitor set and a first transistor connected across the capacitor set; a first variable resistor; and a second transistor coupled to the first transistor and connected in series to the first variable resistor for feeding an output signal generated by applying voltage to the capacitance circuit back to the first transistor, thereby controlling a gain of the first transistor by tuning the first variable resistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a varactor and, more particularly, to a varactor device capable of successively tuning its capacitance magnitude in a large range.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a varactor is completed by a MOS process. As shown in FIG. 1, the MOS varactor has a capacitance tuning ratio which is lower than three and needs complicated masks in production, thus it cannot meet the practical requirement. FIG. 2 is a view of a typical diode varactor produced by a CMOS process, which has a capacitance tuning which is ratio lower than two, thus it can tune the capacitance only in a small range and cannot meet the practical requirement as well.
In addition, a digital varactor is designed, as shown in FIG. 3. The digital varactor consists of capacitors CF, CD0˜N, and switch transistors S0˜N The switch transistors S0 ˜N control the respective capacitors CD0˜N to be connected in parallel with the capacitor CF or not. Accordingly, a number of capacitors connected in parallel are changed by respectively controlling the switch transistors S0˜N on and off. Thus, the capacitance tuning effect is obtained. In addition, the capacitance tuning ratio can relatively increase with the increased number of the capacitors CD0˜N However, such a tuning can tune the capacitance only to a specific value rather than tuning the capacitance successively.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved varactor device to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A video display for two or three dimensions has a flat liquid-crystal screen which ejects light from the plane at a selectable line. One or, in the case of a 3-D display, several video projectors project a linear image into the plane from an edge. A complete image is written on the screen by addressing the line with appropriate images as it is scanned down the screen. To screen a three-dimensional image, the video projectors, each projecting an image as seen at a slightly different angle, combine to constitute a three-dimensional display which produces a three-dimensional image that is one line high.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with a way of eliminating distortion in a tapered-waveguide display of the kind in which light enters the blunt end of a tapered slab waveguide.
2. General Background of the Invention
Such a tapered-waveguide display comprises a video projector, a flat slab waveguide, known as an "input" or "expansion" waveguide, for spreading light from the projector in the width direction, and a tapered sheet of transparent material acting as a leaking waveguide, light exiting from its face at a point determined by the angle at which it entered. The taper starts at the same thickness as the expansion waveguide and decreases usually to zero. Light entering the taper at some angle up to the critical angle bounces ever more steeply until it exits at a distance along the taper that depends on the initial angle of injection. The system is described in the applicant's earlier application WO 01/72037.
These displays are cheap and robust because the screens need no thin-film transistors and can be made of plastic, but the projected image can be prone to distortion. In particular, the image may separate into bands with dark gaps in between, because there are certain points on the tapered exit waveguide that cannot be reached at the critical angle by any ray entering the taper. Thus between the nth bounce and the (n+1)th no light emerges. It is desirable to address this problem.

Flat-panel display using tapered waveguide


An electromagnetic wave absorber is formed of an Mn—Zn ferrite including: a spinel primary phase which contains 40.0 to 49.9 mol % Fe2O3, 4.0 to 26.5 mol % ZnO, and the remainder consisting of MnO; and a secondary phase which contains CaO as a base component. In the ferrite, the spinel primary phase accounts for 50.0 to 99.0% of the aggregate mass of the spinel primary phase and the secondary phase.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic wave absorber which is formed of Mn—Zn ferrite and which has an excellent absorption performance in a high frequency band.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electromagnetic wave absorber to absorb electromagnetic waves may leverage either ohmic loss of a resistive element, dielectric loss of a derivative, or magnetic loss of a magnetic substance. In case of an electromagnetic wave absorber leveraging magnetic loss, its absorption characteristics can be evaluated by reflection coefficient calculated using a formula (1) below:
                              Reflection                                                              Coefficient                =                                  20                    log                                                                                            Z                  in                                -                                  Z                  o                                                                              Z                  in                                +                                  Z                  o                                                                                                                  Z          in                =                                              Z            o                                                                        μ                r                                            ɛ                r                                                                    tanh                                      (                              j                                                                                2                                        π                                    c                                                f                                                                                d                                                                                μ                      r                                                                                ɛ                      r                                                                                )                                          where μ is permeability, ∈ is permittivity, c is light velocity, f is frequency of an electromagnetic wave, d is thickness of an electromagnetic wave absorber, and Z is characteristic impedance. Generally speaking, an electromagnetic wave absorber, which has a reflection coefficient of 20 dB or more at a given frequency band, is evaluated to be sufficiently absorbent in the frequency band.
An electromagnetic wave absorber leveraging magnetic loss may be formed of a ferrite material, such as an Mn—Zn ferrite or an Ni—Zn ferrite. An Mn—Zn ferrite is used mainly for an electromagnetic wave absorber intended to absorb electromagnetic waves in a relatively low frequency band ranging from 30 to 500 MHz, while an Ni—Zn ferrite is used for an electromagnetic wave absorber intended to absorb electromagnetic waves in a relatively high frequency band ranging from 500 MHz upward. Since an Ni—Zn ferrite is expensive, it is desirable to use a less expensive Mn—Zn ferrite also for a high frequency band application.
In an electromagnetic wave absorber formed of an Mn—Zn ferrite, an eddy current flows increasingly in accordance with an increase in frequency therefore causing an increase of loss. Accordingly, the resistivity of an Mn—Zn ferrite must be increased in order to duly absorb electromagnetic waves in a high frequency band. When an Mn—Zn ferrite containing more than a stoichiometric composition of 50.0 mol % Fe2O3 is sintered, Fe3+ is reduced to produce Fe2+ and an electron transfer occurs easily between Fe3+ and Fe2+, whereby the resistivity decreases to fall below 1.0 Ωm. Consequently, an Mn—Zn ferrite can be used as an electromagnetic wave absorber in a frequency band only up to a few hundred kHz, from which upward an Mn—Zn has its permeability lowered significantly and loses soft magnetic characteristics thus failing to function as an electromagnetic wave absorber.
In order to increase resistivity, an Mn—Zn may contain CaO, SiO2 or the like as additive for increasing electrical resistance of its crystal grain boundary and at the same time may be sintered at a low temperature of about 1200 degrees C. for reducing its crystal grain size from about 20 μm to about 5 μm thereby increasing the ratio of crystal grain boundary. In such an Mn—Zn ferrite, however, since the crystal grain boundary itself has a low electrical resistance, it is difficult to gain a resistivity of more than 1.0 Ωm. Also, if 0.20 mass % or more CaO is added, an abnormal grain growth occurs at sintering and its characteristics are deteriorated significantly.
An Mn—Zn ferrite with an increased resistivity is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-180925, which contains base components of 20.0 to 30.0 mol % MnO, 18.0 to 25.0 mol % ZnO, and the remainder consisting of Fe2O3, and which has a DC resistivity of 0.3 Ωm or more, and a permittivity ε of 100000 or less at 1 kHz. The Mn—Zn ferrite is made to achieve an increased electrical resistance by adding CaO, SiO2, SnO2 and/or TiO2 thereto, but can thereby achieve a resistivity of only up to 2.0 Ωm, which is still not good enough to absorb electromagnetic waves in a high frequency band.
Another Mn—Zn ferrite is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-230909, which contains base components of 45.0 to 48.6 mol % Fe2O3, an appropriate mol % (to constitute a sum of 50.0 mol % together with Fe2O3) Mn2O3, 28.0 to 50.0 mol % MnO, and the remainder consisting of ZnO, and further contains 0.01 to 0.50 mass % SiO2 and CaO as additive, and in which 1.0 mol % or less (0 excluded) Fe2+ is present. The Mn—Zn ferrite is for use as a magnetic core material of a deflection yoke and is made to achieve an increased resistivity by limiting Fe2O3 content to less than 50.0 mol %. The Mn—Zn ferrite is intended for application to a frequency band of 64 to 100 kHz and not suitable for use in a high frequency band exceeding 1 MHz.
And, still another Mn—Zn ferrite is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3108803, which contains base components of 44.0 to 50.0 mol % (50.0 excluded) Fe2O3, 4.0 to 26.5 mol % ZnO, 0.1 to 8.0 mol % TiO2 and/or SnO2, and the remainder consisting of MnO, and which has an electrical resistance of 150 Ωm or more. The Mn—Zn ferrite is made to achieve an increased resistivity by limiting Fe2O3 content to less than 50.0 mol %.
In order to well function in a high frequency band, an electromagnetic wave absorber must exhibit appropriate characteristics with regard to permeability and permittivity as well as resistivity. An electromagnetic wave absorber formed of a conventional Mn—Zn ferrite can function only in a limited frequency band, and therefore a conventional Mn—Zn ferrite sintered alone cannot make an electromagnetic wave absorber adapted to function in an extensive frequency range including a high frequency band.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electromagnetic wave absorber formed of Mn-Zn ferrite


The present invention provides a ceramide lamella structure comprising a glucoside surfactant, a preparation method thereof, and a skin composition for external use containing the same. According to the skin preparation composition for external use of the present invention, phase stability is very excellent and a greater amount of ceramides can be stably formed according to the stability of ceramides using multilayered lamellar liquid crystals, thereby showing excellent skin moisturizing and skin barrier function repairing effects when applied to the skin.

The surface of human skin is composed of corneocytes, which are degenerated keratinocytes that have differentiated and grown from the basal layer. The corneocytes are bound by ceramide lamellar structures abundant in the stratum corneum and maintain the skin smooth and elastic.
Since ceramides are hardly soluble, they are prepared into small-sized particles when used in cosmetic products in large quantities. In this case, stability may decrease and gelation may occur. If the particle size is small, interparticle attraction increases greatly due to increased surface energy between particles. As a result, the ceramide particles tend to aggregate with each other, not being perfectly dispersed in an oil phase but being released into an aqueous phase. Gelation occurs as a result of the binding between the ceramide particles.
To solve this problem, granules prepared from ceramides, stearic acid, cholesterol, etc. are added at the last step of emulsion preparation to induce stabilization of ceramides. That is to say, by dispersing ceramides in an emulsion after stabilizing them by preparing into solid granules, the fluidity of the ceramides is removed and stability is improved. Korean Patent Application No. 2008-0072355 discloses ceramide granules including a shell solidified using a nucleation agent.
However, this method is problematic in that the amount of ceramides that can be used in a composition for skin external use is decreased because a large quantity of encapsulation agent has to be used for encapsulation of ceramides. In addition, use of the sugar- or polymer-based encapsulation agent impairs usability which is essential for the composition for skin external use.

Skin composition for external use containing ceramides


A molded plastic container having an open top and an outwardly smooth sidewall wherein the interior surface of the sidewall is characterized by a plurality of parallel vertical flutes defined by shallow, smooth concavities joined by flat columns of uniform thickness wherein the ratio of the circumferential diameter of each concavity to the circumferential width of a column is about 8:1. The outside surface of the container is smooth and molded with two integral, vertically spaced, circumferential rings for added hoop strength. The container exhibits a high stacking strength-to-weight ratio. The preferred material is HDPE.

Molded plastic containers are used to ship and store a wide variety of bulk products such as food, wallpaper paste and driveway sealant as examples. Such containers must withstand rough handling, a wide temperature range and stacking while filled. For 5 and 6 gallon containers, the required stacking tolerance may be as high as 3000 lbs. The preferred material for the containers is high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and the preferred configuration is tapered to allow nesting of empty containers.

Plastic container with fluted inner wall


Disclosed is a primary-clocked switching power supply for converting an input voltage into an output voltage, comprising: a primary side circuit branch, where the input voltage can be applied; isolated from the primary side circuit branch, a secondary side circuit branch, where the output voltage is tappable; between the primary side and the secondary side circuit branch, a galvanic isolation; a fuse or circuit breaker arranged in the primary side circuit branch; a first switchable switch element arranged in the primary side circuit branch such that switching trips the primary side fuse or circuit breaker; and a monitoring unit connected with the first switch element and arranged in the primary side circuit branch and adapted to monitor a characteristic electrical signal determined by the second primary winding and, when the characteristic electrical signal exceeds a threshold value, to switch the first switch element.

Switching power supplies are currently used in practically all electronic devices, both in the private consumer field, for example, in the case of television sets, as well as also in the industrial environment, for example, in the case of field devices of automation technology.
Field devices of automation technology are used for registering and/or influencing process variables. Examples of such field devices are fill level measuring devices, mass flow measuring devices, pressure- and temperature measuring devices, pH-redox potential-measuring devices, conductivity measuring devices, etc., which, as sensors, register the corresponding process variables, fill level, flow, pressure, temperature, pH value, and conductivity value. Applied for influencing process variables are so-called actuators, e.g. valves, which control the flow of a liquid in a pipe, tube or pipeline section, or pumps, which change the fill level in a container. Referred to as field devices are, thus, in principle, all devices, which are applied near to the process and which deliver, or process, process relevant information. In connection with the invention, the concept, field device, thus, refers to all types of measuring devices and actuators. Furthermore, the concept, field device, includes also e.g. gateways, radio adapters and other bus participants integrated/integrable in a bus system.
A large number of such field devices are manufactured and sold by the group of firms, Endress+Hauser.
As already mentioned, such field devices require an energy supply. For this, so-called primary-clocked switching power supplies are currently applied, which, in general, have a galvanic isolation between a primary side, where an input voltage can be fed in, and a secondary side, where an output voltage is tappable. The energy is transmitted to the secondary side, in such case, by a high clocking of a transformer.
In order upon malfunction to avoid a turning off of the switching power supply and so to avoid a damaging of a downstream device, especially a field device, safety measures are implemented in the switching power supply. Thus, currently so-called crowbar circuits are applied, which as a last resort limit the output voltage of the switching power supply. In the case of such crowbar circuits, upon a malfunction, especially upon an overvoltage, a secondary side thyristor is fired, which causes a short circuit between the output voltage and a ground. In this way, the secondary side electrical current rises to the extent that a fuse melts or a circuit breaker trips and the secondary side electrical current is interrupted, so that the electrical circuit of the downstream device is isolated from the primary side of the switching power supply. At the same time, however, also a control loop, which likewise typically has a switching power supply, is isolated from the primary side of the switching power supply, so that the switching power supply detects primary side that the secondary side output voltage is too low and the control loop correspondingly tries to counteract this. Such, in turn, has the result that due to the open secondary side the output voltage can rise to several 100 volts. The introduced power can, however, only be removed via a primary side circuit branch region with an additional primary winding of the transformer, whereupon this primary side circuit branch region is extremely burdened. This leads to the fact that the participating components can become very hot and, thus, certain temperature classes for intrinsic safety, especially the temperature class 6, according to which a maximum surface temperature must not exceed 85/80° C., cannot be satisfied. Furthermore, dangerous voltages are present in the circuit of the switching power supply, even though the input voltage is comparatively low.


A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yoidea’, characterized by its upright cut Chrysanthemum that is usually grown as a natural spray; dark green-colored foliage; freely flowering habit; uniform inflorescence form and development; large daisy-type inflorescences; bright yellow-colored ray florets; response time about 9.5 weeks; strong peduncles; and good postproduction longevity.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Yoidea'.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences with desirable colors and good inflorescence form and substance.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in January, 1998, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number K062, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number K101, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.
The cultivar Yoidea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla., in March, 1999. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence color and good inflorescence form and substance.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since May, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A process for synthesizing a variety of molecular sieves has been developed. The process involves forming a reaction mixture comprising reactive sources of the framework elements plus at least one templating agent, reacting the mixture to at least partially crystallize the molecular sieve and provide a slurry of seed crystals and adding to it nutrients (sources) of the framework elements, e.g. aluminum and silicon in order to grow the seed crystals. The rate of addition of the nutrients is controlled such that it is substantially the same as the crystal growth rate and such that there is substantially no nucleation of new crystals. The seed crystals may be the same or different than the nutrients being added, thus allowing for a layered molecular sieve. When the crystals have reached a desired size, they are isolated by conventional techniques.

Molecular sieves of the crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite type are well known in the art, and now comprise over 150 species of both naturally occurring and synthetic zeolites. In general, the crystalline zeolites are formed from corner-sharing AlO2 and SiO2 tetrahedra and are characterized by having pore openings of uniform dimensions, having a significant ion-exchange capacity and being capable of reversibly desorbing an adsorbed phase which is dispersed throughout the internal voids of the crystal without significantly displacing any atoms which make up the permanent crystal structure.
Other crystalline microporous compositions are known which are not zeolitic but which exhibit the ion exchange and/or adsorption characteristics of the zeolites. These include: 1) a pure silica polymorph, silicalite, having a neutral framework containing neither cations nor cation sites as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,724; 2) crystalline aluminophosphate compositions disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,440; 3) silicon substituted aluminophosphates as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,440,871 and 4) titanium substituted aluminophosphates as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,651.
Molecular sieves are usually hydrothermally synthesized from a reaction mixture in a batch reactor. In this type of process, all ingredients are added to a reactor thereby forming a gel. The gel is next stirred and heated for a sufficient time to crystallize the zeolite. The drawbacks to a conventional process include limitations on the control of size and morphology of crystals, limitations on the solids content, generation of waste products which can't be recycled and large capital investments. Accordingly, the industry is continuously conducting research to improve the manufacture of molecular sieves.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,979 discloses a continuous process for preparing zeolite A. The process involves mixing solutions containing aluminum and silicon and flowing the mixture to a crystallization reactor to crystallize zeolite A. U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,358 discloses a process for synthesizing zeolites by first nucleating crystals and then adding solutions which contain the reactants followed by aging in order to crystallize the zeolite. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,800 describes a continuous process for synthesizing zeolite A or X in which aqueous solutions of the reactants are mixed to form a gel, the gel is heated and then supplied to a stratified crystallization zone where the crystals form.
C. S. Cundy et al., in Zeolites, Vol. 15, 353–372 (1995), discloses a process for synthesizing the zeolite ZSM-5. The process involves filling a reactor with a slurry of seed crystals in a suitable liquid. To this mixture there are continuously added sources of aluminum and silicon with intermittent removal of product such that the reactor is filled to a constant level. In a second article by the same authors Zeolites, Vol. 15, 400–407 (1995), it is disclosed that when aluminum and silicon are added at a faster rate than crystal growth, a high nucleation rate is observed.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,694 B1 discloses a process for synthesizing molecular sieves by adding to a slurry of seed crystals nutrients which are sources of the framework elements, e.g. Al, Si of the molecular sieve. Nutrients are added at a rate which essentially equals the crystal growth rate such that no gel is formed and there is no nucleation of new crystals.

Process for preparing molecular sieves via continuous addition of nutrients


A riding apparatus has an inflatable member, a cover and a cushion. The inflatable member has a cavity that has a top end and a bottom end. The cover has a bottom wall and side walls that form an enclosure for receiving the inflatable member. The cushion is located on the bottom wall so as to extend across the bottom end of the inflatable member cavity. A rider sitting in the cavity of the riding apparatus sits or kneels on the cushion. The cushion is secured inside of the cover by clamping the edge portions of the cushion between the inflatable member and the cover.

Motorboats are widely used for towing people that ride on various devices. For example a toroidally shaped tube may be towed behind a motorboat, carrying a person on top. The prior art has developed covers for encasing these tubes. These covers, which are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,451,239 and 4,635,581 provide a means for attaching the tow rope from the motorboat and provide a closed bottom. The covering has an opening in the top, which opening allows the rider to sit inside the tube. The rider thus sits on the bottom of the cover. Prior art covers are typically made of a sheet-like material such as vinyl. The closed bottom of the prior art covers cause the tube to plane on top of the water and provide a supporting surface for the rider.
I have found that prior art covers suffer from the problem of providing an uncomfortable ride. Because the rider is separated from the water only by a thin sheet of vinyl material (the bottom of the cover), all of the forces exerted by the vinyl as the tube and cover are towed across the water are transmitted directly to the rider. Although some bumps may be desirable, with prior art covers many of the bumps experienced by a rider are "hard" shocks to the rider's body. For many people, these hard shocks diminish the enjoyment of riding in the riding apparatus.


A method of manufacturing a multilayer wiring board is provided. A flat surface is formed on a surface of a multilayer wiring layer, and resistive material is deposited on the flat surface. The multilayer wiring board comprises a multilayer wiring layer on whose surface convexo-concave is formed, a dummy layer burying the convexo-concave, a resistance material layer made of an electrical resistance material deposited on the dummy layer and at an area going beyond the dummy layer, and a wire made of a conductive material deposited on the resistance material layer and ranging from the area going beyond the dummy layer to a part of the flat surface area of the dummy layer, wherein a resistive element is formed at an area of the resistance material layer that the wire does not reach.

The present invention relates to a multilayer wiring board and a method for manufacturing the same and a probe apparatus using the multilayer wiring board.
Semiconductor ICs such as semiconductor chips are collectively formed on a semiconductor wafer and undergo an electrical test before being separated into respective chips. For this electrical test, a probe apparatus connected to electrode pads of each semiconductor IC as a device under test is used in general. Respective probes of the probe apparatus contact the corresponding electrode pads of the device under test to cause the device under test to be connected to a tester for the electrical test (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
In such a probe apparatus, a multilayer wiring board is used as a probe board, and numerous probes are arranged on one surface of the probe board. Also, in wiring circuits built in this probe board or multilayer wiring board, electrical resistive elements are built for the purpose of electrical matching such as impedance matching.
A method for building the resistive elements in the multilayer wiring board is proposed in Patent Document 2, for example. With the method described in Patent Document 2, in relation to a manufacturing process of a multilayer wiring board having an insulating substrate and a multilayer wiring layer provided on the insulating substrate, a titanium nitride film functioning as a foundation layer for wires and functioning as resistive elements is formed on the multilayer wiring layer, and wires are formed on the titanium nitride film by a conductor such as copper, thus to enable efficient building of the resistive elements in the multilayer wiring board.
Meanwhile, in the multilayer wiring layer of the multilayer wiring board, a lower-layer conductive layer formed on the insulating substrate and an upper-layer conductive layer piled on the lower-layer conductive layer via an intermediate insulating layer are connected, for example. For this connection between the both conductive layers, a via hole penetrating the intermediate insulating layer in the thickness direction is formed, and the lower-layer conductive layer and the upper-layer conductive layer are electrically connected through a via deposited in the via hole. When a metal material for this via is deposited in the via hole, the metal material for the via partially rises at the rim portion of the via hole. Thus, when an upper-layer insulating film is formed to cover the upper-layer conductive layer connected to the lower-layer conductive layer through the via, convexo-concave corresponding to the rise of the via is formed on this upper-layer insulating film.
When the aforementioned resistive elements are formed on this convexo-concave upper-layer insulating film by deposition of their material, these resistive elements are formed in a waved shape in the up-down direction along the convexo-concave surface of the aforementioned upper-layer insulating film. Accordingly, the substantial length of each resistive element increases, and the thickness dimension of the resistive element tends to change partially, as a result of which there is a disadvantage of increase in an error of a value of each resistive element built in the multilayer wiring board.
(Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 2005-17121; (Patent Document 2) Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 2000-13016

Method for manufacturing a multilayer wiring board