A synchronizer clutch having a first member, a second member, and a clutch pack. The clutch pack includes a first clutch plate fixed to the first member and a second clutch plate fixed to the second member. The synchronizer clutch further includes a clutch hub fixed to the first member, a first ring located between the clutch hub and the clutch pack, and a second ring frictionally engaging said first ring. A shift sleeve is mounted for rotation with the clutch hub and sliding movement thereon between a first and second position. In the first position, the shift sleeve uncouples the first member from the second member to enable relative rotation therebetween. In the second position, the shift sleeve couples the first member to the second member for preventing relative rotation therebetween. Movement of the shift sleeve from the first position to the second position causes the shift sleeve to engage the second ring which, in turn, causes the first ring to move for exerting a compressive clamping force on the clutch pack.

This invention relates generally to transmissions for use in motor vehicles and specifically to a synchronizer clutch having a multi-plate clutch pack for use in motor vehicles.
Synchronizers are well known in the art for selectively coupling the gears of a vehicle power transmission device to enable smooth shifting between differing gear ratios. However, a need exists in the relevant art to provide a synchronizer clutch capable of quickly synchronizing and coupling a preferred set of gears.


A method and apparatus for measuring registration between two or more integrated circuit layers is disclosed. Images of actual operative circuitry of different layers of a semiconductor wafer, obtained by an optical technique or a scanning electron microscope, are digitized and analyzed for the relative placement of pattern shapes of the corresponding layers. This relative placement is then compared to tolerance values and if out of tolerance misregistration of the two layers is indicated.

Semiconductor-based integrated circuits are typically manufactured through the formation of a set of layers on a wafer containing many integrated circuit areas that are later separated into individual dies. Very thin layers of material are deposited one on top of the other in patterns and processed to form integrated circuit components.
One technique of deposition and patterning is photolithography where a material layer is first coated with a light-sensitive photoresist. The photoresist is exposed through a pattern mask of a desired circuit pattern. Depending upon the type of photoresist used, the exposed photoresist is developed to remove either the exposed or unexposed resist. Etching and/or deposition processes are then used to create the desired circuit within the pattern created.
In most cases, the pattern mask should be precisely aligned on a wafer during processing. The overlay of the mask, the measure of how accurately the pattern mask is aligned, will often determine whether the wafer will be functional or must be discarded. Because each wafer may undergo numerous photolithography processing steps, the alignment of each pattern mask, especially the last ones used, is dependant upon the correct alignment of earlier masks. Poor overlay may destroy the intended electrical properties of a circuit device on a wafer.
A common practice in registration, or matching in position, of overlying layers in a semiconductor wafer is to use metrology structures such as registration patterns or marks in each layer of the wafer in regions outside of a circuit region. In particular, the box-in-box registration pattern is commonly used today. This technique employs squares of different sizes on the layers to be registered. When the two layers are exactly matched in position, or registered, the squares are concentric. Any registration error produces a displacement of the squares relative to each other. To ensure ideal registration between masks, four box-in-box alignments are typically performed simultaneously, with the boxes located at the four corners of the image field.
Since semiconductor devices are expensive to fabricate, it is desirable to verify registration after the application of each layer. If the displacement of the layers is outside tolerable limits, sometimes the defective layer can be removed or replaced with an accurately registered layer. In other cases, the substrate is discarded so that further processing steps are not performed on a defective substrate. In any event, significant registration errors must be noted and corrected, otherwise subsequently fabricated wafers would likely have the same registration errors.
In the prior art, monitoring and verification of registration was done manually. Laboratory operators using microscopes examined the registration of overlying layers on each semiconductor wafer. Unavoidably, this technique was slow, subject to human errors and capable of producing substrate contamination.
Recently, the registration of overlying layers has been measured by automated systems, such as optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For example, registration errors can be measured by a process in which an image of a set of registration patterns, such as box-in-box, recorded by a video camera through a microscope, are processed to obtain a measurement of the registration error.
As feature sizes and the alignment requirements of semiconductor devices shrink, the lens distortion of the exposure system has a larger impact on the alignment budget. Alignment errors due to lens distortions have been shown to be dependent on feature size and pitch. This size and pitch dependency can induce a measured alignment offset difference between the standard box-in-box method and the actual circuit layers of interest.
Accordingly, a method for measuring displacement between layers of a semiconductor wafer, which is inexpensive to implement, fast in operation and simple to automate is needed. There is also a need for a method that allows accurate measurement of layer registration errors, while avoiding the systematic errors associated with the prior art measurement systems.

Method for measuring registration of overlapping material layers of an integrated circuit


Compositions and methods are provided for the diagnosis and treatment of inflammation and autoimmune disorders, such as psoriasis. Compositions and methods for modulating IL-23 or IL-22 signaling are provided.

Various diseases and disorders are associated with inflammation. Inflammation is a process associated with recruitment of inflammatory cells (e.g., leukocytes) to a site of injury or infection. Inflammation generally protects the body from infection and injury. However, excessive or inappropriate inflammation can have deleterious effects. Autoimmune disorders, for example, often trigger inflammation resulting in the destruction of normal body tissues. Inflammation is also linked to cancer. See, e.g., Coussens et al. (2002) Nature 420:860-867. For example, chronic inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is strongly correlated with colon carcinogenesis. During the inflammatory response, certain inflammatory cells produce agents that promote angiogenesis, reduce the anti-tumor activity of cytotoxic T-cells, and induce mutations in DNA, thus creating an environment the promotes tumor progression. Id.
IL-23 is a heterodimeric cytokine that plays a dominant role in autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, and in particular, chronic inflammation. For example, studies in mice have revealed that IL-23 is essential for development of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (autoimmune inflammation of the brain), which is a model for multiple sclerosis; collagen-induced arthritis, which is a model for rheumatoid arthritis; and delayed-type hypersensitivity. IL-23 also functions to maintain established colitis (a form of IBD). Transgenic expression of IL-23 leads to systemic inflammatory response, and dysregulation of IL-23 leads to eczematous skin disease (an inflammatory skin condition). IL-23 stimulates a unique population of T cells (ThIL-17 cells), which in turn induce the production of IL-17 and proinflammatory cytokines. For review of the roles of IL-23 in inflammation and autoimmunity, see, e.g., Hunter (2005) Nat. Rev. Immunol. 5:521-531; and Holscher (2005) Curr. Opin. Invest. Drugs 6:489-495. IL-23 has also been shown to promote tumor growth by increasing angiogenesis and decreasing tumor infiltration by cytotoxic T cells. Langowski et al. (2006) Nature 442:461-465.

Compositions and methods for the treatment of diseases and disorders associated with cytokine signaling


A trunnion mount single point vehicle suspension including a load monitoring apparatus. The suspension includes a trunnion shaft, means for attaching the shaft to a vehicle frame and an axle spring assembly mounted to the trunnion shaft and spaced from the attachment means. It also includes strain measuring means mounted in the trunnion shaft between the attaching means and the axle spring assembly for measuring changes in the shaft. In one embodiment the means for attaching the trunnion shaft to the vehicle frame is a trunnion hanger mounted inboard of the axle spring assembly. In another embodiment the attaching means is a clevis bracket which straddles the axle spring assembly. Also disclosed is a load monitoring apparatus for measuring the weight imposed by the trailer at its mounting point on the tractor. The apparatus includes at least one pin load cell having spaced shear strain measuring means and trailer mounting means attached to the pin cell intermediate the shear strain measuring means.

This invention relates generally to weighing systems for vehicles and more particularly to an onboard weighing system for a truck-trailer combination in which the trailer utilizes a single point suspension. The invention also relates particularly to an onboard weighing system for measuring the load imposed on a fifth-wheel table or log truck bunk by the trailer.
In the trucking business profitable operation usually requires making optimal use of the vehicle and such use requires carrying as much load as possible. However, care must be exercised in loading a truck because the weight of a commercial vehicle operating on the highways must be known for safety reasons and for compliance with state and federal weight regulations. Those regulations specify the maximum total vehicle weight and maximum weight per axle for a wide variety of vehicle categories. If a vehicle is found to be in violation of those regulations the operator can be fined and can be required to reposition or remove cargo from the vehicle to bring it into compliance. Such violations can be costly and can seriously disrupt shipping schedules.
The most common device used for weighing trucks is a platform scale. Such scales are installed at official state weighing stations and are also available at privately operated service centers. Also many companies choose to install platform scales at their distribution centers for their own convenience. In order to weigh a truck the operator drives one axle at a time, or the entire vehicle if possible, onto the scale and the weights are noted. If each axle is weighed then the total weight (or gross weight) of the truck is then determined by adding the total of the axle weights. The weight of the vehicle's cargo can then be determined by subtracting the vehicle's empty weight (or tare weight) which is normally known beforehand, from the gross weight.
Although platform scales are quite accurate they are also relatively expensive to install. As a result, many shippers do not have them available on their premises, requiring operators to load the vehicles based on their estimates of the cargo weight. Then the operator must drive the vehicle to a scale installation at a remote location in order to weight it. If the vehicle is too heavy he must return to the shipper and off-load cargo. If the vehicle is underweight he must choose between returning for additional load or driving the vehicle with unused capacity. Obviously having to rely on guesswork in loading the vehicle can result in lost time and lost profit and is therefore undesirable.
Because of the disadvantages associated with fixed platform scales many operators now use portable scales in loading operations. Typically the scales are used in pairs with one scale being placed under each set of opposing wheels on an axle to obtain axle weight. After the vehicle has been loaded with the desired weight of cargo by estimate, it is then driven over the portable scales one axle at a time much in the same manner as done with the fixed platform scales. While these scales function reasonably well they have a number of disadvantages. First, unless the scales belong to the shipper the operator must carry them about in the vehicle which consumes additional weight and space. Secondly, they require the same time consuming loading process as do fixed platform scales where the vehicle is first loaded by estimate and then the load is adjusted to reach the desired actual weight. Further, some portable scales require that the vehicle tires be carefully positioned on the platform in order to obtain accurate weight readings which increases the time involved in the weighing process.
Because of the disadvantages associated with both fixed and portable platform scales a number of "onboard" weighing systems have been developed for trucks. Typically the design of such systems is based upon the theory that an increase of the weight of a vehicle will result in a proportional increase in the deflection or strain in certain structural members of the vehicle. In systems which correlate strain with load, strain changes in components of interest are normally measured using strain gages mounted on the surface of the components as is well known in the art. These systems were eagerly received by the industry because they offered the promise of providing instantaneous load information to an operator and appeared to eliminate most of the undesirable characteristics associated with platform scales. Unfortunately, most onboard systems found in the prior art have failed to live up that promise, not because of any fault in their underlying theory but because of deficiencies associated with implementation of the theory. For example, some systems relied on bending strain measurements from the vehicle's axles but these measurements proved to be an unreliable indicator of vehicle load. Such inaccuracies resulted from the fact that while axle bending strain was dependant upon load it was also dependent to some degree on the interface between the tires and the roadway.
Other systems relied upon strain measurements on components positioned between the vehicle's suspension and frame. While such systems provided more reliable load information they required expensive modifications to the vehicles. Some of these systems also experienced unacceptable rates of structural failure and required an undesirable increase in vehicle height. The displacement measuring systems found in prior art have also exhibited a number of significant disadvantages. For example, although component displacement may be dependent upon vehicle load it may also be dependent upon friction between components and wear of those components. Moreover, such systems often require expensive modifications in order to retrofit them to existing vehicles.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide for an onboard weighing system for trucks which is reliable and accurate.
It is a further object of this invention to provide for such an onboard weighing system which can be retrofitted to existing vehicles with minimal modifications and at a reasonable expense.
It is a further object of this invention to provide for such an onboard weighing system which is light in weight and compact so as not to significantly reduce the cargo volume or cargo carrying capacity of vehicles on which it is installed.

Onboard weighing system for truck having single point suspension


We previously reported that NKG2A, a key inhibitory ligand for HLA-E, is expressed on activated TH2, but not TH1, cells. Here we measured cytokine expression in ex vivo TH2 cells and in a mouse model of asthma upon activation with antiCD3/28 and challenge with an NKG2A-specific agonist. We show that signaling through NKG2A modulates Th2 cell effector function. This new molecular pathway data provides a novel explanation and treatment for respiratory virus-associated asthma. RSV and hMPV suppress IFN-γ and HLA-E expression and therefore decrease NKG2A signaling in activated TH2 cells. This results in a relatively robust Th2 response and an unfavorable shift in Th1/Th2 balance. The data presented here suggest that increasing signaling via the NKG2A receptor suppresses Th2 effector function and could positively impact Th1/Th2 balance in asthma.

Childhood asthma exacerbations are frequently associated with respiratory viral infections, more so than in adults[1-3]. Infectious agents such as rhinovirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), influenza virus, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus, and coronavirus are frequently identified in respiratory secretions from children with asthma exacerbations[4-9]. Several of these ensure their virulence via various means of immune evasion[10]. For example, RSV and hMPV have been shown to decrease interferon (IFN)-γ expression during acute infection[11-13] which limits the anti-viral cellular immune response. It is tempting to speculate that this type of immune evasion pathway is mechanistically coupled to asthma severity; however, until now, there has been little data to support this.
It is well established that T-helper type (Th2) cytokines predominate in asthma[14-16]. In a previous report, we found a potential molecular connection between respiratory virus-associated IFN-γ reduction and asthma-associated Th2 preponderance[17]. Specifically we found that NKG2A, a key protein receptor for the non-classical MHC class I antigen HLA-E[18-23], is expressed solely on activated Th2, but not Th1, cells[17]. IFN-γ acts at the HLA-E gene promoter to increase HLA-E expression[24]. Thus, we theorized that a viral-induced decrease in IFN-γ expression would result in a relative decrease in HLA-E expression. In turn, lower HLA-E expression would lead to less agonism at Th2 NKG2A receptors. The resultant decrease in NKG2A inhibitory signaling via its immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) would lead to relatively increased Th2 cell effector function [25-28].
We previously hypothesized that activation of NKG2A receptors on Th2 cells would be expected to lead to downstream suppression of interleukin (IL)4 expression[17]. Here, we test this hypothesis using purified ex vivo Th2 cells with activation by anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies and challenge with an NKG2A-specific agonist monoclonal antibody, and by describing experiments with a mouse model of viral asthma.

Method of reducing the activation of Th2 lymphocytes


A method and apparatus for measuring the velocity of a vehicle are provided. An acceleration measurement received from an accelerator and RGI data received from an external information server are stored and an irregularity constant of the accelerator is determined. It is determined whether the vehicle is in a stationary state by analyzing the acceleration measurement. If the vehicle is not in the stationary state, the inclination angle of a road on which the vehicle is traveling is calculated using a plurality of three-dimensional shape points included in the RGI data. A gravity acceleration component is compensated for from the acceleration measurement using the road inclination angle. The velocity of the vehicle is calculated using the compensated acceleration measurement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for measuring the velocity of a land vehicle, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for measuring the velocity of a land vehicle using an accelerometer and RGI (Route Guidance Information) data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, vehicles, such as aircraft, ship, land vehicle, etc., are equipped with navigation systems for positioning the vehicles and providing destination routing. To position a vehicle and provide a route to a destination, a navigation system must decide the position of the vehicle accurately.
Therefore, the navigation system is usually provided with a measuring device for determining its own position. The measuring device can determine the position using an external aid, or using an internal sensor. An example of the case of the external aid is a GPS (Global Positioning System), and an example of the case of the internal sensor is a DR (Dead Reckoning) system using an inertial sensor.
The DR system with an inertial sensor or an Inertial Navigation System (INS) is a navigation system first developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the U.S. in the early 1950s and deployed for practical use in the 1960s. The INS calculates the velocity and position of a vehicle using a gyroscope for sensing rotation and an accelerometer for sensing linear movement.
The basic operational principle of the INS may be summarized as follows. The INS first calculates the vehicle direction (angle) of a vehicle by integrating angular velocities output from the gyroscope, compensates the output of the accelerator for the gravity acceleration, and integrates the compensated accelerator outputs. Thus, the INS autonomously calculates the current velocity and position of the vehicle. While the INS advantageously provides accurate and continuous navigation data for a short term, errors are accumulated over time due to the integration. Therefore, a very expensive accurate gyroscope and accelerator are required to implement the INS. To ensure higher accuracy and long-term stability, the INS is usually used in conjunction with a non-inertial auxiliary sensor such as a magnetic compass and the GPS rather than independently.
As described above, the velocity of a vehicle is calculated by combining velocity information from an accelerator with the vehicle direction information from a gyroscope. Accurate calculation of the velocity of the vehicle in a three-dimensional space requires three one-axis gyroscopes arranged perpendicular to one another and three one-axis accelerators, also arranged perpendicular to one another. Yet, the vehicle velocity can be obtained with the use of fewer sensors according to the type of the vehicle. For example, in the case of a land vehicle, since the rolling of a shaft connecting the front to the rear of the land vehicle and its linear movement in a perpendicular direction to a road surface are negligible, as many sensors as used to sense the rolling and linear movement can be saved.
To calculate a velocity vector of a vehicle traveling on a road, the DR system with an inertial sensor must measure the direction of the vehicle and the velocity of the vehicle in a direction of motion. A gyroscope on an axis perpendicular to the plane of a vehicle shaft is required to measure the direction of the vehicle. Also, to measure the velocity of the vehicle along the direction of motion, the inclination angle of the road must be measured in addition to the use of an accelerator installed in the direction of the vehicle shaft.
The reason for measuring the inclination angle of the road in calculating the velocity vector of the vehicle in the DR system is to calculate the gravity acceleration involved in the output of the accelerator from the road inclination angle. That is, because the gravity acceleration is applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the elliptical earth (the surface of a sphere perpendicular to the gravity acceleration), if the axis of direction of the accelerator, fixed in a predetermined direction on the vehicle, is changed due to a change in the road inclination angle, a gravity acceleration component in the output of the accelerator is also changed. Therefore, the pure motion acceleration of the vehicle is achieved only when the gravity acceleration, varying with the road inclination angle, is removed from the output of the accelerator. However, because the motion acceleration in the direction of motion and the gravity acceleration component cannot be distinguished from each other without knowledge of the road inclination angle, an error of the gravity acceleration component is involved in measuring the velocity of the mobile terminal.
FIG. 1 illustrates compensation of a vehicle accelerator output for the gravity force. Referring to FIG. 1, a road inclination angle is defined as an angle from a plane 10 perpendicular to the direction of the gravity acceleration (±g). In FIG. 1, the road inclination angle is an angle θ between the gravity acceleration direction ±g plane 10 and a plane 20 extended in the direction of motion of a vehicle 30.
As the vehicle 30 travels on the plane 20 inclined at the angle θ with respect to a plane 10 perpendicular to the gravity acceleration direction ±g, a measurement {right arrow over (a)} from an accelerator provided in the vehicle 30 is determined by Equation (1){right arrow over (a)}={right arrow over (r)}{right arrow over (a)}+{right arrow over (g)}  (1)
The measurement {right arrow over (a)} includes an actual acceleration component {right arrow over (ra)} and a gravity acceleration component {right arrow over (g)}. This gravity acceleration component, {right arrow over (g)}, which is measured together with a variation in an actual velocity, is an error factor for velocity measuring.
Hence, the vehicle DR system must subtract the gravity acceleration {right arrow over (g)} from the acceleration measurement {right arrow over (a)} to measure an accurate velocity of the vehicle and the road inclination angle is required to measure the gravity acceleration {right arrow over (g)}. To this end, the DR system must be additionally equipped with a gyroscope or a clinometer.
Traditionally, a gyroscope is responsible for measuring a road inclination angle. Therefore, the vehicle-DR system uses two or more gyroscopes: one for deciding the direction of a vehicle and another for calculating the road inclination angle. Since the gyroscopes are basically sensors for measuring variations, the vehicle DR system, which measures the road inclination angle using a gyroscope, integrates the outputs of the gyroscope to obtain the road inclination angle. Therefore, an error component of the gyroscope is integrated in the integration process, thereby accumulating errors over time in estimating the road inclination angle.
To calculate the road inclination angle, thus, the gyroscope is used not alone, but in conjunction with an auxiliary sensor without errors being accumulated. Although a sensor such as a clinometer can be adopted to calculate the accurate road inclination angle, an existing accelerator is generally used as the auxiliary sensor to minimize the number of sensors used.
FIG. 2 illustrates an operation for measuring a gravity component from the output of an accelerator in a conventional system. Referring to FIG. 2, the conventional system measures a relatively low-frequency gravity acceleration component (a) by passing the output of an accelerator including the gravity acceleration component (a) and an actual acceleration component (b) through a low pass filter (LPF) 40, and calculates a road inclination angle using the gravity acceleration component (a).
Despite the advantage that no errors are accumulated in the road inclination angle information, however, this method is sensitive to the performance of the accelerator and insensitive to the change of the inclination angle. Moreover, the use of a low cut-off frequency to separate the gravity component leads to a time delay.
As described above, the conventional vehicle DR system uses an additional gyroscope for estimating a road inclination angle because the road inclination angle cannot be calculated only using an accelerator. However, the addition of an expensive gyroscope to the DR system makes it impossible to realize a low-price DR velocity measuring device.

Method and apparatus for measuring velocity of land vehicle using accelerometer and route guidance information data


A semiconductor device that permits an increase in static destruction resistance while preventing an increase in the chip size includes a protective element formed by a polysilicon layer in which JFETs are serially connected in three stages and which is inserted between a gate electrode and source electrode of a power-MOSFET or IGBT semiconductor device. The gate insulation film of a semiconductor active element portion of the semiconductor device is protected regardless of whether the polarity of static electricity or another high voltage is positive or negative.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device such as a power-MOSFET or IGBT (insulated-gate type bipolar transistor) and, more particularly, to a semiconductor device that includes a protective element for protecting a gate insulation film from static electricity or another high voltage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some semiconductor devices such as power-MOSFETs or IGBTs have a protective element 102 that uses Zener diodes inserted between a gate electrode G and source electrode S, as shown in FIG. 6, in order to prevent a gate insulation film from being destroyed by static electricity or another high voltage. In FIG. 6, D is a drain electrode. This protective element 102 is constituted having four stages in which inverted Zener diodes are alternately connected, for example, and prevents a gate insulation film from being destroyed by either a positive or a negative high voltage. The Zener diodes are not limited to a four-stage constitution. The constitution sometimes has two stages or six or more stages. The number of stages of a Zener diode and the doping concentration of the N-type (or P-type) impurity forming the Zener diode are the main cause of variations in the breakdown voltage and establish a breakdown voltage of between 20 and 30 volts, for example, which is a lower voltage than the upper limit voltage at which the gate insulation film withstands destruction (insulation withstand voltage).
Further, the gate insulation films of semiconductor devices of this type have grown thinner in accordance with the lower power supply voltages of semiconductor devices in recent years and therefore countermeasures to prevent destruction caused by static electricity or other high voltages have become even more important. Although such countermeasures may be considered to increase the surface area of the Zener diode of the above-mentioned protective element and to increase the electrostatic destruction resistance, these countermeasures cannot be said to be preferable because the countermeasures cause an increase in the chip size of the semiconductor device and, in turn, cause an increase in the costs of the semiconductor device.


An uninterrupted ink supply system is provided, including a main cartridge connected to a printer, a connection device having an automatic airflow control structure and installed on said main cartridge, and a replenishment cartridge for connecting to the connection device. The replenishment cartridge is connected to the connection device, and is able to refill the ink into the main cartridge, and automatically stop refilling when the ink level reaching a specific height and start refilling again when ink level below a specific height. When the replenishment cartridge is removed for refilling when the ink is used up, the main cartridge still contains ink so that the printing will not be suspended.

The inkjet printing technology has been used in many years. As the printers become popular, the amount of cartridge usage also increases. The environmental impact and the related recycling issues of disposable cartridge also becomes a problem.
In general, a cartridge is disposable when the cartridge stops supplying ink to the printer. Usually, at this point, there remains a small amount of ink inside the cartridge, which is both a waste and a pollution. A refillable cartridge is developed to decrease the waste and the pollution caused by a conventional disposable cartridge. A refillable cartridge can be refilled with ink using a funnel. However, the design is prone to causing spill or overflow of ink during the refilling. In addition, the user must watch for the ink level to prevent from using up the ink. During the refilling, the printing must be stopped. An alternative is to use a pump to replace the manual refilling. Unfortunately, the cost of the plural pumps and supporting frame, the time-consuming assembly and disassembly of frame, bulky size and high power-consumption are some of the disadvantages of the pump refilling approach.


A cost considered arrangement for evaluating local illumination interference with operation of a night vision apparatus in for example the confines of an illumination inclusive aircraft cockpit. The evaluation is especially applicable to identifying interference between aircraft instrument lighting having infrared content for example, and night vision apparatus operation in the aircraft. The evaluation is cost is limited by use of a common household lamp night vision apparatus source calibrated with a common light measuring instrument operated at close range and with modification of the measured illumination through mathematical manipulation of the source operating distance to achieve the low light levels needed for night vision apparatus operation. A standard visual acuity chart and multiple operator interpretations of the chart resolutions achieved are included.

Cockpit lighting can interfere with the optimum operation of night vision apparatus such as a night vision goggle, in several specific ways. For each interference mechanism, the effect on the image seen through the night vision apparatus is to reduce the light level or contrast of the useful image (the view from outside the aircraft). This reduction in light level or contrast can be manifested as a reduction in visual acuity and/or as an observed loss of contrast or brightness. In order to determine if a particular configuration of cockpit lighting or instrument illumination interferes with the proper operation of night vision apparatus the arrangement of the present invention can be used to implement a night vision apparatus visual performance assessment procedure such as is described in APPENDIX C of the present document. Although visual evaluation of night vision apparatus output by a human operator is most readily accomplished other night vision apparatus output evaluation apparatus may be used within the scope of the present invention.
Currently, United States military personnel use the U.S. Air Force Resolution Chart shown FIG. 5 herein when performance evaluating or adjusting night vision apparatus. This resolution chart is now a standard for use by U.S. and allied military units performing night vision apparatus missions. This chart has a series of increasingly finer pairs of black and white bars, bars that, when viewed through night vision apparatus, allow maintenance personnel to evaluate and adjust the viewed image quality and allow the war fighter to personally perform night vision adjustments such as objective lens focusing, interpupillary distance selection, tilt angle adjustment, eyepiece selection and battery checking prior to a night vision mission. The resolution chart of U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,923, issued to Task et al. in 1986 and other resolution charts as described later herein may also be used for these purposes.
Use of such resolution chart for the present night vision apparatus visual performance assessment or other purposes however requires it to be precisely irradiated at low light levels, levels on the order of 0.0025 foot-lamberts for example. Such irradiance levels afford almost no human vision capability. This chart usage irradiance is often accomplished with the aid of an irradiance-measuring instrument such as a photometer or a radiometer or the low level instrument described in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,235,779. Photometer and radiometer instruments however range in value from $5,000 to $28,000 or greater as may be observed in the catalog or on the web site of one supplier of such instruments, Hoffman Engineering Corporation of Stamford, Conn., http://www.hoffmanengineering.com. Such instruments are also generally unsuited for use under field conditions as is dictated by their cost and their substantially fragile nature.
The present invention is believed to provide an answer for these difficulties in addition to providing night vision apparatus visual performance assessment.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,923, U.S. Pat. No. 7,235,779 and each other patent document and reference document identified herein are also hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Low cost night vision apparatus and cockpit lighting compatibility evaluation via visual acuity

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


The present invention relates to a pillar bipolar transistor and the fabricating method thereof, the active region on which the emitter region, the base region and the collector region are formed, is defined at the first pillar by the trench formed in the semiconductor substrate, a party of the base region and the polysilicon base electrode is electrically connected by the base connection, thereby decreasing the contact area and protecting to increase the extrinsic region of the base, and protecting to mask a juction of base to emitter at high concentration. Also, the polysilicon emitter electrode having the wide surface area is formed by self-aligned contact using the CMP method on the upper of the emitter region. Therefore, the active region of the transistor is defined in the first pillar, so that the parasitic capacitance between the emitter and the collector, and the base is decreased, and the contact area between the base region and the polysilicon base electrode is also decreased, thereby enhancing the operational characteristic of the transistor by protecting to increase the extrinsic region of the base, and the current gain similar to the forward operation of the transistor can be obtained in the backward operation of the transistor. Also, the emitter polysilicon electrode having the wide surface is self-arranged with the emitter region, thereby easily forming the contact opening to form the emitter electrode.

Recently, the bipolar transistor is required of the lower power consumption, the lower parasitic capacitance, and the lower parasitic resistance.
FIG. 1 is the sectional view of the bipolar transistor in accordance with the conventional technique.
Referring to FIG. 1, the P-type semiconductor substrate is denoted as the reference number 1, the N.sup.+ -type buried region is denoted as the reference number 2, the N-type collector region is denoted as the reference number 3, the N.sup.+ -type sink region is denoted as the reference number 4, the P-type base region is denoted as the reference number 7, the N.sup.+ -type emitter region is denoted as the reference number 8, the dielectric films are denoted as the reference numbers 5, 6 and 10, respectively, and the metal electrodes are denoted as the reference number 9.
It is the metal electrodes to connect the emitter electrode, the base electrode, and the collector electrode to an emitter region 8, the base region 7, and the sink region 4, respectively.
The dielectric film 5 as described hereinabove is filled in the trench which is formed by a predetermined depth into the semiconductor substrate, and is separated or isolated between the elements, thereby reducing the size of elements as well as the junction area of the semiconductor substrate 1 and the buried region 2, and the parasitic connecting capacitance.
However, the bipolar transistor as described hereinabove has a problem that the power consumption of the bipolar transistor is high by increasing the parastic capacitance because the base region is widely connected to the emitter region of a high concentration, and the extrinsic base area is large.
FIG. 2 is the sectional view of the bipolar transistor fabricated by the conventional sidewall base contact method. It is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 443,554.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the reference numeral 13 denotes the N-type collector region, the reference numeral 17 denotes the base region, and the reference numeral 18 denotes N.sup.+ -type emitter region.
These regions 13, 17 and 18 as described hereinabove are the active regions of elements in which is provided on the piller 100 of a cylindrical type formed by the etching of the P-type semiconductor substrate 11. The reference numeral 12 denotes the N.sup.+ -type buried region formed in the semiconductor substrate, the reference numeral 15 denotes the N.sup.+ -type sink in which provided on the pillar 101 of another cylindrical type formed on the semiconductor substrate 11.
The dielectric film 16 is deposited on the pillars 100 and 101 overlaid on the etched semiconductor substrate 11, and the polysilicon base electrode 14 is formed, which is contacted to the side of base electrode 17 overlaid on the dielectric film 16.
Also, the reference numerals 98 and 99 denotes the dielectric films respectively, the reference numeral 20 denotes the electrode which can be used to the emitter electrode, the base electrode and the collector electrode, each of which is electrically connected to the emitter region 18, the polysilicon base electrode 14 and the sink 15.
The emitter region 18 and the collector region 13 of the bipolar transistor are narrowly jointed to the base region 17, and thus the backward characteristics is also enhanced.
When the bipolar transistor is backwardly operated as mentioned hereinabove, the emitter region 18 is operational as the collector region, and the collector region 13 is operational as the emitter region in the forward operation, respectively.
However, the conventional bipolar transistor as mentioned hereinabove has the larger contact surface in which the base region is contacted by the thickness of the polysilicon base electrode, and thus the operational characteristics of the transistor is down because the contact surface is wide, and the extrinsic region of the base is increased, and there is a problem that the power consumption of it is increased by the parasitic capacitance between the emitter region and the collector region, and the polysilicon base electrode.
The method for forming the constant high of the dielectric film and the base polysilicon electrode over the entire region except for the pillar is also a difficult problem.
It is also the difficult problem to form the emitter electrode over the emitter region because the emitter region is formed on the upper of the pillar of the small size without self-contact.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A sheet post processing device receives, sheets on an inverter structure which causes initial sheets supplied to the inverter to be overlayed first sheet on the second sheet, and moves the overlayed first and second and subsequent sheets to a sheet transport path for delivery to a sheet sending device adapted to be indexed vertically between selective gates and fixed outlets into selected trays, and has a stapler for stapling sheets in sets, before sending the sets to the outlet and into a tray.

This invention is related to the sheet post processing device that sorts continuously transported sheets onto several trays.
Previously, a movable tray type with vertically movable trays and a fixed tray type with fixed trays are known to be employed in this type of sheet post processing device. The movable tray type has an outlet in the fixed position to eject continuously transported sheets. Several trays are disposed in a vertically spaced direction and selectively move to the receiving position for the sheets ejected from the outlet. On the other hand, the fixed tray type has several transport paths that transport sheets to the respective tray. By switching those transport paths, sheets are selectively transported onto several trays.
However, among the previous sheet post processing devices, the movable tray type requires a large drive mechanism to move up and down heavily loaded trays due to accumulated sheets. If a sheet is ejected onto a lower tray among several trays that are located in vertically spaced direction, upper trays will significantly move to the top of the sheet infeed expanding large moving space to upper area. On the contrary, the fixed tray type requires several transport paths, complicating and enlarging the composition of the entire device.
There have been devices that transport the sheets that are continuously ejected from a host machine such as a copier or a printer, reverse the transport direction of the sheet, and transport the sheet into the sheet post processing portion of the device that staples and sorts the sheets. Generally, this type of sheet reversing device is incorporated into the sheet post processing device such as a stapler or a sorter.
The previous sheet reversing devices transport each sheet onto the stage, reverse the sheet transporting direction, and transport sheets one by one by converting the trailing end of the sheet to the leading end. After transporting one sheet onto the stage, the device transports the sheet in its reversed transporting direction. Then, after the sheet is transported, the next sheet is transported onto the stage.
However, since the previous sheet reversing device repeats transporting sheets one by one and in a reversed direction on the stage, the next sheet could not be transported onto the stage unless the previously transported sheet on the stage is ejected. Therefore, for example, the sheet reversing device that reverses the sheet ejected from a host machine such as a copier or a printer and transports the sheets into the sheet post processing portion for stapling or sorting takes time. If the sheet is temporarily delayed to be transported into the sheet post processing portion from the stage, the next sheet cannot be transported onto the stage and the host machine such as a copier or a printer has to be temporarily stopped. That is, due to a delay of the movement timing of the transporting destination of the sheet transported from the sheet reversing device, the transportation of the sheets into the sheet reversing device had to be stopped and therefore the speed of sheet processing decreased.


A method for detecting the presence of an assayed nucleic acid in a sample is an essentially two-stage procedure. In a first stage the sample is reacted in a manner which gives rise to the production of a triggering RNA where the sample contains the assays sequence. In the second stage, the reaction product is incubated under appropriate conditions with an amplification reagent ensemble whereby, in the presence of triggering RNA a large amount of a nucleic product is obtained. The detection of this product thus indicates the presence of the assayed sequence in the sample.

Detection of the presence of a specific DNA or RNA sequence in a sample is required for a variety of experimental, diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, e.g. detection of a specific mutation in a sample of amniotic fluid, parenterage testing, testing for incorporation of a viral DNA into a cell's genomic DNA, etc. The task of direct detection of a specific DNA or RNA sequence, which is routinely performed by the use of an appropriately labelled probe, is often hindered by the fact that the specific DNA or RNA is present in a sample only in minute amounts.
Examples of methods which enable the amplification of DNA sequences present in a sample in only minute quantities are: LCR (ligase chain reaction), 3SR (self-sustained sequence replication) or PCR (polymerase chain-reaction). In PCR a sample is contacted with a primer DNA complimentary to a 3' end sequence of the specific DNA, a DNA polymerase and with single DNA nucleotides. Following a number of replication cycles, the sample is enriched with the specific assayed DNA. A typical cycle of PCR comprises three distinct stages: a first stage in which the double-stranded DNA is melted to two single strands; a second stage of annealing of the primer to the single-stranded DNA; and a third stage of polymerization where the annealed primers are extended by the DNA polymerase, to produce a double-stranded DNA. The cycle of melting, annealing and DNA synthesis is repeated many times, the products of one cycle serving as templates for the next ad thus, each successive cycle enriches the sample with the specific DNA.
PCR suffers from several shortcomings, the most serious of which being its lack of specificity. The effective hybridization temperature, i.e. the temperature in which the two strands of DNA hybridize, determines the specificity of the reaction. A low effective hybridization temperature results in a higher percentage of non-specific binding. In PCR this temperature, which is defined by the temperature of the annealing stage, is relatively low and this brings about non-specific binding of the probe to the target sequences resulting in amplification of undesired sequences which brings about a relatively high background reading.
This non-specificity also requires an additional and time-consuming detection procedure such as electrophoretic separation of the amplification products on an agarose gel, in order to separate between the various amplification products, and does not enable detection of the presence of the assayed DNA by a mere detection of amplification.
PCR also suffers from a severe problem of contamination which is due to amplification of sequences that did not originate from the test sample being sequences unintentionally introduced to the sample.
Another disadvantage of PCR is that it is a complex procedure. Typically, each of the stages of melting, annealing and polymerization is carried out at a different temperature, e.g. melting at 94.degree. C., annealing at 50.degree. C. and polymerization at 72.degree. C. Since the samples have to be constantly cycled through several temperatures a special apparatus is required rendering the procedure laborious and time consuming.
Another shortcoming of PCR is in the time required therefor. A typical cycle lasts several minutes, and usually 25-30 cycles are required to produce sufficient copies of amplified DNA. Thus, a typical PCR even in a completely automated system lasts at least 2 to 3 hours.
Finally, PCR is basically suited for the detection of DNA sequences. Where detection of RNA sequences is desired, RNA has to be converted first to DNA (by reverse transcription). This conversion to DNA requires additional time, effort and enzymes, and also introduces many errors due to the inherent inaccuracy of reverse transcription.
It should be noted that although PCR is advantageous in obtaining large amounts of a specific DNA, such as for producing large quantities of probes for genetic assays, it is often an "over-kill" where merely the presence of a specific DNA sequence in a sample is to be assayed.
Other such methods such as 3SR (WO PCT 89/05631) and Target Nucleic Acid Amplification/Detection (WO PCT 89/05533) are relatively rapid isothermal processes for DNA detection. However, these methods also suffer from relatively effective low hybridization temperatures which are even lower than those of PCR, typically in the range of 37.degree.-41.degree. C. These low temperatures drastically reduce the specificity of the procedure due to non-specific probe-target binding, and in cases of clinical diagnostics, this may result in an intolerable level of misdiagnosis.
Additionally, amplification strategies such as Target Nucleic Acid Amplification/Detection that are based on the amplification properties of a replicase-type enzyme are unreliable due to the possibility of spontaneous RNA amplification in the absence of target (Chetverin-AB, et al., J. Mol. Biol., 222(1), 3-9 (1991)).
It is the object of the invention to provide a method for the detection of a nucleic acid sequence which is:
(i) reliable and sequence specific due to the minimalization of incorrect target-probe hybridization; PA1 (ii) relatively rapid; PA1 (iii) essentially isothermic eliminating the need for specialized and expensive apparatus; PA1 (iv) relatively simple, not requiring the addition of a large number of different enzymes or nucleotide pools; and PA1 (v) amenable to automation by enabling the amplification process itself to be indicative of the presence or absence of the nucleic acid sequence to be assayed. PA1 (a) reacting the sample with a detection ensemble comprising: PA1 (b) incubating under conditions to allow hybridization of said first DNA molecule and said second DNA molecule and were present also said third DNA molecule with said assayed nucleic acid sequence, and optionally adding a ligase to allow ligation of adjacent ends of said first, second and third DNA molecules; PA1 (c) adding transcription reagents comprising an RNA polymerase and RNA nucleotides and incubating under conditions to allow the formation of RNA transcripts having said triggering RNA sequence; PA1 (d) contacting the RNA transcripts with an RNA amplification ensemble in which the triggering RNA sequence induces formation of RNA molecules containing the signal RNA sequence; and PA1 (e) detecting the presence of said signal RNA sequence, positive results indicating the presence of said assayed nucleic acid sequence in said sample.
Further objects of the invention will become clear from the following description.

Method for detecting a nucleic acid involving the production of a triggering RNA and transcription amplification


A new poinsettia plant named ‘Fismars 339’ particularly distinguished by brilliant red flower color, large, rosette-like, flat inflorescence, dark green, ovate shaped leaves, evenly branching, medium size, good shape for packing and transportation, mid season flowering and good keeping characteristics.

The present invention comprises a new Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'Fismars 339.'
'Fismars 339' is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar 'Fismars 339' has brilliant red bracts, dark green foliage, mid season flowering, and about medium sized plant habit.
'Fismars 339' originated from an induced mutation discovered in the parent variety 'Fismars' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,977).
Irradiations of young plants of the variety 'Fismars' had been made in Ahrenburg, Germany, in May 2003. The treated plants were grown out in Hillscheid, Germany, and propagated by shoot cuttings. The resulting plants were screened for positive mutations. In the spring of 2004, a branch mutation was discovered, which was grown and examined as a separate clone.
Horticultural examinations of plants grown from cuttings of the plant were made in the fall to winter of 2005. Examinations continuing thereafter on a larger scale, have demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for 'Fismars 339' are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
'Fismars 339' has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
Plant Breeders' Rights for this cultivar were applied for in the European Union on Jun. 2, 2008 and in Canada on Jul. 4, 2008. 'Fismars 339' has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.


A vehicle system is provided and includes a 12 volt alternator and a 24 volt wound rotor configured for acceptance in the 12 volt alternator.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a vehicle system and, more particularly, to a vehicle system with two or more batteries connected in series.
In some vehicles, a standard 12 volt alternator is connected to a 24 volt battery. This can create an undesirable condition in that alternators do not begin to produce output until they generate a higher voltage than the battery voltage. In general, a 12 volt alternator will require rotation at about 686 RPM before it generates greater than 24 volts and can begin to output a charge. This minimum engine speed for charging exceeds generally desirable idling speeds of around 600 RPM. As such, a 12 volt alternator in a 24 volt system is ineffective to charge the 24 volt battery during idling unless the idle speed is set above 686 RPM. Since setting the idle speed higher also generally entails an increase in emissions and a greater demand on fuel this is undesirable.
This problem can be addressed by using a 24 volt alternator. However, such alternators are relatively expensive and difficult to assemble. Resultantly, 24 volt alternators are not commonly selected for use in in most vehicles. Moreover, 24 volt alternators have associated resistances that greatly exceed the resistances associated with 12 volt alternators. Consequently, they tend to generate large amounts of heat that require cooling systems.


A tamper-indicating printable sheet. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a tamper-indicating printable sheet comprising a retroreflective layer comprising a plurality of microbeads partially embedded in an inkjet receptive beadbond layer; and a reflector layer between one of the microbeads and the inkjet receptive beadbond layer. The present invention provides a method of making a tamper-indicating printable sheet.

Documents of value such as passports, identification cards, entry passes, ownership certificates, financial instruments, and the like, are often assigned to a particular person by personalization data. Personalization data, often present as printed images, can include photographs, signatures, fingerprints, personal alphanumeric information, and barcodes, and allows human or electronic verification that the person presenting the document for inspection is the person to whom the document is assigned. There is widespread concern that forgery techniques can be used to alter the personalization data on such a document, thus allowing non-authorized people to pass the inspection step and use the document in a fraudulent manner.
A number of security features have been developed to help authenticate the document of value, thus assisting in preventing counterfeiters from altering, duplicating or simulating a document of value. Some of these security features may include overt security features or covert security features. Overt security features are features that are easily viewable to the unaided eye, such features may include holograms and other diffractive optically variable images, embossed images, and color-shifting films. In contrast, covert security features include images only visible under certain conditions, such as inspection under light of a certain wavelength, polarized light, or retroreflected light. One example of a laminate that includes both overt and covert security features is 3M™ Confirm™ Security Laminate, which is commercially available from 3M Company based in St. Paul, Minn. This security laminate may be used with documents of value, such as identification cards, badges and driver licenses, and assists in providing identification, authentication and to help protect against counterfeiting, alteration, duplication, and simulation. Another example of a laminate that includes both overt and covert security features is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2003/0170425 A1 "Security Laminate," (Mann et al.) Examples of some other devices are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,801,183 and 4,688,894.
Although the commercial success of available security features has been impressive, as the capabilities of counterfeiters continue to evolve, it is desirable to further improve the ability to indicate that a security feature has been tampered with or somehow compromised to help protect against counterfeiting, alteration, duplication, and simulation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Tamper-indicating printable sheet for securing documents of value and methods of making the same


A keyboard folio for a tablet computer provides a case and a wireless keyboard. A connection utilizes a magnetic attachment and an insert to adapt to the tablet computer. The panel has a bottom ledge to receive the tablet computer on the bottom ledge. In addition, the panel has ferromagnetic elements to magnetically attach to an attachment plate adhered to the tablet computer. The panel and the wireless keyboard can be releasably attached together with a magnetic attachment.

Tablet computers or tablets, such as the Apple® iPad® tablet computer, have grown in popularity. Such tablet computers are often thin, rectilinear computers with a broad touch screen that can offer media viewing and user input through a graphical keyboard. Such tablet computers can also have a patterned magnet array to magnetically attach to a cover.
Tablet computers risk damage from dropping because their small size and light weight promote mobility and holding. Often, the tablet computer has a slim, streamline case that is aesthetically pleasing but difficult to grasp and hold. User's often supplement the tablet computer with a case or folio to protect the screen and the tablet computer. Such cases or folios can often enclose or envelope the back, edges, and front perimeter of the tablet computer. Other cases can grip the tablet computer.
Typing or keyed entry on the tablet computers can be difficult due to the lack of haptic or tactile response of the graphical keyboard, and the large amount of space required by the graphical keyboard leaves a small viewing area. User's often supplement the tablet computer with a wireless keyboard to facilitate typing or keyed entry. Such wireless keyboards can also be incorporated into the case or folio. Again, such cases or folios can often enclose or envelope the back, edges, and front perimeter of the tablet computer.
Some cases or folios can maintain a viewing angle of the tablet by a hinge between the case and the keyboard. Other keyboards or cases have a complicated folding geometry.
The popularity of tablet computers has resulted in a growing number of manufactures and a growing number of types and styles, many with various different dimensions. Thus, cases or folios are continuously redesigned to accommodate the different and varying dimensions of the tablet computers, resulting in higher costs, greater warehousing and stock, and obsolescence.
The improvement of protection and utility for tablet computers is on ongoing endeavor.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.

ZAGG Intellectual Property Holding Co., Inc.


The invention relates to an LED package and proposes a method of fabricating an LED package including steps of providing a package substrate having a mounting area of an LED and a metal pattern to be connected with the LED, and plasma-treating the package substrate to reform at least a predetermined surface area of the package substrate where a resin-molded part will be formed. The method also includes mounting the LED on the mounting area on the substrate package and electrically connecting the LED with the metal pattern, and forming the resin-molded part in the mounting area of the LED to seal the LED package.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) package, and more particularly, a method of fabricating an LED package having enhanced adhesion strength between a resin-molded part and a package substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a light emitting diode (LED) is adopted extensively, ranging from small electronic devices like mobile communication terminals to large-sized displays like traffic lights and automobile lamps. Such an LED requires a package that ensures high luminance while providing good protection against heat and is durable in all kinds of external environment.
In general, an LED package has a structure with an LED chip therein, sealed by a resin-molded part, which however is heterogeneous from a substrate such as made of silicon, and thus the interface therebetween is weak in adhesion strength, and they may easily be separated. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional white LED package.
Referring to FIG. 1, the LED package 10 includes a lower substrate 11 and an upper substrate 12 having a cavity formed therein. The lower substrate 11 has adequate metal patterns such as lead frames 14a and 14b, conductive vias 15a and 15b, and bonding pads 16a and 16b. An LED 18 is mounted in a mounting area defined by a cavity and can be electrically connected to the lead frames 14a and 14b via connecting means like wires. A resin-molded part 19 is formed in the mounting area with the LED 18 mounted therein. The resin-molded part 19 typically has functions of protecting the LED 18, and with a specific phosphor contained therein, of converting a wavelength.
In general, the resin-molded part 19 is mainly composed of silicone, epoxy, urethane resin or a compound thereof, whereas the package substrate can adopt different material such as silicone having high heat conductivity and good machinability. In this respect, the resin-molded part 19 and the package substrate 11 and 12 can be bonded inadequately at interface A. This inadequate adhesion may allow penetration of moisture, degrading the reliability of the device, and further can result in fatal defects such as the resin-molded part 19 being separated under the suddenly changing temperature.
Therefore, there have been required a new technology in the field which can improve adhesion strength between the resin-molded part and the package substrate in an LED package.

Method of fabricating light emitting diode package


A method including causing, at least in part, rendering of a user interface for a location-based service that simultaneously includes both a main view portion and a preview portion. One of the main view portion and the preview portion is caused, at least in part, to display a perspective view of one or more objects in a field of view, and the other of the main view portion and the preview portion is caused, at least in part, to display a plan view of at least a portion of the one or more objects in the field of view.

Service providers (e.g., wireless, cellular, Internet, content, social network, etc.) and device manufacturers are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to consumers by, for example, providing compelling network services. One area of interest has been the development of mapping and navigating graphics (e.g., digital maps) and/or images (e.g., 360° panoramic street-level views of various locations and points of interest) augmented with, for instance, navigation tags and location relevant content. Typically, navigation, mapping, and other similar services can display either panoramic views or two-dimensional rendered maps. Each type of view has respective advantages and disadvantages. However, a user generally has to switch back and forth between such views manually, which makes it difficult for a user to grasp how these views correlate to one another.

Method and apparatus for rendering user interface for location-based service having main view portion and preview portion


A gun target including a substantially planar first sheet having a back surface and an exposed front surface which carries a graphic pattern having a first color, at which the weapon is aimed. A substantially planar second sheet is connected to the back surface of the first sheet so as to lie substantially parallel to the first sheet. The second sheet has a front surface that has a second, contrasting color relative to the first color. When a round fired from the weapon into the graphic pattern penetrates both sheets, the resulting hole exposes the second color at the front surface of the first sheet.

The present invention relates to gun targets, and more particularly to small arms disposable targets.
The typical target for practice or competition in the shooting of small arms such as pellet guns, hand guns, and rifles, consists of a sheet of heavy paper on which one or more graphics patterns is printed, e.g., with a so-called "bulls-eye" or the like. Under many conditions of lighting or background behind the target, the hole produced by the fired round is difficult to visualize at a distance. Especially with a pellet or small caliber bullet, the hole in the paper partly re-closes. As a result, the marksman cannot, without seeing the holes, accurately adjust his aim.


System and method for performance characterization of multi configuration near eye displays includes: a mirror; a lamp; a beamsplitter; a collimating and reflective lens for collimating light reflected from the beamsplitter and reflecting it back towards an image sensor having a view finder; a field-of-view (FOV) aperture to project light from the lamp onto the DUT through the objective lens; a video viewfinder digital camera for capturing an virtual image of the DUT; a spectroradiometers for performing spectroradiometric measurements on a captured image of the defined measurement area to characterize the performance of the DUT; and a controller circuit for characterizing performance of the DUT based on the spectroradiometric measurements.

Much attention has been paid recently to near eye displays (NED), specifically virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) viewers, particularly in the area of consumer electronics. A NED produces virtual image or scene, when positioned in front of and near the eye. In some NEDs, the virtual scenes are binocularly positioned in front of the left and right eyes so that the virtual scenes are perceived by human stereoscopic vision as three-dimensional scenes. In AR NEDs, the user of the NED can see through the optics that are part of the virtual scene delivery system producing the illumination in the design eye box and see the virtual scene content superimposed on the real world. VR NEDs produce virtual scenes that cannot be seen through.
A virtual scene is one that is presented to the eye of the observer with a lens or other optical conveyance so that it is collimated or nearly collimated. These types of devices are known as Near Eye Displays (NEDs) and Head Up Displays (HUDs). NEDs and HUDs are similar in that they both present virtual scenes to the eyes of display users. NEDs produce a virtual scene of both digital and analog content with pixel and raster scan display technologies.
In HUDs, the virtual scenes are presented to the display by reflecting off of an optical component or surface referred to as a beam combiner, positioned at a distance typically more than 30 cm from the eyes and not attached to the display head. The HUD beam combiner can be thought of a window that when the display user looks through it, the virtual scene of the presented information is superimposed on the real world seen through and on the opposite side of the beam combiner similar to the AR NEDs.
The virtual scene from NEDs and HUDs can be perceived by the eye if the entrance pupil of the eye is positioned within the area of the NED where the illumination from the virtual scene is projected by the optical design of the NED. This area is often referred to as the design eye box of the NED. The uniformity of the illumination in the plane of the eye entrance pupil can vary in intensity depending on the position within the plane bounded on the outside by the edges of the design eye box. In some embodiments, a small (for example, 2 to 5 mm) diameter aperture is selected to simulate the entrance aperture pupil of the eye.
As NEDs transition from novelties to mainstream products, achieving dependable and predictable performance will become increasingly critical. For consumer NED systems, this is necessary in order to ensure a consistent user experience, and to guarantee that products reliably meet both cosmetic and performance standards that are congruent with the manufacturer's brand identity. For commercial NEDs, particularly those for avionics and military uses, achieving a specified performance level is often critical to the correct functioning of the device in its application.
However, a lag in NED testing capabilities occurs because the optical systems employed in these devices, and the way they are utilized by the viewer, are both somewhat unique. As a result, traditional optical metrology equipment cannot be simply adapted to the demands of NED testing and thus a new approach is necessary.
All NEDs include three essential elements. The first is a display or source of some type, which generates light or a scene. The second is an optical system which projects the light into the viewer's eye(s). These optics are necessary because most people cannot comfortably focus on an object which appears to be close (e.g. less than two inches) to the eye. Thus, the optics create a virtual scene of the display source which appears to be at a sufficient distance for easy accommodation, and also allows for stereoscopic scene fusion if the device provides a 3D scene. Furthermore, the optics may combine the display output with a view of the actual scene surrounding the user (AR), or entirely block off any view of the true environment (VR). The final component of a NED is the mechanics to hold the first two elements on, or in front of, the viewer's head and position them properly with respect to the user's eyes.
There are already quite a number of different design forms for NEDs in use or in development. These vary substantially in terms of the technology used for scene generation and the configuration of their optics. Nevertheless, whatever the underlying design for a particular NED, the combined output of the display and optics can be characterized by a few key parameters.
Exit pupil is the area of the region of the volume or area of light formed by the NED optics. If the eye is placed anywhere within the exit pupil, it will see the entire field of view of the display scene or image. In some embodiments, the exit pupil is in the range of 15 to 20 mm wide, since this size provides for some tolerance in the placement of the eye relative to the optics, and also allows for the variations in inter-pupillary distance which naturally occur in the population.
Eye box, (e.g., ISO9241-302 &-305 defined as Qualified Viewing Space) is a volume that contains the NED exit pupil and extends back towards the eye as well as forward toward the NED device. If the eye is placed anywhere within the eye box, the viewer will see entire the field of view of the display. Eye relief refers to the distance from the exit pupil to the nearest surface of the NED optics. In some embodiments, eye relief is designed to be large enough (>20 mm) to allow space for the eyes of users who wear eyeglasses to access this point. Field of view (FOV) is the horizontal and vertical angle, which the display appears to subtend as seen by the viewer's eye.
The optical parameters most typically measured for NEDs and for most types of displays include output spatial uniformity, contrast ratio and absolute luminance and color accuracy. For larger displays, such as flat panel displays and projectors, uniformity is traditionally measured using an imaging colorimeter or some other type of calibrated, camera based apparatus. Absolute luminance and color is usually measured using a spectroradiometer with narrow field of view collecting optics (e.g. a telescope).
For optical radiance measurements in a radiometer or spectroradiometer, focusing optics (objective lens) and a measurement area defining aperture (field stop) assures that a specific area on a surface, for example, an area of pixels in a device under test such as a liquid crystal display, is isolated for measurement. The defined measurement area, seen in a view finder by a view finder image sensor is the same as that to which the radiometer image sensor is responding. For precise spectroradiometric measurements of the virtual scene in NEDs and HUDs, the objective lens entrance pupil diameter needs to be smaller than the projected illumination area that the display users eye is to be positioned for optimum performance of the display (design eye position) and in some cases smaller than the typical human eye iris. The center of the entrance pupil also needs to be located at the display design eye position. Selecting different areas of the virtual display scene field of view requires the angular pointing of the spectroradiometer with only pivot motion of the entrance pupil relative to the design eye position.
However, it is not practical in the radiometer art to provide some manner in which a user can see from the viewpoint of the radiometer image sensor, without utilizing a view finder. Means are needed for assuring that what the view finder sees is substantially identical to what the radiometer image sensor is responding to. If the images seen by the view finder and the radiometer image sensor do not correspond, the radiometer output may be inaccurate and meaningless. An apparatus for performing such a function is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,172, the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference. In that apparatus, an objective lens is focused on a surface and focused on to a beam splitting aperture wheel. A portion of the focused light is directed to an opto-mechanical view finder, and the light directed through the aperture is delivered to a radiometer photo sensor. This radiometer illustrates principles utilized in maintaining the view seen by the view finder in registration with the view seen by the photo sensor.
An individual pixel in a color display may be as small as 1 arcminute by 1 arcminute In order to take a measurement from the pixel, the portion of a virtual scene, i.e., the virtual scene plane on which the radiometer must focus, must be less than 1 arcminute by 1 arcminute. Further, it is unsuitable to use a view finder eyepiece that has inadequate resolution to resolve the details of a single pixel or sub-pixel for the purpose of determining the depth of contrast produce by the display. Also, some forms of emitters or reflector have some polarizing effect on the light therefrom. Certain optical arrangements can exacerbate any effects due to this phenomenon. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality displays present additional challenges in the use of spectroradiometers for luminance and color measurement mainly resulting from the requirement that the optical collection system have an entrance pupil smaller than the design eye box which leads to low light levels available for the spectral radiance measurement.
Moreover, the collection optics preserve the spatial information of the source. This is necessary in order to make accurate color and luminance (the intensity of light emitted from a surface per unit area in a given direction) measurements of any given sub-region of the display. For example, it might be desirable to measure the characteristics color and luminance of a single displayed character or symbol. Therefore, integrating spheres, fiber optics, or any other collection optics that do not preserve angular information are not useful for this type of NED measurement.
Another difficulty with employing traditional spectroradiometer collection optics with most NEDs is that they are typically too large to fit within the available space. Specifically, many NEDs are built into eyeglasses, goggles, headsets or helmets, enabling them to be worn by the user. This means that the collection optics for any test gear must be able to fit into the same space as the user's head or eyes. Indeed, in many cases, the test system should even be small enough to allow it to independently access the output of the left and right eye positions of the NED display. Thus, the ideal optics for NED testing should have a form factor which is about half the size of the available space for the viewer's eyes.

Apparatus and method for multi configuration near eye display performance characterization


An electron multiplier that can easily obtain characteristics according to a purpose is provided. By bonding a marginal portion 23 of an MCP 2 and a marginal portion 33 of an MCP 3 to each other via a conductive spacer layer 7, a gap 12 is formed between channel portions 22, 32. Therefore, when the electron multiplier is used for a purpose that requires a particularly high gain, by adjusting the thickness of the spacer layer 7, the gain can be increased by increasing the gap 12. In addition, when the electron multiplier is used for a purpose that requires an increase in gain as well as time characteristics, by adjusting the thickness of the spacer layer 7, the size of the gap 12 can be adjusted so that desired characteristics are obtained. Consequently, by only adjusting the thickness of the spacer layer 7, characteristics according to the purpose can be easily obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electron multiplier including a micro-channel plate, and an electron detector including the electron multiplier.
2. Related Background Art
There has been known a conventional electron multiplier for which a plurality of micro-channel plates each formed by forming a large number of minute through-holes (channels) in a sheet-like glass substrate are laminated (refer to, for example, specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,928). In this electron multiplier, a channel portion of each one of the micro-channel plates and a marginal portion surrounding the channel portion are bonded to a channel portion and a marginal portion of another micro-channel plate.

Electron multipler and electron detector


To prevent noise being transmitted from a rotor portion of an electric motor (2-2.3) through the bearing brackets (3) to the motor's housing (1), each bearing bracket (3) is fixed relative to the motor housing (1) by at least one mounting part (5), with a noise damping part (4) arranged in between the bearing bracket (3) and the motor housing (1). The mounting part (5) rests directly against the motor housing (1) in the region where the mounting part (5) is coupled to the motor housing (1), without any noise damping part interposed between the mounting part (5) and the motor housing (1).

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in low-noise electric motors. More particularly, the invention relates to a low-noise electric motors with at least one noise damping part interposed between the motor's housing and a bearing holder supporting the motor's bearing.
German Laid Open Publication 37 07 600 A1 discloses a low-noise pump drive in which the bearings are all arranged in a bearing holder made of elastic material, to avoid noise being transmitted from the rotor through the bearing holder to the motor housing. The bearing holders for the roller bearing, according to this conventional art, are designed as elastic rings. These each carry the bearing on an interior ring surface and press with their exterior surface against an end wall, which forms part of the motor housing.
German Utility Model 295 08 398 discloses a low-noise electric motor which has bearing brackets which are divided into two parts to avoid noise being transmitted from the rotor through the bearing brackets to the motor housing. These bearing brackets have a first bearing bracket part on the stator side, a second bearing bracket part on the bearing holder side and a damping part that connects the two bearing bracket parts. Ideally, the noise damping part is made of an elastomer, particularly a natural rubber, a silicone or an ethylene polymer.

Low-noise electric motor in particular for driving a motor vehicle fan