A fryer filtration arrangement utilizes certain automated components.

A typical deep-fat fryer will include a fryer vat containing a heating bath of cooking oil. The cooking oil is adapted to receive baskets of food products such that the food products will be immersed within and cooked by the heated cooking oil. Such fryers may also include a heat exchanger and a pump. The pump is responsible for continuously pumping the cooking oil from the fryer vat, through the heat exchanger and back into the fryer vat such that the cooking oil remains at a substantially constant temperature, thereby allowing the food products to be evenly and consistently cooked within the fryer vat. Fryers have also been manufactured with in vat fire tubes and associated burners, with combusted gases being passed therethrough to heat the oil, eliminating the need to constantly pump the oil from the vat through a heat exchanger.
To extend the useful life of the cooking oil, it is a common practice to filter the particulate food matter from the cooking oil to minimize the carbonization of such food matter within the cooking oil. Improvements in effectiveness and convenience of filtration systems are regularly sought.


A vehicle transportable ice plant includes a transportable trailer including an enclosure, and an evaporator positioned within the enclosure for supplying supercooled refrigerant to a heat exchanger, a compressor downstream from the evaporator for compressing the refrigerant, a discharge line downstream from the compressor for discharging compressed refrigerant to a condenser, a condenser fan for removing heat from the condenser, and a thermostatic expansion valve for delivering supercooled refrigerant to the evaporator in an endless cycle. An ice production brings water into contact with the evaporator heat exchanger to produce ice, and an ice cube maker is provided for producing ice cubes from the ice.

The present invention relates to a transportable ice plant, particularly one that is transportable by a vehicle such as over-the-road tractor. The plant is contained within a trailer, and the trailer is attachable to the tractor in the usual manner. The ice plant is capable of using raw water from virtually any water supply, including rivers, lakes and ponds, and producing sanitary water and ice. The plant has particular application in remote locations, such as mines, where regulations require that mine workers be supplied with large quantities of ice, as well as sporting events, disaster locations and the like. The ice plant is adapted for dispensing ice in bulk form and also in bags.


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: preparing a flexible substrate which includes a base substrate having a light transmission property and an interconnecting pattern formed on one surface of the base substrate, the flexible substrate allowing a light to pass through a region other than the interconnecting pattern; recognizing a position of the interconnecting pattern by viewing the flexible substrate from a surface opposite to the surface on which the interconnecting pattern is formed through the base substrate; recognizing positions of electrodes formed on a semiconductor chip from a direction identical to that in recognizing the interconnecting pattern; and aligning the interconnecting pattern with the electrodes to connect the flexible substrate to the semiconductor chip by the face down bonding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a circuit board and an electronic instrument.
2. Descriptions of the Related Arts
As the electronic devices are recently manufactured to be more miniaturized, there is a demand for semiconductor device packages suitable for a high-density mounting. To answer these demands, surface-mounted packages such as Ball Grid Array (BGA) and Chip Scale/Size Package (CSP) have been developed. With these surface-mounted packages, a semiconductor chip is mounted by face-down bonding on a substrate on which an interconnecting pattern is formed.
In order to make a positional alignment of the interconnecting pattern with electrodes of the semiconductor chip, a conventional method of manufacturing the surface-mounted package uses an optical system. Specifically, the optical system is placed between a surface having electrodes of a semiconductor chip and a surface having an interconnecting pattern of a substrate, and images of both surfaces are taken by a camera, thus detecting the positions of the interconnecting pattern and electrodes. According to this method, because the optical system is complicated, errors in positioning are apt to occur, so that a degradation of mounting precision is brought about.
The present invention was made to solve the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which improves the mounting precision, the semiconductor device manufactured by the method, an apparatus for manufacturing the semiconductor device, a circuit board, and an electronic instrument.
(1) According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that comprises a flexible substrate including a base substrate that has a light transmission property and an interconnecting pattern formed on one surface of the base substrate, and a semiconductor chip that is connected to the flexible substrate and provided with electrodes, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting a position of at least one of the electrodes and interconnecting pattern by a detection means that is provided on a side opposite to a side on which the semiconductor chip is provided; and
electrically connecting the interconnecting pattern to the electrodes.
(2) In this method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, positions of the interconnecting pattern and the electrodes may be detected by the detection means by viewing from a surface of the flexible substrate opposite to a surface on which the interconnecting pattern is formed.
Since the substrate having a light transmission property is used, the interconnecting pattern can be recognized from the reverse surface of the flexible substrate. When the surface on which the interconnecting pattern is formed and the surface on which the electrodes are formed are arranged parallel to each other, the recognition can be made without changing the direction of the detection means. Moreover, by moving the flexible substrate and the semiconductor chip in a direction parallel to these surfaces, the face down bonding can be performed after the recognition. As a result, it is possible to enhance a mounting precision without using a complicated optical system.
(3) In this method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the flexible substrate may be a two-layered flexible substrate in which the interconnecting pattern is formed on the base substrate without using adhesive.
Generally-used adhesive inhibits light to transmit through the flexible substrate. By using the two-layered substrate that does not use such generally-used adhesive, the interconnecting pattern can be recognized through the surface opposite to that where the interconnecting pattern is formed.
(4) In this method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the interconnecting pattern may be formed on the base substrate by sputtering.
As described above, by forming the interconnecting pattern on the substrate by sputtering, the interconnecting pattern can be easily recognized from the side opposite to that where the interconnecting pattern is formed.
(5) In this method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the base substrate may be formed of polyethylene terephthalate.
Polyethylene terephthalate is an example of a material that has the light transmission property.
(6) In this method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the detection means may comprise a camera; positions of the interconnecting pattern and the electrodes may be detected by the camera; and the camera may take an image of one of the flexible substrates having the interconnecting pattern and the semiconductor chip having the electrodes first, and then takes an image of the other.
(7) In this method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the camera may move in a direction parallel to surfaces on which the interconnecting pattern and the electrodes are formed to take an image of one of the interconnecting pattern and the electrodes.
(8) According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device manufactured by the above-described method.
(9) According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip and a flexible substrate that includes a base substrate and an interconnecting pattern formed on the base substrate,
wherein the base substrate has a light transmission property; and
wherein the interconnecting pattern on the base substrate is electrically connected to electrodes formed on the semiconductor chip.
(10) The semiconductor chip may be connected to the interconnecting pattern by the face down bonding.
(11) According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
a first transportation means for transporting a flexible substrate;
a second transportation means for transporting a semiconductor chip; and
a detection means for position detecting,
wherein the detection means is located on a side opposite to a side on which the semiconductor chip is provided to detect a position of an interconnecting pattern formed on the flexible substrate or a position of electrodes formed on the semiconductor chip.
(12) According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circuit board on which the above-described semiconductor device is mounted.
(13) According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic instrument comprising the above-described circuit board.

Method and apparatus of manufacturing semiconductor device


A method of forming an undergarment is provided. The method includes inserting an adhesive layer between a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer to form a fabric sub-assembly, the sub-assembly having a periphery that is larger than an outer periphery of the undergarment; causing the adhesive layer to form a laminate from the sub-assembly; and removing a trim from the laminate at the outer periphery to form a finished edge of the undergarment, wherein the first and second fabric layers comprise at least one cotton material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to brassieres. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of making cotton blend glue brassieres. Such brassieres include a finished edge that does not require separate binding or narrow edge finishing.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that the comfortability of wearing of a brassiere is improved when the brassiere is made of a material that is soft and supple, yet capable of providing shape and control to support the breasts of the wearer. Natural fabrics, such as cotton, and blends of natural and synthetic fabrics, such as cotton, polyester and spandex, are a popular choice for making brassieres. These fabrics are soft and flexible, yet they shape and contour the breasts of the wearer. The comfortability of a brassiere is also improved when a brassiere does not have seams or elastic bands that may "dig in" and constrict the blood flow in the torso area of the wearer.
Advances have been made in the use of adhesives to bind fabrics. However, prior laminates bind natural fibers, such as cotton, together in such a manner as to "lock up" the fibers, and, thus, prevent the laminates from stretching. As a result, such brassieres still require several finishing steps in order to complete the manufacturing of the brassiere. Such finishing steps include the addition of binding materials, such as elastic, to provide support, stretch, and a finished edge.
Given the foregoing, there is a need for methods of making brassieres made of a material that is soft and supple, yet is capable of providing shape and control to support the breasts of the wearer, without seams or elastic.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods of making cotton blend glue brassieres


The present invention provides a method of amplifying an RNA molecule in a biological sample by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), wherein the RT-PCR is carried out in a solution comprising a polar aprotic solvent; a serum albumin, and a polyol.

The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a widely used method for amplifying RNA. In the RT-PCR reaction, a DNA molecule (termed a complementary DNA molecule, which can be abbreviated to a "cDNA molecule") is generated from a single stranded RNA template using a reverse transcriptase. The cDNA is then used as a template for exponential amplification using PCR. The cDNA sequence may be generated from the full length of the mRNA sequence or a portion of the mRNA sequence.
RT-PCR has many applications, including the diagnosis of microorganisms such as RNA-viruses, viral load monitoring during drug treatment, identification of genetic diseases, gene expression analysis and the typing of genetically modified organisms etc. Traditional RT-PCR based assays rely on RNA extraction prior to amplification, thus removing any potential RT-PCR inhibitors present in the biological material. This extraction or purification step is however, associated with several disadvantages. For example: i) it can cause the cross contamination of samples, causing the generation of false positives, which is especially critical during high throughput RNA-based screening assays such as those employed to monitor the presence of RNA-based viruses such as HIV and Ebola in blood; ii) it can be a source of infection unless the operators are following specific laboratory safety or containment measures; iii) it can be labour intensive; iv) it can be costly in terms of both material and time; and v) it does not always provide a robust and reliable method for the removal of some RT-PCR inhibitors.
One of the major challenges with developing novel methodologies for carrying out PCR directly from crude samples is the presence of compounds that inhibit the amplification of nucleic acids, such as haem in blood. One approach investigators have used to attempt to overcome this challenge is to replace the wild-type DNA polymerases with a genetically engineered enzyme that is more resistant to several common inhibitors (Al-Soud et al 1998; J. Clin. Micro 39, 485-493). Although many commercially-available products consist of mutated Taq DNA polymerases that are suitable for direct PCR, there are currently no alternatives for the direct RT-PCR amplification of RNA from crude biological samples such as blood and tissue. Inhibitor-resistant reverse transcriptase (RT) enzymes are not readily available. The development of a direct RT-PCR workflow and its incorporation into a freeze-dried format such as the GE Healthcare "Ready to Go" formulation will provide major benefits e.g. time saving and simplified workflows. Such reagents will also deliver ambient storage and transportation benefits.

Methods and reagents for reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction

Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd


A rotary drum dryer is supported by magnetic non-contact bearings rather than by rollers or wheels which are normally used to support a rotary drum cylinder. A plurality of rare earth permanent magnets are positioned on the outside surface of the cylindrical dryer to form at least two external annular rings. One U-shaped semi-circular channel supported with a cradle have similar rare earth permanent magnets positioned at selected locations on the inside curvature thereof with the open end facing upward and disposed below in alignment with and spaced apart from each one of the at least two annular rings of magnets supporting the on the cylindrical dryer. The like pole magnets affixed to the surface of the cylinder repel the like pole magnets facing them disposed in the U-channels of the cradle causing the cylinder to levitate above and spaced apart a selected distance from the cradle.

Rotary devices such as rotary dryers, drums, trommels and tumblers, for example, are well known in industry. Such devices are used for drying, mixing, separating, or milling of different materials such as ores, fibers, or vegetative materials such as tobacco. (A trommel is a revolving cylindrical sieve used for screening or sizing rock or other particulate into different size groups.) These units typically include a long cylinder which is positioned with the axis lying horizontally or slightly tilted to cause loose material within to migrate from the input end to the output end of the cylinder. Both ends of the cylinder are typically open. The cylinder is caused to spin on an axis and preferably has shallow spiraling fins or a similar structure attached to the inner wall of the cylinder, resembling internal threads, for the movement of loose material from the higher input end to and out of the lower discharge end. Due to the use of internal spiraling ribs or fins, the axis of drum rotation is perfectly or nearly level in some configurations.
The material to be processed is added into the higher end. As the cylinder spins, the material is carried upward within and against the walls and internal spiral ribs or fins and drops back to the bottom of the cylinder, but due to the configuration of the spiraling fins and the slight tilt of the cylinder, the material falls ever closer to the lower end of the cylinder. In a drying drum, while the material is dropping toward the lower end, drying air, steam or the like, is passed through the cylinder to dry the process material dropping and passing through the drum. In a ball mill, heavy, hardened balls drop along with the process material to be milled, such that as the balls fall on and against the process material, the process material is crushed or pulverized. In a mixing drum, differing ingredients are added simultaneously to the input end of the drum and these are uniformly mixed as they exit the lower end of the drum.
The preceding discussion describes a continuous flow process. However, instead of a process wherein material is continuously added into the input of the cylinder and finished product continuously falls out of the output end, a 'batch' processing unit is also possible. Such a unit has is preferably a closed cylinder with at least one door which is opened to put material in the cylinder. The material is processed and then the door or doors are opened to remove the processed material.
Rotary drums vary from a few feet in length and diameter to over a hundred feet in length and tens of feet in diameter. These drums can weigh from a few hundred pounds to tens or hundreds of tons. A common problem with such drums is the means of support on which the drums spin. Typically, the drums are supported by wheels or rollers configured within semi-circular cradles which allow the drums to spin. The rollers contact the drum on strengthened and hardened annular external rings on the outer walls of the drum. Additionally, in some cylinders, an axle with some type of bearings may support or help to support a spinning cylinder.
In many industrial environments, the materials to be processed are abrasive and through contamination and abrasion, cause failure of the roller surfaces and the bearings in the rollers. Larger and heavier drums require larger and heavier rollers with larger and heavier bearings. When bearings or rollers fail, the rotary drum must be emptied and shut down to repair or replaced the failed part. When such failures occur, expensive parts must be replace. Further, downtime causes significant expense as well. Another expensive characteristic of such industrial cylinders is that mechanical bearings need lubrication which may also inadvertently contaminate process material.
Conventional rotary drum dryer (usually a large cylinder having steam coils inside) supported on bearings held in cradles. Particular matter such as grain or other granular material is tumbled from one end of the dryer to the other to dry or mix the particles. These dryers can weight tons and take large electric motors to turn.
The present invention utilizes a plurality of permanent magnets affixed around the outside diameter of the drum dryer at selected locations. A cradle having permanent magnets of a reverse polarity support the dryer. The dryer is supported and suspended above the magnets mounted in the cradle eliminating any frictional drag or bearings. The axial ends of the drum dryer include a metal cap or pole in magnetic engagement with a magnet extending from a support.
The drum dryer can be rotated by conventional electric motor and gear or belt means; however a preferred embodiment uses a plurality of magnets extending from a wheel mounted to a electric motor shaft which are in magnetic communication with a plurality of magnets mounted to and extending from the periphery of the distal end of the drum at selected spacing so that rotation of the motor turns the motor magnets magnetically coupled to the drive magnets mounted on the end of the dryer to rotate same.


A system for accessing a subterranean zone from an entry well including an entry well extending from the surface. The entry well has a substantially vertical portion. A one or more drainage wells extend from the entry well to a subterranean zone. A one or more articulated wells extend from the entry well to the subterranean zone. At least one of the articulated wells intersects at least one of the one or more drainage wells at a junction proximate the subterranean zone. A drainage pattern is formed coupled to the junction and operable to conduct fluids from the subterranean zone to the junction.

Subterranean deposits of coal contain substantial quantities of entrained methane gas. Limited production in use of methane gas from coal deposits has occurred for many years. Substantial obstacles, however, have frustrated more extensive development in use of methane gas deposits in coal seams. The foremost problem in producing methane gas from coal seams is that while coal seams may extend over large areas of up to several thousand acres, the coal seams are fairly shallow in depth, varying from a few inches to several meters. Thus, while the coal seams are often relatively near the surface, vertical wells drilling into the coal deposits for obtaining methane gas can only drain a fairly small radius around the coal deposits. Further, coal deposits are not amenable to pressure fracturing and other methods often used for increasing methane gas production from rock formations. As a result, once the gas easily drained from a vertical well bore in a coal seam is produced further production is limited in volume. Additionally, coal seams are often associated with subterranean water, which must be drained from the coal seam in order to produce the methane.
Horizontal drilling patterns have been tried in order to extend the amount of coal seams exposed to a drill bore for gas extraction. Such horizontal drilling techniques, however, require the use of a radiused well bore which presents difficulties in removing the entrained water from the coal seams. The most efficient method for pumping water from a subterranean well, a sucker rod pump, does not work well in horizontal or radiused bores.

System and method for multiple wells from a common surface location


A pipette-fillable fluid reservoir body. The fluid reservoir body includes two or more discrete fluid chambers therein. At least one of the fluid chambers contains a pressure compensation device and at least another one of the fluid chambers is devoid of a pressure compensation device. Each of the fluid chambers is in fluid flow communication with a fluid supply via, and each of the fluid chambers have sidewalls and a bottom wall attached to the side walls, wherein the bottom wall slopes toward the fluid supply via. The fluid reservoir body also includes an ejection head support face in fluid flow communication with the fluid chambers for attachment of a fluid ejection device to the ejection head support face for ejecting fluid from the fluid chambers.

In the medical field, in particular, there is a need for automated sample preparation and analysis. The analysis may be colorimetric analysis or require the staining of samples to better observe the samples under a microscope. Such analysis may include drug sample analysis, blood sample analysis and the like. Assay analysis of blood, for example, provides a number of different factors that are used to determine the health of an individual. When there are a large number of patients that require blood sample analysis, the procedures may be extremely time consuming. For assay analysis, such as drug screenings, it is desirable to deposit miniscule amounts of target reagents to evaluate their effect and performance on the samples. Traditionally, pipettes—manually or electromechanically actuated—are used to deposit trace substances into these assay samples. The total volume of a test fluid produced for an assay is dictated by the ability to achieve a desired ratio of reagents with respect to the least of the reagents. Due to the small-scale volumetric limitations of pipettes, it is often necessary to create an excess of testing fluid to achieve the proper ratio of reagents.
It is well known that thermal inkjet technology is capable of precisely distributing picolitre-sized droplets of a jetting fluid. The precision and speed offered by inkjet technology makes it a promising candidate for increasing throughput of assay samples while decreasing the amount of wasted sample. In a conventional thermal-jet printer, a jetting fluid is typically prefilled into a printhead before reaching the end-user. However, it is impractical to use a totally prefilled cartridge in the life-sciences field where it is desirable to produce testing solutions on site.
While inkjet printing may be a viable method of administering chemical and biological assay analysis, inkjet printing products currently on the market use specialty printers and specially designed printheads which are cost prohibitive to some researchers. To reduce the cost of manufacturing and cost to the end-user, it is desirable to use pre-existing standard inkjet printers instead of specially designed printing systems. To enable the use of standard inkjet printers in the life science field, it is necessary to modify the printhead fluid reservoir bodies so that the pre-existing fluid reservoir form factors are maintained while allowing the fluid reservoir bodies to be easily filled with custom jetting fluids.
When using inkjet printing technology, the maximum flowrate of fluid from an ejection head is dependent upon the microelectromechanical systems and design of the ejection head, the maximum volume of the fluid cartridge for the ejection head is dependent upon the fluid reservoir size and an ability to prevent fluid from drooling from the ejection head. Drooling, or flooding, is a term used to describe the incessant puddling of a jetting fluid onto the ejection head. Drooling of fluid from an ejection head is a function of fluid properties, ejector chip chemistry, and the hydrostatic pressure of the jetting fluid within the reservoir. Without backpressure control of the fluid in the reservoir, ejection heads are quite limited to the volume of liquid that can be contained in the fluid reservoir without experiencing drooling. While a pipette-fillable fluid ejection heads primarily lends itself to small reagent volumes, there are times where it may be desirable to dispense large volumes of a fluid, such as administering a buffer solution.
In view of the foregoing, an embodiment of the disclosure provides a pipette-fillable fluid reservoir body to which a fluid ejection head substrate is attached. The fluid reservoir body includes two or more discrete fluid chambers therein. At least one of the two or more discrete fluid chambers contains a pressure compensation device and at least another one of the two or more discrete fluid chambers is devoid of a pressure compensation device. Each of the two or more discrete fluid chambers is in fluid flow communication with a fluid supply via, and each of the two or more discrete fluid chambers have sidewalls and a bottom wall attached to the side walls, wherein the bottom wall slopes toward the fluid supply via. An ejection head support face is provided in fluid flow communication with two or more discrete fluid chambers for attachment of a fluid ejection device to the ejection head support face for ejecting fluid from the two or more discrete fluid chambers.
In some embodiments, the sloped bottom wall has an angle ranging from about 6 to about 12 degrees relative to a plane orthogonal to the sidewalls.
In some embodiments, the fluid reservoir body includes four fluid chambers therein, wherein the four fluid chambers are separated from one another by dividing walls therebetween.
In some embodiments, the fluid reservoir body is a transparent fluid reservoir body.
In some embodiments, the fluid reservoir body includes indicia thereon for indicating a maximum fluid fill volume for each of the fluid chambers devoid of a pressure compensation device.
In some embodiments, a cover is fixedly or removably attached to the fluid reservoir body adjacent to each of the fluid chambers containing the pressure compensation device. In some embodiments, the cover further includes a hinged cover section disposed over one or more discrete fluid chambers devoid of a pressure compensation device. In some embodiments, the cover includes air vent channels therein.
In some embodiments, a removable tape is provided for covering the fluid chambers containing the pressure compensation device, the fluid chambers devoid of the pressure compensation device, or all of the fluid chambers in the fluid reservoir body.
In some embodiments, each of discrete fluid chambers devoid of the pressure compensation device has a fluid volume ranging from about 200 microliters to about 1 milliliter.
In some embodiments, each of the one or more discrete fluid chambers devoid of the pressure compensation device further comprises a shelf for indicating a fluid fill volume limit.
In some embodiments, at least one of the two or more discrete fluid chambers containing the pressure compensation device also includes a fluid filter disposed between the pressure compensation device and the fluid supply via.
In some embodiments, the fluid reservoir body comprises a semi-transparent molded fluid reservoir body adjacent to the one or more discrete fluid chambers devoid of the pressure compensation device. In other embodiments, the fluid reservoir body includes indicia thereon in a transparent area of the fluid reservoir body for indicating a maximum fluid fill volume of the one or more discrete fluid chambers devoid of the pressure compensation device.
In some embodiments, there is provided a digital dispense system that includes a pipette-fillable fluid reservoir body to which a fluid ejection head substrate is attached. The fluid reservoir body includes two or more discrete fluid chambers therein. At least one of the two or more discrete fluid chambers contains a pressure compensation device and at least another one of the two or more discrete fluid chambers is devoid of a pressure compensation device. Each of the two or more discrete fluid chambers is in fluid flow communication with a fluid supply via, and each of the two or more discrete fluid chambers have sidewalls and a bottom wall attached to the side walls, wherein the bottom wall slopes toward the fluid supply via. An ejection head support face is provided in fluid flow communication with two or more discrete fluid chambers for attachment of a fluid ejection device to the ejection head support face for ejecting fluid from the two or more discrete fluid chambers.
An advantage of the disclosed embodiments is that it provides unique low-cost cartridges for digitally dispensing fluids that can be used for a variety of fluid dispense applications and can be adapted to a wide variety of fluids to be dispensed. The cartridges also have the advantage of providing at least one pressure compensated chamber that can be pre-filled or filled by a user to provide a relatively large volume of testing fluid. Pressure compensation in at least one of the fluid chambers allows full use of the volume of the fluid chamber without fluid drooling from the ejection head and flooding the ejection head with fluid. Accordingly, pressure compensation prevents drooling of fluid from the ejection head which negatively impacts the performance of the ejection head to dispense fluid. The non-pressure compensated fluid chambers can be filled with a pipette at the time of use to provide a predetermined amount of fluid to be ejected from the ejection head.
Unlike products that use a separate fluid ejection head chip for each fluid reservoir, a single fluid ejection head chip is attached to the body of the cartridge and is used for multiple fluid reservoirs. Using a single fluid ejection head chip improves the positional accuracy of the fluid droplets expelled from the ejection head.


A photographing apparatus includes: an image pickup section picking up an image of an object to acquire image data; a part judgment section judging a particular part of the object in the image shown based on the image data; a change-in-part judgment section judging change over time of the part of the object judged by the part judgment section; and a control section changing a photographing condition in accordance with a result of the judgment by the change-in-part judgment section, wherein the part judgment section judges a first part of the object in the image and a second part presumed from the first part; and the change-in-part judgment section judges change over time of the second part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus for photographing an object, and a method for photographing a moving object with the photographing apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, photographing apparatuses which are capable of sequentially converting optical images formed by a photographing optical system to image signals by an image pickup device such as a photoelectric conversion device and recording the image signals obtained thereby to a recording medium as image data, for example, a still image or a moving image and which are configured having an image display device for reproducing and displaying the image data recorded in the recording medium as an image, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) have been generally put to practical use and become widespread, the photographing apparatuses being, for example, a digital camera, a video camera and the like (hereinafter, these will be generically referred to as a camera).
Since this kind of camera is configured to record a photographed image as electronic data, there is, for example, a merit that it is easy to continuously photograph a moving object, selectively store only desired images from among a large amount of image data obtained as a result of the photographing and discard other unnecessary images.
Recently, the number of pixels of an image pickup device applied to this kind of camera has been considerably increased, and, for example, still image data with a high quality can be acquired from generated moving image data. Furthermore, by cutting out a part of the still image, a still image with a sufficiently high quality can be also acquired.
As for conventional cameras, various photographing apparatuses are proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-49408, various photographing apparatuses having a configuration which enables anyone to easily acquire a favorable photographed image by recording an image satisfying a predetermined condition, for example, an image in which an object is photographed in the most desired state (a best shot) or multiple photographed images before and after the image, from among a lot of image data obtained by continuously photographing a moving object.

Photographing apparatus, and method for photographing moving object with the same


An optical window signal generator which begins generation of an optical output signal in response to an optical activation pulse, and terminates generation of the optical output signal in response to an optical deactivation pulse. The rise time of the optical output signal is equal to the rise time of the optical activation pulse, and its fall time is equal to the rise time of the optical deactivation pulse.

The present invention relates to optical communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical window signal generator device which produces an optical output signal in response to an activation and a deactivation optical pulse.
In many optical systems, it is useful to generate window pulses in response to controlling light pulses. These pulses can serve for example to activate the optical windows used for the sampling, interruption, and starting functions of digital optical signals. A window pulse, also referred to as an optical output signal, begins when the apparatus producing the window pulse receives an activation pulse. The window pulse terminates when the apparatus producing the pulse receives a deactivation pulse.
A window signal is essentially a step pulse of extended duration. It has three principal characteristics: the duration of the window, the rise time, and the fall time of the step generated. The rise time indicates how rapidly the window signal reaches its proper amplitude after the activation pulse is received, and the fall time indicates how rapidly the window pulse terminates after a deactivation pulse is received. For applications to optical communications systems and switching systems, it is important that the duration and rise time of the step signal generated be compatible with the bit rate of the transmission that is being sampled. In particular, if it is desired to sample a digital signal without interrupting a bit, the rise time must be 1 or preferably 2 orders of magnitude faster than the duration of the bit itself. The required duration of the window pulse depends on the length of the signal that must be sampled. For example, if it is desired to sample an entire cell of a packaged transmission, the duration of the window can be hundreds of times the duration of a single bit. Devices performing this sampling are useful in many digital subsystems, and are used in converters, counters and optical digital computers. It is very important in view of -these applications to control the rise time and duration of the window signal accurately.
Current optical switching systems cannot effectively meet these requirements and are unable to produce an optical window signal having a rise time, duration and fall time appropriate for the purposes listed above.
Another problem of the current methods is that there are no simple ways for controlling the generation of optical window signals, which must be activated and deactivated by simple pulses of light.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,243 to Fatehi et al. describes an all optical flip-flop achieved by employing two optical amplifiers arranged so that they together operate in only one of two stable states at a given time. In a first stable state of operation, the first optical amplifier behaves as a laser having a first characteristic wavelength. When an optical signal pulse is received at the input of the first optical amplifier the arrangement is switched to a second stable state of polarization in which the second optical amplifier behaves as a laser having a second characteristic wavelength, where the first and second characteristic wavelengths are at least nominally different. The arrangement is switched back to the first stable state when an optical signal pulse is received at the input of the second optical amplifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,061 to Odagawa discloses a bi-stable semiconductor laser diode device which has means for irradiating a reset light which stops the delivery of a lasing light from the laser. The laser includes an active layer comprising a gain region in which a stimulated emission occurs to obtain an optical gain, and a saturable absorption region in which no stimulated emission occurs so as not to obtain an optical gain at the lasing wavelength. The laser is reset by irradiating the gain region of the laser with a light having such a wavelength that it is amplified by stimulated emission.
Shimizu et al. in Optics Letters, Vol. 17, No. 18, Sep. 15, 1992, p. 1307-09, discuss a technique for the external frequency translation of light waves, which enables the stepwise sweeping of an optical frequency in time over a wide range. The frequency translator described is composed of an optical pulse modulator and an optical ring circuit containing an acousto-optic frequency shifter and an optical amplifier. The pulse launched into the ring circuit undergoes a frequency shift for each complete trip around the ring circuit, and the frequency is translated considerably from the original input pulse.
Shimizu et al. in Applied Optics, Vol. 32, No. 33, Nov. 20, 1993, p. 6718-26 and in Applied Optics, Vol. 33, No. 15, May 20, 1994, p. 3209-19 report a technique for the external frequency translation of light waves, permitting stepwise sweeping of an optical frequency over a wide range with high linearity with respect to time. The papers report experimental and theoretical analysis of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,762 to Uchiyama et al. describes a light frequency control apparatus comprising a light pulse signal generating mechanism; a light signal generating mechanism for generating a light signal with a staircase-shaped frequency shift based on the number of cycles of a loop within which the light pulse signal propagates; and a mechanism for generating a dummy light when the signal light level becomes zero and for supplying the dummy light to a light amplifying mechanism. The purpose of this device is to increase the number of loop cycles of a light pulse signal within the light frequency shifter by improving the stability of and by shaping the output signal, and also to conduct a frequency shift over a wide range, as well as conversion of a stable light frequency.
U.S. Pa. No. 5,581,389 to Lee et al. describes a light frequency control apparatus comprising a light pulse signal generating mechanism; a light frequency shifter for circulating this light pulse signal a predetermined number of times, delaying the light pulse signal at each cycle thereby sequentially shifting and outputting the light pulse signal; an extracting mechanism for extracting the light pulse in the second half of a cycle, and a polarization control mechanism in the light frequency shifter for controlling the polarization of the circulating pulse based on the amount of attenuation of the light pulse signal outputted by the extracting mechanism. This device is intended to provide a light frequency control apparatus which can increase the number of cycles of a light signal by reducing the polarization dependency of the light frequency shifter to produce a stable light signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,503 to Desurvire et al. describes a fiber optic recirculating memory comprising a splice free length of optical fiber which forms a loop that is optically closed by means of a fiber optic coupler. The coupler couples an optical signal input pulse to the loop for circulation therein, and outputs a portion of the signal pulse on each circulation to provide a series of output pulses. A pump source is included to cause stimulated Raman scattering in the fiber loop and thereby cause amplification of the circulating signal pulse.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,154 to Smith describes an optical memory for storing optical signals of a first wavelength. FIG. 1 in Smith shows a known optical memory configuration. Its basic elements consist of a long loop (25 km in the example) of single mode fiber, a 3 dB fiber coupler and a single erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The signal pulses to be stored are gated, via a first gate, into the loop via a port of the 3 dB coupler. A pulse train with a total duration of 120 ms just fills the 25 km long loop. As long as unity loop gain is maintained, the signal continues to circulate without decrease in pulse energy. A port of the 3 dB coupler acts as a tap for the memory, and a second gate selects the stored data after the desired time interval. FIG. 2(a) in Smith shows the decay of the output of the loop from the initial injection of the pulse train over 30 ms of delay to when the pump power to the loop EDFA is switched off. The limited resolution of the digital storage oscilloscope used does not reveal the individual 120 ms pulse trains. Applicants remark that by switching off the pump power of the EDFA in the loop a relatively slow decay of the pulse train power in the loop is achieved, due to the relatively slow decay time of the excited levels of Erbium in the EDFA.
Applicants have discovered that none of the conventional methods are capable of generating a satisfactory optical window signal, and in particular an optical window signal having the duration and rise time characteristics required to sample a digital optical signal, or for other applications requiring precise control of the duration, the rise time, and the fall time of the optical window signal generated.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an optical window signal generator device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and obtained by the process and by the apparatus particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, the invention is an optical window signal generator including a first beam splitter having first and second inputs and one output, a second beam splitter having an input optically coupled to the output of the first beam splitter and having a first output and a second output optically coupled to the second input of the first splitter to provide an optical feedback loop, and an optical amplifier included in the feedback loop. In the optical window signal generator, an activation optical pulse communicated to the first input of the first beam splitter is split into a leading portion of an output optical signal and into an optical feedback signal, respectively, at the first and second outputs of the second beam splitter. The feedback optical signal is amplified by the optical amplifier to sustain the output optical signal beyond the termination of the activation optical pulse. An optical element is also included in the feedback loop for suppressing the feedback optical signal in response to receipt of a deactivation optical pulse, thereby terminating the optical output signal.
In another aspect, the invention includes a method for generating an optical window signal, started by an optical activation pulse and terminated by an optical deactivation pulse, having the steps of communicating the optical activation pulse to, an optical feedback loop, splitting the optical activation pulse into a leading portion of an output optical signal and into a feedback optical signal, amplifying the feedback optical signal to sustain the output optical signal beyond the termination of the optical activation pulse, and to maintain self-sustaining amplification. The method also has steps for communicating the optical deactivation pulse to the optical feedback loop, and terminating the self-sustaining amplification in response to the optical deactivation pulse, thus terminating the sustained output optical signal.
In another aspect, the invention includes an optical window signal generator having an optical coupler for inserting an optical activation pulse in a feedback loop and for extracting an optical output signal from the feedback loop, and an optical amplifier and an optical element included in the feedback loop. The optical activation pulse is split by the coupler into a leading portion and a feedback optical signal, which is amplified by the optical amplifier and transmitted to the optical coupler to sustain the optical activation pulse. The optical element suppresses the feedback signal in response to receipt of an optical deactivation pulse, so that the sustained optical output signal is terminated.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.


PMOS transistors are interposed parallel to each other between a node, which is a first output part, and a power supply; and PMOS transistors are interposed in parallel to each other between a node, which is a second output part, and the power supply. Output voltages in time of a balanced state in which an input potential difference between an input voltage and a reference voltage is “0” are both set to a reference output common voltage by a replica circuit and a comparator. The reference output common voltage of the replica circuit is set so that the potential difference between the power supply voltage and the output common voltage becomes a value lower than a threshold voltage of the diode connected PMOS transistors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a differential amplifier circuit configuring a comparator, which is an element circuit of an A/D converter, and an A/D converter including the differential amplifier circuit.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the read channel of ODD (Optical Disc Drive) such as HDD (Hard Disc Drive) and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), that is, in a system of reading signals recorded on the disc, an A/D converter for converting an analog signal to a digital signal is essential when performing signal processing (demodulation) in a digital signal process. In the HDD, the A/D converter of ultra high speed exceeding 1 GS/S is necessary in recent years with higher speed of reading speed and enhancement in recording density.
In a differential amplifier (differential amplifier stage) having a relatively high power supply voltage Vdd as an operation power supply of the prior art, a transistor element having the gate and the drain of the transistor connected (hereinafter referred to as "diode connection") is widely used as a load. The diode connected transistor load exhibits a clamp effect of preventing the output of the differential amplifier stage from spreading in excess in time of large amplitude signal input.
In the speed performance of the comparator, whether a correct determination can be made in a behavior (hereinafter referred to as "overdrive recovery") in the input condition in which a small input is provided from a state in which the output is largely spread is an important feature. The clamp effect of the diode connected transistor helps to increase the speed of the overdrive recovery.
FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a conventional differential amplifier. A differential amplifier 30 shown in FIG. 13 is disclosed in McGRAW HILL INTERNATIONAL EDITION Electrical Engineering Series "Design of Analog CMOS Integrated Circuits" page 100-134. As shown in the figure, the differential amplifier 30 includes a pair of differential pair transistors (NMOS transistor MN31 and MN32). A constant current source 31 is arranged between a node N3, which is a common terminal of the sources NMOS transistors MN31 and MN32, and a ground potential Vss.
A diode connected PMOS transistor MP31 is interposed between a node N1, which is a drain of the NMOS transistor MN31, and a power supply Vdd, and a diode connected PMOS transistor MP32 is interposed between a node N2, which is a drain of the NMOS transistor MN32, and the power supply Vdd. That is, the sources of the PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32 receive the power supply voltage Vdd, and the gates and the drains are connected to the node N1 and the node N2.
An input voltage Vin is provided to the gate of the NMOS transistor MN31, and a reference voltage Vref is provided to the gate of the NMOS transistor 32.
In such configuration, an input potential difference VinD, which is the potential difference between the input voltage Vin and the reference voltage Vref provided to the respective gates of the NMOS transistors MN31 and MN32 forming a differential pair, is amplified, an output voltage Voutn is obtained from the node N1, and an output voltage Voutp is obtained from the node N2. An output voltage Vout (=Voutp−Voutn), which is a potential difference between the output voltage Voutp and the output voltage Voutn, becomes the potential difference obtained by amplifying the potential difference between the input voltage Vin and the reference voltage Vref.
Consider a gain (DC gain) in time of small amplitude signal input in which the amplitude of the input voltage Vin of the differential amplifier 30 shown in FIG. 13 is sufficiently small. In the differential amplifier 30, the gain is expressed with the following equation (1) by a transconductance Gmn of the NMOS transistors MN1 and MN2 and a resistance component (hereinafter referred to as "output resistance Rout") of the PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32 connected to one of the nodes N1 and N2 which are the output terminals.Vout/Vin=Gmn×Rout  (1)
The output resistance Rout differs depending on the structure of the load of the differential amplifier stage. The diode connected PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32 are used as load elements in the differential amplifier 30 described above. Therefore, in the differential amplifier 30, the output resistance Rout in time of small amplitude signal input is approximately expressed as an inverse number 1/Gmp of the transconductance Gmp of the PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32 assuming the drain-source resistance (hereinafter referred to as "Rds") of the respective PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32 can be ignored.
At the time of large amplitude signal input including the amplitude input of the input potential difference VinD exceeding the small amplitude signal input, the diode connected PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32 are strongly turned ON by the large amplitude signal input, whereby the output resistance Rout lowers, the amplification degree of the differential amplifier 30 lowers, and the output voltage Vout is prevented from becoming too large, thereby helping increase the speed of the overdrive recovery.
In the differential amplifier 30 shown in FIG. 13, the output common voltage (hereinafter referred to as "Voutcm") is determined by the gate-source voltage Vgs of the diode connected PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32. The output common voltage Voutcm refers to the output voltage Voutn and the output voltage Voutp (=Voutn) that appear on the node N1 and the node N2 in time of in-phase input in which the input voltage Vin and the reference voltage Vref are equal (input potential difference VinD=0). The output common voltage Voutcm in the differential amplifier 30 is expressed with the following equation (2) where "Vtp" is the threshold voltage of the PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32, and "Veffp" is the overdrive voltage.Voutcmn=Vdd−(|Vtp|+|Veffp|)  (2)
If the output common voltage Voutcm is limited by the threshold voltage Vtp of the PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32, and a low voltage needs to be used for the power supply voltage Vdd, the output common voltage Voutcm also takes a low value from equation (2). As a result, the problem arises that the drain-source voltage Vds of the NMOS transistors MN31 and MN32 forming a differential pair becomes below the overdrive voltage Veff and deviates from a saturated region, whereby the speed performance of the differential amplifier stage may degrade.
Thus, if the occupying percentage of the overdrive voltage Veff of the NMOS transistors MN31 and MN32 forming a differential pair with respect to the power supply voltage Vdd becomes large, the DC bias condition imposed on the saturated region operation of the NMOS transistors MN31 and MN32 becomes stricter.
That is, if the diode connected transistor is used as a load under a situation where the power supply voltage Vdd is relatively low, the occupying percentage of the threshold voltage Vtp of the PMOS transistors MP31 and MP32 with respect to the power supply voltage Vdd also becomes large. Thus, the output common voltage Voutcm becomes too low (or too high (if differential pair is configured by P-channel transistors)), and a bias condition in which the drain-source voltage Vds of one of the NMOS transistors MN31 and MN32 becomes below the overdrive voltage Veff is obtained. As a result, it deviates from the saturated region operation of the NMOS transistors MN31 and MN32, and the possibility of causing significant degradation of the speed performance becomes higher.

Differential amplifier circuit and A/D converter


The invention proposes a user equipment, UE, configuring a paging carrier, wherein the UE performs the steps of monitoring a first paging carrier for paging messages, receiving a message from a network node, the message comprising paging carrier information indicating a second paging carrier selected by the network node or a further network node, wherein the second paging carrier is different from the first paging carrier, and in response to receiving the message, monitoring the second paging carrier for paging messages; further the invention proposes corresponding network nodes; further the invention proposes corresponding methods for the UE and the network nodes.

Narrowband radio communication systems, also being referred to as Internet of Things (NB-IoT), is a narrowband (NB) system developed for cellular UEs or IoT-UEs by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The system is based on existing Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems and addresses optimized network architecture and improved indoor coverage for a massive number of devices that may have one or more of the following characteristics: low throughput devices (e.g., 2 kbps), low delay sensitivity (e.g., 10 seconds), ultra-low device cost (e.g., below $5.00), and low device power consumption (e.g., battery life of 10 years).
Each cell (e.g., approximately 1 kilometer2 in this system) may serve thousands (e.g., 50 thousand) devices such as sensors, meters, actuators, and the like. In order to be able to make use of the existing spectrum, e.g. for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), a fairly narrow bandwidth has currently been adopted for NB-IoT technology, such as the 180 KHz bandwidth as used for the LTE Physical Resource Block (PRB). The entire NB-IoT is contained within 200 KHz or one PRB, i.e., 12 subcarriers of 15 kHz each. In NB-IoT, this may be referred to as one carrier or one PRB.
For Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) mode of NB-IoT (i.e., the transmitter and the receiver operate at different carrier frequencies) only half-duplex mode needs to be supported in the user equipment (UE). In order to achieve improved coverage, data repetition is used in the uplink (UL) and/or the downlink (DL). The lower complexity of the devices (e.g., only one transmission/receiver chain) means that some repetition may also be needed in normal coverage. Additionally, to alleviate UE complexity, the working assumption is to have cross-subframe scheduling. That is, a transmission is first scheduled on a Narrowband Physical DL Control Channel (NPDCCH) and then the first transmission of the actual data on the Narrowband Physical DL Shared Channel (NPDSCH) is carried out after the first transmission on the NPDCCH. Similarly, for UL data transmission, information about resources scheduled by the Network (NW) and needed for the UE for UL transmission is first conveyed on the NPDCCH and then the first transmission of the actual data by the UE on the Narrowband Physical UL Shared Channel (NPUSCH) is carried out after the final transmission of the NPDCCH. Thus, for both cases, there is no simultaneous reception of control channel and reception/transmission of data channel from the UE's perspective.
Furthermore, not all of the subframes may be available for dedicated data communication in the DL in an NB-IoT cell. The amount of available subframes in the DL may be dependent on one of the three operation modes NB-IoT is deployed in (i.e., Stand-alone, In-band, and Guard-band). For all operation modes, a UE needs to rate-match around the following non-available subframes (or parts of subframes):                The NB-IoT primary and secondary synchronization channels (NB Primary Synchronization Signal, NPSS, and NB Secondary Synchronization Signal, NSSS), where NPSS is transmitted every radio frame. The NB-IoT radio frame length is the same as in LTE, i.e., 10 ms and consists of 10 subframes. NPSS is transmitted in subframe number 5; However, NSSS transmission cycle is still to be defined in 3GPP;        The NB-IoT broadcast channel (NPBCH) containing a Master Information Block (MIB) occupying subframe 0 in every radio frame;        The NB-IoT system information blocks broadcast on NB physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH) (e.g., SIB1-NB broadcast in fourth subframe of every other radio frame);        DL gaps, when configured;        NB-IoT reference symbols (NRS); and        in addition in the case in-band operation mode: LTE reference symbols such as cell reference symbols (CRS) and positioning reference signals (PRS), and LTE Multimedia Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) subframes.
Due to the nature of NB-IoT with half-duplex communication, cross-subframe scheduling, low bandwidth, the available amount of subframes, and the amount of UEs to be served, it becomes evident that, as all other communications systems, NB-IoT will naturally benefit from utilizing more spectrum for efficient operation, especially if such spectrum is already available (e.g., in an in-band operation mode during low traffic hours when LTE carrier is not fully used). Therefore, in 3GPP Release 13, NB-IoT multi-carrier operation has been adopted where the UE operating in an NB-IoT anchor carrier is configured through higher layer signaling (Layer 3 Radio Resource Control (RRC)) to operate in an NB-IoT non-anchor carrier during connected mode operation. The non-anchor carrier does not have the requirement to be deployed on the 100 kHz raster, i.e., any LTE in-band PRB can be used as non-anchor. At the end of the connected mode operation, the UE autonomously returns back to the anchor carrier.

Paging carrier assignment for narrowband radio communication system


A control device of a hybrid vehicle including an engine; an automatic transmission placed on a power transmission path between the engine and wheels, having a first friction engagement element engaged in a forward range and a second engagement element engaged in a reverse range based on a hydraulic pressure generated while the engine is stopped; and a rotary electric machine capable of driving the wheels without using the power transmission path. The rotary electric machine is driven when a shift range is the forward range or the reverse range while the internal combustion engine is stopped, and the driving of the rotary electric machine is restrained for a set time after the shift range is changed from the forward range to the reverse range or vice versa while the engine is stopped.

The present invention relates to control devices of hybrid vehicles such as an automobile, and more particularly to control devices of hybrid vehicles in which a rotary electric machine is capable of driving a wheel regardless of the engagement state of first and second friction engagement elements of an automatic transmission drivingly coupled to an internal combustion engine.


A super twisted nematic (STN) liquid crystal display (LCD) driver and a driving method thereof includes a sub frame counter that counts the number of sub frames in response to a clock signal and generates a sub frame flag signal when each sub frame is counted. An N clock counter receives an N-line signal and generates an N-line flag signal when the number of N-line counted is N in response to the clock signal. A frame counter receives a frame rate control (FRC) selection signal, counts the number of the sub frame flag signal, and generates a frame flag signal when the number of the sub frame flag signal counted is n. A liquid crystal polarity inversion signal generator receives one of the sub frame flag signal, the N-line flag signal, and the frame flag signal in response to a selection signal, and generates a liquid crystal polarity inversion signal.

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 2002-71391, filed on Nov. 16, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a super twisted nematic (STN) liquid crystal display (LCD) driver, and more particularly, to an STN LCD driver using a frame rate control (FRC) technique as a driving method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a super twisted nematic (STN) liquid crystal display (LCD) driver using an iAPT or APT method, pulse width modulation, frame rate control (FRC), or a combination thereof is widely used to present gray scales and colors.
FIG. 1 is a table showing levels of a super twisted nematic (STN) liquid crystal driving voltage in response to a level of a liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M in a FRC method.
The liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M is a periodic signal used to prevent liquid crystal from solidifying. That is, the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M has to be periodically inverted so as to prevent the liquid crystal from solidifying. After the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M is inverted, levels of a segment voltage VSEG driving a column electrode of an STN liquid crystal and a corn voltage VCOM driving a row electrode of the STN liquid crystal are also inverted.
Referring to FIG. 1, if the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M is high, the selection voltage level of the segment voltage VSEG is V0. If the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M is low, the non-selection voltage level of the segment voltage VSEG is Vss.
A relationship between the voltage levels of the segment voltage VSEG can be expressed by V0>V2>V3>Vss.
If the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M is high, a non-selection voltage level of the segment voltage VSEG is V2. If the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M is low, the non-selection voltage level of the segment voltage VSEG is V3.
Similarly to the voltage level of the segment voltage VSEG, the voltage level of the corn voltage VCOM is also inverted in response to the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M.
If the level of the segment voltage VSEG or the corn voltage VCOM are the selection voltage level, the liquid crystal is turned on and presented as black. If the level of the segment voltage VSEG or the corn voltage VCOM are the non-selection voltage level, the liquid crystal is turned off and presented as white.
Yet, if the non-selection voltage levels V2 and V3 of the segment voltage VSEG are not used the same number of times in the FRC method, cross talk occurs in the liquid crystal.
FIGS. 2A through 2D are waveforms of a segment voltage VSEG in a conventional STN LCD driving method using a 3FRC method.
A frame in an nFRC method is comprised of n of sub frames. Thus, a frame in the 3FRC method is comprised of three sub frames. Pixels at the right side of FIGS. 2A through 2D present different gray scales of the liquid crystal.
That is, FIG. 2A shows the liquid crystal presenting black, FIG. 2B shows the liquid crystal presenting dark gray, FIG. 2C shows the liquid crystal presenting light gray, and FIG. 2D shows the liquid crystal presenting white.
At each sub frame, the level of the liquid crystal inversion signal M is inverted. Thus, the same signal is repeated once every six sub frames.
In the first sub frame, the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M is high. In the second sub frame, the level of the liquid crystal polarity inversion signal M is inverted, i.e., low. Accordingly, in order to present the liquid crystal as dark gray, two sub frames have to present black, and one sub frame has to present white as shown in FIG. 2B.
Referring to FIG. 2B, in order to present the liquid crystal as dark gray, the level of the segment voltage VSEG is V0 which is the selection voltage level in the first sub frame where the level of the liquid crystal inversion signal M is high. The level of the segment voltage VSEG is Vss which is the non-selection level in the second sub frame where the level of the liquid crystal inversion signal M is low. The level of the segment voltage. VSEG is V2 which is the non-selection level in the third sub frame where the level of the liquid crystal inversion signal M is high. When such sub frames are consecutively repeated by a period over 60Hz, human eyes recognize these as dark gray. Here, since the selection voltage levels V0 and Vss and the non-selection voltage levels V2 and V3 are used the same number of times in total 6 sub frames, cross talk does not occur in the liquid crystal.
FIGS. 3A through 3E are waveforms of a segment voltage VSEG in a conventional STN LCD driving method using a 4FRC method.
A frame is comprised of four sub frames. Referring to FIG. 3B, only V3 is used as the non-selection voltage level, and V2 is not used as the non-selection voltage level. In addition, the selection voltage level V0 is more frequently used than the other non-selection voltage level Vss.
Referring to FIG. 3C, the selection voltage levels V0 and Vss are used the same number of times, and the non-selection voltage levels V2 and V3 are used the same number of times also.
Referring to FIG. 3D, the non-selection voltage level V3 is more frequently used than the non-selection other voltage level V2. Only V0 is used as the selection voltage level, and Vss is not used as the selection voltage level.
Thus, cross talk occurs in the liquid crystal in the waveforms of FIGS. 3B and 3D, and does not occur in the liquid crystal in the waveform of FIG. 3C.
FIGS. 4A through 4E are waveforms of a segment voltage in an STN LCD driving method using an N-line inversion method.
The N-line inversion method is used to prevent cross talk shown in FIGS. 3A through 4E from occurring. The N-line inversion method includes dividing one frame into N sub frames and inverting the level of the liquid crystal inversion signal M in each sub frame.
Referring to FIGS. 4A through 4E, the selection voltage level or the non-selection voltage level are used the same number of times. Therefore, cross talk can be prevented from occurring in the liquid crystal.
However, the N-line inversion method increases the number of transitions of the level of the segment voltage VSEG. Thus, power consumption also increases. That is, the nFRC method has a disadvantage in that cross talk occurs, and the N-line inversion method has a disadvantage of increased power consumption.

Super twisted nematic (STN) liquid crystal display (LCD) driver and driving method thereof


The preparation of high-purity organosilicon disulphanes in which, in a two-stage process, elemental sulphur and an anhydrous alkali sulphide in a deficient amount is first reacted with a halogen alkylalkoxysilane, and the sulphur deficit is then made up by the addition of further alkali sulphide.

Processes for the preparation of oligosulphanes as such have been known for a long time.
In DE-PS 2141159 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,111), a process is described for the preparation of bis(alkoxysilylalkyl) oligosulphanes from the corresponding halogen alkylalkoxysilane and alkali metal oligosulphides, preferably in alcoholic solution. However, only mixtures of sulphanes with different chain lengths are obtained in this way.
According to a process described in DE-PS 2712866 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,585), an alkali metal alcoholate is reacted with a halogen alkylalkoxysilane, metal or ammonium hydrogen sulphide and sulphur in the presence of an organic solvent. The preparation of the alkali metal alcoholate solution is very time-consuming, however, which makes industrial-scale implementation of the process unlikely.
A process is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,848 in which hydrogen sulphide is reacted with an alkoxide, the reaction product is treated with elemental sulphur, and then reacted with a halogen alkylalkoxysilane to obtain the desired organosilicon polysulphane.
Similarly, according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,701, operations are carried out with alkoxides and hydrogen sulphide, a compound which is known to be very unpleasant to handle. The reaction of anhydrous sodium sulphide and sulphur with halogen alkoxysilanes is described in the specification of JP 7-228588.
A mixture of polysulphanes is obtained in this way, as tests showed.
Organosilicon polysulphanes, particularly bis(triethoxysilylpropyl)tetrasulphane in combination with highly reactive silica fillers, are used in the preparation of vulcanised rubber articles, particularly tires.
The advantageous use of high-purity disulphanes with regard to the processing and properties of vulcanizates is described in EP-A 0732 362 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,919) and in Panzer (L. Panzer, American Chem. Soc., Rubber Div. Meeting 1997).

Process for the preparation of high-purity organosilicon disulphanes


Embodiments of this application provide a network slice management method and an apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by an NSMF, a network slice instantiation request, where the network slice instantiation request includes network slice requirement information; obtaining, by the NSMF, a network slice template based on a network slice template identifier or a network slice type; decomposing, by the NSMF, the network slice requirement information into network slice subnet requirement information and transport network requirement information based on the network slice template; sending, by the NSMF, a network slice subnet instantiation request to an network slice subnet management function (NSSMF), where the network slice subnet instantiation request includes the network slice subnet requirement information; receiving, by the NSMF, a network slice subnet instantiation response sent by the NSSMF; and sending, by the NSMF, a transport network instantiation request to a TN-manager.

As various communication services continuously emerge, requirements of different communication services on network performance differ significantly. A concept of a network slice (NS) is introduced into the 5th generation (5G) mobile communications system, to meet different requirements of different communication services on network performance.
Network slicing refers to customization of different logical networks on a physical or virtual network infrastructure based on different service requirements. A network slice may be a complete end-to-end network including a terminal device, an access network, a transport network, a core network, and an application server. The network slice can provide a complete communication service and has a network capability. The network slice may be alternatively any combination of a terminal device, an access network, a transport network, a core network, and an application server.
A network slice instance (NSI) is a real logical network that operates, and can meet a network feature or a service requirement. The network slice instance may be obtained through an instantiation by using a network slice template (NST). A complete network slice instance can provide a complete end-to-end network service, and the network slice instance may include several network slice subnet instances (NSSI) and/or several network functions (NF). The NSSI may be obtained through instantiation by using a network slice subnet template (NSST).
A network slice management process is as follows: A communication service management function (CSMF) receives a service requirement of a customer, converts the service requirement into a network slice requirement, and sends the network slice requirement to a network slice management function (NSMF); the NSMF converts the received network slice requirement into a network slice subnet requirement, and sends the network slice subnet requirement to a network slice subnet management function (NSSMF); the NSSMF converts the network slice subnet requirement into a network function requirement, and sends the network function requirement to a management and orchestration (MANO); and the MANO performs network service instantiation based on the network function requirement. Based on the management process, how to implement automatic management for a network slice is an urgent problem to be resolved.

Network slice management method and apparatus


Disclosed is an antiallergic composition comprising, as an active ingredient, a peptide which is capable of binding to human IgE, more specifically the high-affinity immunoglobulin E receptor .alpha.-chain or a soluble fragment, which is capable of binding to human IgE, or the high-affinity immunoglobulin E receptor .alpha.-chain. The composition is clinically useful for blocking allergic responses. An animal model for use in the screening of prophylactic and therapeutic compositions for IgE-related diseases is also disclosed.

Type I allergy is an inflammatory response which is elicited as the invasion of exogenous agents into the body triggers release of various enzymes and chemical mediators, such as histamine and leukotrienes, from mast cells and eosinophils, which in turn induce tissue-damaging inflammations. The allergic response, when generalized, can lead to a systemic and often life threatening reaction known as anaphylactic shock.
The agents which trigger an anaphylactic shock response include various drugs such as penicillin and insulin, sources of desensitizing allergens such as ticks and fungi, dietary allergens such as eggs and peanuts, iodine-containing contrast media, local anesthetics and so on.
The current pharmacotherapy for anaphylactic shock consists in the administration of epinephrine and steroids. It is reported that if early therapy be judiciously instituted, the prognosis of this condition is generally satisfactory. However, these current treatments are no more than symptomatic remedies and the prophylaxis of anaphylactic shock is considered to be truly important. However, there is no established prophylactic modality for anaphylactic shock, and the current clinical practice appears to be based, at best, on the vague concept of preventing the invasion of high-risk foreign agents.
Therefore, in patients requiring certain drugs, such as penicillin and other antibiotics, and in cases in which an iodine contrast medium is used in X-ray diagnosis, these agents are administered of necessity, even knowing the attendant risk of anaphylactic shock. Thus, there is a pressing need for a positive prophylactic measure against such vigorous immune system responses.
In pollen allergy, symptoms occur preferentially in the nose and eye. Recent years have witnessed a rapid increase in the number of patients who complain of the so-called pollinosis symptoms due to pollens of cedar and other allergenic plants, resulting in, for example, allergic conjunctivitis and allergic rhinitis (eye watering, sinus congestion, nasal congestion, sneezing and the like).
For the prevention of pollen disease, a prophylactic treatment with antiallergic agents, a symptomatic treatment with antihistamines and steroids, and hyposensitization therapy are generally indicated.
However, there is not available as yet an antiallergic agent effective enough as a preventive drug, while the antihistamines and steroids in current use for symptomatic treatment have the problem of side effects.
Atopy provides hereditary basis for allergic responses. The condition is revealed as a congenital hypersensitivity to specific agents, and is usually manifested as bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis in the patient and his family.
Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory disease of the skin, which may arise because of a predisposition and which is often characterized by areas of localized itch. It is also known that as the affected area is scratched, the local eruption is aggravated so that the disease runs a chronic course. Moreover, the pruritus associated with atopic dermatitis develops suddenly in many cases and tends to be provoked and intensified by the slightest stimulation.
A variety of treatments have been attempted for atopic dermatitis, but they have proved unsuccessful. The current therapeutic modality for this disease consists of the topical treatment primarily with topical adrenocorticoids and, as an adjunct therapy, antipruritic agents such as antihistamines. But since these drugs are not free from side effects, the advent of a safe and more sure-acting drug for the prevention and treatment of atopic dermatitis has been awaited in earnest.
Patients with bronchial asthma are rapidly increasing in number and presenting a serious problem everywhere in the world today. Bronchial asthma is an airway disease, the cardinal manifestation of which is respiratory distress due to paroxysmal airway constriction, which is life-threatening at times.
While many etiologic agents are usually involved in the onset of bronchial asthma, the chief cause is generally believed to be an increased airway responsiveness due to allergic factors associated with inhaled antigens such as ticks, pollens, dust and so on.
For the treatment of bronchial asthma, prophylaxis with antiallergic drugs and symptomatic treatment with .beta.-receptor stimulants and steroids are practiced today, but there is no antiallergic drug effective enough as a prophylactic. Further, the problem of side effects has been pointed out frequently with the use of .beta.-receptor stimulants and steroids used for symptomatic treatment.
A high affinity immunoglobulin E receptor (Fc.epsilon.RI) is a glycoprotein having a tetrameric structure consisting of an .alpha.-chain, a .beta.-chain and two disulfidized .gamma.-chains. It has been reported that a soluble fragment of Fc.epsilon.RI .alpha.-chain (sFc.epsilon.RI.alpha.) is produced by genetic engineering techniques using DHFR-deficient CHO cells and that only the extracellular region of the .alpha.-chain is involved in the high-affinity binding to IgE Blank, U. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 266, 2639 (1991)!.
Urea-denatured antigen E derived from pollen of Ambrosia and urea-denatured ovalbumin are known to inhibit production of IgE. These urea-denatured antigens inhibit the IgE production reaction by increasing suppressor T cells which suppress helper T cell activity to thereby prevent differentiation of B cells to antibody-producing cells. Suplatast tosilate is also known as a substance capable of inhibiting the IgE produciton. However, these substances have not been put to practical use due to side effects and other problems.
Further, it has not been known so far that peptides capable of binding to IgE directly act on B cells to prevent the IgE production in B cells.
In the development of a drug for the prevention and treatment of IgE-related diseases, a screening of candidate substances is of importance.
One approach to this end comprises inducing an IgE-mediated allergic reaction and checking to see how far this reaction is inhibited. Such approach includes a method comprising the use of animals subjected to passive immunization with purified IgE or animals subjected to active immunization with an antigen as model animals. Both methods are useful but not suited for inducing an allergic reaction repeatedly for investigating the inhibitory effect of test substances.
Thus, in the former method, IgE must be repeatedly administered in order that the allergic reaction may be induced in repetition, with the result that a drug screening cannot be expediently carried out.
The latter method is also disadvantageous in that even though an allergic reaction can be repeatedly induced, not only the antigen-specific IgE but also other antibodies such as the reaction-interfering antigen-specific IgG etc. are produced in the body so that the inhibitory effect on IgE-mediated allergic reaction cannot be accurately estimated.

Immunoglobulin E receptor .alpha.-chain inhibits IgE production and secondary allergic responses


In an information processing apparatus, a cue playback decision unit 610 determines, based on recording information acquired from a recording information storage unit in which a recorded content having a program recorded and the recording information of the recorded content are associated with each other, whether or not a recorded content of a playback target is a recorded content whose recording is started prior to starting time of the program and which is to be played back by cue playback. A time confirmation unit 612 acquires, when it is determined that the recorded content is a recorded content to be played back by cue playback, recording starting time included in the recording information of the recorded content of the playback target from the recording information storage unit. A skip time acquisition unit 614 determines, based on the number of seconds of the recording starting time acquired by the time confirmation unit 612, a period of time to be skipped upon cue playback of the recorded content of the playback target.

In recent years, thanks to rapid development of a recording apparatus and a network technology, it has become possible for an ordinary user to record a program by a plurality of recording apparatus at home and centrally manage the recorded programs through a network. A viewer can use such apparatus to record a number of programs and appreciate the recorded contents, for example, after the viewer comes home after work.

Information processing apparatus and information processing method


A method, integrated circuit and apparatus are operative to control a plurality of passive variable resistance memory cells to store complimentary state information from at least one active memory circuit, such as a flop, latch, or any other suitable state generation circuit. The method, apparatus and integrated circuit may be operative to control the plurality of passive variable resistance memory cells to also restore the stored complimentary state information for the at least one active memory.

The disclosure relates generally to circuits and methods to backup state information in integrated circuits and more particularly to circuits and methods that save the state of the processor or logic chip and methods for performing same.
Logic chips and processors such as central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), DSPs and other processing circuits employ known solutions to save the state information that are in various locations throughout the processor when, for example, power is to be shut down on the device or for switching to handle different processing threads or for other suitable purposes. Flip-flops as known in the art may be used in pipelines to store state information and may be used, for example, in state machines or any other suitable structure to allow devices to start and stop when power is to be removed, for example or if a pipeline is to be temporarily held to allow another thread to be processed. Saving the state of the processor can involve the tedious process of reading all of the architected states of the chip (or part of the chip) that is to be powered off and saved out to a section of the chip not to be powered off or power gated. Other solutions utilize the writing of the state of the chip onto a system bus to an off-chip non-volatile storage device that retains the data after power has been removed, such as a ROM disk or other non-volatile storage.
FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a prior art device 100 that employs a chip or system bus 102 that communicate with a non-volatile disk memory 104 (e.g., hard drive) or other storage 106. An integrated circuit chip 108 (e.g., die or packaged die) may be connected to the disk memory 104 via the chip or system bus 102. The integrated circuit chip 108 may include, for example, an input/output stage 110, cache memory 112, register files 114 and one or more execution units 116. Control logic 118 provides control of the various stages to effect processing. Active memory circuits (e.g., that are made from CMOS transistors or other active memory structures) in the form of flip-flops 120, for example, may be used to store information throughout the integrated circuit as well. Other memory circuits such as the register file, as known in the art, may store state elements for computations for the execution unit. The flip-flops 120 store states of the processor and the cache memory 112 may be SRAM cache or other suitable cache. Memory circuits such as flip-flops, registers, register files, SRAM and other memory circuits that store state information can be quite voluminous particularly in complex processors such as CPUs, GPUs and other processors. Memory circuits as used herein include, for example, active memory circuits that employ, for example, active transistors such as CMOS transistors or other suitable active devices. The flip-flops 120 may be connected to scan chains that are used for testing the integrated circuit prior to packaging and may also be used to scan out state information from various circuits in the chip prior to power down as known in the art. The scan chains may typically operate at a low frequency such as 100 MHz and typically scan out state data in a serialized fashion which can take an inordinate amount of time. The state information may be saved onto the non-volatile disk 104. Once stored, power to the section of the chip or system can be removed. This is sometimes referred to as power gating.
To restore the state, the reverse process is executed. The section of the chip, entire chip or system is powered up and the state is restored to its previous state from the save location and execution is resumed from the previous store point. Such state saving techniques can require significant amounts of power to save and restore the state of entire sections of a chip, the entire chip or system. This can defeat the purpose of power gating in an integrated circuit which allows the reduction or removal of power from subsections or portions of the chip to save power when they are not in use or otherwise slow down the operation to conserve power. Such power gating is useful for mobile devices for example. Such power gated integrated circuits may be used, for example, in handheld devices such as smart phones, laptops, tablet devices or any other suitable mobile devices. Energy efficiency is becoming more commonplace in non-mobile devices as well.
It is also known in the art to use shadow flip-flops that are active circuits that are connected to active flip-flops to attempt to save state. However, shadow flip-flops are typically connected to a separate supply voltage to keep the flip-flop on during power gating so that the data is not lost. This results in additional leakage current from the many shadow flip-flops that are employed to save state, drawing unnecessary power and adding unnecessary temperature increases.
Also, known retention circuits require a separate supply that stays powered while the regular supply to the combinational circuits is powered down. A drawback with such an approach includes that the design complexity with the separate power supply. In addition, the circuitry including the retention state circuits typically continue to draw power during power down mode. Accordingly, such solutions may keep entire flops on separate power supplies that do not get powered down or have a separate retention portion (essentially a separate state element) on a separate supply. However, the extra power supply design results in additional costs, additional metal tracks and design effort. In addition, the circuitry that is left powered on typically continue to consume power.
Other solutions may include the saving of state information in active state elements in separate storage such as an off chip memory, non-powered down caches, etc. However, such approaches can significantly lengthen the required time for entering and exiting powered down modes. Other disadvantages will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.
A need exists for an improved state saving circuit, apparatus and method.

Method and apparatus for providing complimentary state retention


A network function virtualization (NFV) platform may include one or more processors to identify a condition associated with the NFV platform, where the condition may affect operation of at least one virtual network function (VNF) hosted by or associated with the NFV platform; determine, based on the condition, information that may be provided or an action that may be performed with regard to the at least one VNF, and/or generate or transmit a message identifying the information and/or that may cause the action to be performed with regard to the at least one VNF.

Network function virtualization (NFV) is a network architecture concept that uses the technologies of information technology virtualization to virtualize classes of network node functions into building blocks that may connect, or chain together, to create communication services. An NFV deployment includes one or more virtualized network functions (VNFs), which include virtual machines (VMs) or Linux containers running software on processors. The VNFs may be implemented on high-volume servers, switches, and storage devices, or within a cloud computing environment, rather than using custom hardware appliances for each network function.

Synchronization between virtual network functions and host systems