An online system receives information describing actions performed by individuals and identifies online system users included among these individuals. Based on the actions they have performed, the users are assigned to sequentially ordered stages of a classification scheme associated with a content-providing user of the online system. The online system receives content items associated with different stages from the content-providing user, in which content items associated with a stage may be presented to users assigned to the stage. The online system may determine an expected return value associated with each stage and an expected advancement value associated with advancement of users assigned to each stage to succeeding stages of the classification scheme. The online system also may determine a value associated with a content item based on a comprehensive value received from the content-providing user, the expected advancement value, and a predicted likelihood of user advancement to a succeeding stage.

This disclosure relates generally to online systems, and more specifically to presenting content to a user of an online system assigned to a stage of a classification scheme and determining a value associated with an advancement of the user to a succeeding stage.
An online system allows its users to connect and communicate with other online system users. Users create profiles in the online system that are tied to their identities and include information about the users, such as interests and demographic information. The users may be individuals or entities such as corporations or charities. Because of the popularity of online systems and the significant amount of user-specific information maintained in online systems, an online system provides an ideal forum for content-providing users to share content by creating content items (e.g., advertisements) for presentation to additional online system users. For example, content-providing users may share photos or videos they have uploaded by creating content items that include the photos or videos that are presented to additional users to whom they are connected in the online system. By allowing content-providing users to create content items for presentation to additional online system users, an online system also provides abundant opportunities to persuade online system users to take various actions and/or to increase awareness about products, services, opinions, or causes among online system users. For example, if a content-providing user of the online system who volunteers for a non-profit organization creates a content item encouraging additional online system users to volunteer for the non-profit organization, the online system may present the content item to these additional online system users.
Conventionally, online systems generate revenue by displaying content to their users. For example, an online system may charge advertisers for each presentation of an advertisement to an online system user (i.e., each "impression"), or for each interaction with an advertisement by an online system user (e.g., each click on the advertisement, each purchase made as a result of clicking through the advertisement, etc.). Furthermore, by presenting content that encourages user engagement with online systems, online systems may increase the number of opportunities they have to generate revenue. For example, if an online system user scrolls through a newsfeed to view content that captures the user's interest, advertisements that are interspersed in the newsfeed also may be presented to the user.
To present content that encourages user engagement with online systems, online systems may select content items for presentation to online system users that are likely to be relevant to the users. Online systems may do so by selecting the content items based on targeting criteria associated with the content items that identify online system users who are likely to have an interest in the content items. For example, a content item maintained in the online system for bakeware may be associated with targeting criteria that identify online system users who have expressed an interest in baking (e.g., users whose user profiles indicate that the users' hobbies include baking, users whose profiles indicate the users' occupations are related to baking, etc.). In this example, upon identifying an opportunity to present a content item to a user of the online system, the online system may select the content item for presentation to the user if attributes for the user satisfy one or more targeting criteria associated with the content item.
However, content-providing users may not be in a position to create optimal content items for presentation to additional online system users since online systems may not track information describing relationships between content-providing users and these additional users. For example, if a content item encouraging online system users to install a pet monitoring application is associated with targeting criteria that identify online system users who have pets, an online system user who satisfies the targeting criteria may be presented with the content item even if the user already has installed the application. In the above example, by failing to keep track of online system users who are new users and current users of the application, targeting criteria are unable to target the presentation of the content item only to online system users who have not installed the application and the online system may waste an opportunity to present content to the user that the user would have found relevant.
Furthermore, by failing to track information describing relationships between content-providing users and additional online system users, content-providing users may be discouraged from creating content items for presentation to these additional users. For example, a content-providing user of the online system who is an advertiser may find it difficult to determine an optimal bid amount associated with an advertisement for new customers and an optimal bid amount associated with an advertisement for loyal customers without knowing the number of online system users who are new or loyal customers, the percentage of online system users who are new customers who are likely to become loyal customers, etc. Thus, in this example, the advertiser may refrain from creating the advertisements without more information about their relationships with online system users to whom the advertisements potentially may be presented.

Presenting content to an online system user assigned to a stage of a classification scheme and determining a value associated with an advancement of the user to a succeeding stage


A fused silica body comprising a layer of vitreous silica adjacent at least a portion of an inner surface is described in embodiments herein. In other embodiments, a method of making a fused silica body with a layer of vitreous silica adjacent at least a portion of an inner surface is described herein, comprising heating at least a portion of the inner surface to the point of vitrification. In certain embodiments, the method involves passing a linear local heat source over the inner surface in a particular manner, such as a helical fashion transverse to the linear shape, and may involve creating on the inner surface of the body overlapping swaths of temporarily melted silica material.

Fused silica ceramic bodies are practical and advantageous for diverse applications. They can be easily and relatively inexpensively manufactured through slip casting and other methods. They feature a number of beneficial properties such as strength, durability and light weight. In certain special applications, fused silica ceramics display additional beneficial properties. One such special application is as an electromagnetic window, such as a "radome" covering for radar antennas and electronics, and fused silica radomes can often be found in aerospace applications such as aircraft or missile nosecones. The dielectric properties of fused silica make it especially suitable for a radome application, as fused silica does not significantly interfere with the radio frequency energy being transmitted and received by the antenna. Another special application making use of fused silica's advantages is pharmaceutical mixing; ceramic pestles and crucibles are often used. In this application, again, the silica is strong and lightweight, adjusts well to changes in temperature, and resist crumbling. The silica does not interact with most reagents being mixed, and ceramic utensils resist staining, do not rust or oxidize, and are relatively easy to clean.
However, fused silica bodies also have certain drawbacks in these various applications. Significant among these drawbacks is that fused silica, unless fully dense, is porous and allows moisture and other fluids to penetrate the wall thickness from one side of the body to the other. This may be unacceptable for several reasons, the specific reasons depending on the particular application. For example, in the case of slip cast fused silica bodies used as radomes in external or aerospace applications, the semi-porous fused silica wall permits moisture from the outside atmosphere to penetrate the radome wall and potentially reach the sensitive electrical components located inside that are critical to system performance. These sensitive components benefit from environmental protection over extended periods of time. In these applications, seepage of moisture presents a serious difficulty for radar equipment operational quality, or even survival in inhospitable environments. As another example, in the pharmaceutical mixing application the semi-porous fused silica permits external moisture to penetrate the vessel wall and contaminate the chemicals that are being compounded inside the vessel. The rough texture of the silica also permits reagent residue to cling to the interior of the vessel and resist complete removal.
In aerospace applications where fused silica radomes have been used without any protective coating or barrier, the moisture penetration problem has made it necessary to further enclose the sensitive electronic equipment inside the radome within its own environmentally sealed enclosure. Where attempts have been made to seal the radome itself, use has been made of organic, inorganic, or combination organic-inorganic coatings as moisture transmission barrier layers. These material layers have typically been chosen to minimize interference with the dielectric performance of the radome and to match relevant material properties of the radome body. Some of these coatings have been used with fair success in conjunction with certain other types of radome materials but have had varying and uneven results with fused silica. In many cases, there is a significant capital investment to place these thin (usually less than ten micrometer) coatings onto a radome. In addition, many of these coatings can only be applied to a radome exterior, leaving the coating susceptible to damage from normal handling and wear and tear. In some cases application of the coating materials may require a heat treatment that can significantly affect the material properties of the base radome body and damage the moisture barrier coating itself Further, the addition of these materials may degrade the RF dielectric profile and performance of the radome.

Fused silica body with vitreous silica inner layer, and method for making same


An improved package and method for manufacturing extruded monofilament string trimmer line incorporates preconditioning of the line to provide a high moisture content. The line then is packaged in a sealed package with a removable cap to permit withdrawal of line from the package. A moisture-laden sponge may be placed within the bottom of the package to maintain a high humidity within the package. Copper chloride or cobalt chloride salts also may be coated on the line, or added to the plastic forming the line to provide a color indication of the relative moisture content of the line.

Weed and grass trimmers using flexible cutting lines are in widespread use. Many of these trimmers employ a rotatable hub with a short length of nylon or other plastic line extending from the hub. When the hub is rotated, the tip of the line extending from the hub provides the cutting or trimming action. Grass and weed trimmers using this principle of operation have been popular for their versatility of use and because the flexible trim line is safer to use than rigid rotating steel blades.
Various types of trimmer devices have been developed for using such flexible trim lines. Typically, rotating line trimmers or string trimmers employ a line having a generally circular cross section. This line, in many trimmers, is wound on a storage reel in the hub of the device and is played out of a hole in the hub in discrete amounts as the end breaks off or wears off. Other rotatable hub trimmers use fixed lengths of flexible line, which are replaced individually when the line wears down or breaks off.
Generally, the trimmer line which is used in rotating string trimmers is manufactured of extruded nylon monofilament material. The cross-sectional diameters of the line used in the trimmers from a larger cross-sectional diameter for commercial trimmers to smaller diameters in the trimmers sold for intermittent home use. Even though different diameter line sizes are employed, the range of sizes is relatively narrow (typically, 0.050 inches to 0.155 inches in diameter). Trimmer lines which have cross sections other than circular cross sections have been developed in an attempt to provide sharper cutting edges at the point of impact when cutting grass or weeds. Cross-sectional configurations in the form of elongated ribbed lines, or a star-like cross section, or square or triangular cross sections have been developed. The overall cross-sectional dimension, however, still is within the range given above for typical circular lines.
Whether the trim line has a circular cross section or some other cross section, the nylon monofilament line out of which the line is made undergoes relatively rapid wear as a result of the friction or abrasion which takes place when the spinning line contacts the grass and weed stems, as the trimmer is being operated. The rotation of the hub in string trimmers is at relatively high speeds (2,000 to 20,000 RPMs); so that replacement of worn line continuously must be effected during operation of the trimmer. Line wear also has been observed to be greater under dry conditions than under wet or high humidity conditions.
It is desirable to provide an improved flexible trim line which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, which is preconditioned so as to wear at a reduced rate, and which is packaged to maintain the preconditioning status of the line.

Package and method of manufacture for flexible cutting line


A cleaning device capable of reducing the apparatus and prolonging the service life of the cleaning blade is disclosed. The cleaning device includes a cleaning blade including an elastic blade, a pressing member disposed near the downstream side of the image carrier with respect to the elastic blade, and a driving mechanism for driving the pressing member so as to be in contact with and press the elastic blade. The driving mechanism operates so as to press the elastic blade in the upstream direction to separate the elastic blade from the surface of the image carrier for a while. Then, the driving mechanism operates to move the pressing member to be separated from the elastic blade so that the elastic blade is in contact with the surface of the image carrier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a cleaning device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus, and more specifically to a cleaning device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus having an electrophotographic process unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
The electrophotographic process performed in an image forming apparatus generally includes charging, exposing, developing, transferring, fixing, and cleaning. In the cleaning process performed as a final process, a blade cleaning method is usually used.
Some full-color image forming apparatuses employ the blade cleaning method. Such full-color image forming apparatus includes developing devices for developing yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk) images, respectively. Each developing device includes a photosensitive drum serving as an image carrier capable of being rotatably driven, and the surface of the photosensitive drum is uniformly charged by a charging device. Then, a laser beam is irradiated onto the surface by an optical system for exposure so that the surface of the photosensitive drum is exposed to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum. Then, a developing agent in the developing unit is applied to the surface of the photosensitive drum so that a visible image is formed on the photosensitive drum.
The image forming apparatus further includes an intermediate transferring device, and the formed visible image is transferred in a contacting section between the intermediate transferring device and the photosensitive drum. More specifically, the formed visible image on the surface of the photosensitive drum is transferred onto a surface of a transfer belt by a transferring roller in the intermediate transferring device. The transferred developing agent forming the visible toner image is transferred onto a sheet serving as an image carrier in a secondary transferring section. Then, the sheet is fed into a fixing device, where the toner image is fixed on the sheet. On the other hand, the developing agent remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum is cleaned and removed by a cleaning blade in a cleaning device. An image forming apparatus having the above configuration is described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-243411).
The cleaning blade accommodated in a developing device has a plate shape and is made of an elastic member of such material as polyurethane. The cleaning blade is fixed to a supporting body and is pressed to and in contact with a surface of the rotating photosensitive body. Generally, there are two types of developing units.
FIG. 13 is a cut-open view schematically showing a first type of the developing unit. As shown in FIG. 13, in this developing device 4, a head of a cleaning blade 11a of a cleaning device 11 is in contact with a photosensitive drum 1. The cleaning blade 11a is directly fixed to a chassis 4j of the developing device 4 with a bolt so that the cleaning blade 11a is pressed to and in contact with the photosensitive drum 1 with a prescribed contacting pressure. This contacting pressure is produced by a restoration force due to elastic deformation of the cleaning blade 11a, the restoration force being used as a blade pressing force applied to the photosensitive drum 1.
FIG. 14 is a cut-open view schematically showing a second type of the developing unit. As shown in FIG. 14, in the developing device 4, a pressure promoting member 4k includes a supporting shaft and a spring so that the pressure promoting member 4k is rotatably attached to a part of a supporting body of the developing device 4. As a result, the cleaning blade 11a is in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 due to a pressing force produced by the pressure promoting member 4k.
The cleaning blade 11a fixed to the chassis 4j of the first developing unit 4 has some advantages: a simple structure, easy to reduce the size, and low cost because such units as a driving unit and a biasing unit are not necessary. However, since the cleaning blade 11a always in contact with the image carrier (photosensitive drum), the cleaning blade 11a is likely to be deformed and the pressure applied to the image carrier is likely to be reduced due to the permanent distortion of the cleaning blade 11a. Further, it is difficult to remove toner or any foreign matter such as paper powder remaining in a contacting part between the elastic cleaning blade 11a and the image carrier 1, which often causes abnormal images.
On the other hand, in the second developing unit 4, the movable cleaning blade 11a can be put in contact with and separated from the image carrier by an added contacting and separating mechanism for separating the cleaning blade 11a from the image carrier and a position controlling member for adjusting the position of the cleaning blade 11a with respect to the image carrier. This method is being employed in systems requiring long service life.
As described above, implementing such a movable cleaning blade or such a contacting and separating mechanism is useful to avoid damage to the edge of the cleaning blade caused by the residual toner or foreign matter. However, recently there has been a demand for reducing the size of the image forming apparatus. Unfortunately, it is difficult to achieve a good balance between the implementation and the demand because of cost increases with conventional technology. As a result, the implementation is tending to be neglected and long service lives of the cleaning blade and the photosensitive body are not being provided in many cases.

Cleaning device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus having a pressing member which contacts an elastic blade


Provided is a structure for preventing deformation of a reading table, which prevents deformation of a reading table itself, solves a problem that a gap is generated when a support of the reading table is rotated and coupled, and thus prevents a standing paper from falling off, and relates to a pressing structure for preventing deformation of a reading table, wherein a pressing member is located at a center of a rear surface of a reading table, and when a first support member is rotated at a predetermined angle, a central part of the reading table is pressed by a support member, and thus a predetermined interval is forcibly formed between the reading table and lower corners of two sides of the first support member.

In Korean Patent No. 10-1064182 invented by the present inventor, a structure of a reading/writing combination function support for a reading table was developed.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, one sides of unfolding pieces 20 are coupled to two lower sides of a book support reading table 10 formed to have a predetermined thickness so that a longitudinal length is longer than a vertical length and made of wood or a synthetic resin material, two sides of a book support 30 are inserted between the other sides of the unfolding pieces 20, that is, the one sides of the unfolding pieces 20 exposed to upper surfaces or front surfaces of the two lower sides of the book support reading table 10, and the two sides of the book support 30 inserted between the unfolding pieces 20 are rotatably coupled by a rotation pin.
Each of the unfolding pieces 20 has an unfolding hole 21 through which the rotation pin passes and is configured so that, while a portion of the rotation pin passes through the unfolding hole 21, a head 41 of the rotation pin may be caught by the unfolding hole 21.
The unfolding hole 21 through which the rotation pin passes is formed so that, while the rotation pin moves along a horizontal hole 22 and a vertical hole 23 in a state in which a lower portion of the vertical hole 23 is connected to an end of the horizontal hole 22, the unfolding hole 21 may rotate in a front-rear direction or a left-right direction above the vertical hole 23.
The length of the horizontal hole 22 is formed longer than the length of the vertical hole 23, which is a state in which, by pulling the book support 30, the book support 30 is extracted further outward from a lower part of the book support reading table 10 is maintained, and thus the book support reading table 10 may be used as widely as the extracted length.
A plurality of through-holes is formed in an upper part of a locking step 24 and are fixed to the two lower sides of the book support reading table 10 through screws 26.
Meanwhile, book leaf turning prevention rods 31 may be formed on two sides of the book support 30 to prevent a book leaf from being forcibly turned over, and a support that maintains an inclined state is coupled.
However, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, when a book support reading table 110 is used while a book is placed thereon, a book support is bent inward due to the weight of a book, and thus, when one or several papers 200A are inserted, the papers 200A fall out. When the book support reading table 110 is used in front of a desk, the book support reading table 110 is deformed due to the pressure of a hand that is used from a reading table linear part 202 in an initial manufacturing step to a reading table bending part 201 in a usage step.
Undescribed reference numeral 112 denotes a height adjustment unit, and undescribed reference numeral 130 denotes a support part.

Structure for preventing deformation of reading table


Described is a method for locationing in a communications network. A wireless access point receives a signal corresponding to activity of a plurality of wireless devices on a predetermined bandwidth. The signal is processed to generate a plurality of subsignals using a predetermined signal processing procedure. An energy level of a particular subsignal of the plurality of subsignals is determined. A location of a corresponding wireless device is determined as a function of the energy level and a predetermined locationing procedure.

In a conventional wireless network, a location of a mobile unit ("MU") may be determined using, for example, a triangulation process. The triangulation process requires input data from the MU and at least three access points ("APs"). The input data is typically a received signal strength indicator ("RSSI") generated from communication of radio frequency ("RF") signals between the MU and the APs. To generate the input data, each of the three APs must be listening to the MU on a same RF channel utilized by the MU. Requiring the input data from three APs using the same channel significantly limits locationing of unauthorized devices (e.g., rogue APs, intruders) and/or devices causing interference (e.g., Bluetooth® transmitters, cordless phone/speakers, microwave ovens). Thus, there is a need for a locationing system which may identify and locate authorized and unauthorized devices.

System and method for locationing in a communications network


A liquid feeding unit has a first chamber, a second chamber, a wall portion, an opening-closing member, and a filter member. The first chamber has a first feed passage connected to it to receive liquid through the first feed passage. The second chamber receives the liquid from the first chamber, and has a second feed passage for feeding the liquid connected to it. The wall portion has a communication hole through which the first and second chambers communicate with each other. The opening-closing member is arranged in the communication hole to open and close it. The filter member is arranged in the first feed passage or in the first chamber to remove foreign matter in the liquid.

The present disclosure relates to a liquid feeding unit that feeds a liquid ejection head with liquid stored in a liquid storage container, and relates also to a liquid ejection device that employs such a liquid feeding unit.
For example, an inkjet printer employs a liquid ejection head that ejects tiny amounts of ink (liquid) onto a printing target. The liquid ejection head is fed with ink through a predetermined feed passage from an ink cartridge (liquid storage container) in which the ink is stored. In a case where ink is fed from the ink cartridge to the liquid ejection head by exploiting a head difference, a liquid feeding unit (valve unit) furnished with a pressure chamber for keeping the ejection apertures in the liquid ejection head at a negative pressure is arranged in the feed passage. Owing to the interposition of the liquid feeding unit that produces the negative pressure, even when ink is fed by head-difference feeding, it is possible to prevent unlimited dripping of ink from the ejection apertures.
Such a conventional liquid feeding unit employs, for example, a structure where part of the negatively pressurized pressure chamber is demarcated by flexible film and a pressing plate (pressure receiving plate) fitted to the flexible film directly presses a movable valve. The movable valve is biased by a biasing member in the direction opposite to the direction of that pressing. As the liquid ejection head sucks ink and the degree of negative pressure in the pressure chamber increases, the flexible film is displaced and so the movable valve is pressed by the pressing plate and moves; eventually, an ink feed passage leading to the pressure chamber opens and ink flows in. As ink flows in and the degree of negative pressure in the pressure chamber decreases, the movable valve is moved in the opposite direction by the biasing force of the biasing member, and the pressure chamber returns to a hermetically sealed state.

Liquid feeding unit and liquid ejection device


A dual switch for selective removal of a recording medium from a compound device is so exactly sized and shaped that are exact switching action may be assured. Two switches are on a base plate, and a button is capable of selectively actuating either switch to take a recording medium out of the slot. The button has resilient member responsive to removal of pressure from the button for returning to its original position. The button can be of seesaw, slide or rotary type.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric switch for selective removal of a recording medium from a compound device which combines two pieces of equipment, such as a disk device and video device.
2. Related Art
Referring to FIG. 7, a compound device combines a video device and a disk device, and it has a cassette slot 51 and a disk slot 52 formed in its front panel 50. Also, the front panel 50 has a button switch 53 on the left side of the cassette slot 51, and another button switch 54 on the right side of the disk slot 52. Depression of the button switch 53 causes the cassette to appear from the cassette slot 51 whereas depression of the button switch 54 causes a disk tray to appear from the disk slot 54. When the compound device is loaded with a new cassette, the cassette is pushed in the cassette slot 51. When the compound device is loaded with a new disk, the disk is put on the tray, which appears from the disk slot 52. Then, the tray-and-disk is pushed in the disk slot 52.
FIG. 7(b) shows each switch 53, 54 in an exploded view. As shown, the switch comprises a push button 55a or 55b and a base plate 56a or 56b, on which a switching means 58a or 58b is fixed. Rectangular holes 57a and 57b are made in the front panel 50. The push buttons 55a and 55b are fitted in the rectangular holes 57a and 57b. Then, the base plates 56a and 56b are fixed to the front panel 50 with screws. When the push button 55a is depressed, the switching means 58a turns on, so that the cassette is pushed out of the cassette slot 51. Likewise, when the push button 55b is depressed, the switching means 58b turns on, so that the tray-and-disk is pushed out of the disk slot 52.
Arrangement of two switches on the front panel makes the compound device less attractive in appearance. Also, use of two switches disadvantageously increases the assembly work and accordingly the manufacturing cost of the compound device increases. The front panel with two rectangular holes requires a metal mold whose shape is rather complicated, and accordingly the metal mold costs much. At the final stage of assembly, the compound device must be checked in respect of whether these two switches can work normally. Accordingly, extra time is involved for checking at the final stage.
In the hope of solving such a problem, JP 7-211195(A) entitled "Seesaw Button Device" has proposed use of a dual switch. It comprises a base plate having two switches mounted thereon, a seesaw type of push button supported in the middle to move up and down by pushing one or the other end with finger, and an intermediate plate placed between the seesaw button and the base plate. The seesaw button has two push legs and two semicircular projections, which are formed at the middles of the opposite longitudinal sides of the button. Each push leg is long enough to reach the corresponding switch when the button is pushed and inclined down on one side. In the intermediate plate two apertures are made to allow the push legs to pass therethrough. Also, a semicircular fulcrum is formed in the middle of the intermediate plate, semicircular notches are made in the middles of the opposite longitudinal sides of the intermediate plate, and cantilever-like support pieces are integrally connected to the intermediate plate to extend half way in the apertures. The seesaw button is nested with the intermediate plate by putting the seesaw button on the semicircular fulcrum, inserting the push legs in the apertures to reach short of the switches and snapping the semicircular projections into the semicircular notches. In the horizontal position the seesaw button stays on the opposite cantilever-like support pieces. Finger-depression of the seesaw button on one side against the cantilever-like piece makes one of the push legs push the corresponding switch to turn on. Then, the associated drive mechanism moves the cassette, and it appears from the cassette slot of the front panel. Finger-depression of the seesaw button on the other side makes the other push leg push the corresponding switch to turn on. Then, the tray-and-disk will appear from the disk slot of the front panel. Release of the seesaw button allows it return to its original horizontal position under the influence of one or the other cantilever-like support piece.
To assure that the push button springs back to its original horizontal position when the finger is removed to release the push button, the cantilever-like support pieces need to have enough resilience. It is required that such cantilever-like support pieces be exactly sized and shaped, and be sometimes made of special metals. The resilient pieces are small compared with the front panel, and therefore, it is very difficult to make them into exact shape and size as required when the front panel having the cantilever-like pieces appearing halfway in its apertures is injection-molded. It is almost impossible to make a front panel whose cantilever-like pieces are of a material (or spring metal) which is different from that of the front panel. Such a resilient piece should neither be too strong in resilience to push the seesaw button without difficulty, nor too weak to make the seesaw button return to its original horizontal position. As a matter of fact it is practically impossible to injection-mold a front panel whose cantilever-like pieces extend halfway in its apertures.
In view of the above, one object of the present invention is to provide a dual switch for selective removal of a recording medium from a compound device, in which the button is self-repulsive enough to return to its original position after actuation, and thanks to the integral connection of spring means to the button, the spring means can be so exactly sized and shaped that the exact switching action may be assured.

Dual switch for selective removal of recording medium from compound device


The invention concerns a system for managing resources, which can take the form of (a) computer-compatible information, such as data files and programs, and (b) non-computer-compatible information, such as data contained on microfiche, and (c) physical objects. The resources are located at geographically diverse sites.

A microfiche appendix, containing 3 microfiche and 207 total frames is filed herewith.
The invention concerns management of RESOURCEs, which take the form of (a) downloadable computer data and programs and (b) physical objects, which are located at multiple REPOSITORIEs, at different sites. The RESOURCEs appear to a user, at any given site, as though the RESOURCEs were actually present at the user""s site.
A database is somewhat analogous to a card catalog of a library. The card catalog cross-indexes books in several ways.
For example, an xe2x80x9cauthorxe2x80x9d card exists. This card is located in the catalog at the alphabetical position of the author""s surname.
In addition, a xe2x80x9ctitlexe2x80x9d card exists, located in the alphabetical position of the book""s title. Also, a xe2x80x9csubjectxe2x80x9d card generally exists, which describes the subject of the book, and which is located in the alphabetical position of the subject, such as xe2x80x9cpressed flower collecting,xe2x80x9d for example. Of course, other cards can exist for a given book (for example, books having multiple authors generally have an author card for each).
In database terms, these cards represent xe2x80x9cfieldsxe2x80x9d within the database. For example, in a library, to find all of the books written by Ernest Hemingway, one looks up xe2x80x9cHemingwayxe2x80x9d in the card catalog. All of the library""s books written by any Hemingway are identified by respective author cards. In a computer database, a similar search could be done, upon the xe2x80x9cauthorxe2x80x9d field.
Similar searches can be done on the title fields, as well as on the subject fields.
Computer databases, in general, have more fields than does the card catalog. For example, if the card catalog were contained within a computer database, there would probably exist a xe2x80x9cdatexe2x80x9d field. To search using the xe2x80x9cdatexe2x80x9d field, one specifies a date, or range of dates, and the database responds by listing all books having a copyright which complies with the specified date, or range.
Presently existing databases have limitations. For example, many databases require that a user undergo significant training in order to learn how to use the data base. Some databases use arcane commands which the user must memorize.
Some databases contain only that information which is owned by the database owner. Returning to the library analogy, if a public library were to computerize its card catalog, by entering all of the information contained within the card catalog into the database program, the database program would, of course, only contain the card catalog information. A user could not, for example, gain access to the card catalog of a second library, in order to locate a book not owned by the first library. The user must go to the second library.
An object of the invention is to provide a system for storing information in a manner in which retrieval is simple.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system for storing information, in which entering information, as well as retrieving the information, is self-explanatory, and requires no resort to external instructions.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system for storing information, which can communicate with other systems which store information, and make available all of the information stored by all systems.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system which allows a user to search all information contained, in multiple databases, according to key words.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system which allows a user to establish a standing search, which searches, by key words, new information, at specified intervals in the future.
In one form of the invention, physical objects are stored at multiple different locations, and a profile is maintained for each physical object. The profiles contain descriptions of the physical objects, including location, and are key-word searchable. A user is allowed to issue a query containing key words, and the profiles containing the key words are identified and presented to the user. The user may order delivery of a physical object described in the delivered profiles, whereupon a notice is issued to a transportation agent, who picks up the physical objects and delivers them to the user. The order is used to facilitate record keeping by a custodian of the physical object. The profiles need not be stored at the same location, but can be distributed, as are the physical objects.

Abstract: The invention contains a descriptive profile for each resource, and allows any user to search all profiles, and to search the profiles according to xe2x80x9cfieldsxe2x80x9d (a database term), such as by location of the resources, or by category of the resources. The user can order delivery of a selected resource, and the system causes delivery of the resource to be executed, irrespective of the form (eg, physical object) of the resource.

Abstract: The invention allows a provider of a new resource to limit access to the resource, by identifying users who are authorized to obtain access to the resource. Non-authorized users cannot obtain access to the profiles of these resources.


A pre-installation liquid level gauge assembly is provided which comprises a fitting with a threaded outer surface and a thread protector friction fit over the threaded outer surface. The thread protector comprises a sleeve portion and a shoulder portion extending radially inwardly to protect the end of the fitting and prevent the sleeve portion from sliding up the fitting to expose some of the lower threads. The shoulder portion defines a hole that is larger than the outer diameter of the passage in the fitting so that the thread protector does not interfere with the insertion of an extension piece into the passage in the fitting. The thread protector includes a tab and a scored line extending from the tab to the edge of the hole defined in the shoulder portion such that the tab can be pulled to totally split the thread protector to allow ready removal of the thread protector from the fitting.

Liquid level gauges are often used on tanks that contain highly pressurized, flammable fluids such as propane and CFC's. A longstanding problem exists in insuring zero leakage around the threads of the gauge fitting in the tank. One of the main causes of leaking threads is damage to the threads that occurred during assembly, packaging or shipping of the gauge. Leakage of fluids such as liquid petroleum and CFC's is highly dangerous and can result in explosions. Thus, it is extremely important that the gauge threads have no damage so there will be zero leakage around the threads when installed on a high pressure tank.
Liquid level gauges typically include a fitting that is threaded into a hole in a tank wall. The gauge dial is typically disposed on the head of the fitting outside the tank, and the fitting has a passage extending through it. An extension piece of some type is inserted into this passage that extends into the interior of the tank. The extension piece can be a tube or some type of rod. A float mechanism is assembled in conjunction with the extension piece to respond to the liquid level in the tank.
During assembly of the various gauge components to the fitting, the threads of the fitting are susceptible to being damaged by the various components and other gauges on the assembly line. The threads of the fitting are also exposed to damage during packaging, shipping and storage. Such damage to the threads can render the gauge assembly unusable, and, often, thread damage is not detected until the gauge is being installed. At this time, the gauge customer is tremendously inconvenienced by having to order a replacement gauge with undamaged threads.
Conventional thread protectors have been used on the fittings that cover the passage through the fitting. Such thread protectors must be removed before attachment of the extension piece in the fitting. Thus, the threads are still exposed to a risk of damage during the remaining assembly steps as well as packaging and shipping. Therefore, a need exists for a thread protector that can be used on fittings used in gauge assemblies that allows assembly of the gauge components to the fitting without having to remove the thread protector.
Furthermore, a thread protector that allows assembly of the gauge components to the fitting must be readily removable from the fitting when the gauge is ready to be installed on a tank. A sleeve-like thread protector can not be removed over many of the types of float mechanisms which are attached to extension pieces extending from the fittings. Thus, a need exists for a thread protector that not only allows assembly of the extension piece to the fitting but that can then be readily removed from the threads without having to run the protector down over the end of the extension piece and any mechanisms attached to the extension piece.
A need also exists for a pre-installation gauge assembly that provides for protection of the threads of the fitting that is readily removable prior to installation of the gauge assembly. A need also exists for a method of protecting the threads of a gauge fitting during the manufacture, packaging and shipping of the gauge assemblies.
Additionally, a sealant is often used on the threads of the fittings when they are threaded into a hole in a tank wall. A need exists to be able to apply the sealant in the threads of the fitting at the gauge assembly plant without risk of contaminating or disturbing the sealant during assembly, packaging, and shipping. With suitable protection for pre-applied sealant, installation of the gauge assemblies is simplified by eliminating the need to apply sealant at the point of installation.

Pre-installation liquid level gauge assembly with thread protector


The present invention is a system that provides a pen based computer user with a graphical user interface tool, a pen-mouse, that looks like and functions like a mouse but that is controlled by a limited input device such as a pen or stylus of the pen based computer. The pen-mouse is a tracking menu that tracks the position of the pen. A pen cursor that corresponds to the pen is allowed to be moved about within the pen-mouse graphic by the pen and the pen-mouse remains stationary. The pen-mouse is moved when the location of the pen encounters a tracking boundary of the pen-mouse. The tracking boundary typically coincides with the graphic representing the mouse. While moving within the pen-mouse, the pen can select objects within the pen-mouse body, such as buttons, wheels, etc. The selection of a button or other virtual control causes a corresponding computer mouse button function to be executed. The execution focus is directed at any object designated by a pen-mouse tracking symbol, such as an arrow, that is part of the pen mouse graphic. The pen-mouse can emulate functions or operations of a mouse including single button clicks, double button clicks, finger wheels, track balls, etc.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a tracking menu that can be used with a pen based computer and that provides a pen user the functionality of a mouse and, more particularly, to a pen-mouse that tracks a position of a pen or stylus, allows pointing like a mouse and emulates the functionality of mouse buttons and other mouse inputs, such as a finger rollable wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stylus or pen-based computers, such as tablet (personal computers) PCs and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are becoming a popular type of computing device. These devices operate somewhat differently than the typical mouse-based computer systems. In the pen-based devices the user uses a stylus or pen to select and activate items, such as menu controls/buttons, as well as to perform graphic functions, such as drawing. In performing these different operations it is often the case that the user must move the pen to a menu to select a function and then return to the display area to perform the function. Because these pen-based operations are somewhat different from traditional mouse based operations, it can be helpful to a new user to have a familiar paradigm, such as a mouse, that can be used in pen-based computers to perform mouse type operations.
What is needed is an interface that provides a user with the look and "feel" of operation of a mouse and avoids the need to move to a menu to select mouse functions, such as left button, right button, scroll, etc.


A method for evaluating crystal defects by which a distribution of the crystal defects present in a silicon wafer is evaluated, includes forming an oxide film having a thickness equal to a crystal defect size to be evaluated on the silicon wafer, measuring GOI characteristics of the silicon wafer, and obtaining the distribution of the crystal defects having the crystal defect size to be evaluated in the silicon wafer from a measurement result of the GOI characteristics on a supposition that the crystal defects whose size is equivalent to the thickness of the oxide film are present in a region where the GOI characteristics are degraded. Consequently, the method for evaluating crystal defects by which a distribution of the crystal defects can be obtained even if a crystal defect size is 10 nm or less.

Even though an oxide film of silicon has very excellent insulating properties, it can be formed in a simple process which is a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere, and hence it is widely used in a device process. When a gate oxide film is expressed in terms of a thickness, a high voltage is applied, and hence a high-quality film is demanded.
Further, it is known that, when a wafer contains crystal defects (which may be simply referred to as defects hereinafter), they are taken into a gate oxide film to form a defective oxide film, which can be a cause of device failures.
As an oxide dielectric breakdown voltage (GOI) evaluation method for detecting such a defective oxide film, there is a TDDB method. This method is a method for continuously keeping application of a fixed voltage or current to an insulator film, detecting a current or a voltage at predetermined time intervals to obtain changes with time, and evaluating a time to reach a dielectric breakdown, its process, and others in detail.
As a mechanism to bring about an insulator film breakdown in the TDDB method, a percolation model has been suggested. This is a probability model which divides, e.g., a silicon oxide film into a mesh structure to form minute cells, estimates a probability that each cell breaks down, and assumes that a dielectric breakdown occurs when broken-down cells form a line in a thickness direction of the oxide film.
According to this mechanism, when a weak spot is present in the oxide film, defects in the oxide film increase with time, a distance between the defects decreases to facilitate movement of electrons, and a current path is finally formed, resulting in a dielectric breakdown.
That is, if a small weak spot is present in the oxide film, it grows and leads to a film breakdown. Thus, it has been considered that even a defect whose actual size is unknown but which is sufficiently small for an oxide film thickness becomes a defect which leads to the oxide film breakdown.


A power inverter circuit 1 is a bridge power inverter circuit comprising first and second switching elements 11, 12 sequentially connected in series between input terminals on higher and lower voltage sides and third and fourth switching elements 13, 14 sequentially connected in series between the input terminals on the higher and lower voltage sides and alternately turning on a set of the first and fourth switching elements 11, 14 and a set of the second and third switching elements 12, 14 so as to convert a DC power fed between the input terminals on the higher and lower voltage sides into an AC power. One of the sets of the first and third switching elements 11, 13 and the second and fourth switching elements 12, 14 is subjected to switching control at a frequency higher than that of the other.

As a power inverter circuit which converts a DC power into an AC power, bridge inverters have been known widely. As bridge inverters of this kind, Non Patent Literature 1 discloses single- and three-phase inverters.
A single-phase bridge inverter comprises first and second switching elements sequentially connected in series between input terminals on higher and lower voltage sides and third and fourth switching elements sequentially connected in series between the input terminals on the higher and lower voltage sides. By alternately turning on a set of the first and fourth switching elements and a set of the second and third switching terminals, the single-phase bridge inverter generates a single-phase AC power between an intermediate node of the first and second switching elements and an intermediate node of the third and fourth switching elements (e.g., FIGS. 6 and 9 of Non Patent Literature 1).
On the other hand, a three-phase bridge inverter comprises first and second switching elements sequentially connected in series between input terminals on higher and lower voltage sides, third and fourth switching elements sequentially connected in series between the input terminals on the higher and lower voltage sides, and fifth and sixth switching elements sequentially connected in series between the input terminals on the higher and lower voltage sides. By periodically turning on a set of the first and fourth switching elements, a set of the third and sixth switching elements, and a set of the fifth and second switching elements with a phase difference of a ⅓ cycle therebetween, the three-phase bridge inverter generates a three-phase AC power among an intermediate node of the first and second switching elements, an intermediate node of the third and fourth switching elements, and an intermediate node of the fifth and sixth switching elements (e.g., FIGS. 7 and 10 of Non Patent Literature 1).
Non Patent Literature 1 also discloses a bridge inverter which performs switching control by using a pulse width modulation (PWM) scheme during a period when the switching elements in each set are on (e.g., FIG. 13 of Non Patent Literature 1).    Non Patent Literature 1: IMAI Koji, Power Electronics Handbook (R & D Planning Co., Ltd., February, 2002), p. 328-337

Power inverter circuit having switching elements

National University Corporation TOYOHASHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY


A multi-antenna apparatus of a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) communication system for compressing and decompressing a frequency domain digital signal are provided, wherein a data channel type of each frequency-domain digital sub-signal of the frequency-domain digital signal is determined by a radio frame structure map (π). The multi-antenna apparatus includes a respective compressor and a respective decompressor associated to each data channel type, and is configured, for each frequency-domain digital sub-signal of the frequency-domain digital signal, to compress, at a first module, the frequency-domain digital sub-signal using the compressor associated to the data channel type of the frequency-domain digital sub-signal, and, for each compressed frequency-domain digital sub-signal, to decompress, at a second module communicating with the first module via an FH link, the compressed frequency-domain digital sub-signal using the decompressor associated to the data channel type of compressed frequency-domain digital sub-signal.

Massive multi-input multi-output (M-MIMO) systems operating over large bandwidths are considered to be one of the most promising technologies to increase the spectral efficiency in next-generation cellular systems. The most popular implementation for M-MIMO stations relies on a distributed architecture, in which the base station (BS) base band (BB) processing (e.g., beamforming and waveform generation) and the radio processing (e.g., radio frequency (RF) processing and analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) or digital-to-analog conversion (DAC)) are respectively carried out by separate units such as a base band unit (BBU) on one hand and remote radio units (RRUs), also known as radio resource units (RRUs), on the other hand, which are usually remotely located. One or more RRUs, each formed, for example, of blocks of antennas, can be connected to the BBU through respective FH links (e.g., optical fibers), which transmit in-phase and quadrature (IQ) samples between an RRU and a BBU, as schematically depicted in the MIMO system 100 of FIG. 1. The user equipment (UE) devices, as transmitters, transmit a respective message towards a MIMO receiver over a frequency selective channel, and the MIMO receiver internally transmits, over an FH link, uplink IQ samples from the RRU towards the BBU. On the other hand, a MIMO transmitter internally transmits, over the FH link, downlink IQ samples from the BBU towards the RRU and externally transmits, over the frequency selective channel, a respective message towards the UE devices, as receivers. The RRU can be installed close to the antennas, while the BBU can be located at the base of a building or at a remote location, thereby reducing the cost and adding flexibility to the deployment of the BSs. In a downlink, for example, the BBU unit is in charge of the BB processing functionalities such as the bit level encoding of the users' messages to IQ symbol samples, the precoding of the users' signals and the frequency domain functionalities (e.g., inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) and cyclic prefix (CP) addition for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) waveforms) in order to generate the transmit signal. These IQ samples are forwarded towards the RRU, which simply applies the DAC operations and transmits the signal.
The throughput requirements of the FH links in terms of communication of the IQ samples between the BBU and the RRUs can become easily prohibitive in the case of high bandwidths and a large number of antennas. It is the reason why many common public radio interface (CPRI) compression algorithms have been considered in the literature (e.g., K. F. Nieman and B. L. Evans, "Time-domain compression of complex-BB long-term evolution (LTE) signals for cloud radio access networks", Proc. IEEE Global Conference on Signal and Information Processing (Global-SIP), pp. 1198-1201, December 2013), in order to reduce the amount of data communicated between BBU and RRUs without significantly affecting the end-to-end (E2E) performance. For illustrative purposes, FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a typical MIMO transmitter 200 within the MIMO system 100 of FIG. 1. The typical MIMO transmitter 200 comprises, at the BBU, a bit level processing block, a linear receive filtering block (depicted by "Pi"), a frequency processing block (depicted by "IFFT+CP") configured to perform an IFFT and a CP addition in the exemplary case of an OFDM waveform, and a compression algorithm block. The typical MIMO transmitter 200 comprises, at the RRU, a decompression algorithm block and a number of DAC devices.
While these compression algorithms can be applied straightforwardly in MIMO BSs in a per antenna basis, most of them are designed for single antenna devices and fail to exploit the particular features of multi-antenna BB signals, which are correlated not only over time samples but also over space, i.e., between the antennas. In addition, the number of received or transmitted beams (i.e., beamformed data streams) is usually much smaller than the number of antennas in the BS. This implies that the relevant information lies in a subspace of that in which the received signal lies. This sparsity in dimensionality can be exploited to improve the signal compression in addition to the correlation in time and space.
Moreover, transmitted and received signals using any standard (e.g., LTE and 5G) are highly structured into time domain and frequency domain resources. The corresponding structure is characterized by a radio frame structure as defined by any standard. For example, in LTE and 5G, the minimum scheduling unit is a physical resource block (PRB), which is composed of resource elements (REs). Each RE is mapped to different types of data channel, e.g., PSCH, SSCH, PBCH, RS, PCFICH, PHICH, PDCCH and PDSCH, as depicted in the downlink radio frame of FIG. 3. PSCH and SSCH are respective primary and secondary synchronization channels. PBCH, PCFICH, PDCCH and PHICH are control channels, which provide information needed to manage the transmission data on the user channels and facilitate a connection to the BS. PDSCH is a shared channel, which contains the data being sent towards the users. RS (also known as C-RS) is a cell-specific reference signal, which is transmitted on REs spread throughout the frame in specific locations as defined by the standard. The RS is used by the UEs to compensate the downlink frame for channel frequency response and cross-channel effects so that the signal can be demodulated.
Typically, signals of the same data channel type share similar spatial and temporal correlations, and significantly differ from those of other channel types. However, this situation does not normally occur in single antenna systems in which no spatial correlation does manifest, and can be exploited to design specific compression algorithms for the signals in each data channel type, resulting in an efficient compression.

Frame structure aware compression for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems


The invention concerns a plug connector for establishing a contact between an electrical component and a conductor bar of a lead frame (not shown). The plug connector has a lamellae packet with contact lamellae into whose slot the electrical conductor can be inserted. The invention proposes to place a spacer lamella between each two adjacent contact lamellae that would limit the insertion depth of the electrical conductor in the slot and would hold the electrical conductor in the slot between the contact springs by means of barbs.

From DE 103 10 899 B3, a blade contact receptacle is known that has a number of contact lamellae arranged congruently one behind the other that are each divided by a slot into two contact springs between which a blade contact can be inserted. The contact lamellae are twisted 90° in relation to their foot section, which creates an air gap between them, permitting unimpeded and independent spring action of the contact springs of the contact lamellae. This familiar blade contact receptacle has soldering pins for soldering into a circuit board.
A similar blade contact receptacle is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,953 that also has contact lamellae that are spaced through soldering into a circuit board. Electrically insulating spacer lamellae may be provided between the contact lamellae in the foot section.
From DE 101 49 574 C2, a blade contact receptacle is known that can be inserted into or through a slot or stamped hole in a conductor bar of a lead frame, and can be attached to the conductor bar by means of welding. Lead frames are used in automobile manufacturing, among others. They consist of one or several metal sheets in one or several planes that are stamped to form lead frames for connecting electrical components with each other, similar to the conductors of printed circuits. Compared with printed circuits, lead frames allow currents that are higher by several magnitudes. The familiar blade contact receptacle has a number of identical contact lamellae that are packeted in a uniform stack. The packeted contact lamellae form the blade contact receptacle. The contact lamellae have a slot that is open at one end and that divides them into two contact springs that are joined to form one piece in the foot section of the contact lamella. A blade contact, i.e. an electrical contact consisting of a strip of metal, can be inserted into the slot of the packeted contact lamellae that form the blade contact receptacle.
From DE 19 03 043 A, a multi-pole electrical plug connection is known that has congruent contact elements that are arranged with spaces in between and have the shape of blade contact receptacles. The contact lamellae are electrically insulated from each other and are inserted into an electrically insulating housing. The foot sections of the contact lamellae form soldering pins that can be soldered into a circuit board. A second circuit board can be inserted into the slots of the contact lamellae, perpendicular to the first circuit board. This makes it possible to electrically connect conductors of the two circuit boards with each other. Conductors that are electrically insulated from each other are not contacted by the known plug connection.
A comparable plug connection for connecting the conductors of two circuit boards joined in a perpendicular arrangement is disclosed by the FR 2 004 831 A1.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,293 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,172 disclose contacts that are stamped from sheet metal and bent, and into which wire connections of electrical components can be inserted. The contacts are bent in 3 dimensions and have no contact lamellae.


A generation method includes identifying, as paths that are abstraction candidates, dynamically generated paths among paths in a profile that is used to determine whether each request to a server is an attack, and counting numbers of path variations corresponding to the respective paths that are abstraction candidates, and abstracting paths contained in the profile when a number of variations counted at the counting satisfies a certain condition, by processing circuitry.

Attacks to Web servers are sharply increasing as the Internet grows. Techniques such as an intrusion detection system (IDS), an intrusion prevention system (IPS), and a web application firewall (WAF) are known as countermeasures against such attacks. These techniques are configured to perform detection of and protection against previously known attacks through detection based on patterns that have been created using blacklists and signature files.
Other techniques configured to detect previously unknown attacks are known. Such a technique is configured to: learn, as a profile, information such as features of parameter values from normal access requests to a web server; and compare, with the profile, a feature of an access request that needs to be identified. The technique thereby determines whether the access request is an attack (is not a normal access).
A known example of such a technique is configured to: learn, as features (profile) of normal access requests, information (character class strings) that is obtained op abstracting respective character string structures of parameter values for respective combinations of paths and parameter keys in Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests to a website; and detect a previously unknown attack by detecting a similarity of the profile to a character class string of a parameter value in an HTTP request that is an analysis target.

Generation method, generation device, and recording medium

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


An organic light emitting display (OLED) and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The OLED includes a substrate and a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate. A first inorganic passivation layer is disposed on the thin film transistor. A second inorganic passivation layer whose hydrogen content is higher than that of the first inorganic passivation layer is formed on the first inorganic passivation layer. A pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor is disposed on the second inorganic passivation layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting display (OLED), and more particularly, to fabricating passivation layers for an OLED.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Recent rapid development in the information technology (IT) sector has fostered rapid growth in the display industry. A display device like a conventional CRT is not suitable for new IT media since it lacks mobility due to limitations of its size, weight, power consumption, resolution, and the like. Accordingly, conventional CRTs are being replaced with flat panel displays including thin film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), and organic light emitting displays (OLEDs).
Among flat panel displays, an OLED is advantageous as a moving picture display, regardless of the device size, because it has fast response speed of about 1 ms or less, low power consumption, and is an emissive display and thus has an unrestricted viewing angle. In addition, the OLED has attracted attention as a new generation flat display because it can be fabricated at low temperature using conventional semiconductor fabrication techniques.
The OLED comes in an active driving type and a passive diving type which have different driving methods. The active driving type OLED is equipped with an array including thin film transistors.
The thin film transistors may need to have a high S factor to improve the grayscale display capability and a high mobility to effectively drive a circuit. In a pixel region of the OLED, the higher the S factor of the thin film transistors, the more finely its current capacity can be controlled with respect to an applied voltage, and thus the more precisely the grayscale can be expressed. In a circuit region of the display, the higher the mobility of the thin film transistors, the more favorable on-off control becomes and the faster the response speed in response to a display state becomes, which improves display quality.
However, when the thin film transistors of the circuit and pixel regions are fabricated simultaneously on one substrate, for example, in a system-on-panel (SOP), it is difficult to simultaneously increase both the S factor and mobility of the thin film transistors. While the mobility of the thin film transistor in the circuit region can increase owing to a hydrogen passivation effect, the S factor of the thin film transistor in the pixel region may decrease, and thus the grayscale display capability may deteriorate.

Organic light emitting display and method of fabricating the same


A vessel, or an array of vessels, in the form of a multiwell plate, wherein the side walls are opaque and non-scintillant, and wherein the base comprises a scintillant substance, said base being formed of a plastics material which does not permit the attachment or growth of cells.

1. Studies of Cellular Processes in Living Cells
Mammalian cell culture is an essential tool for fundamental research in eukaryotic biology and it has contributed to advances in virology, somatic cell genetics, endocrinology, carcinogenesis, toxicology, pharmacology, immunology and developmental biology (McKeehan, W. I., In Vitro Cell Dev. Biol., 26, 9-23, (1990)). Classical cell culture technology is carried out in nutrient mixtures with cells usually cultured as a monolayer attached to a hydrophilic surface, commonly sterile treated polystyrene. Considerable progress has been made in developing cell culture systems for specific cell types, with the aim of reconstructing the cell and its environment into a defined unit for the study of responses and properties of cells in a dynamic context. However, experimentation on such culture systems using biological assays is often limited by the need to use invasive or disruptive processes that compromise the structural and functional integrity of the cells.
Certain types of investigations lend themselves particularly to studies with whole cells and inevitably require cell culture techniques as an essential step in the investigation. General areas of study include:
(i) intracellular activity, including the replication and transcription of nucleic acids, protein synthesis and lipid metabolism, PA1 (ii) intracellular flux, i.e. movement of RNA from cell nuclei to the cytoplasm, translocation of human receptor complexes, fluctuations in lipid and protein metabolic pools, transport of ions and other small molecules across membranes, PA1 (iii) environmental influences, including nutrition, infection, virally or chemically induced transformation, drug action and metabolism, response to external stimuli and secretion of specialized products, and PA1 (iv) cell-cell interaction, including embryonic induction, cell population kinetics, cell-cell adhesion and motility.
A vast array of radiolabelled ligands which are available commercially, has played a major role in the development of methods currently used to study intracellular activity, metabolism and cell-ligand interactions in cell culture assay systems. Particular examples relating to the study of cellular processes are:
Thymidine Uptake
Studies involving the measurement of [.sup.3 H]thymidine uptake currently suffer from an absolute requirement for cell disruption and consequently are prone to artifactual effects (Adams, R. L. P., Cell Culture for Biochemists, p 181-192; Saegusa, Y. et al, J. Cell Physiol., 142, 488-495 (1990)). In addition to providing an assessment of cellular proliferation and growth in living cells, thymidine uptake studies are also used to study the extent of DNA repair and/or damage occurring during culture, in the presence or absence of external agents (McKeehan, W. et al, In Vitro Cell Dev. Biol., 26, 9-23, (1990)). Current methods however, require cell disruption and do not readily lend themselves to temporal studies. Thymidine uptake has been used more recently, in tandem with other potential markers, in the field of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, where there is currently considerable pharmacological and clinical interest (Tritton, T. and Hickman, J., Cancer Cells Quarterly Rev., 2, 95-105, (1990)). However, few of the current methods are able to explore and quantify spatial and temporal events occurring during apoptosis (Lock, R. B. and Ross, W. E., Proc. Amer. Assoc. Cancer Res., 30, 621, (1989)). [.sup.3 H]Thymidine uptake studies are also used in cell cycle studies in order to monitor regulation of this essential process (Studzinski, G. P., Cell Tissue Kinetics, 22, 405-424, (1989)). However, there are currently no methods available for the direct measurement of thymidine uptake in living cells.
Receptor Binding/Kinetic Studies
Most of the methods used in this field require binding of a radiolabelled ligand, followed by quantification of receptor number and affinity in competition studies at a fixed time (Goldstein, J. L. and Brown, M. S., Methods in Enzymol., 98, 241-260, (1985); Zoon, K. C. et al, J. Pharmaceutical and Biochemical Analysis, 7, 147-154, (1989)). These methods often utilize membrane filter assays in vitro. The majority of methods require release of cells from a monolayer and often necessitate isolation of cell membranes. These systems are therefore not suitable for real time kinetic studies. Thus in the cytokine field, where specific ligand-receptor binding studies are of fundamental importance, it is not possible to monitor binding, uptake and internalization of specific radiolabelled ligands, as a function of time in living cells (Rakowicz-Szulczynska, E. W., et al, J. Immunol. Methods, 116, 167-173, (1989)). Currently disruptive techniques are required to differentiate between these important processes. This is also the case for studies of receptor cycling, an important process during the receptor-mediated endocytosis of a variety of essential ligands (Anderson, R. G. W., et al, Cell, 10, 351-364, (1977)).
Lipid Metabolism
Studies on the regulation of lipid biosynthesis are usually limited by the disruptive experimental procedures required to determine the incorporation of radioactively labeled lipid substrates. Such experiments are generally performed under optimal conditions in vitro, that may not reflect the situation in vivo, due to an inability to measure variations, both temporally and spatially, in living cells (Vance, D. E. and Vance, J. E., Biochemistry of Lipids and Membranes, pp.116-120, (1989)). The Hep G2 human tumorigenic cell line is currently widely used to investigate lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Pulse-chase studies are currently difficult to perform when using radiolabelled precursors such as oleic acid, as a function of time. This is because there is a requirement for disruption of the cell in order to differentiate localized areas of uptake. To date, the only metabolic studies that can be carried out with living cells have used fluorescently labeled lipids (Pownall, H. J., Chem. Physics of Lipids, 50, 191-212, (1989)). There are, however, inherent problems with such studies since the fluorophors used tend to be extremely bulky relative to the lipid. The physiological integrity of such labeled lipids is therefore questionable and they are known to be taken up in Hep G2 cells at different rates and incorporated differently within the cell, relative to unlabelled lipid (Pownall, H. J.). Similar problems are also encountered in studies related to protein uptake and metabolism as seen for example when pulse-chase studies using radiolabelled methionine and/or leucine are carried out (Freshney, R. I., Culture of Animal Cells: A Manual of Basic Technique, 2nd Edition, Alan R. Liss Inc. (1987), pages 227-236). Unless fluorescent probes are used, disruption of the cell is always necessary (Smith, L. C., et al, Methods in Enzymol., 129, 858-873, (1986)).
Cell Calcium
Calcium concentrations in the cytoplasm are carefully regulated by several mechanisms and the affinity for calcium and its rate of transport across the membrane, vary considerably from cell to cell. In early cellular studies, calcium sensitive fluorescent dyes were injected invasively, thus restricting their usefulness in kinetic measurements. The more recent use of dyes such as Fura-2 has alleviated this problem, although quantitative, time-dependent measurements of calcium are still difficult to carry out in culture (Cavaggioni, A., Bioscience Results, 9(4), 421, (1989)). Alternatively, [.sup.45 Ca] (Kuwata, J. H. and Langer, G. A., Molecular Cell Cardiology, 21, 1195-1208, (1989)) and Langer, G. A. et al., Circulation Res., 24, 589-597, (1969)) and .sup.42 K (Frank, J. S. et al, Circulation Res., 41, 702-714, (1977)) exchange has been measured in cardiac cells. Using sterile scintillant coated discs in a flow cell chamber, neonatal rat hearts were cultured and the time dependent uptake of [.sup.45 Ca] and [42 K] was monitored by pulse-chase methods. Although time dependent measurements in living cells are recorded in this study, there are several disadvantages with this system: (i) the system is only applicable to one sample at a time, (ii) large quantities of [.sup.45 Ca] are used for uptake studies, (iii) there is a high background/non-specific signal and (iv) discs are removed from the sterile culture medium and exposed to air before insertion into the flow cell. There is therefore no opportunity to perform additional measurements or to continue to culture the sample.
Consequently, there is still a requirement, not only in this case for calcium uptake measurement, but also in the processes described previously, for non-invasive, non-disruptive, real-time whole cell measurements in a format which is amenable to high sample throughput. The invention described here is intended to overcome the problems and limitations of the prior art methods and will greatly facilitate the above objectives.
2. Developments in Scintillation Counting Technology
Detection of receptor binding or cellular metabolic events utilizing radiolabelled substrates is accomplished by scintillation counting, usually following extraction or separative procedures, which are generally laborious, time consuming and are not amenable to automation.
A means for overcoming such problems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,649 (Bertoglio-Matte). This covers an homogeneous assay procedure which produces quantifiable light energy at a level which is related to the amount of radioactively labeled reactant in the assay medium. The light energy is produced by a scintillant which is either incorporated, or forms part of, a support structure (beads or other solid surface which can be used in the assay process). The support structures are coated with a receptor or other capture molecule, and are therefore capable of specifically binding the radiolabelled ligand or reactant of interest. In a direct assay, a sample containing the reactant is mixed in aqueous solution containing scintillant support bodies to which a binding compound may be attached. The reactant is caused to bind with its corresponding binding compound, thereby placing the radiolabelled species in close proximity to the scintillant-containing support. The scintillant is activated causing emission of light, which can be detected conventionally using a scintillation counter. The amount of light produced is directly proportional to the amount of reactant bound to the surface of the support structures.
Ideally the isotope of the radiolabel should have a relatively low energy beta-emission, for example tritium, or iodine-125 auger electrons. Only that portion of the sample which binds to the binding molecule, and is therefore in close proximity to the scintillant will result in scintillation events that can be counted. Unbound reactant will be at too great a distance from the scintillant surface to produce scintillations, the beta-decay energy being dissipated in the liquid aqueous medium.
A considerable advantage of the scintillation proximity assay process is that it does not require separation of bound molecular species from free. Such a process will also minimize the need to handle potentially hazardous/radioactive substances, as well as being more convenient and amenable to automation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,649, capture molecules are attached to, and fluorescer is integrated into beads, for example polyacrylamide beads. The Scintillation Proximity Assay technique may also be performed with other types of support structure. European Patent Application No. 0378059 describes a support structure for scintillation proximity assays comprising a fibre mat which incorporates a fluorescer. In one format the fibre mat consists of solid scintillant forming a matrix. The scintillant can be a cerium loaded glass or may be based in rare earths such as yttrium silicate (with or without activators such as Tb.sup.3+, Eu.sup.3+, Li.sup.+). The scintillant fibre may also be composed of a scintillant polymer such as polyvinyltoluene. As an alternative, an organic scintillant such as 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) or anthracene may be coated onto a fibre mat which is made from non-scintillant material. The fibre mesh format presents a large surface area upon which binding reactions can occur.
PCT Application No. WO 90/03844 discloses a microtitre well plate intended for binding assays. There is no claimed application for living cell-based assays. The sample plate may be produced from a transparent scintillant-containing plastic by means of a vacuum thermoforming or injection moulding process. In principle the walls of the plate may be coated with binding compound for the purpose of carrying out in vitro binding assays using radiolabelled reactants. However no practical examples are given in the application. It is possible, for example, that one disadvantageous effect of using a plate made from clear plastic will be that light generated in one well of the plate may be detected in adjacent wells, a phenomenon known as "cross talk", thereby causing high assay backgrounds and spurious assay results. The plates are not described as being treated in any way to support cell culture or growth.
Burton, J. A. and Hoop, B. describe a method and apparatus for ligand detection (PCT Application No. WO 88/04429). Central to the process is a reaction chamber and sensor surface connected optically to a detector. In a typical format of the method, a sample containing the ligand to be measured is introduced into the chamber containing receptor molecules immobilized on the sensor surface, and radioactively labeled ligand molecules. As a result, a portion of the labeled ligand molecules is displaced from the surface causing a decrease in fluorescent events at the sensor surface. However, the apparatus described in this application is designed for continuous throughput competitive binding assays. There is no reference to, or applications in, the study of living cells.
In summary, none of the prior art methods published for SPA are amenable to the study of biochemical processes in living cells. In part, this is due to the fact that the current fibre and bead based technologies are not suitable for monolayer cell culture. The only scintillant plate format so far described is intended for in vitro radiolabelled binding assays, and furthermore has inherent potential disadvantages outlined above for the specific applications which are the subject of this invention.

Vessels and multiwell plates having a scintillant base


A method of preventing tissue creep using a surgical retractor apparatus having one or more independent, removable extension members adapted to be mounted at the distal end of the retractor, or between the blades of a spreadable retractor, after the retractor has been positioned in the patient, such that a significant portion of the extension member extends beyond the distal end of the retractor to preclude or minimize intrusion of tissue into the access area created by the retractor. The extension members may vary in size and shape so that the most appropriate extension member can be chosen to address the intrusion problem, and the extension members may be mounted at various fixed locations, using clips, mechanical interlocking structures or the like.

This invention relates generally to the field of devices utilized in surgery to retract and retain tissue, organs or the like to provide the surgeon with access or an unobstructed pathway to an organ, bone, tissue or point in the body. Such devices are typically referred to generically as retractors. More particularly, the invention relates to retractors utilized with minimally invasive surgical techniques, wherein minimally sized openings are created in the body rather than relatively large incisions. Tubular devices known as cannula retractors, or spreading retractors having finger-like extensions or blades, are inserted into the small opening and through or around the body tissues, muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc., thereby minimizing damage to the body. The surgeon then performs the necessary procedure through the retractor tube using specially designed tools and equipment.
A problem with known retractors used in minimally invasive surgery is that the distal end profile or configuration of the device is fixed. A typical tubular retractor has a circular or elliptical transverse cross-section with the distal end lying in the plane perpendicular or slanted relative to the longitudinal axis. Other tubular distractors may have non-planar ends of varying configurations, such as having a spatula-like extension. Spreading retractors likewise have varying end configurations. Because the distal end configurations of the devices are fixed, the devices often fail to prevent creep or herniation of tissue at or around the distal end of the device, and this tissue creep can interfere with the necessary physical or visual access. This is particularly true when the distal end of the retractor device is positioned adjacent or near a bone, such as a vertebra for example, that does not have a planar or smooth outer contour, or where the retractor device is disposed at a non-perpendicular angle to the bone. In these circumstances it often becomes necessary for the surgeon to cut away the interfering tissue, thereby creating additional tissue damage that needs to heal and increasing the possibility of detrimental results such as bleeding, increased pain, infection and the like.
One attempted solution that is found in certain retractors of the spreadable blade type is to provide shim members that are mounted in interior channels disposed in each of the blades. The shim can be extended beyond the distal end of the blade by sliding the shim relative to the blade. The shortcomings of this solution to the problem of tissue creep is that the location of the shims are determined by the location of the blades after they have been positioned and spread. Thus, the surgeon cannot address the problem of tissue creep that occurs between the blades.
The invention at hand addresses this tissue creep problem by providing a retractor device for minimally invasive surgery that incorporates extension members in the form of shields or barriers that are selectively attached at, adjacent or to the end of a tubular retractor, and to the ends or sides of blade-type spreadable retractors, so as to extend therefrom in order to fill any gaps between the distal end or side of the retractor and the bone, organ or other body component of concern, such that tissue is precluded from creeping or herniating into the gap. The extensions may be mounted to the retractor at any point about or adjacent the distal end utilizing various mechanical joining techniques, and the extensions may vary in shape, size, thickness and other characteristics. The extensions may be preformed with a fixed curvature so as to match the interior curvature of the retractor, or they may be composed of a flexible material such that they adapt to the interior curvature of the retractor upon affixation. The extensions may be provided with teeth, apertures, slits or the like to better prevent tissue creep.
Specialized applicator equipment or tools are preferably provided that allow the surgeon to grasp or secure a particular extension, to insert the extension into and down the retractor, and to affix the extension to the interior wall or distal end of the retractor. Such equipment may take the form of forceps that retain the extension member during insertion and placement within the tubular retractor or other retractor blade.


In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, secure content objects are transcoded from an input format to an output format based upon identified capabilities of a receiving device. In one embodiment, a plurality of trusted processing components are identified to collectively transcode the secure content object from the identified input format to the determined output format. In one embodiment, each of the trusted processing components are authenticated prior to operating on the secure content object.

Electronic content can include a wide variety of audio and/or video presentations, such as music, dialogue, still pictures, movies, and the like. With the proliferation of portable playback devices on the market, which are capable of storing and rendering near-identical copies of original audio and/or video content, coupled with the distribution capabilities of the Internet, digital rights enforcement of audio and/or video content has become an increasingly important concern for digital content providers.
Likewise, due to the portability and extremely high playback quality afforded by digital playback devices, consumer adoption of such devices has skyrocketed in recent years. However, given the wide variety of digital playback devices on the market it is not always evident what a given device's capabilities are when it comes to content playback. For example, a first family of playback devices may support play back of digital content encoded with a first encoding/decoding algorithm (CODEC) and encryption algorithm, which might not be supported by a second family of playback devices.
Currently, consumers who wish to transfer secure content (that is content that has been protected by a digital rights management system or "DRM") to a playback device, are limited by both the type of device the content can be transferred to, as well as the operations that the playback device is allowed to perform on the content. Accordingly, a simplified mechanism for transferring secure content to playback devices is desired.

Auto-negotiation of content output formats using a secure component model