A system and method for creating a new destination data structure in memory populated with data from fields of an existing source data structure. A representation of the source is selected, dragged over, and dropped onto an icon representing a program module. The source and the program module are each associated with a type of data structure. If these types of data structures are different, then the destination is created in memory of the type associated with the program module. Once the destination is created, the data within the source is transformed to populate predetermined fields of the destination. One way of populating the destination is by determining which field in the destination corresponds to a given field in the source. Data from a given field of the source is loaded into the corresponding field of the destination. This is performed for each of the fields in the source, thus transferring the data into the destination from the source without having to manually re-enter or perform successive copy and paste operations on the data in the fields of the destination. Another way of populating the destination is by formatting data from each of the printable fields of the source into a predetermined rich text format to yield a formatted version of the source as if the source were being printed in one of the fields of the destination. The formatted data is then loaded into the field of the destination.

Many people today are pressured to maintain an increasingly dynamic lifestyle. It is easy to imagine hearing complaints from such people, such as "Who do I meet with this morning?", "Where is an open spot on my ever-changing calendar for another meeting?", or "I don't have time to keep track of all the things I have to do?"
We can attempt to solve these kinds of nagging and often stressful dilemmas by conducting business and our personal lives with the assistance of a computer. The computer can help by maintaining a schedule of appointments, managing a list of tasks, keeping track of a list of contacts important to the computer user, and managing the computer user's electronic mail. Desktop information management programs or personal information management programs have been used as a tool to implement this kind of assistance within the computer.
As mentioned above, desktop information management programs traditionally encompass this variety of distinct functions, such as maintaining schedule appointments, mail messages, contacts, etc., in a single program module. Some desktop information management programs encompass the distinct functions in different program modules internal to the desktop information management program. Each of the internal program modules maintain information, such as electronic mail messages or appointments, as "items" that are maintained in data structures. However, each of the internal program modules need to "interact" with the other internal program modules to coordinate efficient use of the maintained information. For example, Jenny Blake receives an electronic mail message from Bob Johnston, who has suggested that they go to a movie next Friday evening. Jenny wants to make an appointment within her desktop information management program to reserve time for the movie in her schedule. In the past, Jenny would have to manually copy or re-enter the information contained in each field of the electronic mail message into fields of a new appointment item within the desktop information management program. This can be a cumbersome and time-consuming task. Jenny would rather be able to use the information already in the electronic mail message and somehow automatically transform it into the proper fields of the new appointment item.
A problem arises because the mail message may have different fields when compared to the appointment item. There may not be a simple direct conversion between identical fields. More particularly, the mail message may have a subject field and a message follow-up time field. However, the appointment may have a subject field but may not have a message follow-up field. What should be done with the information in a field that does not have a matching field in the new item? Should that information be left out of the new item? Can that information still be used in the new item? Therefore, there exists a need for using as much information contained in an existing item as possible when creating a new item without forcing the computer user to manually copy or re-enter each piece of existing information in the right place or field in the new item.
In the past, computer users have had to work around this problem by manually creating a new item and then performing a conventional cut and paste operation to transfer each piece of the existing information to the proper field in the new item. However, this still forces the computer user to manually transform the information between the existing item and the new item.
The inventors of the present application are aware of a software application called Arabesque ECCO that has a simplification process for cutting and pasting information from other external application programs into the ECCO application program. The inventors of the present invention understand that the simplification process, also known as the Shooter feature, enables users to select an item of text created by other application programs and to invoke a menu within the ECCO application program. The user chooses the type of item within the ECCO application program to create using the selected item. However, the ECCO application program apparently cannot create a new item by selecting an existing item created by the ECCO application program itself. Furthermore, the ECCO application program seems to have problems mapping information from distinct fields of the selected item into specific fields of the new item to fully utilize the existing information in the selected item.
Therefore, there is a need for a system for creating a destination data structure, which physically represents a new item, populated with existing information from specific fields of a source data structure, which physically represents an existing item, without having to manually transfer the existing information into the destination data structure. There is also a need to create the destination data structure (new item) in response to a simple drag and drop operation on a representation of the source data structure (existing item). There is also a need to create the destination data structure (new item) from the existing information in more than one source data structure (existing item). Furthermore, there is a need for transforming existing information within the source data structure (existing item) into a rich text format and inserting this formatted information into the new item or data structure in order to preserve a robust, "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" (WYSIWYG) version of the existing information.

System and method for creating a new data structure in memory populated with data from an existing data structure


A very light weight high pressure coiled retractable hose kit for marine vehicles and outdoor use which uses a helical structure to automatically retract when not used. The helical structure allows the hose to extend substantially the length of a typical fishing boat. A UV and thermal resistant material is used to withstand damage from prolonged exposure to sunlight, heat or cold. The material is also corrosion resistant to withstand damage from salt water. A high pressure rating allows a narrow diameter hose which occupies a small storage area to be attached to a conventional spigot and provide an increase in water velocity when the nozzle is activated. Input and output fittings and a nozzle retention bracket hold the hose structure in a tight helical spring configuration for storage. The light weight allows easy manipulation of the hose kit and provides improved safety by enhancing the ability to move the hose kit from underfoot during periods of intense activity such as when gaffing fish onboard a boat.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to cleaning devices. In particular, it relates to very lightweight compact retractable hosing kits for use in cleaning outdoor areas, and in particular, for use in cleaning marine vehicles.
2. Background Art
Marine vehicles are difficult to keep in clean condition due to their constant exposure to harsh environmental conditions. Recreational boats, even those used on fresh water require frequent cleaning. Boats used on ocean water require even more maintenance due to the corrosive nature of sea water.
While recreational boats require substantial maintenance, fishing, utility, and cargo boats and ships require even more work due to the nature on materials on board. Fishing boats in particular are exposed not only to water, but also to a variety of debris such as the residue which results from cleaning fish on board.
Boats typically have a fresh water and/or a sea water spigot available which is used in conjunction with an on board pump. When cleaning is required, a standard rubberized hose is attached to allow the boat to be sprayed during the cleaning process. However, conventional hoses take up a substantial amount of space which is a considerable drawback on recreational and fishing boats where space is at a premium. After the cleaning process is complete, storage of a conventional hose is a problem. On many boats this results in the hose being stored ashore and taken on board infrequently which in turn results in less frequent cleaning of the boat.
Even if the hose is kept on board, time and effort is required to fold, roll or otherwise shape the hose for storage. Conventional hose assemblies which retract hoses for storage typically require large and heavy wheel-type racks that are expensive and require substantial storage space to be sacrificed.
Even if a boat does has adequate room to store a hose, there are additional problems associated with keeping the hose on board due to the corrosive nature of a boat's environment. This is particularly true with ocean going vessels. Exposure of conventional hoses to sea water on an ongoing basis will rapidly accelerate the normal deterioration process of the rubberized materials used to fabricate conventional hoses. As a result, the boat owner will be required to bear the expense of more frequent hose replacements.
Water, either fresh water or sea water, is not the only environmental problem. Hoses used on boats and in other outdoor environments are exposed to constant sunlight. The solar radiation which the hose is exposed to will also accelerate the deterioration process and result in more rapid hose failure. Of course, sun light (Ultraviolet, etc) damage effects hoses whether they are used in wet or dry environments. Hoses used on boats are exposed to both types of damage and are therefore prone to more rapid failure.
In addition to solar radiation and water damage, outdoor hoses are prone to thermal damage from extremes of heat or cold which result from their being stored outdoors. Daytime heat accelerates drying and cracking of hoses. Likewise, cold or freezing air will accelerate cracking and damage to hoses.
In addition to the deterioration caused by direct sunlight on the hose wall structure, the mere presence of water in a hose when the hose is not being used may cause hose failure. The reason residual water causes hose failure is that a boat hose is typically left exposed to the sun resulting in rapid heating of the hose and its contents. The result of heating the water trapped inside the hose is that internal hose pressure increases to the point where the hose wall fails, and may even burst, resulting in the expense of having to replace the hose. Typical water hoses do not have the pressure strength for long term use in exposed environments such as boat decks. It would be desirable to have a hose structure capable of withstanding the high pressures which result from the foregoing type of outdoor use.
The weight of conventional hoses creates other problems, particularly when they are used on boats. Rubberized hoses are heavy and tend to be awkward and inconvenient to handle on a boat which rocking in the water. It would be advantageous to have a lightweight hose structure which would be easy to carry and not effect the user's balance when the boat is moving.
More important than the inconvenience to the boater relating to the burden of carrying and manipulating heavy hose structures, heavy conventional hoses create safety problems due to the nature of the activity on many boats. For example, when a fisherman is gaffing a fish there is a great deal of activity on board the boat. The fisherman is handling the fish and simultaneously taking care of lines and equipment. Due to the amount of blood and other parts of the fish which may be inadvertently spilled on the floor of the boat, many fisherman would like to have the ability to conveniently clean the work area on the boat. However, when a heavy conventional hose is left on the deck, it becomes a safety hazard. A fisherman can easily trip on the hose, injuring the fisherman or others.
In addition to the substantial weight of a conventional hose, the weight of the water within it increases the total weight the fisherman must handle. Due to the large diameter of conventional hoses, the total weight is heavier than need be. It would be desirable to have a lightweight hose structure which would present a reduced risk of injury to the fisherman.
The prior art has failed to provide lightweight hose structures useful for cleaning boats and useful for other outdoor cleaning activities which can withstand environmental damage from water (both fresh and sea water), and withstand radiation and heat damage from sunlight and thermal damage from cold weather, and can be easily retracted and conveniently stored in a small storage area.

Very lightweight high-pressure compact cleaning device for marine and outdoor use


A hermetic compressor including a compression unit for compressing a refrigerant is disclosed. The compressor includes motor for providing a compression driving force of the refrigerant, a frame on which the compression unit and the motor are installed, a rotation shaft for transferring the driving force of the motor to the compression unit, and a journal bearing disposed on the frame such that the rotation shaft passes therethrough to rotatably support the rotation shaft. The motor includes a stator fixed to an outside of the journal bearing and including a stator core, and a rotor including a body disposed outside the stator and rotatably installed such that the rotor rotates together with the rotation shaft by electromagnetic interaction with the stator, the stator core is coupled to a fastening member to prevent the relative rotation thereof with respect to the journal bearing. The fastening member fixes the stator core such that it is not moved in an axial direction and is coupled to the journal bearing to enable the stator and the rotor to be easily installed while the rotor of the motor is disposed outside the stator.

In general, a hermetic compressor is employed in a cooling cycle of a refrigerator or an air conditioner to compress a refrigerant and includes a compression unit for compressing the refrigerant and a motor for providing a compression driving force of the refrigerant. The hermetic compressor including the compression unit and the motor is accommodated in a hermetic case.
The compression unit may include a piston that compresses the refrigerant through the linear reciprocation movement. In addition, the motor generally includes a stator and a rotor rotated through the electromagnetic interaction with the stator as current is applied to the stator.
A frame is installed in the hermetic case to install the compression unit and the motor thereon. Typically, the rotor is rotatably supported by a journal bearing installed at an inner upper portion of the frame, and the stator is fixed to an upper outer portion of the frame while surrounding the rotor.
The driving force of the motor is transferred to the compression unit through a rotation shaft. One end of the rotation shaft is press-fitted into the center of the rotor to rotate together with the rotor and the other end of the rotation shaft extends to the lower portion of the frame while rotatably passing through the journal bearing.
An eccentric shaft is provided at an end of the rotation shaft extending to the lower portion of the frame such that the eccentric shaft is eccentrically rotated as the rotation shaft is rotated, and a connecting rod is installed between the eccentric shaft and the piston in order to convert the eccentric rotational movement of the eccentric shaft into the linear reciprocation movement of the piston. Thus, the driving force of the motor is transferred to the compression unit through the rotation shaft.
However, the conventional hermetic compressor has the following problems.
That is, in the conventional hermetic compressor, in which the rotor is provided in the stator, a diameter of the rotor that rotates together with the rotation shaft is smaller than that of the stator, so the rotor may not generate high torque.
In addition, in the conventional hermetic compressor, in which the size of the stator provided outside the rotor is larger than the size of the rotor, the amount of coils wound around the stator is increased, so it is not economic in terms of the usage of materials.
Therefore, recently, there have been attempts to provide a hermetic compressor employing a motor, in which a rotor is installed outside a stator to increase a diameter of the rotor and to reduce the amount of coils wound around the stator.


A distributed power supply is incorporated in a device including a plurality of PCB. An on-board power supply is provided in the distributed power supply. The on-board power supply individually supplies a secondary power to each PCB using a primary power. Each PCB includes a primary power supply monitoring circuit, a PCB internal power supply monitoring circuit, and a pulse generation circuit. The primary power supply circuit detects an abnormality in the voltage of in the primary power supplied to the on-board power supply. The PCB internal power supply monitoring circuit restarts the PCB when the abnormality is detected. The pulse generation circuit transmits a restart signal to the other PCBs in the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology of a distributed power supply having plural power supply sections in a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Transmission devices in recent years are integrated in high density to provide various services. As a result, power consumption of the transmission device has increased. Device configurations are required to be flexibly changeable depending on various service forms, to provide various client services. To realize that, the device is structured with a control system to control the overall device and a controlled system to provide the services. According to the configuration, changes in the service forms can be handled flexibly. For example, when a different service form is required, only the controlled system is required to be exchanged. Furthermore, a new service can be added even while the device is in operation.
The control system and the controlled system further facilitate function changes and exchanges by using printed circuit boards (PCB) prepared for each function. Each PCB providing a service requires a different power voltage and a different electric current, due to differences in functions and the like. The power consumption of the transmission device has been rising and more transmission devices have individual PCBs. Therefore, implementation of a distributed power supply method, rather than a conventional centralized power supply method, to supply power is increasingly used. In the centralized power supply method, the power supply is centralized in one location. In the distributed power supply method, the power is supplied to individual PCBs. The distributed power supply method includes an on-board power supply, provided in each PCB. Each PCB provides one wiring for a primary power supply of the on-board power supply. Each PCB monitors a power status, individually.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the transmission device using the distributed power supply method according to a conventional technology. A transmission device 1000 includes a main signal processing unit 1001 and a monitor control unit 1002. The main signal processing unit 1001 includes an active circuit 1003 and a backup circuit 1004. The active circuit 1003 and the backup circuit 1004 each include PCBs 1010 and 1011 for respectively different functions. A circuit processing PCB 1010 mainly converts an optical signal to an electric signal or converts the electric signal to the optical signal. A circuit switching PCB 1011 switches a main signal.
The primary power supply is supplied to the transmission device 1000 from an external source. The primary power supply is supplied to the on-board power supply 1020 of each of the PCB 1010, the PCB 1011, and the PCB 1012. The on-board power supply 1020 supplies a secondary power supply to the PCB 1010, the PCB 1011, and the PCB 1012, respectively.
A control system PCB 1012 within the monitor control unit 1002 includes a notification and control unit 1015. The control system PCB 1012 controls a conversion operation of the circuit processing PCB 1010 and controls a switching operation of the circuit switching PCB 1011 in the main signal processing unit 1001, using a monitor control signal. The control system PCB 1012 also performs an alarm notification to the outside when a circuit control is abnormal.
The PCB 1010, the PCB 1011, and the PCB 1012 individually monitor a primary power status. When the PCB 1010, the PCB 1011, or the PCB 1012 detects an occurrence of an abnormal state in the primary power supply, the PCB that detects the abnormal state individually performs a restarting process.
A conventional power supply includes a power supply unit. The power supply implements the centralized power supply method that supplies the secondary power supply to each PCB, and transmits a RESET signal to each PCB when an abnormal reduction in the power is detected (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-35244).
A centralized power supply method in which power is collectively supplied to all PCBs causes waste or limits expandability in a transmission device including PCBs. If the transmission device has a controlled system that can correspond to changes in the services, power voltages and electric currents may become unnecessary because of the changes in services. If a PCB having a function corresponding to a new service is added, the power voltages or electric currents required by the PCB may not be provided. Moreover, power lines are required for each type of secondary power supply between a power supply unit of a centralized power supply and each PCB.
In addition, a normal recovery is often not performed after detection of a power supply abnormality in the distributed power supply method. FIG. 7A is a schematic for illustrating a normal operation state in the distributed power supply method. When an instantaneous interruption in the primary power supply occurs due to lightning damage or the like, only some of PCBs detect an abnormality in the primary power supply and restarts, because of differences in power lines within the device (differences in impedance and length) and individual differences between the PCBs. When the abnormality in the primary power supply is detected by the control system PCB 1012, as shown in FIG. 7A, the operation states of the restarted controlled system PCB 1010 and controlled system PCB 1011 are reconfigured and a service can be recovered, after the control system PCB 1012 is started.
FIG. 7B is a schematic for illustrating an abnormal operation state in the distributed power supply method. When only the controlled system PCB 1011 detects the abnormality in the primary power supply and restarts, and the control system PCB 1012 cannot detect the restarting of the controlled system PCB 1011, the control system PCB 1012 does not reconfigure the operation states of a controlled system PCB 1010 and the controlled system PCB 1011 to an operation state for normal operations. Therefore, the restarted controlled system PCB 1011 cannot make a transition into a normal operation state, and the service remains unavailable.
In a primary power supply monitoring, a power supply interruption for duration equal to or more than a predetermined time (for example, 1 millisecond (ms)) is always detected and the entire device is stopped. At the time of the power supply interruptions for duration less than a detectable time (for example, 51.2 microseconds (μs)), the device cannot be stopped due to circuit limitations and the like. When an instantaneous interruption for duration from the detectable time to the predetermined time occurs, whether each PCB stops depends on individual differences caused by capacitor elements and the like of each PCB. Therefore, some PCBs stop and restart, but some PCBs do not stop and continue running.
FIG. 8 is a timing chart for explaining an operation when the instantaneous interruption is detected in the conventional technology. When the instantaneous interruption occurs in the primary power supply (primary power voltage) for a time (T1) that is equal to or more than the detectable time and less than the predetermined time, the PCB detects the instantaneous interruption, supplies a secondary power supply (after an elapse of on-board power supply 1020 restart time T2, for example, T2=161 ms to 507 ms) normally, and supplies power. However, if the instantaneous interruption (primary power supply abnormality) is undetected by another PCB (X1), reset is not performed in the other PCB (X2). If the other PCB is the control PCB, the device does not restart and the operation state of the restarted PCB is not reconfigured. Therefore, the service remains unavailable in the restarted PCB. If the restarted PCB is disposed in an active circuit for communication, communication service remains unavailable even though the power supply being recovered.
To prevent the problem, an implementation of a method can be considered, in which the control PCB individually monitors a restart status of each PCB. However, in this case, each controlled system PCB is required to notify the control system PCB of the operation state via a dedicated monitor control line. Therefore, the control PCB is required to provide the dedicated monitor control line for each controlled PCB. In this case, unnecessary wirings may be formed depending on the configuration of the controlled system PCB. Wirings may also become insufficient when the number of PCB to be additionally monitored changes. In this method in which the control system PCB individually monitors each PCB, circuits and wirings tend to be wasted. Furthermore, the circuit size for monitoring tends to increase, expandability of diversion and the like becomes limited, and the monitoring becomes inefficient.
In the technology disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-35244, the abnormal power supply reduction is monitored only in the power supply unit. This is effective for monitoring the power voltage of the primary power supply, from the outside of the device to the power supply unit, and the secondary power supply in the power supply unit. A system reset is also possible. However, the power supply reaching the PCB that provides a service cannot be monitored. Therefore, as described above, only some of PCBs may restart when an instantaneous interruption in the primary power supply occurs due to lightning damage or the like, because of the differences in the power lines within the device and individual differences between the PCB. The restarted PCB cannot make a transition into the normal operation state and the service remains unavailable. For example, if only a voice control PCB is restarted, the control system PCB cannot detect the restart. Therefore, the system reset of the entire device remains uncontrolled.

Distributed power supply and method of recovering from error


A quick disconnect electrical coupler for connecting an electrical cable, or cord, to circuitry in a closed housing forms a sealed, high strength, impact resistant connection between the housing and a flexible conduit within which the electrical lead is disposed. The quick disconnect electrical coupler includes a conduit adapter in sealed engagement about an aperture in the housing which is coupled to the conduit by means of a threadable compression connection. Electrical leads coupled to circuitry in the housing terminate in a plurality of conductive pins disposed within an inner connector housing adapted for mating engagement with a conventional socket-type lead connector coupled to the electrical cable. A connector adapter is disposed about the inner connector housing and within the conduit adapter and is in sealed engagement with these two components. The connector adapter includes an outer threaded portion adapted for coupling to the socket-type lead connector within the liquid tight, sealed combination of the conduit adapter and the flexible conduit, which combination also maintains the electrical leads in fixed position within the conduit and conduit adapter and protects the electrical cable and connector from impact damage. Another embodiment replaces the connector adapter and inner connector housing with a ringed, tapered seal for securely coupling the conduit adapter and flexible conduit in a moisture-tight sealed manner while maintaining the electrical leads in fixed position within the electrical coupler.

An electrical circuit disposed within a closed housing is typically connected through the housing to appropriate external circuitry such as a power supply or a data/control signal source or processing circuit. The electrical circuit is generally enclosed in a housing to isolate it from the environment, insulate it from other circuits and conductors, and mechanically protect it from impact damage. An electrical lead typically extends through an aperture in the housing and is connected to circuitry within the housing. The lead may also be coupled to an external cable by a suitable connector. Frequently several leads extend through the housing's aperture and are coupled to a multi-lead cable via a multi-pin connector. An O-ring may be inserted in the aperture of the housing and disposed about the leads or cable to provide a limited seal for the leads and circuitry within the housing and to protect the leads from damage by contacting that portion of the housing defining the aperture through which the leads extend. This arrangement affords only limited cable protection and isolation of the internal circuitry from the environment external to the housing. For example, this arrangement is subject to leakage of moisture and other contaminants into the housing as well as impact damage to the cable and connector extending from the housing. Where a conduit connector extends from the housing, a potting compound is frequently incorporated in the connector to fill voids therein. This increases the cost of the installation and still does not ensure a leak-free connection.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned problems of the prior art and by providing a ruggedized, sealed quick disconnect electrical coupler for a cable extending through an aperture in a housing containing electrical circuitry.

Ruggedized, sealed quick disconnect electrical coupler


An attachable ladder support for use on flat-roofed buildings in conjunction with a ladder and winch. The ladder support has a contact member for contacting the flat roof of a building. Connected to the contact member are two connecting members which are attached to the contact member in such a manner that a hoisting space is created between the two connecting members. Each connecting member is provided with an insertable end for insertion into a tubular ladder rung. When used in conjunction with a ladder and a winch, the ladder support makes it possible to hoist heavy loads up to a flat roof of a building.

The prior art demonstrates a number of props and supports for a ladder mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,795 to Larson discloses a boom and prop combination for a ladder to aid in supporting the ladder to a building. The prop is attachable to the rungs of the ladder by means of feet or hooks which are snap-fitted over the rungs of the ladder. A boom is connectable to the rungs of the ladder and is used to support a winch or hoist. A cause for concern in the ladder-hoist attachment of the Larson patent is the snap fit of the supporting prop to the ladder rungs. In that the feet or hooks of the prop are snap-fitted over the rungs of the ladder, a possibility exists for the prop to be dislocated from the ladder, should the ladder or prop be jarred in an upward manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,692 to Morawski discloses a ladder tray which is boltably attachable to a ladder for supporting a ladder against a building wall.
The prior art demonstrates a number of ladder hoist mechanisms for purposes of hoisting loads to an upward location. Some examples of ladder hoist mechanism are depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,621 to Cobb and U.S. Pat. No. 2,311,070 to Morando. U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,211 to Ostrander. Jr. discloses a ladder hoist which is powered by an electric motor.
However, none of the above references discloses an economical and easily assembled, secure ladder support which can be used in conjunction with a winch mechanism for lifting heavy loads to a roof top.
Many commercial buildings as well as many residences have flat roofs. A great many of these buildings and residences are three stories high or less so that access is only afforded by means of a conventional ladder or a conventional extension ladder. Roof-access elevators are rare in buildings which are three-stories or less in height. On many commercial buildings, heating and air conditioning units are often placed on a flat roof. These roof-situated units can present a dilemma for service and repairmen when heavy parts or objects need to be brought to the roof.
In FIG. 1, a repairman 2 is climbing a ladder 4 which is propped against a flat-roofed building 6. The repairman in using one hand to carry a large object 8 up the ladder 4 has only one hand to hold on to the ladder 4. Such a prior art method of lifting a large or heavy object to a roof top has many inherent dangers. In that only one hand is used for climbing the ladder 4, as the repairman goes up each rung of the ladder, there are times when the repairman does not have any hands in contact with the ladder at all. Thus, the repairman is totally dependent upon a proper positioning of his feet and torso for balance. Furthermore, in that the repairman is carrying an object with one hand on his one side, such a practice makes it nearly impossible or at least extremely difficult to carry objects weighing more than 100 pounds. The unbalanced nature of carrying an object with one hand up a ladder invites an accident, with an accident becoming more likely the heavier the object carried up the ladder is.
Many objects which are required for repair purposes at the rooftop level are too heavy to carry by hand. For example, many air conditioning compressors weigh as much as 300 pounds or more. When a heavy object is needed to be brought to the rooftop, the repairman will have to call for a crane to assist in placing a desired object on the roof. Being dependent upon a crane is often time-consuming in that much time can be spent waiting for the arrival of a crane and crane operator.
Presently, there are many commercial-use ladders and extension ladders on the market which are made of aluminum or fiberglass and which are provided with tubular rungs which extend from one side of the ladder to the other. Access to the tubular cavities of the rungs is provided on either side of such ladders. In that many ladders available today are fabricated and equipped with tubular rungs, a need is seen for an attachable ladder support, which can be securely fitted into the tubular cavity of a ladder rung, which when used in conjunction with a winch mechanism provides a quick and economical means to lift heavy objects to a rooftop.


A disposable diaphragm assembly for use with al types of conventional stethoscopes and a universal retainer ring for retro-fitting conventional stethoscopes to accept the disposable diaphragm assembly. A novel stethoscope for use with the disposable diaphragm assemblies. A stationary dispenser for the disposable diaphragm assemblies from which the assemblies may be loaded onto either retrofitted conventional stethoscopes or the novel stethoscope of this invention without the assembly being contaminated by the hands of medical personnel. Portable and disposable dispensers which also provide for the loading of the disposable diaphragm assembly in a manner which prevents the assembly from becoming contaminated by the hands of medical personnel.

This invention relates to disposable diaphragm assemblies for stethoscopes used in the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases through the use of stethoscopes. More particularly, the present invention relates to both existing stethoscopes which may be retrofitted for the use of disposable diaphragm assemblies and to novel stethoscopes which have a main housing or body prepared for the use of the disposable diaphragm assemblies. The present invention also relates to dispensers, both stationary and portable, for the disposable diaphragm assemblies.
Most common stethoscopes are designed with a retainer ring to hold a diaphragm in place. One such prior art stethoscope design is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The retainer ring 1 is attached to the stethoscope head 2 by means of threads 5. The retainer ring 1 is circular in shape having a vertically oriented side portion 4, the inside surface of which is threaded. Molded onto or attached onto the bottom face of such side portion 4 is a horizontally oriented lip portion 3 which extends toward the center of the circular retainer ring 1. A diaphragm 7 is held in place between lip portion 3 and the stethoscope head 2 upon threading or clipping the retainer ring 1 onto the stethoscope head 2. FIG. 3 shows an alternative prior art stethoscope design in which an O-ring 6 is used to hold the retainer ring 1 onto the stethoscope head. In each of these prior art devices, the diaphragm is changed by removing the retainer ring, removing the old diaphragm placing a new diaphragm in the retainer ring and re-attaching the retainer ring, Standard non-disposable diaphragms are generally not replaced between use on patients due to the time required to undertake such a change. As an alternative, the stethoscope head and diaphragm may be cleaned between uses. Such cleaning, however, may be detrimental to both the structural integrity and acoustical accuracy of the diaphragm, as such cleaning is often done with alcohol swabs. That is, both the difficulty in changing out diaphragms and the potential harm inflicted on diaphragms by cleaning act as barriers to the use of clean, uninfected stethoscope diaphragms.
The possibility of the transmission of infection between patients, where the stethoscope acts as the source of infection, is recognized in the medical community and is the subject of articles such as xe2x80x9cContaminated Stethoscopes: A Potential Source of Nosocomial Infectionsxe2x80x9d by Mangi et al, Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 45,600-45,604 (1972) and xe2x80x9cContaminated Stethoscopes Revisitedxe2x80x9d by Melinda A. Smith, MPH, et al, Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 156 (1996).
A removable stethoscope diaphragm is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,268 to Izaak Alan Ulert. It comprises a disposable diaphragm which replaces the diaphragm already in place on conventional stethoscopes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,368 to Plourde describes a diaphragm cover which is used for the prevention of the spread of infection from contaminated stethoscopes. The disposable diaphragm of the ""368 patent interposes a second layer of material between the source of sound and the ear, which has the potential of diminishing or distorting the sound. Furthermore, the disposable diaphragm of the ""368 patent is not easily or quickly interchanged. The lack of ease of use acts as a disincentive to use.
Completely disposable stethoscopes are also currently available. Such stethoscopes, however, do not offer the acoustic quality obtainable with standard stethoscopes. Dedicated stethoscopes are fairly expensive, thereby motivating repeated use which defeats the intended safety features.
There is a need, therefore, for a stethoscope device which provides high-quality acoustic performance in conjunction with an economical means of providing uninfected contact with each patient. Furthermore, there is a need that such device offer medical personnel ease of use with little or no preparation time.
The present invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art devices by providing disposable diaphragm assemblies with acoustic performance which is equal to or greater than that of conventional stethoscopes. The present invention does not use a cover over the existing diaphragm of a conventional stethoscope as in the ""368 patent. Therefore, the acoustic quality remains high and there is no additional sound attenuation which is present when multiple layers are placed between the source of the sound and the ear.
The disposable diaphragm assemblies of the present invention are inexpensive and therefore, may be changed out between uses so that only clean and uninfected portions of the stethoscope come into contact with a patient. The present invention also addresses the cleanliness and infection issue by providing dispensers for the disposable diaphragm assemblies which permit the disposable diaphragm assemblies to be attached to a stethoscope without contacting the diaphragm assemblies. Therefore, germs and contaminants are not transferred from the hands of medical personnel to patients.
The present invention provides means for retrofitting existing stethoscopes, including standard and open bell or pediatric stethoscopes. In addition, the present invention provides a novel stethoscope which may also be used with the disposable diaphragm assemblies of the present invention.
The present invention includes disposable diaphragm assemblies made of any suitable material, such as but not limited to plastic, rubber or other materials and dispensers stationary or portable, for such disposable stethoscope diaphragms.

Disposable stethoscope diaphragm and dispenser


This massage machine comprises a seat 20, a leg-rest 50, a footrest 60, an electric extendable mechanism 80, a link mechanism 70, and a controller. The footrest is movably linked to a lower end of the leg-rest to be movable relative to the leg-rest, and is provided with air bags 63 configured to restrain a foot of the user. The electric extendable mechanism and the link mechanism are configured to move the footrest relative to the leg-rest. The controller gives the user a leg stretching mode, and in the leg stretching mode, the controller controls the electric extendable mechanism and the air bags such that the electric extendable mechanism moves the footrest relative to the leg-rest while the air bags restrains the foot of the user.

Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. 9-56766 discloses a massage chair with a leg-rest disposed in front of a seat. The leg-rest is provided with air bags and can give a massage to user's lower thighs by expanding and contracting the air bags. Furthermore, the leg-rest is rotatably linked to a front-end of the seat to be rotatable relative to the seat, and the massage chair can stretch the knees and the thighs of the user by rotating the leg-rest while fixing the user's lower thighs by the air bags.
However, although the massage machine can stretch the user's knees and thighs, it can not stretch the user's ankles.


This invention provides a system that combines a wavelength multiplexer with an FM discriminator for chirp reduction and wavelength locker in a filter to produce a wavelength division multiplexed signal with reduced chirp. A partially frequency modulation laser signal is converted into a substantially amplitude modulation laser signal. This conversion increases the extinction ratio of the input signal and further reduces the chirp. A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) method is used for transmitting high capacity information through fiber optics systems where digital information is carried on separate wavelengths through the same fiber. Separate transmitters normally generate their respective signals that are transmitted at different wavelengths. These signals are then combined using a wavelength multiplexer to transmit the high capacity information through the fiber optic system. Various technologies can be used to multiplex the signals such as, for example, thin film filters, or arrayed waveguide gratings. In a WDM system, a wavelength locker may also be used that fixes the center wavelength of a transmitter to a reference. Wavelength lockers may include etalons or fiber gratings, either of which provides a reference wavelength. A control circuit typically compares the wavelength of the transmitter to the reference. An error signal adjusts the transmitter format wavelength by varying temperature or by other means to keep it locked to the reference wavelength.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention addresses a multi-wavelength fiber optic transmitter related to directly modulated laser sources and multifunctional filters.
2. General Background and State of the Art
Fiber optic communication systems use a variety of transmitters to convert electrical digital bits of information into optical signals that are carried by an optical fiber to a receiver. In a directly modulated transmitter the output intensity of a laser is modulated by directly changing the injection current driving the laser. In an externally modulated transmitter, the intensity of a continous wave laser is modulated via the use of a modulator, which changes the intensity of the laser light. Directly modulated semiconductor lasers are typically compact, integrable, and have large responses to modulation. They are comparatively inexpensive than externally modulated transmitters, which require an intensity modulator following the laser source. However, directly modulated lasers may suffer from a drawback; namely, their outputs may be highly chirped. As a result, directly modulated lasers are normally used for short reach applications because the inherent chirp of the laser causes the transmitted pulses to be distorted after propagation in dispersive fiber. For longer reach applications, external modulation is used. However, external modulation requires a costly modulator that consumes power, introduces loss, and takes up board space.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Wavelength division multiplexing source using multifunctional filters


A substrate bias generator has a ring oscillator disabled when a supply over-voltage condition is detected by a supply comparator, or when a target substrate voltage is reached. A substrate comparator compares the substrate voltage to a reference generated by a p-channel sense transistor that is independent of the substrate voltage. The substrate is sensed by an n-channel sense transistor with only its bulk connected to the substrate voltage. Current sources for the sense transistors and comparator are controlled by bias voltages generated by a voltage divider that switches from a high-power state to a low-power state once the substrate target is reached. Feedback turns off a high-current resistor, limiting current to that passing through a low-current resistor. The bias voltages are adjusted to reduce current to the sense transistors and comparator, reducing power. High current and power are used for fast sensing before the substrate target is reached.

This invention relates to integrated circuits (ICs), and more particularly to disabling substrate bias generators.
Charge pump circuits are commonly used for generating voltages above or below supply voltages. Memory circuits often use a charge pump or substrate bias generator to generate a substrate bias Vbb that drives the p-substrate or P-wells under n-channel transistors. Using a substrate bias below ground increases the width of the depletion region under a transistor and thus reduces parasitic capacitances. Speed is thus improved.
More recently substrate bias generators have also been used to improve undershoot protection for bus-switch transistors. See Kwong, U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,019, assigned to Pericom Semiconductor Corp. of San Jose, CA.
The oscillator that pumps the charge in a substrate bias generator draws power. A voltage comparison can be performed to compare the substrate voltage to a target, and the charge pump turned off when the target is reached, saving power. See Hsiao et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,072, assigned to Pericom Semiconductor Corp. of San Jose, Calif.
To prevent pumping below the target Vbb, a clamp has been used to quickly discharge the substrate until the target is reached. See Vajdic, U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,278, assigned to Intel Corp. of Santa Clara, CA. Other devices vary the frequency of the oscillator and also detect when the power supply is too high. See Yoo et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,889,719, assigned to Samsung Electronics Co. of Korea.
Detection of the Vcc over-voltage condition is useful, since the substrate generator pumps to a lower target when Vcc is increased. If the substrate voltage reaches the breakdown voltage of the transistors or junctions, damage to the IC may result. Vcc supply over-voltage may occur during electro-static-discharges (ESD) events, resulting in chip damage when no over-voltage protection is provided for the charge pump.
A low-power substrate-bias generator that includes Vcc supply over-voltage protection is desirable.

Low-power substrate bias generator disabled by comparators for supply over-voltage protection and bias target voltage


Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for recording user actions includes receiving information representing a sequence of individual software application input actions taken by a user with respect to a software application, and recording the sequence as a higher level entry.

The present invention relates to recording application user actions.
Applications are used by computer systems, for example, to process (e.g., sort, filter, store) data. To ensure proper processing of the data, the applications are sometimes tested. In one approach to testing, known inputs are supplied to the application during execution to establish what the predicted proper outputs would be. Using these predicted outputs, another instance of the application running on a possibly different platform and running at any location may be tested by applying the same inputs to the other application and comparing the processed outputs to the predicted outputs. To determine known inputs and predicted outputs that are useful for such testing, applications may be monitored and user inputs and the resulting outputs collected. Once recorded, the user actions may be used as known inputs for testing, for example, updated or new versions of the application. Typically, a test tool is used to record the interactions of a user with an application. User interactions may be recorded by tracking messages generated by and for an operating system, such as Microsoft Windows. Low level messages such as key down, character N, key up, and so on may be considered together as the input by the user of the character N, rather than actually storing all of the low level messages.

Recording application user actions for application testing


A method and apparatus for synchronization between a base station sub-system and a mobile station. The mobile station listens for a message frame number which is generated by the base station sub-system. The mobile station includes a mobile frame number counter which tracks the progression of frame numbers. When first powered-up, the mobile frame number counter may not be synchronized with the base station sub-system. The frame numbers of the base station sub-system and mobile frame number counter values are continuously incremented to track the progression of frame numbers in real-time. To effect synchronization, a received and decoded frame number is loaded into the counter. Then, a time lag is calculated which represents the delay inherent in receiving and decoding, within the mobile station and its components, frame numbers from the base-station sub-system. The time lag is then added to the mobile frame number counter of the mobile station so that the mobile frame number counter is synchronized with the base station sub-system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data communications. More specifically, the present invention relates to synchronization in time-division multiple access systems.
2. Description of Related Art
In systems that employ Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) schemes for sharing a radio spectrum between several simultaneous communications, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), synchronization of clocking mechanisms is vital to their reliable operation. In TDMA as utilized in GSM, a given frequency bandwidth carries information in a number of separate "slots," with each slot carrying a single "burst" which is the minimum transmission unit. A series of slots composes a frame, and it is with the unit of the frame that synchronization must be achieved.
In a GSM, a base station sub-system (BSS) contacts a multitude of mobile stations using a radio interface, and thereby maintains a communication pathway to the mobile stations. Typical examples of mobile stations (MS) include hand-held cellular telephones and mobile cellular telephones (car phones). Mobile stations must synchronize with their base stations after the mobile stations are powered up such that the mobile station and base station will be referring to the same frame number when communicating. However, due to the propagation delay inherent in communicating the frame between the MS and the BSS, a frame number assigned at the BSS does not correspond to the frame number generated by timing circuits at the MS. Further, when a frame number is decoded at the MS for use by a controller, which is a part of the mobile station, there may be an additional time lag before the controller can recognize the frame number.
One solution to synchronize and account for propagation delay is to set timers in real-time fashion on Digital Signal Processors within the MS. This solution fails if a controller, which must separately communicate with the DSP to obtain the frame number, is to be synchronized with the BSS. The extra time lag from the DSP to the controller must be taken into account if the controller is to handle functions related to message frames traditionally handled instead by the DSP. The controller must be synchronized with the base station if the controller carries out the timing (i.e. frame number generation) rather than the DSP.
Thus, a solution is needed that can perform synchronization in a non-real-time fashion on the controller rather than the digital signal processor.

Synchronization in TDMA systems in a non-realtime fashion


A high-density detergent composition comprises 10 to 60% by weight of a surfactant composition having a weight ratio of an anionic surfactant to a nonionic surfactant of 4:10 or more and 10:0 or less, wherein the high-density detergent composition has a bulk density of from 600 to 1200 g/L, and has a total summation of a product of a mass base frequency Wi and a dissolving rate Vi of each group of classified granules obtained by classifying detergent granules by using a classifier, which satisfies the following formula: Σ(Wi·Vi)≧95(%), and wherein a mass base frequency of the classified granules having a size of less than 125 μm is 0.1 or less, wherein the classifier comprises sieves each having a sieve-opening 2000 μm, 1410 μm, 1000 μm, 710 μm, 500 μm, 355 μm, 250 μm, 180 μm, and 125 μm, and a receiver.

While increasing the density of the powdery detergent composition has imparted great advantages in the improvement in the transportation efficiency and the convenience in the users, there is an increasing concerning on the dissolubility by compression of the detergent granules.
While since the mid 1990's, the washing machines have the tendency of having large volume capacity and water conservation by the demands of users, and short-period washing mode or gentle stirring mode meeting the demands of reduction in clothes damaging has been set. However, in either of the modes, the amount of work (i.e. mechanical power×time) of the washing machine tends to be lowered. As a result, there arise crucial problems that the dissolubility of the detergent granules is drastically lowered, so that the detergency becomes poor and that the insoluble remnants deposit on clothes.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Hei 7-509267 discloses a detergent composition comprising a base powder comprising granules having a size of less than 150 μm in an amount of less than 10% by weight, and granules having a size exceeding 1700 μm in an amount of less than 10% by weight; and filler granules made of sodium citrate, sodium hydrogencarbonate, or the like. However, the detergent composition does not sufficiently solve the problems relating to the dissolubility and the dispersibility of the detergent composition in a case where the amount of work of the washing machine is low.
An object of the present invention is to provide a high-density detergent composition which is excellent in the detergency even when the amount of work of the washing machine is low, excellent in the dissolubility of the granules and the dispersibility, and excellent also in the hand-washing dissolubility. The above object and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.


A thickness of each hologram lens for forming a hologram color filter is set so as to be smaller as the wavelength of light to be diffracted by each hologram lens is shorter. A thin plate glass layer is bonded to a surface of the hologram color filter such that it is in a firm contact therewith by adhesive agent and a sum of the thickness of the thin plate glass layer and thickness of the adhesive agent is smaller than the shortest focal length of the focal lengths in glass of a plurality of the hologram lenses. As a result, light diffracted and divided by the hologram color filter is focused on a picture element electrode of a corresponding color properly thereby eliminating deterioration of color reproduction due to mixing of colors. Further, upon production of the hologram color filter from hologram recording material, an influence of a fringe rotation is compensated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to space light modulating technology for use in a projector, display unit, printing and the like, and more particularly to a hologram color filter, production method of the hologram color filter and space light modulating apparatus using the hologram color filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
A space light modulating apparatus using the hologram color filter such as a color display unit has such an advantage in that its use efficiency of light is higher as compared to the color display unit using an ordinary color filter. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2-500937 has disclosed a color display unit and method thereof using the hologram lens, in which the hologram lenses for red(R), green(G) and blue(B) are arranged horizontally in line in front of a stripe target such that they are disposed on multiple vertical stages so as to form each focal point on a target plane through each of the lenses thereby ensuring a high reading light efficiency.
Further, the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.9-189809 (Japanese Patent Application No.7-315956) has disclosed a projection type display apparatus provided with a space light modulating unit which divides an incident light by diffraction to plural light beams having different wavelength bands as a color separating means and selectively collects light of each wavelength band at a picture element position of a corresponding color.
In the space light modulating unit employed in this conventional projection type display apparatus, its hologram color filter has such a characteristic that the diffraction efficiency of one polarized wave (hereinafter referred to as first polarized wave) of S polarized wave and P polarized wave with respect to a light impinging at a predetermined incident angle is kept substantially maximum while a difference of the diffraction efficiency between the first polarized wave and other polarized wave (hereinafter referred to as second polarized wave) is more than 30%. Of lights impinging upon this hologram color filter, the first polarized wave is diffracted by the hologram color filter and divided to spectrum, and then selectively converged to a picture element electrode position of a corresponding color on the liquid crystal display. The lights converged selectively to each picture element electrode is subjected to light modulation relating to video signal of a corresponding color, reflected and impinges again upon the hologram color filter. Then, the hologram color filter projects a polarized wave passing therethrough without being diffracted to a screen in an enlarged size.
A conventional space light modulating apparatus using the hologram color filter will be described more in detail with reference to FIG. 1.
The hologram color filter 1 comprises three layers of a hologram lens 1B for blue (B), a hologram lens 1G for green (G) and a hologram lens 1R for red (R). White light emitted from a xenon lamp or a metal-halide lamp (not shown) impinges upon the hologram lens 1B of the top layer of the hologram color filter 1. Here, only the B component is diffracted, and then focused and impinges upon the space light modulating element 3 constituted of a LCD panel by an operation of the lens. The G and R lights not diffracted by the hologram lens 1B for B advance straight in the hologram lens 1B for B and impinges upon the hologram lens 1G for G. Then, only the G component is diffracted and focused and impinges upon the space light modulating element 3 by an operation of the lens. Then, the R light not diffracted by the hologram lens 1G for G advances straight in the hologram lens 1G for G and then impinges upon the hologram lens 1R for R. Here, this light is diffracted and focused and impinges upon the space light modulating element 3 by an operation of the lens.
The space light modulating element 3 is constituted of a transparent electrode layer 4, picture element electrode layer 5 and liquid crystal 6 which is disposed therebetween and sealed such that it is sandwiched by an orientation film (not shown). A plurality of the picture element electrode layers 5 are provided for each of R, G and B so that they are driven by the R, G, B picture element signals. Then, the B light converged by the hologram lens 1B for B impinges upon the B picture element electrode 5B. The G light converged by the hologram lens 1G for G impinges upon the G picture element electrode 5G. The R light converged by the hologram lens 1R for R impinges upon the R picture element electrode 5R.
A voltage corresponding to a picture element signal is applied between the picture element electrode layer 5 and transparent electrode layer 4 of the incident side. Polarization and modulation corresponding to an extent of this voltage are executed on the incident light by the liquid crystal 6. For example, if a liquid crystal oriented vertically is used as the liquid crystal 6, a portion corresponding to a picture element signal of light impinging as S wave component becomes P wave component. Light after modulation is reflected by the picture element electrode layer 5 (or dielectric material mirror) and impinges upon the hologram color filter 1 again. The P wave component of this light passes through the hologram color filter 1 as it is. As a result, it comes that only a component corresponding to the picture element is taken out. By projecting this transmission light onto a screen, a picture is displayed. Meanwhile, most of the S wave component of the light impinging upon the hologram color filter 1 again is diffracted again, advances in an opposite direction to the incident light and returns to a light source. By providing a polarizer allowing the P wave component to pass in the output light path as required, the S wave component passing through the hologram color filter 1 can be cut off.
Next, a production method of the hologram color filter having three layers will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A-2D. First, an EB lattice 7 constructed in the form of a concave lens by electron beam (EB) as shown in FIG. 2A is used. The EB lattice 7 has a lattice construction having continuously differing pitches corresponding to the lens. A plurality of the lattices 7 are provided continuously on the surface of the glass substrate 8 so that the EB master (exposure master) 9 is formed as shown in FIG. 2B. A layer of hologram recording material 11 is formed on the surface of the other glass substrate 10 appropriately such that the hologram recording material 11 is disposed so as to oppose the EB master 9 in a condition that it is in contact with the EB master 9.
With this condition, exposure light 12 is irradiated from an exposure light source (not shown) at a predetermined angle as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2B. Consequently, as shown in FIG. 2A, 0 order light L0 which advances straight and primary order light L1 diffracted by the lattice are obtained. Although a small amount of higher order light are produced as the diffracted light depending on the case, this matter is omitted in a following description to facilitate understanding. Because the hologram recording material 11 is disposed below the EB master as described above, interference pattern between the 0 order light L0 and primary order light L1 is formed. As a result, a refractivity distribution similar to the interference pattern, or a hologram lens is formed on the hologram recording material 11. As other production method, the reference light is used from an oblique direction as the 0 order light and the object wave is irradiated vertically as the primary order light so as to make both the lights interfere with each other.
To form a hologram color filter having three layers as shown in FIG. 1, first of all, the hologram recording material 11 is exposed by the EB master 9 for B so as to form a hologram lens 1B for B. Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, the hologram recording material 11 is provided on the hologram lens 1B for B. Then, an EB master 13 for G is disposed so as to oppose the hologram recording material 11 and the hologram recording material 11 is exposed so as to form a hologram lens 1G for G. Further, as shown in FIG. 2D, the hologram recording material 11 is provided on.the hologram lens 1G for G and an EB master 14 for R is disposed so as to oppose the hologram recording material 11 and the hologram recording material 11 is exposed so as to form a hologram lens 1R for R. By forming the three layers of the hologram recording material and repeating the exposure operation by the EB master for each layer three times, the hologram color filter 1 having the three layers is produced.
Although the thicknesses of the hologram lenses 1R, 1G, 1B for R, G, B are substantially the same, there is such a problem that light availability differs depending on color because the diffraction efficiency in each of the hologram lenses 1R, 1G, 1B differs depending on the wavelength of light or color of the light.
Further, the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.9-189809 has not mentioned a thickness of the thin plate glass layer provided on a reading light emission side of the hologram color filter formed by overlaying a plurality of the different hologram lenses relating to the three primary colors or carrying out multiple exposures to a single-layer hologram light sensitive film by a plurality of the hologram lenses.
That is, according to the structure shown in FIG. 1 of the aforementioned patent application(Japanese Patent Application No.7-315956), the emission lights from the hologram color filters 3 of three layers corresponding to the three primary colors are made to converge on each corresponding picture element electrode layer 13. Thus, the focal lengths of the hologram lens arrays 3r, 3g, 3b are set to be different such that the focal points of the hologram lens arrays 3r, 3g, 3b of each corresponding color exist on a same plane apart from the surface of the hologram color filter by each desired distance.
However, such a conventional art shown in FIG. 3 has a following problem. That is, because the same patent application has not mentioned particularly the thickness of the thin plate glass layer, if the sum thickness (t11+t12) of the thickness of the thin plate glass layer 21 and thickness of the adhesive agent layer 39 bonded to the reading light emission side of the hologram color filter 1 is larger than the shortest focal length L1 in glass of the hologram lenses 1R, 1G, 1B of corresponding colors, emission light from the thin plate glass layer 21 becomes radiant light, so that one color light on the picture element electrode 5R, 5G, 5B of the picture element electrode layer 5 is mixed with another color light adjacent thereto thereby inducing mixing of the colors shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the reproductivity of colors is worsened.
There is another problem to solve. That is, when each hologram lens is formed, in FIG. 2B, if the exposure light 12 is irradiated to the hologram recording material 11 of each layer, a fringe pattern is formed thereon and by heat developing this, the refractivity change is intensified so as to produce a one-layer hologram lens. The refractivity change of the hologram recording material 11 depends on the space of the fringe pattern and inclination angle determined by the 0 order light (reference light) and primary order light (object light).
FIGS. 5 and 6 show this state and indicate a one-layer hologram lens 1B (1G, 1B) as a representative.
If the reference light 15 is irradiated obliquely to the hologram recording material 11 and the object light 16 is irradiated thereto vertically as shown in FIG. 5, the fringe pattern 17 of the angle xcex1 is formed in an oblique direction. These lights correspond to the 0 order light and primary order light as described above. The direction of this fringe pattern 17 is a direction for dividing an intersection angle xcex8 between the reference light 15 and object light 16 to two parts. The angles xcex81, xcex82 formed by the direction of the fringe pattern 17 and directions of both the lights 15, 16 are such that xcex81=xcex82 or they are of the same angle.
As described above, the hologram recording material 11 in which the fringe pattern 17 is formed is subjected to heat development treatment by adding heat to intensify the refractivity change. As a result, the fringe pattern 17 rises at a slight angle xcex94xcex1 as shown in FIG. 6 so as to increase the inclination angle. This phenomenon is called fringe rotation. If this fringe rotation occurs when the maximum efficiency is desired to be obtained, when the reproduction light 18 is projected to the hologram lens 1B(1G, 1R) from an oblique direction of a predetermined angle, sometimes the diffracted light 18A is emitted in a direction deviated at a slight angle xcex94xcex8 from vertically downward although this light is set to be emitted vertically downward in the same Figure. Therefore, it comes that this diffracted light 18A does not reach a desired picture element.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve such a problem of the conventional art and therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a hologram color filter capable of improving light availability and a space light modulating apparatus using the same.
Another object of the invention is to provide a production method of a hologram color filter capable of emitting a diffracted light in a desired direction at an optimum efficiency by compensating for a fringe rotation and a space light modulating apparatus using a filter produced according to the same method.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hologram color filter suitable for achieving a projection type display unit excellent in reproduction of color without mixing of colors.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a hologram color filter having two or more hologram lenses, wherein the thickness of each layer of the hologram lenses having two or more layers is smaller as the wavelength of light to be diffracted by each layer is shorter.
Because according to the present invention, the diffraction efficiency can be improved, the light availability can be also improved.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of each of the hologram lenses having two or more layers accurately corresponds to a ratio of the wavelength of light to be diffracted by each layer.
By using the aforementioned hologram color filter in a space light modulating apparatus, the light availability can be improved and further, a desired light can be emitted from a desired picture element.
Further, to achieve the above object, there is provided a space light modulating apparatus comprising: a hologram color filter formed by overlaying a plurality of different hologram lenses relating to the three primary colors or carrying out multiple exposures on a single layer hologram light sensitive film by the plurality of the hologram lenses, the hologram color filter diffracting incident white reading light to a plurality of light beams having each different wavelength and focusing each thereof onto a picture element electrode of each corresponding color; a thin plate glass layer provided in a firm contact with reading light emission side of the hologram color filter; and a space light modulating element for modulating light diffracted by the hologram color filter, the space light modulating apparatus being so constructed that the thickness of the thin plate glass layer is smaller than the shortest focal length of the focal lengths in glass of each of the plurality of the hologram lenses.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thin plate glass layer is bonded to a reading light emission side surface of the hologram color filter via adhesive agent and a sum of the thickness of the adhesive agent and thickness of the thin plate glass layer is smaller than the shortest focal length of the focal lengths in glass of each of the plurality of the hologram lenses.
According to the present, invention, the distance between the hologram color filter and picture element electrode layer can be so adjusted that the three primary colors separated by the hologram color filter are converged onto each corresponding picture element properly and therefore, a space light modulating apparatus excellent in reproduction of color without mixing of colors can be achieved.
Further, to achieve the above object, there is provided a method for producing a hologram color filter comprising the steps of: forming a fringe pattern on a hologram recording material; creating a one-layer hologram lens by heat-development of the hologram recording material; providing a further hologram recording material on the one-layer hologram lens; and repeating the above procedure so as to create a multiple layer hologram lens, wherein the fringe pattern to be formed on the hologram recording material is formed at a recording angle for compensating for a fringe rotation such that light having a desired wavelength is emitted in a desired direction.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the desired direction is a normal direction of the hologram color filter.
According to this invention, the fringe pattern prior to heat development is formed in such a condition that it is rotated by an angle corresponding to the rotation angle of a fringe rotation in an opposite direction thereto. Therefore, the fringe pattern after heat development is formed in a desired direction as designed.
Further, by employing a hologram color filter produced according to the above method in the space light modulating apparatus, the diffracted light is emitted in a desired direction with a desired diffraction efficiency as designed, so that the diffracted light hits a desired picture element accurately.
The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Hologram color filter, production method of the same hologram color filter and space light modulating apparatus using the same hologram color filter


A CMOS image sensor may include an active pixel sensor suitable for generating a pixel signal corresponding to incident light, a reference pixel array suitable for shielding incident light and generate a reference value, a readout circuit suitable for comparing the pixel signal and the reference value with a ramp signal and for removing a first noise of the pixel signal in a common mode, and a pixel signal processing circuit suitable for performing a linear operation on an output signal from the readout circuit and the reference value, and for removing a second noise of the pixel signal in the common mode.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an image sensor, and more particularly, to a pixel signal processing apparatus for removing noise in an image sensor having a column parallel structure and a CMOS image sensor using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a column parallel structure, each comparator of a readout block operates in a differential mode to effectively remove a first noise caused by power supplied to the comparator in a common node.
However, row-to-row noise or a second noise occurring in a pixel due to power supplied to the pixel is contained in a pixel signal and then applied to the readout block. Thus, pixel data including the row-to-row noise is output without removal of the row-to-row noise, which causes row-to-row fluctuation or row-to-row shading in the pixel data.

Pixel signal processing apparatus for removing noise in an image sensor having a column parallel structure and CMOS image sensor using the same


A valve member is located in a passage through which fluid passes. The valve member selectively opens and closes the passage. The valve member is supported by a support member formed a magnetic material. An electromagnetic driving mechanism attracts the support member with magnetic force. The electromagnetic driving mechanism is located outside the passage. When attracting the support member, the electromagnetic driving mechanism selectively opens and closes the passage with the valve member.

The present invention relates to a valve device that opens and closes a passage of a fluid.
A typical valve device for opening and closing a passage of fluid uses an electromagnet. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-81162 discloses such a valve device. This valve device has a valve body (valve member) for opening and closing a passage of a valve main body that moves fluid. The valve body is made of magnetic material. The valve body is coupled to a film that is movably supported by the valve main body. An excitation coil is wound about the outer circumference of the fluid passage of the valve main body. When the coil is excited, an electromagnet is provided. When the excitation coil is excited, the valve body, which a magnetic material, is attracted or repelled thereby opening or closing the passage.
The valve body and part of the fluid passage must be made of magnetic material. Therefore, the electromagnet must be arranged close to the valve body so that magnetic force of the electromagnet is transmitted to the valve body. Therefore, the material for the valve member must be selected from a limited number of materials, which restricts selection of the valve member and limits the flexibility of the design. Also, the excitation coil must be wound about the outer circumference of the fluid passage of the valve main body. This complications the structure of the device and increases the size of the device.


Acetogenins isolated from Annona muricata of the family Annonaceae are described. The substantially pure compounds of the invention exhibit to human tumor cell lines as well as selective cytotoxicity for various human tumor cell lines.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the isolation, identification and use of natural products as anti-tumor agents. More particularly, the present invention relates to seven new annonaceous acetogenins from Annona muricata, muricin A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, and their use in treating patients having tumors, and even some with hepatoma cancer.
2. Description of Related Art
Many plants of the Annonaceae have been used in folk medicine and insecticides. Among the constituents of these materials, annonaceous acetogenins, known to have potent anticancer activities, are regarded as the major active principles. Annonaceous acetogenins, a rather new class of natural compounds only isolated from the Annonaceae, are usually C35-C37 fatty acid derivatives connecting a variable number of Tetrahydrofuran (THF) or Tetrahydropryan (THP) rings and lactone terminal moiety. So far, more than three hundred compounds, most of which were steric isomers, have been found and published, and their more biological activities, such as cytotoxic, antiparasitic, insecticide and immunosuppressive activities, have been further proved.
Annona muricata L. (Annonaceae) is a well-known tropical fruit tree named "sour sop" or "guanabana", which is mainly distributed in the Americas and in Southeast Asia. Currently, there have been more than forty annonaceous acetogenins isolated from the stems, leaves and seeds of this plant up. In the previous study of annonaceous acetogenins from Annona muricata by Li's el al., three annonaceous acetogenins, muricatin A, muricatin B, and muricatin C, were found from the extract of the stem bark. In those annonaceous acetogenins, four known compounds, muricatetrocin A, muricatetrocin B, corossolin, and corossolone, show special selective cytotoxicities against hepatoma cell lines, Hep G2, and 2,2,15. These four compounds are discussed with seven newly discovered annonaceous acetogenins in the detailed description in cytotoxicities of curing hepatoma.


An LCD panel of high resolution (with decreased pixel pitch) and a method for manufacturing the same. In the LCD panel, the even numbered data lines are formed only up to the cell region of a substrate and then extended up to the pad region using conductive patterns. With the use of refracted conductive patterns, the even numbered data pads could be extended from the even numbered data lines and arranged parallel to the odd-numbered data pads along the longitudinal direction of odd-numbered data lines, thereby decreasing the pitch. Instead of using the conductive patterns, the even numbered data lines may be made longer than the odd numbered data lines in the pad region and may be refracted appropriately to arrange the even numbered data pads in parallel to the odd numbered data pads along the longitudinal direction of the odd numbered data lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel of high resolution and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Rapid developments in the field of information communication have caused an increase in the demand for thin, lightweight and low cost display devices for viewing information. Industries that develop display devices (or, simply, displays) are responding to these needs by placing high emphasis on developing flat panel-type displays. Historically, the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) has been widely used as a display device for televisions, computer monitors and the like, because CRT screens can display various colors having high brightness. However, the CRT cannot adequately satisfy present demands for display applications that require display devices with reduced volume and weight, portability, lower power consumption, large screen size, and high resolution. Because of such requirements, the display industry has started placing more emphasis on developing flat panel displays to replace the CRT. Over the years, flat panel displays have found wide use in monitors manufactured for computers, spacecraft, aircraft, etc.
Some examples of the types of flat panel displays currently in use include the liquid crystal display (LCD), the electroluminescent display (ELD), the field emission display (FED), and the plasma display panel (PDP). Some characteristics that are required of an ideal flat panel display include light weight, high luminance, high efficiency, high resolution, high speed response time, low driving voltage, low power consumption, low cost, and natural color reproduction.
Generally, a phosphor material on a surface of the CRT emits light based on an externally applied display timing signal and an externally applied data signal, which control the trace of an electron beam. On the other hand, in an LCD panel, the electric field applied to the liquid crystals is controlled so as to control each crystal's transmittivity of light.
Development and applications of thin film transistor (TFT)-based LCD displays having increased dimensions and increased resolution is in demand. To increase productivity during manufacture of such displays, it is desirable to continue efforts to simplify manufacturing process steps and to improve the yield.
It is noted that the pitch between two pads in an LCD panel is a parameter that can be optimized for realizing an LCD panel with high resolution. In other words, the realization of an LCD panel with high resolution depends on how much the pitch between two pads is decreased.
Some relevant constructional details of a related art LCD panel are explained hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 1 is a plane view illustrating architectural details of a related art LCD panel, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the LCD panel in FIG. 1 taken along line of I-I′ in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the related art LCD panel includes two glass substrates divided into a cell region (C), a pad region (P), and a liquid crystal interposed between them. A plurality of gate lines G1, G2 . . . Gn are arranged to cross a plurality of data lines D1, D2 . . . Dn on a first glass substrate 1 in the cell region (C), thereby defining a plurality of pixel regions in a matrix form. A pixel electrode 3 is formed in each pixel region. A TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is formed at each crossing point between a gate line and a data line.
The pad region P includes a plurality of gate pads Gp1, Gp2 . . . , Gpn and a plurality of data pads Dp1, Dp2 . . . Dpn. The gate pads transmit a gate signal output from a gate driving circuit (not shown) to the gate lines G1, G2 . . . Gn; and the data pads transmit a data signal output from a data driving circuit (not shown) to the data lines D1, D2 . . . Dn.
Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a black matrix layer and a color filter layer for displaying colors R, G, and B are arranged on a second glass substrate of the cell region. The black matrix layer prevents light from being transmitted from a pixel electrode and a TFT. A common electrode is arranged above the color filter layer so as to apply a common voltage to each pixel electrode 3.
The data pads are now explained with reference to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the data pads Dp1, Dp2, and Dp3 extend from respective data lines D1, D2, and D3 in the cell region C. The data pads Dp1, Dp2 and Dp3 are formed above the gate insulating film 2 on the first substrate 1 in the pad region P with a fixed distance between two of them. Thereafter, a transparent conductive film 6 electrically connected to each data pad Dp1, Dp2, and Dp3 through a passivation film 4 on the data pads Dp1, Dp2, and Dp3 is formed. The transparent conductive film 6 transmits a driving signal received from an external driving circuit (not shown) through TCP (Tape Carrier Package) or COF (Chip on Film) to each data line.
The distance between each data line D1, D2, and D3 is called a "pitch." For example, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pitch P′ is a distance from the center of line D1 to that of line D2. In a related art LCD panel, the pitch P′ is about 50 μm and the respective transparent conductive films 6 require a minimum distance "W" to be connected to a Tape Carrier Package (TCP), which electrically connects the transparent conductive films 6 to a driving circuit.
However, to obtain an LCD panel of high resolution, that is, an LCD panel with more than 200 Pixels Per Inch (PPI), the pitch P′ should be less than 50 μm (e.g., approximately 42 μm). Accordingly, with the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, an LCD panel of resolution more than 200 PPI may not be obtained.
Many methods to obtain a higher pitch among adjacent data pads are proposed. For example, a Double Bank structure separately arranges pads at both sides of an LCD panel. FIG. 3 is a plane view illustrating a related art LCD panel with double bank structure. In FIG. 3, the odd numbered data pads such as Dp1, Dp3, . . . , Dpn−1 are arranged at a lower portion (or at an upper portion) of an LCD panel and the even numbered data pads such as Dp2, Dp4 . . . , Dpn are arranged at an upper portion (or a lower portion) of the panel, thereby obtaining a pitch that is higher than that obtained with the Single Bank structure shown in FIG. 1. In the cell region of first substrate 1 in FIG. 3, a plurality of gate lines G1, G2 . . . Gn are formed to cross a plurality of data lines D1, D2 . . . Dn. Also, in the pad region of the substrate 1, data pads Dp1, Dp2, Dp3 . . . , Dpn−1, and Dpn on corresponding data lines are alternately arranged at an upper or a lower portion of the LCD panel as shown in FIG. 3.
However, a related art LCD panel has the following problems. First, the Single Bank structure (such as that shown in FIG. 1) can not obtain an LCD panel having a resolution more than 200 PPI, because a Single Bank structure places a limit on decreasing the pitch, which is a distance between adjacent data pads, since a minimum pad width is required for electrical contact with a driving circuit. Second, although the minimum width required for electrical contact with the driving circuit is obtained in the Double Bank structure in spite of a decreased pitch, a separate arrangement of data pads on both sides of the LCD panel is required. Such a Double Bank architecture thus complicates the module fabrication process and driving circuitry arrangement. Furthermore, the double bank structure makes fabrication of compact panels impossible and also increases the LCD panel production cost.

Liquid crystal display panel comprising data lines having alternately different extended lengths to data pads at respectively different levels above the substrate


Video visitation systems and methods for correctional facilities include an audio/video processor element interconnecting an inmate station and a remote visitor station. The audio/video processor element adjusts audio and/or video feeds to facilitate monitoring by a plurality of officers at remote monitoring stations without experiencing network bandwidth and latency issues.

The field of the invention relates generally to administrative systems for institutional environments, and more specifically to video visitation systems for correctional facilities.
Various types of institutional facilities are known that house residents in a controlled environment. Activities of residents in such controlled environments are restricted, and a high degree of supervision is exercised over the residents. As a result, significant administrative difficulties exist in such institutional environments that do not necessarily exist in other environments. Among such institutional environments housing residents in a controlled environment are hospitals, convalescent homes, long term care facilities, nursing homes, psychiatric facilities, rehabilitation facilities and developmental disability facilities, and correctional facilities such as prisons and jails housing incarcerated individuals, often referred to as inmates.
Correctional facilities such as jails and prisons allow inmates to visit with friends and family in-person as well as to communicate telephonically within predetermined limits. Visits with family and friends allow inmates to maintain those relationships despite incarceration. Such visits with family and friends are important to the mental wellbeing of inmates, and are a predominate factor in the rehabilitation and reentry of inmates into society upon their release from the correctional facility.
In-person visits with inmates at a correctional facility are therefore highly beneficial but present certain challenges to facility administrators. Such in-person visits have to be closely supervised to ensure the safety of visitors, to prevent contraband from being introduced into the institution, and to deter inmates from conducting or ordering nefarious activities in concert with a visitor, who may be knowing or unknowing of an inmate's intent to use them in a nefarious plan. Such concerns are typically manageable using known security protocols and procedures, but in view of the issues involved most correctional facilities can only accommodate a relatively small number of in-person visits at any given time. Some inconvenience on the part of visitors may result in their inability to visit with an inmate at certain times, and this can be an impediment to in-person visits even when the visitor lives relatively close to the correctional facility where the inmate is incarcerated.
When family, friends, and acquaintances live far away from a facility where an inmate is incarcerated, in-person visits may occur infrequently or may not occur at all. Time and costs to commute long distances to meet in-person with an inmate may render them prohibitive to certain family, friends and acquaintances that otherwise may be interested in maintaining a relationship with the inmates.
Telephonic communication allows more convenient communication across long distances, but tends to be less personal.
Improvements in facilitating meaningful contact between inmates and visitors at increased convenience to the visitors, and while alleviating the challenges of correctional facility administrators are desired.

Controlled environment facility video visitation systems and methods