The invention relates to a method for detecting an object (1) in relation to a surface (2). A synthetic image (3c, 4c) is produced from at least two distinct viewpoints (3, 4), for each of said viewpoints, by means of a geometrical transformation comprising at least one perspective projection (3a, 4a) of the object on the surface (2), each synthetic image being associated with the viewpoint concerned. By discriminating between the synthetic images, it is possible to detect the presence of and determine the position of the object (1) in relation to the surface (2), by searching for contrast inversions. The invention can be used for surveying a swimming pool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process and a system for detecting an object in relation to a surface, said surface is not necessarily flat. In accordance with the present invention an object is defined as: a material element devoid of life and/or a person or animal. The object in accordance with the invention may be static and/or in movement. The surface in accordance with the invention may be a virtual surface or a real surface transparent or not.
2. Discussion of Background
It is necessary to detect presence and determine the position of an object in relation to a surface in a number of industrial applications, notably in order to make it possible to assess whether the object is moving in relation to this surface. The study of this relative movement gives information on the object and/or the surface.
In order to present the problem posed and resolved by the present invention in the framework of a concrete industrial application, the specific case of electronic surveillance, designed to detect an intruder moving in a defined environment, will be developed hereinafter. These electronic surveillance systems make it possible to distinguish between persons behaving abnormally in relation to those behaving normally.
More specifically, the process and the system according to the invention are applicable to the surveillance of a swimming pool in order to prevent drawings.
The patent SP2 FR 96 10442 submitted on Aug. 26, 1996 on behalf of Poséidon describes this type of surveillance system for a swimming pool while referring to the previous art. Large extracts of it will be incorporated here. Surveillance of swimming pools is either non-existent, or carried out by means of human surveillance. Such surveillance is a difficult task and requires sustained attention and causing nervous fatigue in people, notably in lifeguards, who are responsible for it. In fact, in addition to the inherent limitations of any system based on human intervention, for example a reduction of vigilance due to tiredness or momentary distraction, the surveillance of swimming pools is made extremely delicate because of the reflection of light on the surface of turbulent water, a phenomenon which makes it difficult visually to locate an immobile body or a body sinking passively, at a few metres depth. The surveillance problem in swimming pools mainly arises for swimming pools that are open to the public.
In general, a swimmer in distress sinks to the bottom but, more rarely, it occurs that he floats unconsciously in a characteristic position just below the surface of the water.
An experienced lifeguard has two to three minutes to save a drowning person from the loss of consciousness, which marks the beginning of drowning. If this period is adhered to, the person drowning will not generally experience any after-effects of the accident, after a possible stay in the hospital to clean the lungs. In general, if the help is provided in three to five minutes after the loss of consciousness, however this period varies for each individual, the drowning person may still be saved, but certainly risks irreversible injuries, notably brain damage. Over five minutes, the risk of death becomes considerable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,705 already proposed the use of sonar to carry out surveillance in a swimming pool. According to this system, a sonar transceiver is at least installed in the bottom of the swimming pool and a horizontal section is watched using this machine. The implementation of such a system does present inconveniences. In effect, the signal obtained with a sonar includes the echoes from the swimming pool walls and it is extremely difficult to eliminate the noise signal received in this way in order to detect the signal corresponding to the submerged body of a person drowning. In addition, the sonar essentially makes it possible to locate the body of a drowning person through the volume of air which he holds; if a person in distress has lungs filled with water, the signal obtained will not conform in any way with that which may be expected and might not even be located by processing the signal. Consequently it may be established that such a system is not likely to be satisfactory.
The patent application WO 95/34056 also proposed the implementation of cameras applicable in the field of visible waves for the surveillance of a swimming pool. These cameras are installed so that the zone observed is situated in a volume near and parallel to the bottom of the swimming pool.
In this system the cameras only observe a section of water parallel to the bottom, which implies multiplication of the cameras if the bottom is not flat and leaves the majority of the volume of the swimming pool unwatched. In addition, this system does not make it possible to detect an immobile body floating just below the surface of the water. This system consequently cannot be satisfactory.
A surveillance system for a swimming pool is described in patent application SP2 (FR 96 10442 Poséidon) which consists of:                means of detection (notably video cameras positioned in waterproof compartments) appropriate for giving images of bodies submerged in the water of the swimming pool in the form of electrical signals, these means of detection are planned in the sides of the swimming pool and places judiciously chosen to sweep at least a fraction of the water volume in the swimming pool;        means of digitisation of the electrical signals obtained;        means of temporarily and permanently storing the digital image data at successive moments;        means of comparison between digitised images of the same body at successive moments;        means of estimating the nature of a body (human body or not), of the trajectory and changes in attitude of the body according to these successive images;        and means for making decisions appropriate for setting off an alarm in the event of a suspicious trajectory or movement of the body being observed.
The means of comparison of the digitised images between successive moments are appropriate only to take forms into consideration, of which the dimensions at least correspond to those of a child, in order to eliminate false alarms being caused by foreign bodies. In addition, these means of comparison are implemented in order to isolate a form and follow its trajectory at successive moments.
The means of estimating are appropriate to determine the slow nature of a movement and/or the immobility of a human body in the swimming pool by means of the results of the means of comparison.
The means for making decisions are appropriate for setting off an alarm if the slow nature of a movement or the almost-immobility of a body in the swimming pool continues over a defined period, in particular over 15 seconds.
One or numerous control screens are positioned by the lifeguards' chairs or in the offices of the persons responsible for surveillance of the swimming pool, screens on which the images are shown of a zone considered suspect. The alarm may be given through a sound and/or visual warning, in particular with an indication of the zone of the swimming pool in which a suspicious event is taking place.
No matter how perfected they are, such systems cannot always make it possible to distinguish an object in front of the bottom. In fact, in the event that a single camera is used, it is not always possible to distinguish a shadow of a body of a swimmer passively floating, moving along the bottom. Admittedly, in the event that numerous cameras are used to observe the same object from numerous points of view, the parallax effect should, in principle, make it possible to distinguish a dense object situated in front of the bottom of a bi-dimensional mark situated on the bottom. In any event numerous conditions must be met in order for the parallax effect to adequately sensitive. On the one hand, it is desirable for the viewpoints to be close to the object being observed. This first condition implies that numerous cameras will be used for surveillance over a large zone in relation to the dimensions of the objects that one hopes to detect. In correlation, this type of system is consequently particularly costly. On the other hand, it is desirable that the depiction of colours perceived by each camera is identical. Now, in order for this to be the case it is essential for the opto-electronic characteristics of the video cameras to be the same, which is not always the case. In addition the optical route between the object and each camera may cross environments with different refraction or transparency indexes. This is notably the case when the body being observed is submerged in a swimming pool with a turbulent surface. The depiction of the colours of the object being observed by each camera is not the same. Consequently the geometric correlations that make it possible to establish that the images (their outlines and grey scale nuances) produced by each camera come from the same dense object situated in front of a coloured bottom, can not longer be verified with certainty. Consequently confusion is possible between a shade of colour (for example a shadow being carried) on the bottom of the swimming pool and a dense object close to the bottom. Consequently, the result is that errors in detection and false initiation of the alarm systems.
The present invention is intended to avoid the inconveniences of the processes and systems known as yet, no matter how efficient they are.

Method and system for detecting an object in relation to a surface


A control system controls safety-critical and non-safety-critical processes and/or system components. The system includes a first control unit for controlling the non-safety-critical process and/or the non-safety-critical system components, at least one input/output unit connected to the first control unit, a communication coupler, which is connected to the first control unit via an internal coupler bus, and a second control unit for controlling the safety-critical process and/or the safety-critical system components. For providing safety-related functions, the second control unit includes a first dual-port RAM and at least two processors, only one of which is connected to the first dual-port RAM. The second control unit communicates with the first control unit via the first dual-port RAM and the internal coupler bus, and the first control unit transmits data from the second control unit to the communication coupler via the internal coupler bus and a second dual-port RAM integrated into the communication coupler.

Automation systems for controlling a technical process or a technical plant often require particular safety-critical process or plant components to be controlled separately from non-safety-critical components.
In DE 10 2005 009 795 A1, a microprocessor system which includes two areas is disclosed for a machine control in safety-critical applications. A first area is provided for non-safety-critical or non-safety-oriented functions, respectively, and includes a main processor, a program and data memory, an input/output unit and a bus for connecting the aforementioned components with one another. A second area is provided for safety-critical or safety-oriented functions, respectively, and includes a safety processor having its own program and data memory which is also connected to the bus.
By means of a secure transmission link, programs and data are loaded into the data memory of the safety processor, the function of which is based on the fact that it drives, in collaboration with other safety-oriented components such as, for example, safety-oriented input/output units, the plant or the process into a "safe" state in the case of a conflict.
In DE 103 53 950 A1, another control system is disclosed for controlling safety-critical processes. This control system includes a field bus, a bus master for controlling the communication via the field bus and a signal unit for linking up with the safety-critical process. The bus master and the signal unit are connected to one another via the field bus. Communication of the signal unit with the bus master is provided via the field bus. Furthermore, a first control unit for controlling the safety-critical process is provided, wherein the signal unit and the first control unit have safety-related facilities for failsafe communication for controlling the safety-critical processes. The first control unit can be connected field-bus-independently to the bus master.
The safety-oriented control systems described above are not provided for use in modularly configured control systems as described, for example, in DE 10 2004 056 363 A1 or can be integrated only with additional expenditure since, for example, communication modules, interfaces, voltage supplies and monitoring functions must be matched to the safety criteria specified. For this purpose, these components must be replaced and equipped with new software as a result of which considerable costs arise.
It is often also difficult to separate the safety-critical functions unambiguously from the non-safety-critical functions.

Control system for controlling safety-critical and non-safety-critical processes


A temporal smoothing apparatus and method for synthesizing an intermediate image, the apparatus including a disparity vector estimator which receives a previous image and a present images and generates a previous disparity vector and a present disparity vector for every image block of a predetermined size, and a temporal smoothing unit which receives the previous and present images and the previous and present disparity vectors and generates a temporally-smoothed disparity vector. The temporal smoothing unit generates a distinct temporally-smoothed disparity vector for each frame on the basis of a mean absolute difference (MAD) between the previous image and the present image, so that a flickering phenomenon of an intermediate image can be removed without deterioration of image quality by adaptively performing a temporal smoothing process in accordance with types of an image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a temporal smoothing apparatus and method for synthesizing an intermediate image, and more specifically, to a temporal smoothing apparatus and method capable of adaptively adjusting contribution degrees of a previous image and a present image in accordance with the types of an image to synthesize an intermediate image.
2. Description of the Related Art
To present more realistic images, image display systems such as televisions require three-dimensional image rendering devices and image processors. Three-dimensional display technologies can be largely classified into optical approaches and image-processing approaches. Specifically, the three-dimensional image processing field has been developed focusing on compression, decompression, transmission, and synthesis of image signals. Currently, a stereo (two viewpoints) technology to be applied to the simplest three-dimensional data terminals is employed in the game industry or the medical industry, and a three-dimensional broadcasting system employing the stereo technology has been realized in Japan and other countries.
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a three-dimensional image processing method. The three-dimensional image processing method includes: taking images of an object from various viewpoints and compressing the images into a predetermined image format; receiving and decompressing the compressed images and synthesizing an intermediate image from the images of various viewpoints, converting the transmitted images taken from various viewpoints and the synthesized intermediate image into a format which can be processed by a display apparatus; and finally providing a three-dimensional image to a, viewer by combining and displaying the images taken from various viewpoints.
A multi viewpoint three-dimensional image display apparatus requires images acquired from many viewpoints, but only images acquired from limited viewpoints are used due to band restriction. For this reason, the viewer feels as if he/she watches the images from a fixed specific position. In order to solve this problem, an intermediate image synthesizing technology to synthesize an intermediate image from images acquired by multi viewpoint cameras is employed. Such an intermediate image synthesizing technology is described in detail in the paper, "An Object-based System for Stereoscopic Viewpoint Synthesis" by J_R. Ohm, IEEE Trans. Circuit and System for Video Tech. Vol. 7, No. 5, pp. 801-811 October 1997, and the paper, "Robust Quadtree-based Disparity Estimation for the Reconstruction of Intermediate Stereoscopic Images" by A. Mancini, San Jose, USA SPIE, January 1998.
When the intermediate image is synthesized using the intermediate image synthesizing technology, a parallax estimation error between frames can occur due to noise or minute camera jerks. The parallax estimation error can occur in edges of the object in the synthesized intermediate image, and is observed as a flickering phenomenon by the viewer. Temporal smoothing technologies are used for removing the flickering phenomenon.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a conventional temporal smoothing technology. An intermediate image is generated from two images, i.e., a left image and a right image. A left disparity vector estimator 210 generates left disparity vectors 221 and 222 corresponding to a left image LIT-1 211 at a previous time T−1 and a left image LIT 212 at a present time T. A disparity vector indicates a range in which a specific image block in a target image is moved with respect to a reference image. That is, the left disparity vector indicates a range in which an image block of a predetermined size in the left image is moved with respect to the right image.
A left temporal smoothing unit 220 generates a smoothed disparity vector 231 from the generated previous and present left disparity vectors 221 and 222. The smoothed disparity vector is a value obtained by adding the present disparity vector to the previous disparity vector, and indicates an accumulated displacement value in which the specific image block in the left image is moved with respect to the right image. A left disparity vector (DV) densifying unit 230 generates a left pixel disparity vector 232 by scaling every pixel of the generated left disparity vector.
The right disparity vector is generated in the same manner as the left disparity vector. That is, a pixel disparity vector 237 of the right image is generated with reference to the right image through a right disparity vector estimator 215, a right temporal smoothing unit 225, and a right disparity vector densifying unit 235. The right disparity vector estimator 215 generates right disparity vectors 226 and 227 corresponding to a right image RIt-1 217 at a previous time T−1 and a right image RIT 216 at a present time T. The right temporal smoothing unit 225 generates a smoothed disparity vector 236 from the generated previous and present right disparity vectors 226 and 227. The right disparity vector (DV) densifying unit 235 generates the right pixel disparity vector 237 by scaling every pixel of the generated right disparity vector.
A disparity vector mapping unit 240 generates a mapped disparity vector 241 from the left and right pixel disparity vectors 232 and 237. The mapped disparity vector 241 is a final disparity vector used for synthesizing an intermediate image. The disparity vector mapping unit 240 generates the intermediate image disparity vector 241 by checking a consistency between the left and right pixel disparity vectors and then performing a re-scaling process on the basis of only the consistent disparity vector. An intermediate viewpoint reconstructing unit (IVR) 250 generates the intermediate image 251 from the intermediate image disparity vector 241 and the left and right images 212, 216.
However, the conventional temporal smoothing technology performs the temporal smoothing process uniformly regardless of the type of image. As a result, when a moving picture is static or when a static object exists in the moving picture, the temporal smoothing process is performed smoothly, while when the moving picture is dynamic, the temporal smoothing process may synthesize an unreasonable intermediate image.

Temporal smoothing apparatus and method for synthesizing intermediate image


A method for maintaining equivalency between the reference Register Transfer Logic (RTL) and the physical layout design of an integrated circuit by way of maintaining a reference netlist derived from symbolic connectivity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly, maintaining equivalency between a logical design and a physical design of an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits (IC), such as application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), are typically designed using computer-aided design (CAD) tools using a hardware description language (HDL) that allow the designer to specify, in software, the logical operation of the chip. One such example of a hardware description language is Verilog.
Known design processes include several steps. First, a designer writes a software program describing the flow of signals in the chip and the logical operations performed on those signals. In Verilog, for example, such a program is written at the Register Transfer Level (RTL). Once the designer has programmed the operation of the logic circuit, the program is simulated and, if acceptable, synthesized into a corresponding collection of standard cells. Standard cells are components, such as logic gates, latches, decoders, and various other components, that exist in a library accessible by a synthesis tool. The synthesis step is typically an automated process in which the synthesis tool determines the appropriate standard cells and interconnections between standard cells to realize a circuit that satisfies the RTL model.
Conventional design flows derive a schematic from a reference RTL, then a layout from the schematic, to assist in maintaining functional and physical correctness. In an aggressive integration methodology, the modification of logic represented by the layout due to placement, route topologies, and clock loading constraints can create a mismatch between RTL and the layout. Hence, no reference schematic exists. To optimize performance, current integrated circuit design approaches allow the designer to specify the logic gate cell sizes for timing purposes, to cluster cells dynamically based on placement constraints, to balance clock loads, and to order scan chains. However, these approaches can create a vast difference between the RTL and corresponding layout, and create a need to back-annotate information into RTL. What is needed is a way to maintain equivalency between the physical layout and the reference RTL of the design.

Fullchip functional equivalency and physical verification


Disclosed is a sensor of a thermal, flow measuring device. The sensor includes a sensor cup having at least one protrusion on the floor of the cup that assures a constant spacing of a sensor element from the cup floor so that a good temperature transfer between the sensor element and a medium flowing around the sensor is assured. Also disclosed is a thermal, flow measuring device employing such a sensor.

Thermal flow measuring devices have been used for a long time to determine the mass flow of a medium through a pipeline. In such case, such devices rely essentially on two measuring principles.
In the case of a first measuring principle, a sensor in the medium flowing through the pipeline is heated in such a manner that its temperature remains constant. Assuming that media properties such as temperature, density and composition remain constant, the mass flow of the medium can be ascertained via the heating current needed for holding the temperature constant. In the case of variable media temperature, a second sensor is used for measuring the temperature of the medium.
In the case of a second measuring principle, the flowing medium is heated with a constant heating power and the temperature of the medium downstream is measured. A higher mass flow leads to a lower measured temperature, and vice versa. Also in this case, it is helpful to use a sensor for monitoring the temperature of the medium. In the case of heated sensors, a reproducible manufacturing is important for achieving a high accuracy of measurement. If the solder layer thickness varies from sensor to sensor, then the required heating current varies also. In order that the flow measurement functions correctly, it is essential that temperature equilibration between sensor and medium occur rapidly and that fluctuations as regards this variable between individual sensors be as small as possible.
A typical sensor, in such case, comprises a sensor cup, in which a sensor element is arranged and bonded per solder layer to the sensor cup. In such case, a uniform thickness of the solder layer between sensor cup and sensor element is desired, in order to achieve a high accuracy of measurement. In soldering technology, solutions are known, which lead to a small solder layer thickness fluctuation, however, not to a satisfactory extent or in a manner disadvantageous for the sensors of a thermal, flow measuring device. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,478 discloses an object with spacers, which assure a spacing between the object and a substrate. It is, however, very complicated to provide a sensor element with such spacers.

Sensor for a thermal, flow measuring device having sensor element spacing protrusions


A gas turbine engine including a rotor is disclosed. The rotor includes a stud extending along an axis, rotating elements of a first section, and rotating elements of a second section. The stud includes a first and second external end, the first external end adapted to engage a first pre-load nut or a shaft and the second external end adapted to engage a second pre-load nut or a shaft such that the set of rotating elements are secured. Thus stud includes a first shank connected to the first external end and a second shank connected to the second external end. The first shank is located in the first section and has a first diameter. The second shank is located in the second section and has a second diameter which is greater than the first diameter.

In gas turbines engines, a number of discs including radially extending blades which are inserted to the discs are provided to form a rotor. There are sets of discs for compressor blades and sets of discs for turbine blades. The respective sets of discs are retained by a turbine nut and a compressor nut respectively applied to one or two tension studs, the nuts and the studs are used to apply a preload to tension the arrangement to ensure that all rotating parts are secure during operation of the turbine.
In current turbines, the rotor may be held together by a pair of tension studs. In the following one possible way how to assemble a compressor and a turbine is explained in a simplified manner. A first threaded end of the first stud may engage into a threaded bore in a shaft element of the rotor. A compressor disc then may be pushed axially into position and locked to the shaft element. Further compressor discs may additionally be pushed into position. Finally a threaded compressor nut may be engaged to a second threaded end of the first stud and tightened such that all compressor discs are secured to each other and the shaft element. For the turbine discs, a first threaded end of the second stud may engage in a threaded bore of the other end of the shaft element. Then turbine discs may be pushed axially into position from the opposite side and a threaded turbine nut may be applied to a second threaded end of the second stud and tightened such that all turbine discs may be locked to the shaft element.
A prior art gas turbine arrangement is known from UK patent application GB 2452932 A and is also shown in prior art FIG. 1 which is a longitudinal section along an axis of a bladed rotor of a gas turbine, the axis being an axis of rotation. It comprises—left to right looking at the figures—, an axially extending compressor stud, a compressor nut, an inlet shaft, a set of compressor discs, an intermediate shaft, a turbine stud, a set of turbine discs and a turbine nut. In FIG. 1 shows different stages of assembly of the gas turbine arrangement. Please note that the order of assembly may be different to the sequence as explained in the following.
In FIG. 1A, a threaded compressor stud is rotated into threaded engagement into a threaded bore in an intermediate shaft and compressor discs are slid over the compressor stud from left to right during assembly. An inlet shaft is then mounted onto the compressor stud and a compressor pre-load nut threaded onto the compressor stud end. A hydraulic tool is applied to stretch the stud and the compressor nut is tightened to engage the inlet shaft before the tool is removed. This retains the pre-load applied to the compressor stud. The stretch required may be affected by relative thermal and mechanical expansion and contraction at different operating conditions of the stud and the clamped components.
FIG. 1B shows a turbine stud threaded into another axial end of the intermediate shaft. Then—not yet shown in FIG. 1B—the next stage is to assemble the turbine discs onto the turbine stud from right to left with a turbine nut being threaded onto the other end of the turbine stud, as shown in FIG. 1C. The hydraulic tool is applied to stretch the turbine stud and the nut is tightened to retain the pre-load when the tool is removed.
It will be appreciated that this is a complicated arrangement which requires careful machining and assembly for adequate operation and a long service life. The material of the stud, the dimensions of the stud, the amount of stretch of the stud, etc. has to be considered to ensure sufficient rotating load at all operating conditions of the gas turbine engine. In particular, the threaded connections and the studs may experience stress. It has to be noted that with "load" a clamping force is meant applied by the stud to the discs.
From patent GB 898153 a shaft is known that consists of two pieces that are assembled together via a thread. Both pieces have different diameters. From WO 2004/076821 A1 an air thrust bearing is disclosed in a gas turbine engine having a single piece shaft comprising of two sections having a slightly different diameter.
In EP 0742634 A2 a compound shaft is disclosed. A first stiff shaft is connected to a second stiff shaft via a flexible disk shaft.
According to US patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,628 a bolt comprising of two sections can be inserted into a hollow single piece rotating shaft of a bearing.
It is a goal of the invention to reduce stress and fatigue of the stud and the threads.

Gas turbine engine comprising a tension stud


An apparatus is provided for delivering a substance containing hydrocarbons from a reservoir. The reservoir can be subjected to thermal energy in order to reduce the viscosity of the substance. The apparatus includes at least one conductor loop for inductively applying current as an electric/electromagnetic heater. A conductor of the conductor loop is surrounded in at least one section by a liquid-carrying conduit. The liquid-carrying conduit is perforated such that when a liquid is supplied the liquid penetrates into the reservoir from the liquid-carrying conduit via a perforation.

In order to allow the extraction of extra-heavy oils or bitumen from the known incidences of oil sand or oil shale, their flowability must be significantly increased. This can be achieved by increasing the temperature of the incidence (reservoir). The increase in flowability can be achieved either by introducing solvents or thinners and/or by heating or fusion of the extra-heavy oil or bitumen, for which purpose heating is effected by means of pipe systems that are introduced through boreholes.
The most widespread and commonly used in-situ method for extracting bitumen or extra-heavy oil is the SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) method. In this case, steam (to which solvents may be added) is forced under high pressure through a pipe which runs horizontally within the layer. The heated fused bitumen or extra-heavy oil, once separated from the sand or rock, seeps down to a second pipe which is laid approximately 5 m deeper and via which the extraction of the liquefied bitumen or extra-heavy oil takes place, wherein the distance between injector and production pipe is dependent on the reservoir geometry.
The steam has to perform several tasks concurrently in this case, specifically the introduction of heat energy for the liquefaction, the separation from the sand, and the build-up of pressure in the reservoir, in order firstly to render the reservoir geo-mechanically permeable for bitumen transport (permeability), and secondly to allow the extraction of the bitumen without additional pumps.
The SAGD method starts by introducing steam through both pipes for e.g. three months, in order firstly to liquefy the bitumen in the space between the pipes as quickly as possible. This is followed by the introduction of steam through the upper pipe only, and the extraction through the lower pipe can commence.
The German patent application DE 10 2007 008 292 A1 already specifies that the SAGD method normally used for this purpose can be complemented by an inductive heating apparatus. Furthermore, the German patent application DE 10 2007 036 832 A1 describes an apparatus in which provision is made for parallel arrangements of inductors or electrodes, which are connected above ground to an oscillator and/or converter.
The earlier German patent applications DE 10 2007 008 292 A1 and DE 10 2007 036 832 A1 therefore propose inductive heating of the deposit in addition to the introduction of steam. If applicable, resistive heating between two electrodes can also be effected in this case.
Using the previously described entities, the electrical energy must always be carried via an electrical forward conductor and an electrical return conductor. This involves significant cost.
In the cited earlier patent applications, individual inductor pairs comprising forward and return conductors, or groups of inductor pairs in various geometric configurations, are subjected to current in order to heat the reservoir inductively. In this case, a constant distance between the inductors is assumed within the reservoir, resulting in a constant heating power along the inductors in the case of homogenous electrical conductivity distribution. In the description, the forward and return conductors are guided in close spatial proximity in the sections in which the capping is breached, in order to minimize the losses there.
As described in the earlier applications, variation of the heating power along the inductors can be effected specifically by sectional injection of electrolytes, thereby changing the impedance. This requires corresponding electrolyte injection apparatus, whose installation can be resource-intensive and costly.

Device and method for obtaining, especially in situ, a carbonaceous substance from an underground deposit


A coating composition comprising (A) a polyorganosiloxane graft copolymer emulsion, (B) a reaction product between an amino functional silane and/or a hydrolyzate thereof and an acid anhydride, (C) colloidal silica, (D) a curing catalyst, and (E) an inorganic filler is useful in coating exterior and interior building materials. The composition is applicable to a substrate to form a coating at room temperature having sufficient extensibility to follow cracks in the underlying substrate as well as low-to-high temperature sensitive performance, moisture permeability, flame retardance, and decorative effect.

For finish coating of interior and exterior building materials such as concrete structures, prestressed concrete (PC) panels, aerated concrete (ALC) panels, and slate panels, hitherto cement, acrylic, epoxy and cellulosic finish coating compositions have been used as well as synthetic resin emulsion paints.
These finish coating compositions, however, are too hard to follow cracks which can occur in the underlying substrate. If cracks occur in the substrate, then cracks will also appear in the finish coating, resulting in the coating being lifted and separated near the cracks and thereby base its water-proof function.
To improve the crack-following and water-proof capabilities that the hard finish coating compositions lack, there are known elastic finish coating compositions which have both the water-proofness and decorative effect, for example, acrylic rubber, acrylic resin, chloroprene rubber and urethane rubber base finish coating compositions. These elastic finish coating compositions are used in single and multi-layer forms, for example, by applying solutions of acrylic urethane resins and acrylate resins as protective and decorative coatings.
Coatings of these organic elastic finish coating compositions show elastomeric behavior enough to follow cracks which can occur in the underlying substrate, restricting the appearance of cracks on the exterior surface thereof. The organic elastic finish coating compositions, however, are not only poor in flame retardance and low-temperature elongation, but also have low moisture permeability so that moisture can condense at the interface between the coating and substrate, causing blisters and freezing damages to the coatings.
Finish coating compositions based on silicone rubber were proposed to eliminate these drawbacks. The silicone base elastic finish coating compositions are generally classified into the solution and emulsion types depending on whether room-temperature vulcanizable silicone rubber is dissolved in a solvent or dispersed in water. The silicone elastic finish coating compositions of either type show elastomeric behavior and can follow cracks which can occur in the underlying substrate like the above-mentioned organic elastic finish coatings compositions, and at the same time, exhibit improved temperature-sensitive performance from low temperatures of the order of -20.degree. C. to high temperatures of the order of 60.degree. C. as well as improved moisture permeability and flame retardance due to the silicone polymer structure.
Despite these performance advantages, the silicone base elastic finish coating compositions lack decorative effect. More particularly, silicone elastic coatings are susceptible to stain and from a maintenance aspect, difficult to cover with another resin.
Techniques of blending EPDM or the like are known to overcome these drawbacks of the silicone base elastic finish coating compositions, but the resulting coatings exhibit excessive rubbery nature beyond the acceptable level. Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 267377/1987 discloses a flame retardant elastomeric finish coating composition for interior and exterior uses comprising in admixture, a thermoplastic resin emulsion and a silicone base aqueous emulsion, with various additives added and dispersed therein. This is not satisfactory in stain proofness, flame retardancy, and shelf stability.

Flame retardant coating compositions and coated articles


A link apparatus includes a tubular member that retains 90% of ultimate tensile strength at a temperature of up to 329.44° Celsius (625° Fahrenheit). Two conical adapters are joined to ends of the tubular member. One threaded shank of a rod end is threaded into a right hand threaded base of one conical adapter, and a threaded shank of another rod end is threaded into a left hand threaded base of the other conical adapter. Each rod end has a bearing assembly disposed therein including an outer race, a ball disposed therein, and a low-friction liner disposed between the outer race and ball for mitigating moment loading on the tubular member. The cross-sectional area of the tubular member is at least as great as the cross sectional area of the rod ends. The tubular member is tensionable by rotation relative to the rod ends.

Spherical plain bearings typically comprise a ball positioned for rotational movement in an outer race. The outer race defines an inner surface contoured to receive and retain the ball therein. In one type of spherical plain bearing, the outer race is swaged around the spherical outer surface of the ball. These types of spherical plain bearings tend to provide suitable performance in low friction applications. In some cases, particularly those in which the ball and the outer race are each metallic, however, the outer race may be constructed with a slot to permit insertion of the ball. Such bearings are referred to as "load slot bearings."
The manufacture of load slot bearings generally involves a case hardening process to produce bearing elements having different hardnesses. Lapping or grinding of the outer race may also be employed to produce a bearing having the desired morphological surface characteristics for effective interaction between the outer race and the ball. Also, load slot bearings may include provisions for grease lubrication or use of a dry film lubricant to reduce the friction between the ball and the race. In load slot bearings in which grease lubrication is employed to reduce the friction, the bearing is subject to prescribed maintenance at scheduled intervals. Non-compliance with the prescribed maintenance or with the schedule of maintenance can increase bearing wear and can compromise the life of the bearing. In particular, improper maintenance such as insufficient lubrication can have an impact on bearing operation and promote galling, fretting, and/or other types of wear.
A typical link apparatus fastens or connects one device to another device. Often, one or both ends of the link apparatus must bear a vibratory load under only slight oscillatory motion. Bearing assemblies, typically load slot bearings or spherical plain bearings, are disposed in one or both ends of such a link apparatus. In certain applications, particularly high-temperature applications, the link apparatus and the bearing assemblies disposed therein must meet rigorous material and mechanical properties related to friction, lubrication and wear.

Low friction bearing assembly and link apparatus


The present invention provides a carrier transport material formed by completing a reaction process of at least one aromatic compound and at least one polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), wherein a cross linking reaction can be activated in the molecular compound through heating or ultraviolet irradiation because the molecular compound has at least one cross-linkable functional group. Therefore, when the carrier transport material is applied in an OLED, the carrier transport material would not be dissolved by the solvent included in the next coated material because the carrier transport material has been cured after the cross linking reaction is carried out. Moreover, because the carrier transport material would simultaneously perform an electron confining functionality when being used as a hole transport layer, the device efficiency of the OLED having the carrier transport material is obviously enhanced during the high-brightness operation especially.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technology field of carrier transport materials, and more particularly to a specific carrier transport material capable of being used as a hole transport layer and/or an electron confining layer of an organic light emitting device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) was invented by C. W. Tang and S. A. VanSlyk et al. of Eastman Kodak Company in 1987 and manufactured by a vacuum evaporation method. A hole transport material and an electron transport material (such as Alq3) are respectively deposited on a transparent indium tin oxide (abbreviated as ITO) glass, and then a metal electrode is vapor-deposited thereon to form the self-luminescent OLED apparatus. Due to high brightness, fast response speed, light weight, compactness, true color, no difference in viewing angles, no need of liquid crystal display (LCD) type backlight plates as well as a saving in light sources and low power consumption, it has become a new generation display.
Recently, some interlayers such as electron transport layer and hole transport layer are added into the OLEDs for increasing the current efficiency or power efficiency of the OLEDs. For example, the organic light emitting diode (OLED) 1′ structure shown as FIG. 1 consists of: a cathode 11′, an electron injection layer 13′, a light emitting layer 14′, a hole transport layer 16′, and an anode 18′.
The OLED 1′ shown by FIG. 1 can by fabricated by using a solution process. With reference to FIG. 2, there is shown a flow chart of the solution process for manufacturing the OLED; moreover, please simultaneously refer to FIG. 3, which shows the manufacturing process diagrams of the OLED. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the solution process for manufacturing OLED mainly consists of following steps:
First of all, the process flow proceeds to steps (S01′) and (S02′) for providing a substrate 2′ and at least one template 3′, wherein the template 3′ is formed with a transfer printing pattern 31′. Next, in step (S03′), a plurality of organic light-emitting materials 4′ are coated onto the transfer printing pattern 31′ through an inking process. Subsequently, the process flow proceeds to steps (S04′) for making the organic light-emitting materials 4′ coated on the transfer printing pattern 31′ be transferred onto the surface of the substrate 2′ by a contact printing process. Eventually, at least one light emitting layer 41′ is formed on the surface of the substrate 2′ in step (S05′). Thus, the OLED 1′ shown by FIG. 1 can be mass produced rapidly.
In spite of the solution process can be used for mass produced OLED, the solution process still reveals some shortcoming and drawbacks during practical operations. With reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, because the manufacturing material of the hole transport layer 13′ and the light emitting layer 14′ is commonly TAPC ((1,1-Bis[4-[N,N′-di(p-tolyl)amino]phenyl]cyclohexane)) and Spiro-2CBP (2,7-Bis(9-carbazolyl)-9,9-sspirobifluorene) respectively, the Spiro-2CBP would dissolve a portion of TAPC when the Spiro-2CBP is coated onto the hole transport layer 13′. Moreover, the same dissolve situation would also occur between any other two layers during the operation of the solution process. Therefore, it can easily know that the solution process cannot used to fabricate a high-quality OLED because of the limitation of manufacturing materials.
Accordingly, in view of the conventional solution process still including drawbacks, the inventor of the present application has made great efforts to make inventive research thereon and eventually provided a carrier transport material for being a hole transport layer and/or an electron confining layer of the organic light emitting device.


An image acquiring device for a sheet-type medium includes an upper passage plate and a lower passage plate, a gap being reserved between the upper passage plate and the lower passage plate to form a passage; at least two driving wheels mounted on the lower passage plate, and configured to drive the sheet-type medium entered into the passage to advance along the direction of the passage; at least two floating pinch rollers mounted on the upper passage plate, and each being mounted cooperatively with a respective driving wheel and being tangent to the driving wheel at a tangential point, and being configured to apply a pressure to the sheet-type medium to allow the sheet-type medium to cling to the driving wheel; and an image collecting device, mounted between two sets of the driving wheels and the floating pinch rollers, and configured to collect an image of the sheet-type medium.

With the development of society, financial service has played a very important role in people's daily life; hence the image acquisition of paper currencies is an indispensable important technique in the financial service field.
Currently, a common manner for acquiring an image of a paper currency is to use an image collecting sensor to scan the paper currency to acquire an image of the paper currency while the paper currency is driven by a driving wheel.
However, in a conventional image collecting device, the sheet-type medium may float greatly when being conveyed at a high speed, and the floating may cause a large change in a gray scale value of a collected image, and the image with the inaccurate gray scale value is adverse to the analysis processing after the acquisition process.

Device for acquiring image of slice medium


A mobile terminal is adapted to receive a message via a mobile communications network; request authentication data from the user of the mobile terminal; and automatically generate an acknowledgement message to the sender of the message including the authentication data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of transmitting messages via a mobile communications network. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to methods of transmitting SMS text messages of the GSM system in a secure way.
2. Related Art
For mobile communication device users, SMS text messages provide a quick, convenient method of sending and receiving messages. Messages are transmitted via a messaging centre. If messages cannot be delivered to the mobile terminal, they are stored at the messaging centre until they can be delivered. However, it may happen that messages eventually 'time-out' without warning.
SMS also provides a rarely used option to send 'flash messages', which appear immediately on the device, without requiring user interaction to read them. The SMS standard also supports e-mail (via X-400 protocols) and both binary and text based data.
The conventional short messaging like the SMS service in GSM systems has the drawback that the service is unsuitable for many applications, such as electronic commerce or other applications where a secure and controlled data delivery is required. Below, we set out some reasons why the conventional short messaging is unsuitable for secure data delivery.
Firstly, the sender of a message is usually not informed whether the message has been delivered to the receiving mobile terminal and has been received by the user. The GSM system provides also for acknowledged messaging, wherein an acknowledgment is transmitted to the sender of the message as soon as the message is delivered to the messaging centre. However, the sender cannot know whether the message reached the mobile terminal and, more particularly, whether the message actually reached the user for whom the message was intended.
Secondly, data transmitted via SMS may be decoded by third parties with a suitable digital receiver. Moreover, the messages are usually stored in the mobile terminal's memory. Thus any third party gaining access to the terminal may read the messages.
Thirdly, the user of a mobile terminal cannot necessarily be identified in many cases. Especially by transmitting a SMS message via the Internet or other delivery mechanisms, the identity of the sender of the message may be concealed to the receiving user, or the recipient of the message may not be that intended by the sender.

Secure messaging via a mobile communications network


Disclosed is an organic light emitting device and a method for manufacturing the same. The organic light emitting device includes a first electrode, one or more organic compound layers, and a second electrode. The first electrode includes a conductive layer and an n-type organic compound layer disposed on the conductive layer. A difference in energy between an LUMO energy level of the n-type organic compound layer of the first electrode and a Fermi energy level of the conductive layer of the first electrode is 4 eV or less. One of the organic compound layers interposed between the n-type organic compound layer of the first electrode and the second electrode is a p-type organic compound layer forming an NP junction along with the n-type organic compound layer of the first electrode. A difference in energy between the LUMO energy level of the n-type organic compound layer of the first electrode and an HOMO energy level of the p-type organic compound layer is 1 eV or less. One or more layers interposed between the conductive layer of the first electrode and the second electrode is n-doped or p-doped with an organic material or an inorganic material.

In general, an organic light emitting device includes two electrodes and an organic compound layer interposed between the electrodes. In the organic light emitting device, electrons and holes are injected into the organic compound layer from the two electrodes, and a current is converted into visible light. In the organic light emitting device, in order to improve performance, an electron/hole injection layer or an electron/hole transport layer may be further provided, in addition to the organic compound layer for converting the current into visible light.
However, an interface between the electrode formed of metal, metal oxides, or conductive polymers and the organic compound layer is unstable. Accordingly, heat applied from the outside, internally generated heat, or an electric field applied to the device has an adverse effect on performance of the device. Further, a driving voltage for device operation may be increased due to a difference in  conductive energy level between the electron/hole injection layer or the electron/hole transport layer and another organic compound layer adjacent thereto. Accordingly, it is important to stabilize an interface between the electron/hole injection layer or the electron/hole transport layer and another organic compound layer and to minimize an energy barrier for injection of electrons/holes from the electrode to the organic compound layer.
The organic light emitting device has been developed so as to adjust a difference of energy level between two or more electrodes and an organic compound layer interposed between the electrodes. In the organic light emitting device, an anode is adjusted to have a Fermi energy level similar to an HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) energy level of a hole injection layer or a material having an HOMO energy level similar to a Fermi energy level of an anode is selected for a hole injection layer. However, since the hole injection layer needs to be selected in view of an HOMO energy level of a hole transport layer or a light emitting layer close to the hole injection layer as well as in view of the Fermi energy level of the anode, there is a limitation to select a material for the hole injection layer.
Accordingly, in the method for manufacturing an organic light emitting device, a method of adjusting a Fermi energy level of an anode is adopted. However, a material for the anode is limited.
Meanwhile, it has been known that performance characteristics of a device having multi organic compound layers are affected by transport ability of charge carriers of each organic compound layer. Upon operation, resistance loss to be generated in a charge transport layer is in connection with conductivity, and conductivity has a great effect on a required operation voltage and a thermal load of the device. A band bending phenomenon occurs near a contact point between metal and the organic compound layer according to a concentration of charge carriers of the organic compound layer. With this phenomenon, charge carriers can be easily injected and contact resistance can be reduced.

Organic light emitting device and method for manufacturing the same


A frequency mixing circuit and a frequency mixing method. The frequency mixing circuit includes first and second differential amplifiers, a subtracter and a mixer. The first differential amplifier amplifies a first pair of input signals having a first frequency to generate a first differential signal. The second differential amplifier amplifies a second pair of input signals having the first frequency orthogonal to the first pair input signals to generate a second differential signal. The subtracter subtracts the second differential signal from the first differential signal. The mixer mixes the subtracted signal with a first and second pairs of drive signals having a second frequency orthogonal to each other, in a sub-harmonic double balanced mixing mode, so that the mixer generates a pair of output signals orthogonal to each other without secondary harmonics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to direct conversion receivers and circuits and methods for receiving and mixing radio frequencies, and more particularly to a circuit and a method that can diminish a secondary-order inter modulation distortion at a direct conversion receiver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the direct conversion receiver or a homodyne receiver provides advantages compared to a superheterodyne receiver.
FIG. 1 is a radio frequency receiving circuit diagram of a conventional direct conversion receiver (DCR).
Referring to FIG. 1, the direct conversion receiver transforms an input signal into an inphase signal and a quadrature signal having a baseband frequency without transforming the input signal into a signal having an intermediate frequency (IF).
A radio frequency (RF) signal received by an antenna 10 is inputted to a low noise amplifier 12, and then an output signal of the low noise amplifier 12 is inputted to each of a first mixer 14 and a second mixer 16.
At the first mixer 14, the amplified radio frequency signal is mixed with a local oscillator signal 20 such as a cosine wave signal of a local oscillator 20. The local oscillator signal 20 has a same frequency as a carrier frequency. At the second mixer 16, the radio frequency signal is mixed with a sine wave. The sine wave has phase difference of 90° with respect to the local oscillator signal 20, and generated by a π/2 phase shifter 18.
The first and second mixers 14 and 16 generate the inphase signal and the quadrature signal, respectively, which have a mean frequency such as the baseband frequency and a harmonic frequency such as a twice carrier frequency (2fc). Harmonics of the signals generated by the first and second mixers 14 and 16 are removed by two low pass filters 22 and 24, respectively. The inphase signal and the quadrature signal having baseband frequency are amplified and outputted by two amplifiers 26 and 28, respectively.
The DCR has a simple circuit configuration compared with the superheterodyne receiver, and is easier to implement as an integrated circuit. The a minimized DCR circuit can be manufactured at a low cost.
However, the DCR has some problems. One of the problems is a secondary intermodulation distortion generated by the mixer. The secondary intermodulation distortion is caused by the mixer having a nonlinear active device. A harmonic frequency component of the output signal is generated by a radio frequency signal process using the nonlinear active device, and may be a sum or difference of the harmonics of two different input signals. A DC offset is generated in addition to unwanted secondary harmonics by a non-linearity of the mixer.
When two input signals respectively having two frequency components f1 and f2 are inputted into a nonlinear circuit, frequency components such as 2f1, 2f2, f1+f2, 3f1, 3f2, 2f1−f2, 2f2−f1, 2f1+f2 or 2f2+f1 are generated due to the non-linearity of the nonlinear circuit as well as f1, f2. In general, a filter removes the frequency components caused by a non-linearity.
When the input signal frequencies f1 and f2 are slightly different from each other and an application defines the baseband frequency as the mean frequency, the frequency component of f1−f2 that is close to the baseband frequency is not removed by the filter. The frequency component due to the non-linearity is presented in the form of interference among channels having a small frequency difference, or in signal distortions by mutual interference of the signals in a signal band.
The frequency component of f1−f2 is referred to as the secondary intermodulation distortion (IMD2). The linearity of circuit is represented by a relation between the IMD2 quantity and a quantity of an amplified input signal frequency. A value representing the linearity of circuit is referred to as a second order intercept point (IP2).
Additionally, because the DCR shifts the frequency of the desired signal to the baseband, the IMD2 generated by the mixer can deteriorate the function of the DCR.
To solve above mentioned problem, some attempts have been suggested.
One of the attempts is to control mismatches of load resistances to equalize phases of the outputted secondary harmonics, and to equalize amplitudes of the outputted secondary harmonics, so that the secondary harmonics is removed by differential inputs. The effectiveness of the method of the matching load resistances depends on how finely the load resistances are controlled. However, the precise control of the load resistances is limited by a fabrication process of the integrated semiconductor circuit.
Another method is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2001-34820 (that corresponds to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/064,930), and 2002-68128.
In Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-34820, the IMD2 is transformed out of a pass band of a low pass filter and removed, by a switching operation of an inverter for an outputted signal polarity of a mixer,. In addition, a switching frequency of the inverter is high as compared with bandwidth of an input signal.
According to the disclosure in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-68128, the IMD2 is minimized by circuit configuration biased in region in which a first differential function of transconductance of a complementary active device has a maximum and minimum values.

Circuit and method for receiving and mixing radio frequencies in a direct conversion receiver


Provided are a system and method for providing an Application Program Interface (API) program of a mobile terminal. A system for providing an API program of a mobile terminal to a program terminal includes: a program terminal for building a memory according to information about a memory size allocated by a mobile terminal and receiving an API program having a size corresponding to the memory size; and a mobile terminal for allocating a memory in response to a request of the program terminal, copying the API program to the memory according to the information about the allocated memory size, and transmitting the copied API program to the program terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for providing an Application Program Interface (API) program for a mobile terminal to a program terminal, and more particularly, to a system and method for providing an API program for a mobile terminal to a program terminal with embedded dynamic applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to recent development of technologies, including User Interface (UI) customization development kits that allow an application developer to easily replace applications in a menu screen of a mobile terminal, the use of applications and platforms using Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless Application Program Interface (BREW API) is increasing.
When a BREW API basically provided for a mobile terminal is used, a UI preconfigured for the mobile terminal is different from that of application embedded to the mobile terminal.
For example, if a same image as for a UI of a mobile terminal is created using an application, because the mobile terminal already has a module containing the image, the application needs to create a module containing the same image as that of the UI of the mobile terminal in order to apply the conforming image to the mobile terminal. A typical method for achieving uniformity in visual appearance between the application and the mobile terminal includes creation of the same image as the UI of the BREW API using the application and uploading the image to a memory of the mobile terminal.
Thus, if a module performing a same function as a BREW API module built into a mobile terminal is used by applications, application developers need to separately create modules performing the same functions as modules developed by mobile terminal manufacturers. That is, the application developers must spend time in creating modules performing the same functions as modules for mobile terminals, thus resulting in a waste of time and physical memory space.

System and method for providing application program interface program for mobile terminal


An improved gas flow diverter is provided, which includes a rotatably mounted diverter blade, a rotatably mounted turning vane assembly, a drive shaft adapted for receiving torque from a drive mechanism, and a toggle assembly, including a pair of toggle joints, mounted on the drive shaft and linked to the diverter blade and turning vane assembly. The improved construction of the gas flow diverter allows dependent synchronous rotation of the diverter blade and turning vane assembly.

The present invention relates to gas flow diverters.
Gas flow diverters are employed to direct the flow of hot gases delivered through ductwork. A gas flow diverter is typically positioned at a junction at which two passageways diverge, to direct the flow of gases in the ductwork at the junction. For example, a diverter may be used to direct hot gases flowing from a turbine when the gases reach a junction, at which they could flow through one passageway to a heat recovery steam generator or through the other to an exhaust stack.
Gas flow diverters typically include a housing which has two ports which open onto the two passageways, and which defines a junction space between the two ports. A diverter blade is rotatably mounted in the housing to pivot through the junction space between a first position, in which the blade closes one of the ports, and a second position, in which the blade closes the other port.
Often, when the diverter blade is in one of the two positions, the gas must flow around a sharp corner at the junction, causing turbulent flow which results in a deleterious reduction in pressure head. To smooth the airflow and reduce turbulence, turning vanes have been utilized in some diverter assemblies. These vanes are rotatably mounted at the corner about which the gases flow, and include a drive mechanism to rotate the vanes out of the way of the rotating diverter blade. If the drive mechanism which rotates the turning vanes should fail and the diverter blade should continue to rotate, the diverter blade may strike the turning vanes, causing damage to the diverter.


The invention relates to a filter device (10) for filtering a liquid, in particular a hydraulic oil, having a substantially cylindrical filter housing (12), which accommodates a filter element (30) and can be closed off by means of a cover (18), the filter element (30) having an associated untreated region (70) with an inlet (22) for supplying liquid which is to be filtered and a clean region (74) with an outlet (26) for removing filtered liquid, and the filter element (30) comprising an end plate (58) which is remote from the cover (18) and on which there is mounted a radially acting sealing element (62) for sealing the untreated region (70) of the filter element (30). To develop a filter device of this type in such a manner that it can be produced at lower cost and can be assembled more easily, according to the invention it is proposed that the sealing element (62) comprises a radially protruding sealing lip (64) which bears against the inner side of the filter housing (12) and is inclined toward the untreated region (70) of the filter element (30).

The invention relates to a filter device for filtering a liquid, in particular a hydraulic oil, having a substantially cylindrical filter housing, which accommodates a filter element and can be closed off by means of a cover, the filter element having an associated untreated region with an inlet for supplying liquid which is to be filtered and a clean region with an outlet for removing filtered liquid, and the filter element comprising an end plate which is remote from the cover and on which there is mounted a radially acting sealing element for sealing the untreated region of the filter element.
Filter devices of this type are used, for example, to filter mineral oils in hydraulic systems. In this case, the hydraulic systems have to satisfy very high demands with regard to the hydraulic oil being clean, so that they can fulfill their function without faults and with little wear over prolonged operating times. Since the filter element gradually becomes blocked with dirt particles during the operating time, it is usually mounted exchangeably in the filter housing. The sealing element mounted on the end plate ensures that the unfiltered hydraulic oil fed to the untreated region cannot bypass the filter element inside the filter housing, but rather the untreated region is reliably sealed. O-ring seals which are held against the end plate are customarily used for this purpose. For this purpose, the end plate usually comprises an O-ring groove for accommodating the O-ring.
In DE 197 18 603 A1, it is proposed for a sealing lip, which is pressed onto a corresponding sealing surface by means of a clamping ring, to be formed onto the end plate of the filter element. The clamping ring exerts a compressive load on the sealing lip, so that the sealing action which is required for the filter device to operate is ensured. In addition to the use of the clamping ring, it is in this case proposed for the sealing lip to have two sections which are oriented obliquely with respect to one another and in their transition region form a sealing edge for bearing against a sealing surface. Therefore, the sealing element has a configuration of complex construction, and when the filter element is being exchanged, careful attention must be paid to ensuring that the clamping ring exerts on the sealing lip the compressive force which is required in order to produce a seal.
It is an object of the present invention to develop a filter device of the generic type in such a manner that it can be produced at lower cost and the filter element can be assembled more easily.


An organic EL display device includes plural pixels that is arranged on a substrate in a matrix, a light shielding film that shields boundaries of the plurality of pixels, and a light emitting area in which an organic layer that is arranged between a lower electrode and an upper electrode, and formed of a plurality of layers including a light emitting layer that emits a light comes in contact with the lower electrode, in each of the plurality of pixels, in which the light shielding film has wide portions and narrow portions which are arranged along sides of the pixels, and different in width from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic EL (electro-luminescent) display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an image display device (hereinafter referred to as "organic EL display device") using self-luminous bodies called "organic light emitting diodes" has been input into practical use. As compared with a conventional liquid crystal display device, the organic EL display device not only is excellent in visibility and response speed, but also requires no auxiliary lighting device such as a backlight because of the use of the self-luminous bodies. Therefore, the organic EL display device can be further thinned.
As a method of conducting color display in the organic EL display device of this type, there are a method in which a light emitting element emits light of three colors of R(red), G(green), and B(blue) for each of pixels, a method in which the light emitting element emits light of white, and color filters in each pixel transmit respective wavelength ranges of three colors of RGB, and a method in which those methods are combined together.
JP 2008-091069 A discloses a light emitting device having a color adjustment layer which is put on a light emitting layer, and a diffraction layer which is disposed on the color adjustment layer in view of a parallax when viewed obliquely. JP 2002-216960 A discloses an OLED element structure in a full-color organic light emitting display.

Organic electro luminescent display device


The invention relates to methods for the determination of vitamin B6 in samples as well as to reagent compositions for assaying a sample for vitamin B6 and to a test kit suitable for carrying out the methods according to the present invention. Further, the invention relates to the use of such methods for the application to different analyzing devices such as micro-titer plate readers and fully automated clinical chemistry analyzers (autoanalyzers).

The invention relates to methods for the determination of vitamin B6 in samples as well as to reagent compositions for assaying a sample for vitamin B6 and to a test kit suitable for carrying out the methods according to the present invention. Further the invention relates to the use of such methods for the application to different analyzing devices such as microtiter plate readers and fully automated clinical chemistry analyzers (autoanalyzers).
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that exists in three major chemical forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. It performs a wide variety of functions in the human body and is essential to maintain a good state of health. For example, vitamin B6 is needed as a co-factor for more than 100 enzymes involved in protein metabolism. It is also essential for red blood cell metabolism, the nervous and immune systems need vitamin B6 to function efficiently and it is also needed for the conversion of the amino acid, tryptophan, to niacin (another vitamin). The body also needs vitamin B6 to generate haemoglobin, where vitamin B6 helps to increase the amount of oxygen bound to haemoglobin. In general, vitamins are important for the immune system because they promote the growth of white blood cells which directly fight against infections. In addition, it helps to maintain the health of lymphoid organs (such as thymus, spleen and so lymph nodes).
Vitamin B6 also helps to maintain blood glucose (sugar) within a normal range. When caloric intake is low, the body needs vitamin B6 to help to convert stored carbohydrates or other nutrients to glucose to maintain normal blood sugar levels. A shortage of vitamin B6 will limit these functions.
According to Leklem (Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 9th ed., Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1999: 413-421) vitamin B6 is needed for the synthesis of neural transmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Bernstein (Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 1990; 585:250-60) discovered that these neural transmitters are required for normal nerve cell communication. It is also described that there is a relationship between vitamin B6 concentrations and a wide variety of neurologic disorders such as seizures, chronic pain, depression, headache and Parkinson's disease.
Vitamin B6 was also recommended to treat carpal tunnel syndrome (Copeland and Stoukides, Ann Pharmacother 1994; 28:1042-4). It is still advised to take 100 to 200 milligrams of vitamin B6 per day in cases of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Vitamin B6 has also become a popular remedy for treating the discomforts associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble compound that was discovered in the 1930s during nutrition studies on rats. The vitamin was named pyridoxine to indicate its structural homology to pyridine. Later it was shown that vitamin B6 could exist in two other slightly different chemical forms, termed pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. All three forms of vitamin B6 are precursors of the biologically active compound known as pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP).
PLP acts as a coenzyme in all transamination reactions, and in some decarboxylation and deamination reactions of amino acids. The aldehyde group of PLP forms a Schiff-base linkage with the s-amino group of a specific lysine group of the aminotransferase enzyme. The α-amino group of the amino acid substrate displaces the s-amino of the lysine residue in the active site of the enzymes. The resulting aldimine is deprotonated to become a quinoid intermediate, which in turn accepts a proton at a different position on the molecule to become a ketimine. The resulting ketimine is hydrolysed so that the amino group remains on the complex.
PLP is also active in the condensation reaction towards heme synthesis.
Such versatility arises from the ability of PLP to covalently bind the substrate, and then to act as an electrophilic catalyst, thereby stabilizing types of carbanionic reaction intermediates. Overall, the Enzyme Commission (www.chem.qmul.ac.uk/iubmb/enzyme) has catalogued more than 140 PLP-dependent activities.
Vitamin B6 is found in a wide variety of foods including fortified cereals, beans, meat, poultry, fish and some vegetables.
Clinical signs of vitamin B6 deficiency are rare in young people of industrialized nations. Many older individuals, however, have low blood levels of vitamin B6 which may suggest a marginal or sub-optimal vitamin B6 nutritional status. Vitamin B6 deficiency can occur in individuals with poor quality diets that are deficient in many nutrients. Symptoms occur during later stages of deficiency, when intake has been very low for an extended time. Signs of vitamin B6 deficiency include dermatitis (skin inflammation), glossitis (a sore tongue), depression, confusion and convulsions. Vitamin B6 deficiency can also cause anaemia. Some of these symptoms can also result from a variety of other medical conditions different from vitamin B6 deficiency. Therefore, it is important to have a physician evaluating these symptoms, including the determination of the Vitamin B6 status, so that appropriate medical care can be given (Institute of Medicine, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1998).
Individuals with a poor quality diet or an inadequate vitamin B6 intake over an extended period may benefit from taking a vitamin B6 supplement, if they are unable to increase their dietary intake of vitamin B6. Alcoholics and older adults often show low vitamin B6 concentrations because of the limited variation of their diet. Alcohol also promotes the destruction and loss of vitamin B6 from the body.
Asthmatic children treated with the drug, theophylline, may need to take a vitamin B6 supplement (Weir et al, Ann. Allergy 1990; 65:59-62). Theophylline decreases vitamin B6 levels and theophylline-induced seizures have been linked to low body stores of the vitamin.
Classical syndromes for vitamin B6 deficiency are also seborrheic dermatitis-like eruption, atrophic glossitis with eruption, atrophic glossitis with ulceration, angular cheilitis, conjunctivitis, intertrigo and neurologic symptoms of somnolence, confusion and neuropathy.
Vitamin B6 is also a co-factor for glutamic acid decarboxylase, an enzyme that converts glutamate to GABA. Therefore, the concurrent increase of the excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, and the decrease of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA, resulting from vitamin B6 deficiency potentially manifesting in seizures.
The term vitamin B6 includes several related molecules of which the active entity is pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP). PLP serves as a coenzyme for many enzymes, primarily transferases, lyases and isomerases (Percudani R, Peracchi A. EMBO Rep 2003; 4(9):850-4). This predominantly prokaryotic cofactor is essential for eukaryotes for basic cell metabolism. Well known is the requirement of PLP as a coenzyme for cystathione-β-synthase (CBS), catalyzing the important step of the conversion of homocysteine to cysteine. A deficiency of PLP or vitamin B6 leads to increased levels of CBS substrates, including elevated homocysteine. Higher homocysteine levels correlate with higher risk for cardiovascular diseases, in particular an elevated risk for heart attack (Schwammenthal Y, Tanne D. Lancet Neurol 2004; 3(8):493-5). In a prominent study low blood PLP concentrations have been shown to be an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (Folsom A R, et al. Circulation 1998; 98:204-10).
An overdose of pyridoxine can cause a temporary loss of certain nerves such as the proprioceptory nerves; causing a feeling of disembodiment, common with the loss of proprioception. This condition is reversible when supplementation is stopped.
Although vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is excreted in the urine, very high doses of pyridoxine over long periods of time may result in painful neurological symptoms known as sensory neuropathy. Symptoms include pain and numbness of the extremities, and in severe cases difficulty in walking. Sensory neuropathy typically develops at doses of pyridoxine in excess of 1,000 mg per day. However, there have been a few case reports of individuals who developed sensory neuropathies at doses of less than 500 milligrams daily over a period of months. In order to prevent sensory neuropathy in virtually all individuals, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the Unites States of Amerika, Wash., set the tolerable upper intake level (UL) for pyridoxine at 100 milligrams per day for adults. Because placebo-controlled studies have generally failed to show therapeutic benefits of high doses of pyridoxine, there are only a few indications to exceed the UL of 100 milligrams per day. Studies have shown that in the case of individuals diagnosed with autism, high doses of vitamin B6 given with magnesium have been extremely beneficial.
Measurement of the concentration of vitamin B6 is therefore an important diagnostic tool. It has been carried out in the past by several different testing methods such as biologically deductive, biochemical and physico-chemical methods.
Methods using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis such as developed by Torres-Sequeiros et al (Chromatografia 2001; 53:S236-9) and Argoudelis C. J. (Chromatografia 1997; 790:83-91) do have the advantage that the determination of vitamin B6 is rapidly and practicably realizable, however, the detection limit often does not exceed 6 micromols/liter which makes them unsuitable for the determination of physiological concentrations. Moreover, the equipment needed is costly and their maintenance can be time-consuming. The hand-ling of HPLC analyzers requires well trained and qualified technicians.
In this context, there is also an example referred to a method using the commercially available ClinRep® Komplettkit "Vitamin B6 in Plasma/Vollblut" (RECIPE CHEMICALS+INSTRUMENTS GmbH) whereas the sample (e.g. plasma or blood) is first treated with a protein precipitation reagent followed by HPLC analysis of the supernatant, which also makes this method costly and involves the handling by highly qualified personel. Further, a similar test-kit suitable for HPLC analysis is available from Chromsystems GmbH, Germany (www.chromsystems.com).
Further, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,194 B1 discloses a method for quantification of PLP in biological samples. This method comprises the reaction of samples with the apoenzyme form of a PLP-requiring-enzyme which can generate a product when PLP is present, preferably one that is determinable by colorimetry or fluorescence. Apoenzymes as used in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,194 B1 are homocysteine/methionine alpha-gamma lyases, which have been depleted of PLP usually associated with them. This method does not involve the disadvantages regarding costs and specifically trained staff as compared to methods requiring HPLC, but it may lead to poor and imprecise results, particularly in the pathologically low range and the lower normal range below approximately 30 to 50 nanomols/liter.
Another well established method known within the state of the art has been developed by the applicant (www.buhlmannlabs.ch; product "RK-VB6"). This method relates to radio-enzymatic determination of the vitamin B6 concentration in a sample. In this method, 3H-tyrosine is decarboxylated by the vitamin B6 dependent enzyme, tyrosine apodecarboxylase (Y-apoDC) from Streptococcus faecalis, to 3H-tyramine. The activity of tyrosine apodecarboxylase is quantitatively dependent on the amount of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP) present in the reaction mixture. The 3H-tyramine thus produced is selectively extracted into the scintillation cocktail (the excess of 3H-tyrosine remains in the aqueous phase) and can be measured by liquid scintillation counting. This method is very sensitive (down to 2 nanomols/liter) and reproducible in the determination of Vitamin B6 in a wide variety of sample materials.
A further example method was reported by Gregory et al (J. Nutr. 1991; 121:177-86). This method was carried out by using deuterium-labelled pyridoxine or pyridoxine-β-glucoside.
However, the use of radioactive compounds in the latter two methods also has many disadvantages. Extensive safety precautions such as use of lead shielding and special waste treatment procedures must be undertaken in their storage, use and disposal. Expensive equipment is needed for radioactive counting. The radioactive decay of the isotopes used does not only reduce the amount of radioactivity available for detection over time, but may also initiate chemical reactions that damage the remaining reagents reducing sensitivity further. Thus, the storage of suitable reagents is limited to several months. In addition, these methods are not automatable.
Further, Mass Spectroscopy (MS) has been used for the determination of vitamin B6. It has, however, been found that up to date such methods are not suitable for practice-oriented serial measurements due to imprecise quantification (Borsch, Dissertation [PhD Thesis]: "Optimierte HPLC-Analytik zur Bestimmung der Bioverfügbarkeit von freiem and gebundenem Vitamin B6 in physiologischen Konzentrationen beim Menschen", Giessen 2002).
As a result of the disadvantages of the methods already known within the art, there is a need for other determination methods of vitamin B6, which allow a very precise determination but show less disadvantages associated with the methods already known. Further, such a method should be rapid and easily practicable, without the need of too costly equipment and highly qualified staff. Finally there is a need for a method which is also suitable for a commercially available kit with sufficient component stability.

Method for the determination of the concentration of vitamin B6 in a sample


A faucet which having a spout, a handle, a middle cover, a temperature indicator and a top cover. A thermometer is installed in the hole of the strut of the middle cover for detecting the temperature of tap water which would be shown in the indicating window immediately.

Tap water plays an important role in our daily life, which is an essential to comfortable living conditions. Therefore, the universality of tap water as well as electricity are the main indexes to a civilized society.
Faucets, where the tap water usually runs from, has been improved over and over for the convenience of tap water using. With regard the newest type of faucet with a single faucet hole, the temperature of water can be selected by the user by adjusting handle directly, which would eliminate the inconvenience of adjusting temperature on two different handles.
However, the biggest problem of this type of faucet is that we can not know the temperature of water. The most convenient but not precise way to know the temperature of water is to feel it through the sense of touch of our skin, but the possibility of being scalded with hot water comes. Everybody has their own feel of hot, a certain temperature might be appropriate to an adult, but might be too hot for a child. Moreover, until you realize that the temperature is not what you want, the water would have already been too much. For adjusting the water temperature, more water would be run from the faucet. This not only wastes the water but also wastes the energy.
In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages, the applicant of the present invention had been devoting himself to developing the faucet with liquid crystal temperature indicator of the present invention for many years. After researching over and over again, the present invention has finally been developed.

Faucet with liquid crystal temperature indicator


An automatic collimator adjustment device and method for medical treatment equipment are disclosed. The medical treatment equipment includes an automatic collimator adjustment device, which includes a processor unit, a depth camera, and a collimator control device. The processor unit receives an instant image pixel depth signal acquired by the depth camera to compare with a predetermined image pixel depth signal of a predetermined human body portion of a target human body in order to generate at least one collimator adjustment signal to the collimator control device, so that the collimator control device controls the collimator to adjust the X-ray beam to align with the predetermined human body portion of the target human body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method for controlling a collimator of medical treatment equipment, and in particular to an automatic collimator adjustment device combined with the medical treatment equipment to control the operation of a collimator of the medical treatment equipment for adjusting an X-ray beam projecting to a predetermined body portion of a target human body.
2. the Related Arts
Currently, medical examination often applies X-ray beam imaging. The X-ray beam imaging generally uses and adjusts shielding plates to determine the size of a radiation area in order to control the radiation range and reduce dosage absorption of unnecessary portions. In a conventional design, an operator needs to manually or semi-automatically adjust the shielding plates and the portion and the range of radiation are selected through adjustments made in upward/downward and leftward/rightward.
Heretofore, a radiographer or medical personnel has to make determination through visual inspection and manually adjust the shielding plates. This causes an issue of being not easy to carry out the operation. Further, during the operation that a radiographer or medical personnel makes the adjustment, the size of the radiation area, and the radiation zone may readily occur due to difference in respect of personal experience, expertise, habit, and personal emotional issues. For example, an X-ray photograph that is incorrect in respect of the radiation range or radiation area may lead to incorrect reading of visual inspection by a treating operator and may even lead to incorrect diagnosis. Further, the chance that a patient has to take the examination once more due to the error of the operation may often be thus increased. In addition, the time that a radiographer needs to spend in photographing may be increased due to the inconvenience of manual adjustment of the shielding plates.
It is thus a challenge to the industry to overcome the above-discussed problems and issues.

Automatic collimator adjustment device with depth camera and method for medical treatment equipment


An automated electric transportation system which has an electrically driven vehicle (30) including onboard energy storage (34), combined road wheels (56) and rail wheels (58) along with manual controls (68) for transporting people and objects from one place to another. A network of roads (60) and rails (62) is employed with an electrical power bus (100) positioned adjacent to the rails for electrically powering the vehicle while on the rails. An overhead monolift (196) removes the vehicle from the road using a strut arm (208) with casters (184) that extends above the vehicle and deposits the vehicle on the railroad tracks where it is controlled by an onboard computer (134). Automatic controls and indication (132) including this computer regulate the speed and relationship to other vehicles while on the rail network. Another monolift (196) removes the vehicle from the tracks in a similar manner. Energy consumption is measured and billed to users of the rail network (62) through a master rail network computer (118).

Many types of transportation systems have been proposed and used in endeavoring to provide an effective means for producing a method of conveying passengers and items from one place to another. Previously, this type of system has been limited to conveyers, electrified roadways and guidewire systems.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however the following U.S. Patents are considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,139,071 Tackett 13 February 1979 4,726,299 Anderson 23 February 1988 4,884,202 Ogawa, et al 28 November 1989 4,902,948 Sherman, et al 20 February 1990 4,952,578 Tsuneda 28 August 1990 ______________________________________
Tackett in U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,071 teaches an electrified roadway having a method of transmitting an electrical current through the road surface to vehicles operated thereupon. The vehicle tires are electrically conductive and through sliding contacts transmit the electrical energy to the propulsion system of the vehicle. Fluid energy supplies the motive power and batteries store the electrical energy obtained from the roadway and also pads while the vehicle is parked.
U.S. patent issued to Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,299 discloses a network with a number of stations interconnecting path segments. Branch points connect the segments and are directed in a first or second direction. Coordinates of a destination station are associated with the vehicle and select the appropriate route in the network to ultimately reach the desired location.
Ogawa, et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,202 utilize a driverless vehicle steered by a program in a data recorder. The vehicle plays back the data causing a signal to determine the position of the steering. Any steering position error is adjusted to duplicate and keep the actual steering position substantially similar to the representative signal from the data recorder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,948 of Sherman, et al discloses a guidance system for directing unmanned vehicles along guidewires. Data communication circuits provide an extensive network with a traffic control computer which allocates resources and commands to the vehicles. At varying time intervals, status is received by the computer which temporarily stores messages of other vehicles. Data transmitters utilize cosine waveforms converted into sine waveforms with low or high impedance imposed on the guidewires.
The United States patent issued to Tsuneda U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,574 presents a conveyer system having a rail and automotive cart. The cart is electrically driven obtaining energy from the rail. Signals are transmitted and received through the rail for starting, stopping and travel using a magnetic sensor and electromagnets. Pole plates are positioned along the conveyor rail at appropriate positions for breaking control.

Automated electric transportation system