A fuel tank is formed by a blow molding apparatus and method wherein a blow pin provides pressurized gas into an interior of a parison received in a blow mold so the parison may be blown to shape within the mold cavity. When the blow pin is no longer needed, it is retracted from the mold and a pinch plate assembly is used to close off the opening in the molded part created by the blow pin. Thereafter, the mold may be opened and the molded part removed, the pinch plate assembly and moved back to its retracted position, and the blow mold pin may be advanced into the open mold for use with a subsequent parison so that the subsequent parison can be blow molded in the same manner.

Generally, in a blow molding process, a parison is extruded in a size and of an amount of material sufficient to create a desired part. The parison is placed into an open mold in which a blow pin may be oriented, and the mold is closed around the parison. Portions of the parison are pinched between halves of the mold as the mold is closed, and the parison is preferably received around the blow pin. A gas under pressure, such as air, is introduced into the interior of the parison through the blow pin to outwardly expand the parison into the mold and conform the parison to the shape of the mold cavity.
After the blowing procedure, the blow pin may be retracted from the mold and the molded part removed from the mold. Flashing is removed from the molded port at a trimming station, and other secondary finishing operations may be performed. A hole in the molded part where the blow pin was received is then closed with a plug or cover welded to the tank. A cover or plug welded over or in the opening may result in a gap in a barrier layer of the fuel tank thereby allowing increased emissions from the fuel tank. Also, there is a potential for failure in attaching the cover or plug to the fuel tank resulting in an increased scrap rate of fuel tanks produced by a blow molding operation.

Method and apparatus for making a blow molded fuel tank


An optical image stabilizer includes an optical system including at least one image shake counteracting optical element movable in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis; at least one stepping motor for moving the image shake counteracting optical element in the plane; at least one shake velocity sensor which senses the speed of shake applied to the optical system; and a controller which calculates the number of driving pulses for the stepping motor based on shake speed information output from the shake velocity sensor, and drives the stepping motor so that the image shake counteracting optical element moves in the plane to counteract image shake on an imaging surface of the optical system. The controller changes power supplied to the stepping motor in accordance with the shake speed information when driving the stepping motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical image stabilizer for an optical instrument and a method of controlling an optical image stabilizer incorporated in an optical instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of optical image stabilizer for an optical instrument typically operates to stabilize an object image on an imaging surface (imaging plane) by moving a part of an optical system of the optical instrument relative to the optical axis of the optical system in accordance with vibrations applied to the body of the optical instrument, and has often been incorporated especially in a digital camera or a pair of binoculars in recent years.
In a mobile optical instrument such as digital camera and binoculars, there has been a strong demand for an extension of a battery lifetime. Accordingly, there has been a demand for a reduction of power consumption of even the optical image stabilizer. Different types of drive sources such as a drive coil and a stepping motor (pulse motor) have been proposed as a drive source for moving an image-stabilizing optical element in the optical image stabilizer. In the case of a drive coil, the drive coil needs to be energized even when the image-stabilizing optical element is in a halted state in the drive-coil-using optical image stabilizer, whereas a stepping-motor-using optical image stabilizer has an advantage in that the image-stabilizing optical element can be halted without supplying power to the stepping motor when no image stabilizing operation is performed. Nevertheless, the power consumption of the stepping motor tends to be greater than that of the drive coil during an image-stabilizing operation.

Optical image stabilizer and a method of controlling the optical image stabilizer


An integrated optofluidic system for trapping and transporting particles for analysis is provided comprising a planar substrate; a microfluidic channel; and a waveguide integrated with the channel. A microsphere particle in the integrated optofluidic system can act as a cavity, allowing light to circulate many thousands of times around the circumference of the microsphere. Optical trapping and transport is used for nanoscale positioning to excite the microsphere resonances. Sensitive measurements on molecules can be accomplished by monitoring changes in whispering gallery modes (WGMs) that propagate around the circumference of the microsphere. By using a broadband or supercontinuum light source, a microsphere can be trapped and many WGM resonances can be excited through the visible and near-infrared wavelengths simultaneously. After the resonances are measured using the waveguide transmission, the microsphere can be freed by decreasing the optical power and the process repeated with a different microsphere.

Measurements of whispering gallery modes (WGMs) have been used successfully to detect the binding of single biomolecules (A. M. Armani, R. P. Kulkarni, S. E. Fraser, R. C. Flagan, and K. J. Vahala, "Label-free, single molecule detection with optical microcavities," Science 317(5839), 783-787 (2007)). WGM detection and measurement takes advantage of the resonant circulation of light around the circumference of a circular cavity to achieve such high sensitivities. However, coupling light into devices employing WGM detection and measurement is typically achieved using tapered optical fiber (F. Vollmer, D. Braun, A. Libchaber, M. Khoshsima, I. Teraoka, and S. Arnold, "Protein detection by optical shift of a resonant microcavity," Appl. Phys. Lett. 80(21), 4057-4059 (2002)) or a prism, and therefore a complete integrated system cannot be fabricated using standard photolithography techniques. There is a need in the art for label-free ultra-sensitive biosensors that can be miniaturized and integrated on a planar substrate and that can be fabricated using standard photolithography techniques.
Citation or identification of any reference in Section 2, or in any other section of this application, shall not be considered an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.

Integrated optofluidic system using microspheres


Systems and methods communicate an intent of an autonomous vehicle externally. In one implementation, traffic object(s) approaching an intersection towards which an autonomous vehicle autonomously navigates along a travel path is tracked. A position of the traffic object(s) relative to the intersection is determined when the autonomous vehicle is stopped at the intersection. A perceived possession of a right of way of the autonomous vehicle to enter the intersection is generated based on the position of the traffic object(s). A decision of whether to direct the autonomous vehicle into the intersection is generated based on the perceived possession of the right of way. An intent icon linked to an action of the autonomous vehicle is generated. The action is correlated with the decision of whether to direct the autonomous vehicle into the intersection. The intent icon is presented to an environment external to the autonomous vehicle.

Operators of machines, such as vehicles, often rely on behavior gestures and cues from other operators or persons in an environment of the machine to determine appropriate next actions, particular in contexts where operation of one machine affects the operation of another machine. For example, when drivers of a vehicle approach a traffic intersection, such as a four-way stop, the drivers typically make eye contact or otherwise scrutinize the behavior of the driver and her operation of the vehicle to infer the intent of the driver to enter the intersection. Autonomous machines, such as autonomous vehicles, operate to transport an occupant(s) through a series of autonomous decisions with limited to no input from the occupants beyond simply inputting a destination point. However, it is challenging for the autonomous vehicle to autonomously determine actions in contexts heavily involving behavioral communications and communicate an intent regarding such actions in those contexts. It is with these observations in mind, among others, that various aspects of the present disclosure were conceived and developed.

Systems and methods for communicating a machine intent


One embodiment of the invention includes a method for imparting a unique identifier to a molded polymeric article. The method includes providing a label comprising indicia having a thickness effective for embossing the polymeric article during molding and a melting point greater than the melting point of the molded polymeric article. The method also includes attaching the label to the article prior to vulcanization. The method further includes vulcanizing the article so that indicia emboss the molded polymeric article by forming indentations in the molded polymeric article.

In 2000, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) required automobile manufacturers to recall thousands of tires because of accidents allegedly resulting from tire tread separation. Suspect tires were traced back through the tire manufacturer's quality records. However, no records existed in the vehicle chassis assembly process to link tires' serial numbers to the vehicle identification number (VIN). Legislation passed by Congress and the Department of Transportation now requires automobile manufacturers to implement a tracking system to link the tires' serial numbers and VIN. Additionally, tire and automobile manufacturers have been encouraged to implement a more reliable and accurate method of tracking the DOT code, tire serial numbers, size, type, date, manufacturing plant, and mold machine for every tire and to tie this information to the VIN.
The tire recalls were massive because no data existed as to which tire lots and/or tire manufacturing dates had been installed on specific vehicles. Tire manufacturers had been relying upon hand stamping tires with lot and date codes using indelible ink or using raised bar code symbols directly embossed or molded into the surface of a tire to track and identify tires. However, the low data density of these systems prevented them from incorporating the required data storage volume. The molding technology increased tire manufacturing costs while limiting flexibility for incorporating on-demand variable data.
Other technologies providing high-density machine readable data include U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,217 which describes a passive radio frequency identification transponder tag which is interrogated by a radio frequency field from outside of the tire. This radio frequency identification is susceptible to radio wave interference and damage from vulcanization heat/pressure during the tire's manufacturing/tag mounting process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,383 discloses a tire label permanently mounted to an inner liner of the tire for tracking of the tire's serial numbers throughout the entire life of the tire up to and including retreading of the tire. The label is manufactured using a SPBD/rubber blend which is permanently affixed to the inside of the tire where it is cured along with the tire in a mold by the heat and pressure of the vulcanization curing process. Mounted on the inside of the tire, the label is only readable when the tire casing has been removed from the tire rim. U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,354 discloses a magnetically encodable tag in a sequential tape format that is encoded with tire's identifying data which is applied to the side wall material of a green tire. The magnetically encoded tape and associated encoding and decoding equipment increase the tire costs.
The use of magnetically encodable tags in tape format written sequentially with tire identifying data and applied to the sidewall material of a green tire is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,354. The encoded data is readable from the tire at any point in the tire's manufacturing process and the signals indicative of the tire's identification number are converted to an alphanumeric display and/or fed to a process control computer for on-line quality assurance and control or stored as a recorded history of the tire manufacturing process for inventory control.
The use of a resin based film type substrate used for a tire's production control label is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,918. The label surface is printed with a bar code and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer is formed via a primer layer on the back side of the label surface. The printing does not become blurred or erased under the high temperatures and high pressures during vulcanization.
An apparatus and method for supplying a graphic label that is readable with a light scanning device when the label placed on a rubber article such as a tire is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,407. The graphic bar code label is optically interpreted by a bar code reader. Printing is applied using thermal transfer techniques.
A label is designed to be disposed on an unvulcanized raw rubber tire and then fixed to the finished tire by vulcanization using heat and pressure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,772. The indication label has a label base material with a heat-resistant plastic film and an abrasive surface coating layer formed on the upper surface of the plastic film. The abrasive surface includes a hardened resin and filler. An indication defined by an ink layer is disposed on the abrasive surface. A rubber adhesive laminated on the lower surface of the plastic film adheres the label to the tire. The label is constructed by forming the ink layer on the exterior side of the abrasive surface coating layer. The abrasive surface has a profile and roughness for preserving the quality of the indication.
Current label designs for labeling tires use conformable films such as biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) or polyolefins (blends of polypropylene and polyethylene) for the label face stock. These films conform well to a tire surface, but as the tire ages there are components within the rubber compounds that bleed and migrate to the surface and interact with the label's film. Migration is also a problem for tires exposed to elevated temperatures, for example within a trailer during storage/transportation during summer months. This migration of waxes, oils, lubricants, plasticizers and other low molecular weight additives into the label adhesive and label film not only discolors the label but also impacts the adhesive bond of the label film, making it weaker and likely to lift or flag.

Permanent marking of molded rubber products


The present invention relates to a method and system for implementing protocol redundancy in a router. In particular, the invention relates to providing redundancy of multi protocol label switching (MPLS). In one aspect, the present invention provides MPLS redundancy wherein all protocol states are mirrored. An active processor provides MPLS operations. In the present invention, a standby processor is coupled to the active processor. During the initial synchronization, all protocol information from the active processor is forwarded to the standby processor. The protocol information can include event information and state information. Thereafter, any updates of protocol information are immediately forwarded to the standby processor in an orderly and controlled manner. Upon failure of the active processor, the standby processor takes over as the active processor. All MPLS protocol operations are performed on the new active processor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to optical communications and more particularly to a multi-service optical communication network.
2. Description of the Related Art
While Internet Protocol ("IP") traffic will represent more than 90 percent of the total public communication network traffic by 2002 and communication service providers plan to invest more than $70 billion in core routing and optical transmission equipment to significantly expand their IP/optical backbone networks, revenues from IP services will only approach $25 billion, which represents only a third of the total communication network services revenue pool of $75 billion. This revenue dilemma is primarily the result of extensive competition in the Internet access market, which has essentially resulted in commodity, flat rate pricing. Extensive use of graphics, audio and video content has driven average utilization up significantly, yet the user is charged the same rate. Service providers must add capacity in the network core without any corresponding increase in revenue. The real challenge for service providers is how to generate more revenue from their IP/optical backbones. By taking advantage of the latest advances in IP quality of service ("QoS"), multiprotocol label switching ("MPLS"), and service transformation technology (the conversion of non-IP services to IP), service providers can evolve dedicated IP infrastructures into a multi-service network architecture, as an alternative to operating separate service-specific networks. The new network architecture is a single multi-service network using IP as the underlying protocol for all service delivery. This allows service providers to supplement IP revenues with other established network service revenues from frame relay, TDM private lines and ATM, resulting in faster payback of the tremendous carrier investment in their IP/optical networks.
However, the multi-service network architecture must have the reliability of the networks it intends to supplement or replace. Fault tolerance must start at the network edge where services converge. IP edge routers currently deployed at the edges of IP/optical networks only support IP services. These routers have roots in enterprise and are therefore not particularly fault tolerant. When IP edge routers lose their primary control circuitry and operation falls back to a redundant controller, a five- to 15-minute outage ensues while the router relearns the routing states and packet forwarding tables. Such outages, while acceptable in a simple single service IP network, are intolerable in a multi-service network architecture. Therefore there is a need for high reliability in the multi-service network.
It is desirable to provide high network availability by providing improved redundancy using a backup link level process in total real time synchronization with an active one in order to enable an expeditious switchover when a failure occurs on the active control card.

Method and system for implementing MPLS redundancy


A modularly-structured gripping mechanism for robots, machines, and handling devices comprises at least one movable gripping finger that sits directly or indirectly on a finger module and works counter to a stationary or movable finger. The finger module consists of a slide unit that comprises a housing and a slide made from an aluminum section which is hollow all the way through and has multiple bore holes. The housing consists of a frame and multiple rods which extend parallel to one another, between the end faces, and prestress all parts of the housing. The rods simultaneously function as guide rods for the slides. A very stable gripping mechanism for heavy loads is produced by form-fittingly mounting any number of finger modules on a flange case. The finger modules can have their own drive or can share one drive.

The invention relates to a modularly structured gripping mechanism for robots, machines, and handling devices, which comprises at least one finger module that comprises a slide unit, the slide unit carrying, either directly or by means of other mechanisms, a gripping finger that works counter to a different stationary or movable gripping finger.
WO 2006/034238 A2 depicts a gripping mechanism from the same genre having two gripping fingers that are each guided by a prismatic joint on three rods. The hollow center of the slide is embodied as a pneumatic cylinder, the compressed air traveling inside the piston rod via three axial bores into the cylinder chamber and the two gripping fingers being synchronized by means of racks and pinion. When the gripping fingers are extended outward, this gripping mechanism is very torsionally flexible and is not able to hold heavy loads horizontally if the gripping fingers are long. In addition, it is not possible to build a gripping mechanism with more than two fingers using this principle.
In contrast, the underlying object of the invention is to create a modularly structured gripping system for especially heavy loads such that the greatest loadability is attained with respect to flection and torsion and the highest flexibility is attained in terms of number of fingers, finger arrangement, selection of the drive, and geometric arrangement of the fingers, with a minimum of material expense and unladen weight.
This object is attained in accordance with the invention with the features listed in claim 1.
The subordinate claims depict advantageous refinements of the invention.

Modular gripping mechanism for heavy loads


In chemical structure of a fulgide type photochromic compound having the following general formula; ##STR1## introduction of electron donative groups into its heteroaromatic structure is effective in improving the long wave length sensitivity without any lowering in its thermal stability. Thanks to such combined functional properties, the products are advantageously used for optical recording media, copying media, printing media, optical filters and display materials.

The present invention relates to a photochromic compound, and more particularly relates to a fulgide type photochromic compound advantageously used for optical recording and copying media.
Fulgide compounds are widely known as one of typical photochromic compounds as disclosed, for example, in Japanese patent publication Sho. 60-52150 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,708. In chemical structure of a fulgide compound, two methylenecarbons of succinic anhydride or its derivatives are each accompanied with an alkylidene group. When irradiated with a light of a constant wave length, a fulgide compound exhibits change in chemical structure and, on irradiation with a light of a particular wave length, resumes its initial chemical structure.
Utilizing such a photochemical property, fulgide compounds are generally used for optical recording and copying media. When used for such applications, a photochromic compound is required to have the following functional properties.
(i) High durability against repeated use, i.e. possibility in repeated recording and erasing of information.
(ii) Good thermal stability in darkness, i.e. reliable maintenance of colored and uncolored form.
(iii) High long wave length sensitivity, i.e. fitness to semiconductor lasers.
(iv) Non-destructive reading.
It is reported by H. G. Heller that a photochromic compound having high long wave length sensitivity can be obtained by changing the heteroaromatic structure of a fulgide compound from furan via thiophen to pyrrole as follows; ##STR2##
This change in heteroaromatic structure makes the maximum absorption wave length rise up to 600 nm. Despite this merit, high aromatic character of the pyrrole tends to degrade thermal stability of the colored form of the compound [see A. Kaneko et al, Bull, Chem, Soc, Jpn., 3569 (1988)].
For effective use of a photochromic compound, the compound is required to suffice the above-described three functions (i) to (iii) together. Change in heteroaromatic structure proposed by Heller cannot assure provision of such an excellent photochromic compound.


A novel vaccine formulation is provided, comprising a hepatitis B component, particularly hepatitis B surface antigen, in combination with aluminum phosphate and 3 de-O-acylated monophosphoryl lipid A.

The present invention relates to novel vaccine formulations, methods for preparing them and to their use in therapy. In particular the present invention relates to novel formulations for treating Hepatitis infections and to combination vaccine formulations including a Hepatitis B vaccine component.
Viral hepatitis, caused by the A, B, C, D, and E hepatitis viruses, is a very common viral illness. Via the B and C viruses, in particular, it is also responsible for many cases of liver cancer. Thus the development of effective vaccines is critical and, despite notable successes, is still an on-going task. A review on modem hepatitis vaccines, including a number of key references, may be found in the Lancet, May 12th 1990 at page 1142 ff (Prof A. L. W. F. Eddleston). See also xe2x80x98Viral Hepatitis and Liver Diseasexe2x80x99 (Vyas, B. N., Dienstag, J. L., and Hoofnagle, J. H., eds, Grune and Stratton, Inc. (1984) and xe2x80x98Viral Hepatitis and Liver Diseasexe2x80x99 (Proceedings of the 1990 International Symposium, eds F. B. Hollinger, S. M. Lemon and H. Margolis, published by Williams and Wilkins).
As used herein the expression xe2x80x98hepatitis B antigenxe2x80x99 is used to refer to any antigenic material derived from a hepatitis B virus which may be used to induce immunity to the virus in humans.
Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a widespread problem but vaccines which can be used for mass immunisation are now available, for example the product xe2x80x98Engerix-Bxe2x80x99 (SmithKline Beecham plc) which is obtained by genetic engineering techniques.
The preparation of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is well documented. See. for example, Harford et al in Develop. Biol. Standard 54, page 125 (1983), Greg et al in Biotechnology, 5, page 479 (1987), EP-A- 0 226 846, EP-A-0 299 108 and references therein.
As used herein the expression xe2x80x98Hepatitis B surface antigenxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98HBsAgxe2x80x99 includes any HBsAg antigen or fragment thereof displaying the antigenicity of HBV surface antigen. It will be understood that in addition to the 226 amino acid sequence of the HBsAg S antigen (see Tiollais et al, Nature, 317, 489 (1985) and references therein) HBsAg as herein described may, if desired, contain all or part of a pre-S sequence as described in the above references and in EP-A- 0 278 940. In particular the HBsAg may comprise a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence comprising residues 12-52 followed by residues 133-145 followed by residues 175-400 of the L-protein of HBsAg relative to the open reading frame on a Hepatitis B virus of ad serotype (this polypeptide is referred to as L*; see EP 0 414 374). HBsAs within the scope of the invention may also include the preS1-preS2-S polypeptide described in EP 0 198 474 (Endotronics) or analogues thereof such as those described in EP 0 304 578 (Mc Cormick and Jones). HBsAg as herein described can also refer to mutants, for example the xe2x80x98escape mutantxe2x80x99 described in WO 91/14703 or European Patent Application Publication Number 0 511 855 A1, especially HBsAg wherein the amino acid substitution at position 145 is to arginine from glycine.
Normally the HBsAg will be in particle form. The particles may comprise for example S protein alone or may be composite particles, for example (L*,S) where L* is as defined above and S denotes the S-protein of HBsAg. The said particle is advantageously in the form in which it is expressed in yeast.
Whilst experimental and commercially available Hepatitis vaccines, for example Engerix-B, afford excellent results it is an accepted fact that an optimal vaccine needs to stimulate not only neutralising antibody but also needs to stimulate as effectively as possible cellular immunity mediated through T-cells. International Patent Application No. WO 93/19780, discloses combination vaccines with a hepatitis B component based on a hepatitis B surface antigen, aluminium hydroxide and 3-de-O-acylated monophosphoryl Lipid A. A formulation comprising aluminium phosphate was not suggested.
Surprisingly, the present invention provides a formulation up to four times more potent than those described in WO 93/19780.
Accordingly the present invention provides a vaccine comprising a hepatitis B antigen in conjunction with 3-O-deacylated monophosphoryl lipid A (abbreviated herein to MPL) and aluminum phosphate.
3-O-deacylated monophosphoryl lipid A (or 3 De-O-acylated monophosphoryl lipid A) has formerly been termed 3D-MPL or d3-MPL to indicate that position 3 of the reducing end glucosamine is de-O-acylated. For preparation, see GB 2 220 211 A Chemically it is a mixture of 3-deacylated monophosphoryl lipid A with 4, 5 or 6 acylated chains. Herein the term 3D-MPL (or d3-MPL) is abbreviated to MPL since xe2x80x98MPLxe2x80x99 is a Registered Trademark of Ribi Immunochem., Montana which is used by Ribi to denote unambiguously their 3-O-deacylated monophosphoryl lipid A product.
Preferably in the compositions of the present invention small particle MPL is used. Small particle MPL has a particle size generally less than 120 nm. Such preparations are described in International Patent Application No. WO 94/21292.
GB 2 220 21 1A mentions that the endotoxicity of the previously used enterobacterial lipopolysacharides (LPS) is reduced while the immunogenic properties are conserved. However GB 2 220 211 cited these findings merely in connection with bacterial (Gram negative) systems.
Surprisingly, however, it has been found that vaccine compositions according to the invention comprising hepatitis B viral antigens have particularly advantageous properties as described herein.
A particular advantage is that the vaccine formulations of the invention are very effective in inducing protective immunity, even with very low doses of antigen.
The new vaccine formulations allow immunogenicity enhancements equivalent to currently available hepatitis B formulations after two doses. In particular equivalent levels of antibodies were obtained in a human clinical trial after two doses of vaccine compared with three doses of Engerix-B.
They provide excellent protection against primary infection and stimulate advantageously both specific humoral (neutralising antibodies) and also effector cell mediated (DTH) immune responses.
A further important advantage is that vaccine compositions according to the invention may also be used as therapeutic vaccines.
The MPL as defined,above will normally be present in the range of 10-100 xcexcg, preferably 25-50 xcexcg per doe,wherein the Hepatitis B antigen will be typically present in a range 2-50 xcexcg per dose and the aluminum phosphate will be in the range 500 xcexcg (Al 3+) per dose.
An embodiment of the invention is HBsAg S antigen (for example as in Engerix-B) in admixture with MPL and aluminum phosphate as described herein below.
A further specific embodiment of the invention is HBsAg antigen as (L*,S) particles, defined herein above, in admixture with MPL and aluminum phosphate.
The invention in a further aspect provides a vaccine formulation as described herein for use in medical therapy, particularly for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of hepatitis viral infections. In a preferred aspect the vaccine according to the invention is a therapeutic vaccine useful for the treatment of ongoing hepatitis B infections.
In another aspect, the hepatitis vaccine composition of the invention contains other antigens so that it is effective in the treatment or prophylaxis of one or more other bacterial, viral or fungal infections.
Accordingly the hepatitis vaccine formulation according to an embodiment of the invention contains at least one other component selected from other hepatitis antigens, in particular hepatitis A antigen, or non-hepatitis antigens which are known in the art to afford protection against one or more of the following: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib), and polio. Antigens against meningitidis A, B, or C may also be included.
Preferably the vaccine according to the invention includes HBsAg as herein above defined.
Particular combination vaccines within the scope of the invention include a DTP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) -hepatitis B combination vaccine formulation, an Hib-Hepatitis B vaccine formulation, a DTP-Hib-Hepatitis B vaccine formulation and an IPV (inactivated polio vaccine) -DTP-Hib-Hepatitis B vaccine formulation.
The hepatitis vaccine or the above combinations may advantageously include a component which is protective against Hepatitis A, especially the killed attenuated strain derived from the HM-175 strain as is present in Havrix.
Suitable components for use in such vaccines are already commercially available and details may be obtained from the World Health Organisation. For example the IPV component may be the Salk inactivated polio vaccine. The pertussis vaccine may comprise whole cell or acellular product, formulated with Diphtheria and Tetanus antigen such as Infanrix DTPa, which comprises three B. perrussis antigens:69KDa, pertussis Toxin (inactivated), and FHA.
In one aspect the hepatitis or combination vaccine according to the invention may be a paediatric vaccine.
Vaccine preparation is generally described in New Trends and Developments in Vaccines, edited by Voller et al., University Park Press, Baltimore, Md. U.S.A. 1979. Encapsulation within liposomes is described, for example, by Fullerton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,877. Conjugation of proteins to macromolecules is disclosed, for example, by Likhite, U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,945 and by Armor et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,757.
The amount of antigen in each vaccine dose is selected as an amount which induces an immunoprotective response without significant, adverse side effects in typical vaccinees. Such amount will vary depending on which specific antigens, are employed. Generally it is expected that each dose will comprise 1-1000 xcexcg of total antigen, preferably 2-200 xcexcg. An optimal amount for a particular vaccine can be ascertained by standard studies involving observation of antibody titres and other responses in subjects. Following an initial vaccination, subjects may receive one or more booster doses, for example after 2 and 6 months.
In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacture of a vaccine effective in preventing or treating hepatitis infection, wherein the method comprises mixing the hepatitis antigen as defined herein with aluminum phosphate and MPL.
Using this method one or more additional components are preferably admixed with HBsAg to provide a combination vaccine. Several methods of mixing the components may be used. In one method each antigen may be separately absorbed on aluminum phosphate and after a period of time MPL may be added to each before adding the blending solution.
It will be appreciated that the invention also provides a method of inducing neutralising antibody titres in the range of 10 mU for hepatitis B in a human susceptible to or suffering from hepatitis B infection by administering a composition as herein defined in no more than two doses.
In another aspect, the invention provides the use of a composition as herein defined for the manufacture of a vaccine for the induction of neutralising antibodies in the range of 10 mU for hepatitis B in humans preferably after no more than two doses.


A log band saw blade for primary wood processing, consisting of a series of different modules (M1, M2, M3 . . . ) or identical modules, each including a number of teeth (D) having variable characteristics determined in accordance with all the relevant technical criteria. In each module, the tooth portion located in front of the lowest point has a variable shape (FV) while the tooth portion located therebehind has a constant shape (FC).

The invention relates to the initial processing of timber, i.e. all sawmill activities including the cutting up of trunks on a band-saw as well as pick-up of cut lengths.
Currently, band-saw blades for woodworking are made of special cold-rolled hardened strip steel and have various cross sections defined by their width and thickness.
Current technology offers single-cut or double-cut blade or blades with a relieved or constant-pitch tooth pattern over the entire length of the blade for a given cross section.

Log mill band-saw blade for initial processing of timber and derivatives thereof

Manufacture Forezienne De Lames De Scies S.A.


An aircraft engine mounting assembly using a clevis type joint to connect a link is provided with a mounting pin assembly disposed in an aperture of the link having inexpensive and easily replaceable concentric inner and outer non-rotational bushings surrounding a conventional pin and corresponding oppositely disposed sets of inner flat contact surfaces on the outer surface of inner bushing and outer flat contact surfaces on the inner surface of the outer bushing which provide reduced contact stresses between the pin and the aperture as compared to conventional assemblies. The contact surfaces are in general sliding engagement in the longitudinal direction and are provided with clearances between the inner and outer bushings in the longitudinal and transverse directions to allow for thermal growth of the engine.

A gas turbine engine is typically mounted below an aircraft wing or within an aircraft tail section to a pylon. The engine is typically mounted at both its forward end and at its aft end for transmitting loads to the pylon. The loads typically include vertical loads such as the weight of the engine itself, axial loads due to the thrust generated by the engine, side loads such as wind buffeting, and roll loads or moments due to rotary operation of the engine. The mounts must also accommodate both axial and radial thermal expansion and contraction of the engine relative to the supporting pylon.
In one type of aft mount, a support bracket is fixedly joined to the pylon by two spaced pins in a plane extending perpendicularly through the centerline of the engine, and to a turbine frame in the engine by a third pin in an L-shaped configuration. Spaced circumferentially from the bracket is a simple link which is pivotally joined to both the pylon and the frame. The bracket is provided so that the aft mount assembly can accommodate in-plane loads, i.e. those in a single vertical axial plane extending perpendicularly to the engine longitudinal centerline axis, including the vertical loads, side or horizontal loads, and roll loads or moments, and, therefore, the bracket does not rotate. By rigidly joining the bracket to the pylon at two points and to the frame at a single point, the bracket can transfer in-plane loads from the frame to the pylon through tension, compression, and bending of the bracket.
The link, however, by being pivotally joined between the pylon and frame can only transfer tensile and compressive loads along its longitudinal axis between its mounting pins. The link is otherwise free to rotate in-plane relative to the pylon and frame. Allowing the link to rotate is required for accommodating radial expansion and contraction of the frame without introducing additional reaction stresses which would otherwise occur if the link connection to the frame were prevented from moving relative to the bracket connection to the frame during thermal expansion and contraction.
This exemplary aft mount may further include a failsafe bracket disposed between the support bracket and link which is normally not a load bearing member, but is provided solely for carrying loads upon failure of either the link or support bracket. The failsafe bracket is fixedly joined at its proximal end to the pylon and includes an aperture at its distal end through which is positioned a pin fixedly joined to the frame. A predetermined clearance is provided between the pin and the aperture so that during normal operation of the mount, no loads are transferred from the frame to the pylon through the failsafe bracket. However, upon failure of either the link or the support bracket, the pin will contact the failsafe bracket at its aperture for transferring loads through the failsafe bracket from the frame to the pylon which would otherwise be transmitted through the failed member. The failsafe bracket is fixedly joined to the pylon and does not rotate to ensure that it also can transfer all in-plane loads including vertical and horizontal loads. This is required because the link is allowed to pivot and is, therefore, unable to transfer all in-plane loads if the support bracket were to fail.
This exemplary failsafe bracket is relatively large and heavy for accommodating the required in-plane loads therethrough, and also affects the ability to obtain a compact aft mount which must typically fit within a limited envelope between the engine and the pylon without adversely affecting the airflow over the outer surfaces of the engine nacelle and the pylon fairing.
Furthermore, in order to fit the aft mount in this limited envelope, the distance between the two pins of the support bracket joined to the pylon is typically shorter than the distance between the pin of the support bracket joined to the frame and the middle pin, in the corner of the L, of the support bracket on the pylon. Accordingly, a transverse (with respect to the axis of the pin) load acting on the pin at the frame bends the support bracket about the middle pin and results in an amplified reaction couple shear load acting on the middle pin which must be suitably accommodated, by providing a larger diameter pin, for example, to ensure acceptable life.
An improved engine mount was developed to overcome these deficiencies and is the subject of a U.S. patent application No. 07/821,376, entitled "Aircraft Engine Mount", by L. Seelen et al., filed on Jan. 16, 1992, and is assigned to the present assignee. This engine mount provided an improved simpler failsafe apparatus and is lighter in weight than conventional engine mounts. This engine mount is also more compact and effective for reducing reaction couple shear pin loads.
This aircraft engine mount provides a frame fixedly joined in a gas turbine engine, and a platform fixedly joined to an aircraft pylon. A first link is pivotally joined to the frame and the platform at first and second joints, respectively. The first link is additionally joined to the platform at a third joint having a clevis and pin which allows longitudinal movement between the first link and the platform at the third joint while preventing rotation of the first link. A second link is circumferentially spaced from the first link and is pivotally joined to the frame and platform at fourth and fifth joints, respectively, and is additionally joined to the platform at a sixth joint by a clevis and pin for allowing limited rotation of the second link during normal operation while preventing rotation of the second link upon a failure of the first link to carry load.
However, the clevis and pin joint, which allows limited translational and rotational movement, is subject to contact stresses between the bearing surfaces of the clevis and pin joint because of the very high side loads they are subject to during rotational movement of the pin within the clevis. Therefore the bearing surfaces are subject to significant deterioration such as coining or distortion of the contact surface. This can rapidly increase the relative motion of the engine to the pylon throughout the aircraft life. This translational joint that prevents engine rotation needs a bearing surface that exhibits low wear and long life.


A suction device which can be protected after use. The suction device includes an elongated suction tube having a suction tip at one end. A retractable, protective sheath is connected to the tube and extendable over the exposed length of the suction tube. A closure is secured to the free end of the sheath, and includes a cap which can be pivoted to a closed position. So as to avoid contamination, an automatic closer is provided to pivot the cap to the closed position.

This invention relates to suction devices for medical purposes, and in particular to a covered suction device with a retractable, protective sheath and with a closure secured to the sheath. The closure includes a cap which is automatically closed when the sheath is deployed.
Suction devices, for aspirating fluids from the body, are well known. Such suction devices typically include an elongated suction tube which is connectable at one end to a source of suction. The other end includes a tip having one or more holes leading to the suction tube to aid in aspiration as the suction device is being used.
The problem with prior suction devices is contamination. Suction devices are typically used over a period of time, and once first used, the device is contaminated. If the device is not protected in some manner, once it has been used, if it is laid aside for later use, it can further become contaminated by ambient contaminants, and transfer those contaminants to the patient the next time that it is used. Conversely, once it has been used on a sick patient, whatever ailment that is suffered by the patient can be passed from the suction device to whatever surface upon which it might be laid between uses, leading to contamination transferred from the patient to others. It is therefore important that the suction device be protected in some manner, both to protect the patient as well as others.
In the past, protection has been by means of providing a sterile surface upon which the suction device can be placed between uses. While that generally is satisfactory for largely eliminating passage of any contaminants from the patient, with the suction device being open to the ambient surroundings between uses, it still is subject to contamination by the surroundings, with that contamination then being passed back to the patient the next time that the suction device is used.
It is therefore important to provide a suction device which is both protected from passing contaminates from the patient to other patients and the surroundings, as well as being protected from passing ambient contamination back to the patient.
The invention is directed to a suction device comprising an elongated suction tube having opposite ends. A connector is located at one end of the suction tube, and a suction tip is located at the other end of the suction tube. A retractable, protective sheath surrounds at least a portion of the suction tube, with the sheath having one end secured to the suction tube and an opposite free end. A closure is secured to the free end, with a closure having a moveable cap. An automatic cap closer is associated with the cap to appropriately close the cap over the tip.
In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, the cap is pivotal, and the automatic cap closer comprises a manipulator for the cap. The manipulator preferably comprises a pivot wheel which extends about a pivot axis for the cap, with the cap being secured to the pivot wheel. Preferably the pivot wheel has a roughened outer surface to provide sufficient friction when the pivot wheel engages the suction tip.
In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, the suction tip includes an enlargement which is engageable by the pivot wheel. The enlargement preferably comprises an enlarged circumference of the suction tip which is greater than the circumference of the remaining portion of the suction tube.
The preferred form of the closure comprises a cylindrical body, with the cap being pivotally attached to one side of the cylindrical body at one end of the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body has an internal dimension which closely matches the circumference of the suction tip, both to provide a sufficient seal and also engage the pivot wheel when the sheath is deployed to cover the tip.
The connector can be formed in any well-known manner to connect to a source of suction. The connector can form part of a handle which includes a suction control. The suction control can be formed to be manipulated in order to control the amount of suction at the suction tip.


A semiconductor device provided with: a first interconnection layer provided on a semiconductor substrate; an interlevel insulation film provided over the first interconnection layer; a second interconnection layer of gold provided as an uppermost interconnection layer on the interlevel insulation film; and a barrier layer provided between the first interconnection layer and the second interconnection layer in an interlevel connection opening formed in the interlevel insulation film. The barrier layer includes a first sublayer provided in contact with the first interconnection layer to reduce a contact resistance, a second sublayer provided in contact with the second interconnection layer to improve a bonding strength, and a third sublayer provided between the first sublayer and the second sublayer. The first sublayer, the second sublayer and the third sublayer are, for example, a first tantalum sublayer, a second tantalum sublayer and a tantalum nitride sublayer, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a plurality of interconnection layers and to a production method for the semiconductor device.
2. Description of Related Art
Semiconductor devices generally include a semiconductor substrate, a functional device provided in a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a multi-level interconnection structure provided on the semiconductor substrate. The multi-level interconnection structure typically includes a plurality of interconnection layers stacked with the intervention of interlevel insulation films, and connection between the interconnection layers is achieved through contact holes formed in the interlevel insulating films.
Aluminum is conventionally employed as an interconnection material, but has a limitation in reduction of the resistance of the interconnection. As the sectional area of the interconnection is reduced with microminiaturization of the semiconductor device, a problem associated with the resistance of the interconnection arises. Particularly, there is a demand for reduction of the resistances of a ground line and a power line.
In this connection, the inventor of the present invention, for example, has proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2002-217284 that a gold layer is employed as an uppermost interconnection layer for the reduction of the resistance of the interconnection.
In this prior art, a barrier layer of a titanium thin film is disposed between an aluminum interconnection layer and the uppermost gold interconnection layer electrically connected to each other through a contact hole, so that migration of aluminum is prevented by the barrier layer.
However, gold is a highly diffusible material. Where the semiconductor device is allowed to stand at a high temperature for a long period of time (e.g., at 400° C. for 30 minutes to 1 hour) in an alloying process, for example, gold easily diffuses into the aluminum interconnection layer.
In addition, the titanium thin film has a poor anti-corrosion property. Where the semiconductor device is used in an environment like a pressure cooker test (PCT) environment, the aluminum interconnection layer is liable to be corroded, resulting in breakdown of the semiconductor device.

Semiconductor device and production method therefor


A ball joint assembly (10) includes a housing (12) having a socket chamber (20). A bearing (22) is disposed in the socket chamber. A ball stud has a head end portion (30) enclosed by the bearing (22) and a shank portion (34) which extends out of the housing (12). A retainer (38) applies force against an outer end portion (40) of the bearing (22) to press an inner end portion (44) of the bearing firmly against a locating surface (46) of the housing. A torque adjustment assembly (64) is operable to adjust the torque required to rotate the ball stud (32) about a longitudinal central axis (36) of the shank portion (34). The torque adjustment assembly (64) includes a force transmitting member (70) and an adjustment member (72). The adjustment member (72) is operable to press the force transmitting member (70) against the flexible inner end portion (26) of the bearing to vary the force applied against the head end portion (30) of the ball stud (32).

The present invention relates to a ball joint assembly, and more specifically to a ball joint assembly in which the amount of torque required to rotate a ball stud can be adjusted.
A known ball joint assembly has a housing with a socket chamber. A bearing is disposed in the socket chamber. A ball stud has a head end portion enclosed by the bearing and a shank portion extending out of the housing. A retainer ring is provided to hold the bearing in the housing. A ball joint assembly having this known construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,114.


A dual-mode mobile station (125) transmits an AMPS signal (Td AMPS) concurrently during transmission of a DS CDMA signal (Td DS CDMA) for purposes of handoff of the mobile station from the DS CDMA system to AMPS. Scanning receivers (221) at surrounding AMPS base-stations (135-138) measure the quality of the AMPS signal (Td AMPS) and determine the best base-station for handoff. To ensure a strong signal during concurrent transmission, other mobile stations not undergoing handoff are instructed to notch their transmissions during transmission by mobile station (125) of the AMPS signal (Td AMPS).

Communication systems designed to incorporate the characteristic of communicating with many remote mobile stations for brief intervals and occupying common radio spectrum resources are termed multiple access communication systems. One type of communication system which can be a multiple access system is a spread spectrum system. In a spread spectrum system, a modulation technique is utilized in which a transmitted signal is spread over a wide frequency band within the communication channel. The frequency band is much wider than the minimum bandwidth required to transmit the information being sent. A voice signal, for example, can be sent with amplitude modulation (AM) in a bandwidth only twice that of the information itself. Other forms of modulation, such as low deviation frequency modulation (FM) or single sideband AM, also permit information to be transmitted in a bandwidth comparable to the bandwidth of the information itself. However, in a spread spectrum system, the modulation of a signal to be transmitted often includes taking a baseband signal (e.g., a voice channel) with a bandwidth of only a few kilohertz, and distributing the signal to be transmitted over a frequency band that may be many megahertz wide. This is accomplished by modulating the signal to be transmitted with the information to be sent and with a wideband encoding signal.
Information (i.e. a message signal) can be embedded in the spread spectrum signal by several methods. One method is to add the information to the spreading code before it is used for spreading modulation. This technique can be used in direct sequence and frequency hopping systems. It will be noted that the information being sent must be in a digital form prior to adding it to the spreading code, because the combination of the spreading code and the information, typically a binary code, involves modulo-2 addition. Alternatively, the information or message signal may be used to modulate a carrier before spreading it.
Thus, a spread spectrum system must have two properties: (1) the transmitted bandwidth should be much greater than the bandwidth or rate of the information being sent and (2) some function other than the information being sent is employed to determine the resulting modulated channel bandwidth.
A specific type of spread spectrum communication technique known as direct sequence works by modulating a carrier with a digital code sequence whose bit rate is much higher than the information signal bandwidth.
Multiple communication channels are allocated by using a plurality of spreading codes within a portion of radio spectrum, each code being uniquely assigned to a mobile station. The unique spreading codes are preferably orthogonal to one another such that the cross-correlation between the spreading codes is approximately zero. Particular transmitted signals can be retrieved from the communication channel by de-spreading a signal representative of the sum of signals in the communication channel with a spreading code related to the particular transmitted signal which is to be retrieved from the communication channel. Further, when the spreading codes are orthogonal to one another, the received signal can be correlated with a particular spreading code such that only the desired signal related to the particular spreading code is retrieved.
Handoff of the spread spectrum mobile between cell-sites in a spread spectrum system is accomplished by using the Mobile Assisted Handoff (MAHO) functions of the mobile stations. Typically, the spread spectrum mobile station makes measurements on pilot channels belonging to each cell-site. Pilot channels are unique codes in the spread spectrum system that the mobile station knows of a priori. The measurement of any one pilot channel is composed of a strength indication and a phase measurement of the pilot relative to a time standard used by the spread spectrum system. The list of pilot channels for the mobile station to use in determining handoff suitability is communicated to the mobile station at call setup time or via a special message during traffic channel operations. When the mobile station observes that the measured strength of a particular pilot channel exceeds a predetermined threshold, the mobile station shall signal the base station with this information in a request for handoff. Handoff is then enacted at the discretion of the base station equipment.
A special form of handoff known as "soft handoff" is possible in the direct sequence spread spectrum system. This is due to the fact that all communications between mobile stations and base stations take place on the same frequency/communications channel. Soft handoff allows the mobile station to communicate with several base stations simultaneously, thus enhancing reception by both the base station equipment and mobile stations.
Narrowband frequency modulation (FM) systems impart intelligence to a carrier by varying the frequency of the carrier within a predetermined range (maximum deviation). Such systems are known, and one such example applied to cellular communications is the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) cellular system specified by the Electronic Industries Association. Because narrowband systems like AMPS do not support MAHO, handoff of a mobile station from one cell-site to another cell-site requires the intervention of the cellular system. The Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in a narrowband system determines possible target candidates for a call requiring handoff. Specifically, a scanning, or locating, receiver may be used at the current serving cell-site to detect the need for handoff (based on low received signal strength) and at the target candidate cell-site (by command of the MSC) to determine the suitability of that cell to support the call. While many handoff algorithms could, and do, exist, a handoff is typically enacted when one cell-site perceives the mobile station's signal strength to be stronger than the current serving cell-site.
As spread spectrum technology becomes incorporated into next generation cellular systems, practical system complications due to the nature of cellular systems arise. For example, in cellular systems incorporating both spread spectrum and narrowband FM channels it may become necessary to enact handoff between both sets of channels when conditions warrant. Such a handoff could only take place for mobile stations that are dual mode in nature such that they support both spread spectrum and narrowband signalling. While a mobile station is communicating with the cellular system on a spread spectrum channel, it is not possible for the narrowband portion of the system to determine handoff suitability of the mobile station as the transmissions are spread over a bandwidth larger than the narrowband channel. In addition, the FM portion of the cellular system does not support spread spectrum pilot channels. Systems may be constructed such that the spread spectrum portion of the system and the narrowband portion of the system are non-overlapping. Thus, a cellular system employing both spread spectrum coverage and narrowband coverage would need to enact handoff to preserve the continuity of a call as a mobile station moves from the area of the former to that of the latter. This is possible as mobile stations designed for the cellular system are dual-mode and are capable of generating, and interpreting, both spread spectrum and narrowband signalling. Prior art solutions to handoff from the spread spectrum portion of the system to the narrowband portion of the system assumed overlap of RF coverage between the portions. Thus, there existed no direct way to guarantee that the mobile station would experience adequate RF coverage upon completion of the handoff in a non-overlapping system.
Thus a need exists for a mechanism by which handoff may take place from the spread spectrum portion of a cellular system to the narrowband portion without increasing the equipment cost of the narrowband equipment suite while guaranteeing that a mobile station has adequate RF coverage within the narrowband portion of the cellular system upon completion of the handoff process.

Transmission and reception of signals in a communication systems


A gap servo control method and apparatus for increasing a disturbance cancellation capability and decreasing the occurrence of an overshoot in a near-field optical disc drive include: generating an actuator driving signal of a transient response process by using a signal obtained by removing a disturbance contained in the gap error signal using a first band when a level of a gap error signal reaches a first level; and generating the actuator driving signal of the transient response process by using a signal obtained by removing the disturbance contained in the gap error signal using a second band when the level of the gap error signal reaches a second level.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to servo control in an optical disc drive, and more particularly, to a gap servo control method and apparatus in a near-field optical disc drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, near-field optical disc drives that achieve a large disc capacity and a high data transfer rate (DTR) have been suggested. Such a near-field optical disc drive is called a near-field recording and reproducing system. A near-field optical disc drive is a device that records and reproduces data to and from a disc by using light in a near-field in which diffraction of the light does not occur.
Such a near-field optical disc drive records and reproduces a large amount of information by recording and reproducing an information cell within hundredths of an angstrom (Å) unit using near-field optical technology and ultra microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology. That is, by using a near-field optical disc drive, data of more than 20 Gigabytes, which is the amount of image data for a high definition television (HDTV) class that can be recorded with an image quality of MPEG-2 for more than 2 hours, can be recorded and reproduced to and from one surface of a disc having a 3-cm diameter; thus, a large amount of data can be recorded and reproduced from a microminiaturized disc.
Such a near-field optical disc drive includes a pickup having nanoscale precision and a gap servo control apparatus to control the pickup. The pickup is called an optical head unit. The pickup includes an objective lens and a solid immersion lens (SIL). The pickup concentrates light on a disc by maintaining a focus distance within tens of nm from the disc so that an optical spot concentrated on the disc becomes microsized. Thus, in recording, the near-field optical disc drive can record a large amount of information to the disc. In reproduction, like the recording, the near-field optical disc drive reproduces information by the pick up receiving reflective light while maintaining a focus distance within tens of nm from the disc and performing optoelectric conversion of the received reflective light.
The gap servo control apparatus controls the pickup so that the pickup can constantly maintain the distance within the tenths of a nm gap with the disc surface. In order to constantly maintain the tenths of a nm gap, the gap servo control apparatus must control the pickup to react to disturbances of the disc in the near-field. In order to control the pickup to react to disturbances of the disc, the gap servo control apparatus may increase a loop gain of a feedback controller.
However, when the gap servo control apparatus increases the loop gain of the feedback controller, a servo bandwidth increases; and therefore, the gap servo control apparatus may be sensitive to disc scratches, contamination, and electrical noise, thereby increasing the occurrence of an overshoot during pull-in of the pickup. Since the gap that must be maintained between the pickup and the disc surface is very small, such as tenths of a nm, if an overshoot occurs when an open loop state is changed to a closed loop state in the pull-in of the pickup, the possibility of a collision of the SIL and the disc is very high. Thus, since the conventional gap servo control apparatus is limited to an increase in feedback loop gain, it is difficult to ensure a sufficient disturbance cancellation capability.

Gap servo control method and apparatus in near-field optical disc drive

Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University


The invention provides an array substrate, a manufacturing method and a display device thereof. The array substrate comprises a substrate, a gate line and a pixel electrode disposed on the substrate, a common electrode disposed above and overlaying the gate line, wherein a strip-shaped through hole is disposed on the common electrode and at least a portion of the strip-shaped through hole is positioned right above the gate line.

In an Advanced-Super Dimensional Switching (AD-SDS, also known as ADS) technology, a multi-dimensional electric field is formed with both a parallel electric field produced at edges of pixel electrodes on the same plane and a vertical electric field produced between a pixel electrode layer and a common electrode layer, so that liquid crystal molecules at all orientations, which are located directly above the electrodes and between the pixel electrodes in a liquid crystal cell, can be rotated and aligned, which enhances the work efficiency of planar-oriented liquid crystals and increases light transmittance. The Advanced-Super Dimensional Switching technology can improve the picture quality of TFT-LCDs and has advantages of high transmittance, wide viewing angles, high opening ratio, low chromatic aberration, low response time, no push Mura, etc.
The ADS technology optimizes the liquid crystal material by means of electrodynamics and achieves a light efficiency of 90 percent of negative liquid crystals for positive liquid crystals, thereby solving the problem of low response time caused by the large viscosity of negative liquid crystals. Moreover, the ADS technology provides notable improvements in light transmittance, contrast ratio, brightness, viewing angle, chromatic aberration and so on.
In an ADS-mode display device, a black matrix (BM) for shielding light leaked from gate line (the light leakage is resulted from the local defects, i.e. "disinclination", in alignment of liquid crystals) normally has a minimum width of 32 μm, such that light leakage of the gate line is reduced to the maximum extent while a relatively optimal aperture ratio for the pixel element may be obtained. Moreover, the aperture ratio is an important factor in determining the brightness and the power consumption of the display device—the higher the aperture ratio is, the higher the light transmittance is, therefore the brighter the screen will be, under the same backlight condition. Meanwhile, the power consumption of the backlight source in the LCD display takes up about 60% of the whole power output, therefore, a design with an aperture ratio as high as possible should be employed provided that the process conditions can be met, such that the power consumption of the backlight source may be minimized while the brightness requirement of the display device is met, thereby lowering the power consumption of the whole display system. However, in the ADS-mode display device, it needs to reduce the width of the BMs in order to improve the aperture ratio of the pixel element, which will lead to and exaggerate light leakage of the gate line.
An I-ADS mode display device with high transmittance is proposed for the purpose of improving the aperture ratio of the pixel element while reducing light leakage of the gate line. The difference between the I-ADS mode and ADS mode display devices lies in that the positions of the pixel electrode and the common electrode in the array substrate are inverted. That is, in the I-ADS mode array substrate, the array substrate is disposed as the first electrode (first ITO, that is the plate-like electrode) on the substrate and the common electrode is disposed as the second electrode (second ITO, that is a slit electrode) above the pixel electrode; while in the ADS mode array substrate, the common electrode is disposed as the first electrode on the substrate, and the pixel electrode is disposed as the second electrode above the common electrode.
FIG. 1(a) schematically illustrates a configuration of a conventional I-ADS mode array substrate and FIG. 1(b) is a cross section taken along A-A′ of FIG. 1(a). As illustrated in FIG. 1(b), the I-ADS mode array substrate comprises a substrate 104, a gate line 103 and a pixel electrode 101 disposed on the substrate 104, and a common electrode 102 disposed above and completely overlaying the gate line 103. Here, common electrode shielding effect is generated due to the common electrode 102 completely overlays the gate line 103, such that light leakage of the gate line is minimized, therefore the width of the BM for shielding light leaked from the gate line may be reduced, which helps to improve the aperture ratio of the pixel element. However, it is the common electrode completely overlaying the gate line that causes ratio of the gate electrode capacitance (C_gate) to increase and the line load of the gate line to increase, thereby causing a gate line delay and affecting the charge rate and charge efficiency of the display device.

Array substrate, manufacturing method and display device thereof


A light emitting device capable of preventing a luminance of individual light emitting elements from being fluctuated by applying electrical characteristics of TFTs for properly controlling current being fed to individual light emitting elements, and also capable of generating the constant luminance without adversely being affected by possible degradation of organic light emitting layers and variable temperature by way of preventing the luminance of light emitting elements from being lowered through degradation of organic light emitting layers. Instead of controlling the luminance of light emitting elements by means of a voltage applied to TFTs, by way of properly controlling current flowing into TFTs via a signal-line driving circuit, it is possible to hold on the current flowing into light emitting elements at a desired value without adversely being affected by electrical characteristics of TFTs. Further, a voltage biasing in an inverse direction is fed to light emitting elements per predetermined period of time. The above-described double means multiply such practical effects to more securely prevent the luminance from being lowered by possible degradation of organic light emitting layers, and make it possible to hold on such current flowing into light emitting elements at a desired value without being affected by electrical characteristics of TFTs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an OLED panel in which an organic light emitting element formed on a substrate is enclosed between the substrate and a cover member. Also, the present invention relates to an OLED module in which an IC or the like is mounted on the OLED panel. Note that, in this specification, the OLED panel and the OLED module are generically called light emitting devices. The present invention further relates to a method of driving the light emitting device and an electronic appliance using the light emitting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A light-emitting element emits light by itself, and thus, has high visibility. The light-emitting element does not need a backlight necessary for a liquid crystal display device (LCD), which is suitable for a reduction of a light-emitting device in thickness. Also, the light-emitting element has no limitation on a viewing angle. Therefore, the light-emitting device using the light-emitting element has recently been attracting attention as a display device that substitutes for a CRT or the LCD.
Incidentally, the light-emitting element means an element of which a luminance is controlled by electric current or voltage in this specification. The light emitting element includes an OLED (organic light emitting diode), an MIM type electron source element (electron emitting elements) used to a FED (field emission display) and the like.
The OLED includes a layer containing an organic compound in which luminescence generated by application of an electric field (electroluminescence) is obtained (organic light emitting material) (hereinafter, referred to as organic light emitting layer), an anode layer and a cathode layer. A light emission in returning to a base state from a singlet excitation state (fluorescence) and a light emission in returning to a base state from a triplet excitation state (phosphorescence) exist as the luminescence in the organic compound. The light-emitting device of the present invention may use one or both of the above described light emissions.
Note that, in this specification, all the layers provided between an anode and a cathode of the OLED are defined as the organic light emitting layers. The organic light emitting layers specifically include a light emitting layer, a hole injecting layer, an electron injecting layer, a hole transporting layer, an electron transporting layer and the like. These layers may have an inorganic compound therein. The OLED basically has a structure in which an anode, a light emitting layer, a cathode are laminated in order. Besides this structure, the OLED may take a structure in which an anode, a hole injecting layer, a light emitting layer, a cathode are laminated in order or a structure in which an anode, a hole injecting layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transporting layer, a cathode are laminated in order.
FIG. 23 exemplifies the constitution of an individual pixel of a conventional light emitting device. The conventional pixel shown in FIG. 23 includes TFTs (thin-film transistors) 50 and 51, a storage capacitor 52, and a light emitting element 53.
A gate of the TFT 50 is connected to a scanning line 55. Either of a source and a drain of the TFT 50 is connected to a signal line 54, and the other is connected to the gate of the TFT 51. The source of the TFT 51 is connected to a power supply 56, and the drain is connected to an anode of a light emitting element 53. A cathode of the light emitting element 53 is connected to a power supply 57. The storage capacitor 52 is provided in order to preserve a predetermined voltage between the gate and the source of the TFT 51.
When the TFT 50 is turned ON by a predetermined voltage of the scanning line 55, a video signal fed to the signal line 54 is delivered to the gate of the TFT 51. Upon the input of video signal, based on the voltage of the input video signal, the gate voltage (i.e., the potential difference between the gate and the source) of the TFT 51 is determined. Then, the drain current of the TFT 51 driven by the gate voltage thereof is fed to the light emitting element 53, thereby enabling the light emitting element 53 to emit light with the input current.
The TFT composed of polysilicon exerts a field-effect mobility higher than that of the TFTs composed of amorphous silicon, and it has a large amount of an ON current. Because of the above reasons, the TFT composed of polysilicon is better suited for forming the transistor components of a light emitting element panel.
However, even when forming the TFT by applying polysilicon, its electrical characteristics are by no means comparable to the electrical characteristics of a MOS transistor formed on a monocrystalline silicon substrate. For example, field-effect mobility of the TFT composed of polysilicon is rated to be equal to or lower than one tenth the field-effect mobility of monocrystalline silicon. Further, because of a certain defect generated in crystal grain boundaries, the characteristics of the TFT composed of polysilicon is easily subject to variation, which is a problem.
Referring to FIG. 23, when electrical characteristics such as a threshold value and the ON current of the TFT 51 are variable per pixel, even though a voltage of the video signal is the same, a magnitude of the drain current in the TFT 51 varies between individual pixels, thus resulting in the uneven luminance of the light emitting element 53.
When industrially and commercially providing such a light emitting device utilizing an OLED (organic light-emitting display), there was such a critical problem in terms of the short service duration of the OLED caused by degradation of organic light-emitting layers. Generally, an organic light-emitting material is vulnerable to water, oxygen, light, and heat, which expedite possible degradation of the organic light-emitting layers. More particularly, the degrading rate is dependent on the constitution of a device for driving a light emitting device, electrical characteristics of the organic light-emitting material, a material of electrodes, a condition in the manufacturing processes, and the method of driving the light-emitting device.
Even though the voltage applied to the organic light-emitting layers is constant, once degradation occurs in the organic light-emitting layers, the luminance of the OLED is lowered to result in an obscure image on a display panel.
Further, a temperature of the organic light-emitting layers is variable by the outside temperature and heat generated by an OLED panel itself. However, generally, actual value of current flowing through the OLED is variable by the temperature. More particularly, when the temperature of organic light-emitting layers rises while the voltage is constant, a greater amount of current flows into the OLED. Further, inasmuch as the current flowing into the OLED and the luminance of the OLED are in the proportional relationship, the greater the amount of current flowing into the OLED, the brighter the luminance of the OLED. In this way, the luminance of the OLED is variable by the temperature of organic light-emitting layers, and thus, it is quite difficult to display desired gradation. In consequence, relative to the rise of the temperature, a greater amount of current is consumed by the light-emitting device.

Light emitting device, method of driving a light emitting device, and electronic equipment

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method for hard-decision forward error correction decoding is described. A method comprises iteratively decoding a set of hard input data that has been transmitted optically, the set of hard input data having a set of information symbols, each of the set of information symbols encoded with a first forward error correction (FEC) encoding scheme and with a second FEC encoding scheme.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of communications. More specifically, the invention relates to error correction in communications.
2. Background of the Invention
In communication networks, forward error correction (FEC) is used to protect transmitted information from impairments that occur while being transported in a transmission system. In the case of algebraic block codes (e.g. the Reed Solomon code), redundancy symbols are added to the information symbols before transmission of a block of symbols. A network element that receives the transmission can correct transmission errors as long as the number of corrupted symbols does not exceed a certain threshold given by the special construction of the code.
An alternative to algebraic coding is iterative coding. Iterative coding algorithms have been developed for correction of streams of transmitted information where scalar information representing the reliability of a received symbol of the stream of transmitted information is available. These iterative coding algorithms are also referred to as soft-decision algorithms.
However, soft-decision coding techniques generally do not apply in optical networks where high transmission rates interfere with the ability to generate reliability information for received symbols. Moreover, soft-decision coding algorithms tend to have relatively poor performance for streams of transmitted information with low probability of bit errors after correction, which occurs in optical networks.

Method for iterative hard-decision forward error correction decoding


In accordance with the present invention, in an image forming apparatus, two document reading sections, a document conveying unit and a fixing unit are efficiently laid out so as to occupy a minimum of space available in the apparatus. Also, the document reading device is capable of reading even a relatively thick or a relatively long document conveyed by a turn-over type sheet-through document conveying device and not feasible for a turn-over path.

The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus, copier or similar image forming apparatus including a reading section for reading a document in the form of a sheet with stationary optics while conveying the document. Also, the present invention relates to a document reading device applicable to, e.g., a facsimile apparatus or a copier for reading a document or sheet with stationary optics while conveying the document.
An image forming apparatus having an apparatus body and one or more system units connected thereto is conventional. The system units are commonly connectable to different types of image forming apparatuses and thereby promote cost saving. It is therefore preferable with an image forming apparatus to simplify the functions of the apparatus body, so that sections which can be separated from the apparatus body can be implemented as system units.
It is a common practice with a facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus including a reading section to mount an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) in order to promote the efficient handling of a stack of documents. Basically, the ADF feeds one document from its tray or stacking section to a transport path while separating it from the underlying documents. The transport path extends linearly from the document feed side to a document discharge side. A contact line image sensor or similar stationary optics is located at a preselected position on the transport path, and reads the document being conveyed along the transport path. A relatively thick document not feasible for the above separation and feed mechanism is directly inserted to the reading section by hand, and then automatically conveyed. The linear transport path, however, has a substantial length and renders the entire apparatus bulky. To save space, there has been proposed and put to practical use a turn-over type sheet-through ADF capable of discharging a document read by stationary optics in the direction of sheet feed, as taught in Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-40514 by way of example. This kind of ADF has a document separating and feeding section for feeding one document while separating it from the others, a generally U-shaped turn-over path, and a transport path having a reading position assigned to stationary reading optics and for conveying the document turned over by the turn-over path.
Assume that an image forming apparatus has its document reading section, document conveying section along which a document fed from a stacking section is conveyed, and fixing unit for fixing a toner image on a sheet constructed into independent units, and that such units are individually connectable to the apparatus body. This brings about a drawback that the space available in the apparatus body cannot be efficiently used by the units, increasing the overall size of the apparatus body. Particularly, to read both sides of a document while conveying it only once, the document conveying unit must turn over the document and again feed it to the reading position, or two reading sections must be located at both sides of the transport path. This kind of arrangement increases the space to be allocated to the conveying unit or the spaces to be allocated to the reading units, making it difficult to miniaturize the apparatus.
The conventional turn-over type sheet-through ADF has the following problems. To switch the direction of document transport, the ADF usually includes a generally U-shaped turn-over path having an extremely small radius of curvature. Therefore, the turn-over path cannot deal with a relatively thick document or a relatively long document. Specifically, when a document is conveyed along the turn-over path, an extremely great conveying force is necessary (usually, the conveying force is substantially proportional to the width of a document and proportional to the square of the thickness of a document). Therefore, the turn-over path does not allow rollers to convey a broad and thick document therethrough alone. Further, a long document is apt to bring about a loop jam when conveyed through the turn-over path. It follows that the kind of documents which can be dealt with by the above ADF is limited.

Image forming apparatus and document reading device having a single molded platen with stepped portions at opposite sides to guide document


Techniques and architectures enable a wireless communications system to receive and transmit a message for which a user of a mobile device has specified to be delivered on a particular date and time to a contact in an address book of the user. Further, the network securely stores the message by encrypting the message with a strength of encryption that is based on the length of time that the message will be stored before its scheduled delivery.

Short Message Service (SMS) allows users to exchange text messages between capable mobile phones and other devices within a wireless communications network. Generally, text messages are sent to an SMS Center (SMSC). The wireless communications network may include multiple SMSCs to manage the receipt, storage, and forwarding of text messages.
SMS may feature message delivery confirmation so that the sender can receive a return message notifying them whether the message has been delivered. SMS messages may be sent and received simultaneously with Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) voice, data, and fax calls. This is possible because SMS messages are sent using a signaling path and not a dedicated radio channel.
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) allows users to exchange multimedia communications between capable mobile phones and other devices. MMS is an extension of the SMS protocol and defines a way to send and receive messages that include images, audio, and video in addition to text.
SMS, MMS, and other messaging services may benefit from improved security measures that protect contents and integrity of messages before, during, or after their delivery.

Dynamic encryption for scheduled message delivery


There is provided a honeycomb structure 10 comprising a honeycomb segment joined body 10 having a plurality of honeycomb segments 2 integrally joined with one another at a joint face of each of the honeycomb segments by means of a bonding material layer 9 and having a plurality of cells 5 functioning as fluid passages disposed in parallel with one another in a direction of central axis. Porosity in an outside portion of the bonding material layer 9 (portion from the interface of the joint face of honeycomb segments to the point corresponding to 20% thickness of the total bonding material layer) is smaller than that in the central portion located on the inner side of the outside portion.

A honeycomb structure is incorporated into an exhaust gas system or the like of a diesel engine as a trapping filter for exhaust gas, for example, a diesel particulate filter (DPF) for trapping and removing particulate matter contained in exhaust gas from a diesel engine or the like.
Such a honeycomb structure has a structure in which a plurality of cells partitioned by porous partition walls made of, for example, silicon carbide (SiC) and functioning as fluid passages are disposed in parallel with one another in the direction of the central axis. End portions of adjacent cells are alternately plugged (in a checkerwise pattern). That is, a cell has an open end on one side and a closed end on the other side, and other cells adjacent to the cell have a closed end on one side and an open end on the other side.
By such a structure, exhaust gas can be purified by allowing the gas flowing into predetermined cells (inflow cells) from an end portion to pass through porous partition walls and flow out via the cells (outflow cells) adjacent to the inflow cells, thereby allowing the partition walls to trap particulate matter in exhaust gas when the exhaust gas passes through the partition walls.
In order to use such a honeycomb structure (filter) continuously for a long period of time, it is necessary for the filter to be regenerated. That is, in order to reduce an increase in pressure loss by particulate matter accumulation inside the filter in the course of time, it is necessary to remove particulate matter accumulating inside the filter by combustion. A high thermal stress is generated upon this regeneration of a filter, and there arises a problem of occurrence of defects such as cracks and breakage in a honeycomb structure by the thermal stress. To cope with a request of improving a thermal shock resistance against such a thermal stress, there has been proposed a honeycomb structure having a block structure having a function of dispersing and releasing the thermal stress by integrally joining a plurality of honeycomb segments by means of a bonding material layer, and the thermal shock resistance has been improved to some extent. Such a honeycomb structure having a block structure has a structure in which a plurality of segments each having a shape constituting a part of the whole structure and having a shape constituting the whole structure by joining with one another in the direction perpendicular to the central axis are integrally joined by means of a bonding material layer so that a cross-section of the whole structure taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis has a predetermined shape such as a circle, followed by coating the outer peripheral surface with a coating material.
However, enlargement of a filter has further been required, and the thermal stress caused by regeneration of filter has increased. Therefore, in order to prevent the above defects, improvement in thermal shock resistance as a structure is strongly desired. Particularly, a bonding material layer for integrally joining a plurality of honeycomb segments is desired to achieve a honeycomb structure having an excellent thermal shock resistance by achieving an excellent stress-releasing function and bonding strength.
To cope with such a problem, there is disclosed a ceramic structure (honeycomb structure) where it is planned to inhibit occurrence of migration in the drying/curing process and inhibit occurrence of the above defects to improve durability by adding inorganic fiber and an organic binder to a sealing material (bonding material layer) (see Patent Document 1).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3121497


An attachment to an airbrush provides fine line detail with relatively slow movement of the airbrush and attachment. The attachment couples to the nose of an airbrush and receives the atomized media spray from the airbrush within a chamber. The chamber couples to atmosphere through a relatively large bypass orifice and through a relatively small fine line detail nozzle orifice. A majority of the media passes from the bypass orifice, however the media emerging from the attachment fine line detail nozzle orifice and applied to a workpiece to produces fine line detail work without requiring rapid movement of the airbrush relative to the workpiece.

An airbrush couples to a pressurized air source and a media source, e.g., a liquid ink or paint media. The media intermixes with an air stream as it exits the airbrush in an atomized spray. Air brushes are versatile and popular tools in many fields. An airbrush may be modified in operation according to a variety of parameters to accomplish a variety of objectives. The amount of air pressure, amount of media introduced into the air stream, and the rate of movement for the airbrush in relation to the workpiece affect the resulting work, i.e., affect how the media appears as it comes to rest on the workpiece.
The atomized media spray follows a conic pattern as it emerges from the airbrush nozzle. This conic pattern naturally carries significant overspray, especially when using relatively high air pressure. Given this conic spray pattern and inherent overspray, the airbrush naturally lacks an ability to focus the media spray. As a result, airbrush work typically includes a given amount of overspray and "fuzzy" rendering. Fine lines and distinct edges typically can only be achieved by use of shielding, e.g., a template held between the airbrush and the workpiece to prevent overspray on the workpiece.
Fine line detail work, therefore, presents a challenge in airbrush design and use. Some airbrushes produce fine line detail. Unfortunately, the artist must move the airbrush quickly to preserve fine line detail as the media strikes the workpiece. If the artist does not move the airbrush quickly, fine line detail is lost in excess media buildup and overspray on the workpiece. Accordingly, only the most skilled airbrush artists can produce any meaningful fine line detail. Even such skilled artists, however, cannot make extensive and practical use of fine line detail due to the need to always move the airbrush rapidly. Because of such limitation, i.e., the requirement that the airbrush move at significant speed relative to the workpiece, fine line detail in airbrush work is generally not possible. Even with a limited ability to render fine line detail work by moving the airbrush at significant speed, conventional airbrushes have not and cannot allow elaborate or intricate fine line detail work.
A relatively expensive type of airbrush, i.e. the "turbine" model reciprocating needle by Paache AB, provides a degree of fine line detail work without requiring that the airbrush move rapidly. The cost, typically six to eight times that of an introductory-level conventional airbrush, makes this airbrush unavailable to most airbrush artists.
Accordingly, there remains need for an affordable airbrush capable of providing fine line detail but at significantly lower speeds. By allowing fine line detail at lower speeds, i.e., speed of the airbrush relative to the workpiece, a greater number of artists can make use of fine line detail in their work and a greater variety of airbrush work becomes possible at even greater detail than previously possible using conventional airbrush designs. The subject matter of the present invention provides a fine line detail rendering ability for a conventional or typical airbrush moving at relatively low speed in relation to the workpiece.

Airbrush adapter for slow speed fine line detail