A display apparatus with a self-luminescent device and a non-self-luminescent device has a first substrate, a second substrate, and a pixel matrix with a plurality of pixels. Each pixel has a first switching device, a non-self-luminescent device controlled by the first switching device, a second switching device, and a self-luminescent device controlled by the second switching device. The first switching device and the second switching device are active devices, wherein the first switching device is disposed on the first substrate, and the second switching device is disposed on the second substrate. Alternatively, one of the first switching device and the second switching device is a passive device. Also, the first switching device is on the first substrate, and the second switching device is on the second substrate. An apparatus for controlling the disclosed display apparatus is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus, and in particular, to a display apparatus including a self-luminescent device and a non-self-luminescent device.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Digital electronic apparatus such as mobile phones, PDAs, and notebook computers have become necessary equipment as today's technology continues to advance. The capability of said digital electronic apparatus for storing power is relatively low, however, the display apparatus typically utilized in conjunction with such digital electronic apparatus tends to have a low power consumption as well. Additionally, because the digital electronic apparatus includes more and more functions, the display apparatus should be capable of displaying full color high resolution images and movies.
Normally, the display apparatus can be classified into one of two categories, these are a self-luminescent device or a non-self-luminescent device. Furthermore, the liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, which is of the non-self-luminous device category is classified into transmissive, reflective or transflective types.
The transmissive type LCD produces superior image quality when utilized in environments having average ambient light, however, the transmissive type LCD does not produce sufficient brightness under sunlight conditions. Additionally, the transmissive type LCD requires a back light unit which significantly increases it's power consumption.
The reflective type LCD can utilize surrounding light (i.e., ambient light) and also has good visibility when utilized in sunlight conditions. However, the reflective type LCD requires a front light unit to provide sufficient brightness during conditions when the surrounding light itself is insufficient. Additionally, the uniformity of the front light unit is poor thus the image quality of the reflective type LCD is reduced.
The transreflective type LCD includes both transmissive and reflective regions, thus the transmissive region can be utilized when the surrounding light is insufficient for producing a quality display image and the reflective region can be utilized when the transflective type LCD is utilized in a sunlight environment. Since the pixel size is fixed, the reflective region decreases while the transmissive region increases, and vice versa. Luminance of the plate maybe insufficient if the transmissive region is not enough, and the display apparatus may has poor displaying quality under sunlight if the reflective region is not enough.
The organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) is a display apparatus with high efficiency and less power consumption than the alternative types mentioned heretofore. However, the organic EL is a self-luminescent device and therefore has poor visibility under sunlight conditions similar to the transmissive type LCD previously discussed. The efficiency of the organic EL and the expected lifespan of the organic EL will decrease rapidly when brightness is increased to overcome sunlight conditions thereby helping the organic EL to be visible under sunlight.
To retain the advantages while avoiding the disadvantages of the display apparatus mentioned earlier, the display apparatus including a self-luminescent device and a non-self-luminance device is proposed, as shown in patents and patent applications U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,714,268, 6,912,021, 6,954,239, US20030052869, US20030103021, US20030201960, US20040125271, and WO2004053819. However, the inventions disclosed in these documents still have the disadvantage that the design and process of manufacturing is complicated because the control devices for each of the two display apparatus are provided on a same single substrate. The design of the circuit is difficult if a single switching device is used for controlling two different display apparatus.
Therefore, it is apparent that a new invention must be proposed to resolve the disadvantages cited above.

Display apparatus including self-luminescent device and non-self-luminescent device


Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on one or more computer storage devices, for context sensitive point of interest retrieval. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a current location of a user's electronic device and retrieving multiple points of interest within a predetermined distance to the current location. Each point of interest is ranked based on the point of interest's proximity to the current location and one or more time-related attributes associated with the point of interest. Data identifying one or more of the points of interest is provided to the electronic device for presentation to the user on a display of the electronic device based on the ranking.

The use of mobile electronic devices with Internet connectivity has increased significantly over the past few years, as the availability and speed of wireless Internet service has improved. Search queries that may have in the past been input by a user sitting at a home or office computer, are now often input on the fly while the user is at a location relevant to his or her particular query. For example, as a user is leaving his office, he may search for nearby restaurants on a mobile telephone. Later, as the user is leaving a restaurant, the user may use the mobile telephone to search for telephone numbers for taxi-cab companies. Users often rely on their mobile electronic devices to retrieve a map of a current location and search for businesses or other points of interest in their surroundings. The volume of this type of information now available over the Internet has, at least in some densely populated areas, become overwhelming. Users can end up being presented with too much information, a lot of which is not relevant to them in their current context.

Context-sensitive point of interest retrieval


The invention concerns a stress-bearing structure of a motor-vehicle body made with hollow section beams, having at least at one structural member junction point (1) at which a first hollow section beam (2) is joined with a second hollow section beam (3) and a third hollow section beam (4), which are opposite each other on either side of the first hollow section beam. The second and third hollow section beams (3, 4) are attached to the respective opposite sides of the first hollow section beam (2) by a butt joint. The junction point (1) is reinforced by a junction point reinforcement element in the form of a hollow section extrusion (6). In accordance with the invention, a hollow section extrusion (6) is positioned beneath the structural-member junction point (1) on the inside of the vehicle body and fixed in place. The longitudinal axis of the hollow section extrusion (6) runs in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the first hollow section beam (2). The transverse profile of the extrusion section has a greater width than the width of the first hollow-section beam (2), so that the extrusion section lies against both the second hollow-section beam (3) and the third hollow-section beam (4) with its contact surfaces (11, 13) attached to them. Lateral stresses exerted on the structural-member junction point (1) are absorbed and stayed by the hollow section extrusion (6) which functions as a tie rod. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hollow section beams (2, 3, 4) and the section of extrusion (6) are made of a light metal.

A familiar stress bearing support structure for passenger vehicles in the form of a lattice-frame made with hollow section beams is disclosed in European patent EP 0 146 716. The hollow section beams, formed as extruded aluminum sections, are held together by aluminum joint elements made by casting or forging. Such a "transfer joint technique" utilizing the cast aluminum joint elements provides a sturdy stress bearing structure with strong connections between the aluminum extrusions. However, the above-described transfer joint technique is also, on the whole, cost-intensive.
Butt welding is a simple and inexpensive technique for joining aluminum extrusions together at right angles. It is well known that thermal welding of heat treatable aluminum alloys produces a significant decrease in the strength of material in the so-called "zone of thermal influence" immediately adjacent the weld zone. For this reason, a welded butt-joint connection has a much lower stress carrying capability than a transfer joint made with cast aluminum joint elements. Thus, simple welded butt-joint connections are not suitable for many high stress joint regions of a passenger vehicle framework assembled from extruded aluminum frame elements. In particular, it is desirable to avoid use of transverse weld connections on stress bearing hollow section longitudinal members made of extruded light metal.
In addition, other connection techniques and arrangements for joining light alloy, hollow section frame members of superstructure frameworks for street and rail vehicles are known from DE 21 28 281 B2 and DE 27 51 753 C2. Here, a number of vertically and horizontally oriented hollow section bars are arranged at right angles to each other to form the framework of a wall. Triangular corner brackets are placed in the angles at the joints and are welded in place to provide reinforcement. In this arrangement, the framework is stabilized, especially against shearing movements of the hollow-section bars in the wall plane. On the other hand, lateral stresses on the junction points of the bars are absorbed and stayed only to a small degree by such corner brackets. Such connections are therefore not well suited for junction points of structural members in passenger vehicles which must absorb and stay high levels of lateral stress, such as occurs in a collision event.
One junction point in a motor vehicle body that must be able to withstand a high level of lateral stress is the upper rear corner joint region of the vehicle roof formed by the three way junction of the longitudinal roof girder, the B column, and the transverse roof girder. This particular junction point must be constructed so that it is capable of sustaining great stress in order to prevent the vehicle roof from collapsing during a roll over.

Stress-bearing structure of a motor-vehicle body made with hollow-section beams


The present disclosure includes a transportation apparatus. The apparatus comprises: a surface to receive a plurality of forces at a plurality of locations thereon; a plurality of force sensors, attached to the surface, to provide information related to the plurality of forces; a plurality of wheels beneath the surface, each of the plurality of wheels being coupled with a motor; and a controller to: determine, based on the provided information, a first plurality of forces at the plurality of locations; determine, based on the first plurality of forces, a reference distribution associated with the plurality of locations; determine, based on the provided information, a second plurality of forces; determine a target speed and a target direction of the apparatus based on the reference distribution and the second plurality of forces; and provide one or more signals to the motors based on the target speed and the target direction.

Personal transportation devices, such as skateboards, roller skates, bicycle, etc., enhance the mobility of people by providing an alternative mode of transportation. Self-propelled personal transportation devices, such as electric skateboards, can transport a person over an extended range and at a relatively high speed, thereby further enhancing the mobility of people.
Although self-propelled personal transportation devices can enhance the mobility of people, they can pose safety problems to the user and to other people. For example, if the device is not operated properly, the user may fall from the device when the device is moving at a high speed. The device may also collide with other people at a high speed. In both cases, an injury may occur.
Conventional self-propelled personal transportation devices, such as electric skateboards, may be controlled by a remote control. However, this may require the user to interact with two devices at the same time (e.g., the remote control and the electric skateboard), which makes the operation non-intuitive and error-prone.
Therefore, there is a need to provide an effective, and intuitive, means for operating a self-propelled personal transportation device.


A structure and method for forming single-stranded DNA segments/single-wall carbon nanotube complexes and a method of preparing single-stranded DNA segments. The method for forming single-stranded DNA segments/single-wall carbon nanotube complexes including: attaching single-stranded DNA segments to single-wall carbon nanotubes to form single-stranded DNA segment/single-wall carbon nanotube complexes, each of the single-stranded DNA segments having a same length of greater than 2,000 bases.

Due to their nanometer sizes and molecular recognition capabilities, biological systems have garnered much attention as vehicles for the directed assembly of nanoscale materials. One of the largest challenges of this research has been to successfully interface biological systems with nanoscale materials, such as carbon nanotubes. To this end methods utilizing short DNA oligomers that can disperse single-wall carbon nanotubes in water have been developed. However, the need for specific repeating base sequences limits use of this method. Therefore, there is a need for DNA based methods to disperse single-wall carbon nanotubes without the limitations of specific repeating base sequences.

Helical wrapping of single-walled carbon nanotubes by genomic DNA

International Business Machines Corporation


Devices, kits, and methods are provided for treating a bone structure, e.g., a vertebra, with a compression fracture. Wedges can be introduced into the bone structure in a direction that is lateral to the compression fracture, and stacked on tope of each to apply forces to the bone structure to reduce the compression fracture. The wedges can be introduced into the bone structure using a cannula. The wedges can be introduced as wedge pairs, in which case, a subsequent wedge pair can be introduced between a previously introduced wedge pair in order to drive the previously introduced wedges apart to create the stacking arrangement. Optionally, the wedges can be provided with longitudinal bores, in which case, they can be introduced into the bone structure, over a guide member that is threaded through the bores.

Spinal injuries, bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, vertebral hemangiomas, multiple myeloma, necrotic lesions (Kummel's Disease, Avascular Necrosis), and metastatic disease, or other conditions can cause painful collapse of vertebral bodies. Osteoporosis is a systemic, progressive and chronic disease that is usually characterized by low bone mineral density, deterioration of bony architecture, and reduced overall bone strength. Vertebral compression fractures (VCF) are common in patients who suffer from these medical conditions, often resulting in pain, compromises to activities of daily living, and even prolonged disability.
FIG. 1 illustrates three vertebrae 10, 12, and 14, each with an anterior side 16, a posterior side 18, and lateral sides 20 (only one shown). Vertebrae 10 and 14 are fully intact, while vertebra 12 has a VCF 22 (i.e., the top 24 and bottom 26 of the vertebra 12 have been displaced towards each other). The force required to reduce the VCF 22 (i.e., to displace the top 24 and bottom 26 of the vertebra 12 back to their original positions) can often be rather high. Present needles for use within vertebrae bend or deform in the presence of lateral force, and thus, are not rigid enough to reduce VCF's. Balloons can be placed in the fractured vertebra and expanded to reduce the VCF. Such balloons can expand equally in all radial directions, however, which can cause the vertebra to shatter on the anterior, posterior, and lateral sides.
Consequently, there is a significant need to provide an improved means for reducing bone compression fractures, e.g., VCF's.

Methods for reducing bone compression fractures using wedges


Engraving tool bit depth controlling nosepiece adjustment devices establish a precise protrusion distance that an engraving tool bit protrudes from the end of the nosepiece of a spring loaded engraving tool, that is in turn inserted within and driven by a standard machine tool such as a cnc type milling machine. One rotational adjustment device establishes the axial position of the nosepiece with respect to a collet nut of the engraving tool and another adjustment device employs annular ring spacers in the form of washers between the nosepiece and collet nut to precisely establish the desired engraving tool bit protrusion distance from the end of the nosepiece. This modification of a spring loaded engraving tool beneficially prevents the engraving tool bit from being able to plunge too deeply into the workpiece, particularly at the start of each engraved line, to thus ensure that all the lines will be consistent.

This invention relates to the field of engraving machines.
Engraving with a computer numerically controlled (cnc) type milling machine is typically performed by the following method. A pointed engraving tool is held in a rigid collet or endmill holder and rotated in the spindle of a cnc milling machine. The cnc milling machine controls the depth of engraving by plunging the pointed engraving tool down into the workpiece by a fixed amount. The cnc milling machine then moves the engraving tool across the surface of the part to be engraved at that specific depth. If the material to be engraved is not perfectly flat on the cnc machine table, the engraving will not look even. Some areas of the engraving will be deeper than others and some areas may not be engraved at all.
To overcome this problem, a floating spring loaded engraving tool that is held in a collet and rotated in the spindle of a cnc milling type machine may be used. Such a tool is disclosed and claimed in Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,434 issued Dec. 28, 2004 and is incorporated by reference herein. A spring provides the pressure to push the engraving tool against the workpiece being engraved. The depth of engraving is controlled by both the strength of the spring and the feedrate of the tool across the surface of the workpiece. If the rate of travel of the engraving tool across the surface being engraved is slow, the engraving tool has more time to press against the workpiece and therefore plunges deeper into the surface. Speeding up the feedrate of the engraving tool over the surface of the workpiece allows less time for the tool to plunge into the surface so shallower engraving is produced. Using this method of adjusting the feedrate to control the depth of engraving is effective; however a technique to provide absolute depth control is often desired for the following reasons.
When the spring loaded engraving tool is used to engrave very soft materials such as plastic, there is a possibility that the engraving tool will penetrate too deeply when the tool begins its first cut. The cnc machine moves the tool to the beginning of the line to be engraved and plunges the tool to the specified depth. The tool is then moved across the surface of the workpiece to be engraved at a specific feed rate. When the tool is moved across the surface of the work piece at a relatively fast feed rate, the depth of the engraving will not be the full depth that the cnc machine has plunged the tool. The engraving tool will not have sufficient time to plunge all the way down to the specified depth. The spring in the Spring Loaded Engraving Tool will compress and the engraving tool bit will skim across the surface at a depth less than the full depth specified by the cnc machine. If the plunging feed rate at the start of each line is not fast enough and the material is very soft, the engraving tool bit will have sufficient time to plunge deeper into the surface of the work piece than the amount that the tool plunges into the surface when it is traveling over the surface of the work piece. The engraving tool bit will essentially be drilling down into the work piece at the start of each line that is engraved. This will cause the appearance of each engraved line to have a circle or small hole at the starting point. It is desirable to prevent the engraving tool bit from being able to plunge too deeply into the workpiece at the start of each engraved line to ensure that all the lines will be consistent.
Manufacturers such as Gravograph (Duluth, Ga.) and Vision Computerized Engraving Systems Phoenix, Ariz.) have developed engraving spindles that incorporate a device for controlling the depth of engraving and use a spring for pressing the engraving tool against the workpiece to be engraved. These engraving spindles are integrated components of the cnc engraving machines and are not designed to be held in a collet or endmill type holder and placed into a rotating spindle of a cnc machine tool such as a milling type machine. These engraving machines have their own motor therein for rotating the spindles carrying the rotating engraving tool bits. An integral nosepiece can be placed onto the bottom of the engraving spindle to position a given length of the engraving tool that protrudes from the end of the engraving spindle, but the nosepiece must be attached to a non-rotating portion of the spindle coupled to the cnc machine. Furthermore, the nosepiece does not function as a means for holding a collet for gripping the engraving tool and does not rotate, and also the mechanism that allows the engraving tool to float is unable to rotate and must be held stationary with respect to the cnc machine.
These engraving spindles have a very long engraving tool inserted into them from the top side of the spindle opposite the bottom side adjacent the tool point, i.e. the engraving tool is inserted into the top of the spindle instead of the bottom. Thus the engraving tool must be longer than the length of the entire spindle so it can protrude out of the bottom of the spindle. A knob with a set screw on the top of the rotating inner spindle is the means for holding and vertically positioning the engraving tool over the workpiece. The long engraving tool must be supported along its length to prevent wobbling or whipping of the tool. This is accomplished by passing the engraving tool through a long precision diameter hole in the inner spindle that supports the engraving tool at both ends. The nosepiece does not provide any engraving tool holding mechanism.
A significant problem with this type of top loading engraving spindle is that when the engraving tool dulls and needs to be replaced, the entire process for setting the length of the tip protruding from the end must be performed again. There is no repeatable means for easily setting the tool length. Additionally, the long engraving tools are more costly to produce.
Kavo (Leutkirch, Germany) developed an engraving spindle that incorporates an integral motor with a mechanism that allows floating of the engraving tool. They incorporated a collet and collet nut that are attached directly to the rotating motor shaft. The housing that incorporates the floating mechanism is clamped to the cnc machine and the entire motor, motor shaft, collet, and engraving tool are able to float. The nosepiece is attached to the non rotating floating mechanism. This design could allow repeatable locating of the engraving tool when a dull engraving tool is replaced by a sharp one, but does not allow the entire floating system to be held in a rotating collet or endmill holder of a cnc milling type machine. Therefore the floating tool may not easily be removed from the cnc machine. This is a serious detriment to the manufacturing process. If multiple type tools are needed to produce a part, for example, if a part needs to be drilled with two drills with different diameters and then engraved, it would not be possible with either of the above designs.
The spring loaded engraving tool of the aforesaid Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,434 overcomes this major problem by being able to be held by a collet or endmill holder and placed into the rotating spindle of a standard milling type machine. It has a collet holder with a short hole on the end for receiving a collet and an engraving tool. The collet and engraving tool are inserted into the hole until they reach the bottom. A collet nut with an integral nosepiece is threaded onto the collet holder of the spring loaded engraving tool to compress the collet and firmly hold the engraving tool. Different diameter collets and engraving tools can be inserted into the collet holder. Since the engraving tools are all made to the same length, it is not necessary to reset the nosepiece to adjust the length of the engraving tool tip protruding from the end as discussed hereinabove.

Engraving tool depth control nosepiece for enhancing line uniformity


A pipelined multistreaming processor has an instruction source, a plurality of streams fetching instructions from the instruction source, a dispatch stage for selecting and dispatching instructions to a set of execution units, a set of instruction queues having one queue associated with each stream in the plurality of streams, and located in the pipeline between the instruction cache and the dispatch stage, and a select system for selecting streams in each cycle to fetch instructions from the instruction cache. The processor is characterized in that the select system selects one or more streams in each cycle for which to fetch instructions from the instruction cache, and in that the number of streams selected for which to fetch instructions in each cycle is fewer than the number of streams in the plurality of streams.

Conventional pipelined single-stream processors incorporate fetch and dispatch pipeline stages, as is true of most conventional processors. In such processors, in the fetch stage, one or more instructions are read from an instruction cache and in the dispatch stage, one or more instructions are sent to execution units (EUs) to execute. These stages may be separated by one or more other stages, for example a decode stage. In such a processor the fetch and dispatch stages are coupled together such that the fetch stage generally fetches from the instruction stream in every cycle.
In multistreaming processors known to the present inventors, multiple instruction streams are provided, each having access to the execution units. Multiple fetch stages may be provided, one for each instruction stream, although one dispatch stage is employed. Thus, the fetch and dispatch stages are coupled to one another as in other conventional processors, and each instruction stream generally fetches instructions in each cycle. That is, if there are five instruction streams, each of the five fetches in each cycle, and there needs to be a port to the instruction cache for each stream, or a separate cache for each stream.
In a multistreaming processor multiple instruction streams share a common set of resources, for example execution units and/or access to memory resources. In such a processor, for example, there may be M instruction streams that share Q execution units in any given cycle. This means that a set of up to Q instructions is chosen from the M instruction streams to be delivered to the execution units in each cycle. In the following cycle a different set of up to Q instructions is chosen, and so forth. More than one instruction may be chosen from the same instruction stream, up to a maximum P, given that there are no dependencies between the instructions.
It is desirable in multistreaming processors to maximize the number of instructions executed in each cycle. This means that the set of up to Q instructions that is chosen in each cycle should be as close to Q as possible. Reasons that there may not be Q instructions available include flow dependencies, stalls due to memory operations, stalls due to branches, and instruction fetch latency.
What is clearly needed in the art is an apparatus and method to de-couple dispatch operations from fetch operations. The present invention, in several embodiments described in enabling detail below, provides a unique solution.

Fetch and dispatch disassociation apparatus for multistreaming processors


In a machine in which a rotating shaft extends into a housing through a gland, the shaft being rotated in only one direction, the housing containing lubricant, the gland including an opening of substantial length with an annular radially inwardly extending flange at an axially inner end, an anti-leakage device comprises a sleeve mounted on and around the shaft closely but to permit rotation of the shaft, and mounted against rotation in the gland opening. The sleeve has an annular seat, in which an O-ring is mounted, and a helical groove in a surface contiguous the shaft, the groove being formed in a direction with respect to the direction of rotation of the shaft to move fluid in a direction toward the housing. The clearances between the shaft and housing when the shaft is not rotating are such as to prevent the lubricant in the housing from leaking out.

The anti-leakage device of this invention is described as applied to a gear box, but its utility is not limited thereto. The gear box of the illustrative embodiment can be of the general type described in co-pending application Ser. No. 08/303,365, filed Sep. 9, 1994. As illustrated in that application, the seals used in machinery of this sort have generally depended upon the squeezing of a flexible lip seal against the rotating shaft. Because the resilient lip seals have necessarily to bear snugly against the shaft, their life is limited because of the attrition of the seal by the action of the shaft. Typically, run time before failure is on the order of 5,000 hours. Furthermore, the use of a lip seal requires special treatment of the shaft to resist wear or scoring of the shaft and wear of the seal in operation, and special precautions in shaft-to-housing assembly to avoid damage to the seal.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a seal or anti-leakage device that does not rely upon interference to prevent leakage, and therefore is not subject to appreciable wear.
Another object is to provide such an anti-leakage device that is inexpensive, and easy to assemble as compared with a lip seal.
Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following description and accompanying drawing.


One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for rendering online ads on a webpage. A first inter-frame communication channel is created, which comprises a first communication channel between a first cross-domain frame and a host page, such as the webpage. The first cross-domain frame comprises content from a domain that is different than that of the host page domain. A second inter-frame communication channel is created comprising a second communication channel between the first cross-domain frame and a second cross-domain frame in the host page.

In a computing environment, websites and associated webpages often host online advertisements, intended to be viewed by online users of the respective websites. Online advertisements typically come from a different domain than that of the hosting website, for example, where the hosting website utilizes their servers to provide the website, and ad syndicators utilize their servers to provide ad content. Online advertisers and hosting websites typically work with the ad syndicator, which takes calls for ads from the host, pulls ads from the advertiser, and then directs the ads to the host's website. Often, online ads have rich media functionality, including an ability to expand, move about a webpage, and/or show rich media interaction between multiple ads.

Securely rendering online ads in a host page


A remote control including a plurality of function indicators made of a semitransparent material that allow light to pass through, a light source, and a light pipe placed behind the function indicators, the structural combination allowing the remote control to be operated in a darkened room. The structural combination is a layered arrangement of a printed circuit board that includes a group of light-emitting-diodes functioning as the light source, a number of function indicators arranged in one flexible layer, and a light pipe which is sandwiched between the printed circuit board and the layer of function indicators. The light pipe is made of transparent plastic and includes a group of bevelled recesses to receive the group of light-emitting-diodes, thereby distributing the light emitted by the light-emitting-diodes uniformly.

This invention relates generally to remote control units for electronic appliances and, more particularly, to remote control units having some form of self-illumination.
Remote control units are used with a variety of electronic appliances, including compact disk players, tuners, and television systems.
Television screens are becoming larger, and "home theater" systems are now common around the country. To simulate a movie theatre experience at home, televisions are often used in darkened rooms where the remote control function indicators cannot be clearly seen. This darkened environment requires the TV viewer to turn the lights on to adjust the TV set or other devices, thereby reducing the quality of the TV viewing experience.

Remote control unit with backlit function indicator


It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging device capable of prevent image defects from appearing in an outputted image while suppressing increase in a layout area with a simple circuit structure and is an MOS solid-state imaging device. The MOS solid-state imaging device includes pixels which outputs signals corresponding to intensity of incident light, vertical signal lines which are respectively provided to columns of the pixels and each of which transmits the signals from said pixels in a column direction, and column amplifier circuits that amplify the signals from the pixels and are respectively connected to the vertical signal lines, and each of the column amplifier circuits includes a voltage clipping circuit includes a voltage clipping circuit which limits a maximum output voltage of said column amplifier circuit.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to MOS solid-state imaging devices, and more particularly to a MOS solid-state imaging device having column amplifier circuits and a driving method of the solid-state imaging device.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) solid-state imaging devices, also known as amplifier-type solid-state imaging devices have been replacing Charge Coupled Device (CCD) solid-state imaging devices. While a CCD solid-state imaging device transfers signal charge Q generated and accumulated in photodiodes (PDs) to vertical and horizontal direction by a transfer pulse made up of multiple voltages, converts the charge into voltage (Q-V), and outputs by a floating diffusion amplifier (FDA) provided at an output terminal of the device, a general MOS solid-state imaging device performs Q-V conversion per pixel by providing the FDA for pixels, and performs column parallel reading out by a single power supply (read out pixel signals in each column in parallel).
Recently the MOS solid-state imaging device has become the mainstream since the MOS solid-state imaging device can be driven by a single power supply by providing an FDA for the pixels, does not require special manufacturing process as for CCD, an analog circuit and a digital circuit can be provided in the same chip, and thus image signal can be easily processed.
In addition, some of recent MOS solid-state imaging devices include column amplifier circuits for each column for amplifying pixel signals. A general MOS solid-state imaging device is provided with a coupled double sampling (CDS) circuit to remove fixed pattern noise (FPN) which is generated in the pixels per column, and an output amplifier circuit for amplifying and outputting the signals. Here, providing the column amplifier circuits enables signals to be amplified with respect to the FPN and random noise generated in these circuits, and a bandwidth can be restricted by column parallel process, high signal/noise ratio (S/N) can be realized.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a general MOS solid-state imaging device including column amplifier circuits.
FIG. 1 shows that the MOS solid-state imaging device having column amplifier circuits includes: a pixel circuit (pixel array) 101 including plural pixels 101a arranged in a matrix; a vertical scanning circuit 102 which selects the pixels 101a per row; vertical signal lines 103 commonly connected to the pixels 101a in each column; and column amplifier circuits 104 each of which is connected to each of the vertical signal lines 103. The output of each of the column amplifier circuits 104 is connected to column CDS circuits 105, and output signals are sequentially read out to a horizontal common signal line 107 using selection signals from a horizontal scanning circuit 106. An output amplifier circuit 108 is connected to the horizontal common signal line 107, and the amplified output signals are outputted from the solid-state imaging device via the output amplifier circuit 108.
Next, FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of the pixel circuit 101 and the row amplifier circuit 104 of the general MOS solid-state imaging device including column amplifier circuits.
FIG. 2 shows that the pixel circuit 101 includes the pixel 101a, the vertical signal line 103 and a current source load transistor NM 104. The pixel 101a includes a photodiode (PD) 201 which generates signal charges according to incident light and accumulate the signal charges, and a floating diffusion (FD) 202 which accumulates the signal charges transferred from the PD 201. A charge transfer transistor NM102 is provided between the PD 201 and the FD 202, and a reset transistor NM101 is provided between the FD202 and the power supply signal line PIXPOW101. In addition, the gate of the charge transfer transistor NM102 is connected to a transfer signal line TR, and the gate of the reset transistor NM101 is connected to a reset signal line RS. The FD 202 is connected to the gate of the amplifier transistor NM103 connected between the vertical signal line 103 and the power supply signal line PIXPOW101. In addition, the amplifier transistor NM103 forms a source follower circuit along with the current supply load transistor NM104 connected to the vertical signal line 103, and outputs signal voltage corresponding to the signal voltage transferred from the PD 201 to the FD 202 to the vertical signal line 103. The column amplifier circuit 104 including a capacitance Cin 101, a common-source amplifier transistor NM 105, a resistance load transistor NM 107, and a clamp transistor NM 106 is connected to the vertical signal line 103.
Next, operations of the pixel circuit 101 and the column amplifier circuit 104 are explained with reference to the timing chart shown in FIG. 3.
First, at the timing between t1 and t2, the FD 202 in the pixel 101a is reset to the voltage of the power source signal line PIXPOW 101 via the reset transistor MN 101. At the same time, the column amplifier circuit 104 is reset by switching ON the clamp transistor NM 106 in the column amplifier circuit 104, and the clamp transistor NM 106 is switched OFF at timing t3. Subsequently, at the timing between t4 and t5, the signal charge Q accumulated in the PD 201 is transferred to the FD 202 by switching ON the charge transfer transistor NM 102 in the pixel circuit 101. With this, Q-V conversion is performed by the capacitance Cfd of the FD 202, and signal amplitude shown in the following formula is outputted to the vertical signal line 103 from the FD 202.
                    Q        Cfd                            [                  Formula                                                              1                ]
Here, a signal which is amplified by "A" times with respect to the output signal from the vertical signal line 103 as shown below is outputted as Vout from the column amplifier circuit 104.
                    A        ×                  Q          Cfd                                    [                  Formula                                                              2                ]
However, note that the gain of the source follower circuit is assumed to be 1.
Here, in a general solid-state imaging device including column amplifier circuits, since the power supply and the ground are supplied from a bonding pad provided at an end of a chip, each supply path more or less includes parasitic resistance Rvdd and Rgnd. Thus, when a single ended column amplifier as shown in FIG. 2 is provided, consumption current Iamp in the column amplifier circuit varies depending on the amplitude of the input signal to the column amplifier circuit as shown in FIG. 4. With this, the power source and ground voltage vary due to the parasitic resistance. There is a problem that, the variation in power supply voltage and the ground voltage in the column amplifier circuit appears as an output offset, an output offset is generated according to whether or not the signal of the high brightness object exists for the signals in other columns which has been read out simultaneously in parallel processing, and as shown in FIG. 5, the output offset appears in an output image as image defect such as a horizontal belt-like noise. In order to solve the problem, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-252529, a limiter transistor whose gate is connected to a limiter judging potential which judges output voltage of the amplifier, whose source is connected to the output of the amplifier, and whose drain is grounded is provided separately to a single ended switched capacitor amplifier (column amplifier circuit) in a column amplifier circuit in order to keep the consumption current of the column amplifier circuit at a constant value.

Solid-state imaging device having a voltage clipping circuit to prevent image defects and driving method thereof


The invention involves the use of thermal imaging equipment to take infrared images of a steam turbine during start-up. The exterior temperatures developed from the infrared images are correlated with turbine vibration data to determine which insulation temperature patterns reflect insulation poor enough to cause packing seal teeth to rub and the turbine to vibrate during operation or shut-down. From the thermal images and vibration data, control limits are developed for insulation surface temperature. Insulation is added, before the steam turbine is shut down, in accordance with the obtained data and control limits.

The invention is directed to the use of thermal imaging to assess insulation effectiveness for a steam turbine during start-up. More particularly, the invention uses thermal imaging to generate infrared images for identifying areas of the steam turbine lacking sufficient insulation, so that corrective action can be taken to prevent damage to turbine seals and associated losses in turbine efficiency.
Inadequate steam turbine insulation can cause uneven or rapid temperature changes in steam turbine shells, resulting in contact and damage to packing seal teeth between rotating and stationary parts. Damaged seals reduce steam turbine thermal efficiency.

Using thermal imaging to prevent loss of steam turbine efficiency by detecting and correcting inadequate insulation at turbine startup


A smart charm bracelet that includes an elongated band or other base, at least one smart charm or other token that may be coupled to or otherwise associated with the elongated band or base, wherein the elongated band is able to communicate with the charm. The band and/or charm may also be able to communicate with a computing device, including but not limited to a mobile device. In addition, the band and/or charm may produce a light, sound, and/or vibration indication to a user upon the occurrence of an event.

Most jewelry is ornamental in nature serving as a form of personal adornment. Furthermore, jewelry typically lacks function and interaction beyond its aesthetic beauty.
U.S. Published Patent Application US2010/0144429 discloses unique individual encoded exchangeable functional jewelry charms for wearing and trading between individuals for use on a secure controlled internet communications system. The charms have unique identity codes for expanding a closed network communications of the individuals. U.S. '429 further discloses a bracelet having at least one detachable strand that accepts encoded charms. The charms may have at least one of a visible code on the surface of the charms and an internal transmitting device such as a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transmitter that is read by a corresponding proximity reader.
Techno Source™ and Disney® introduced Clickables™, a product launched at the 2008 Toy Fair. Clickables provides at least two eBracelets for user interaction. When a first eBracelet contacts a second eBracelet, and additionally at least one button from at least one eBracelet is pressed, electronic information will be shared between the eBracelets and at least one of the bands will glow to confirm that information has electronically passed between eBracelets. The eBracelets are subsequently contacted against jewelry boxes, the jewelry boxes are connected to computers via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable. The jewelry boxes send received electronic information to a server. The electronic information may unlock gifts, such as clothing and decor, for the user's Fairy.

Interactive base and token capable of communicating with computing device


A wavefront measuring apparatus for optical pickup includes: a beam splitting section; a wavefront shaping section; a beam combining section that generate interference light; an interference fringe image-acquiring section that acquires an interference fringe image including wavefront information of the light beam; and an analyzing section that analyzes a wavefront of the light beam on the basis of the interference fringe image. The analyzing section includes: an image processing section that performs a filtering process on the interference fringe image to eliminate a frequency component corresponding to the sub beam, so as to acquire the filtering-processed interference fringe image, and a wavefront analyzing section that analyzes a wavefront of the main beam on the basis of the filtering-processed interference fringe image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wavefront measuring apparatus for measuring a wavefront of a light beam by means of optical interferometry, particularly, to a wavefront measuring apparatus for optical pickup appropriate to measure a wavefront of a light beam mixed with a sub beam for a tracking adjustment, which is output from the optical pickup apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
As wavefront measuring apparatuses that measure a light beam by means of optical interferometry, optical system arrangement based on Mach-Zehnder interferometer has been generally used. However, recently, wavefront measuring apparatuses using optical system arrangement based on Fizeau interferometer or optical system arrangement based on Michelson interferometer have been put to practical use (see JP-A-2005-345441 and JP-A-2006-343121).
Fizeau type and Michelson type wavefront measuring apparatus is characterized in that a reflection-type wavefront shaping unit is used as means for making a reference beam from a light beam to be measured. The reflection-type wavefront shaping unit has an optical element (hereinafter, it is referred to as a "reflecting/diffracting section" or "reflecting and diffracting section") that shapes a wavefront of the light beam to be measured, by reflecting a part of a beam for reference beam generation, which is split from the light beam, in a direction opposite to an incident direction. In such a reflecting/diffracting section which is also called a reflection type pinhole, it has been known to form a micro reflection area on a glass substrate, to form a micro reflection area on a front end of a needle-shaped member (see JP-A-2000-097612), to dispose a reflective surface just close to the rear side of a normal pinhole (see JP-A-58-60590), or the like.
The wavefront measuring apparatuses as described above are used for measuring a wavefront of a light beam output from an optical pickup apparatus for reading out signals of an optical disk such as CD or DVD. In the optical pickup apparatus, three beam method of: splitting a light beam emitted from a light source into a main beam for reading data pit column and two sub beams for a tracking adjustment; and outputting the beams is generally used.
Since the light beam output from the optical pickup apparatus has the main beam and the sub beam mixed with each other, in a case where an interference fringe image thereof is taken by inputting the light beam into the wavefront measuring apparatus, an undesirable interference fringe component caused by the sub beam is superposed on the taken interference fringe image. Hence, even when the interference fringe image is analyzed, it is difficult to obtain favorable result of wavefront measurement for the main beam.
Accordingly, it can be also considered that the sub beam is blocked by using a pinhole plate and only the main beam is selectively input to the wavefront measuring apparatus. However, it is difficult to precisely dispose the pinhole plate on a position where the sub beam can be blocked and only the main beam can pass, and it takes much time. In particular, in a case of an optical pickup apparatus configured to be able to output a light beam having a plurality of mutually different wavelengths corresponding to standards of optical disks, it is necessary to change a diameter of the pinhole in accordance with a wavelength of the light beam to be measured. Thus, a lot of time is needed for the measurement.

Wavefront measuring apparatus for optical pickup


Thermoplastic resin compositions suitable for laser welding are described in which black colorants are added. These colorants constitute amine salt of anthraquinone dyes. Additional dyes, coloring agents, and a variety of other materials may be added. These compositions demonstrate outstanding mechanical and chemical properties once laser-welded.

It is known in the art to join together two articles made of resins (and respectively opaque and transparent) by positioning them in contact with each other, transmitting a predetermined amount of laser beam focused on the junction of them and causing the junction portion to be melted and joined together ("laser welding"). Several advantages flow from laser welding versus conventional methods of joining plastic parts. For example, laser welding is widely known for its simple operation, labor savings, improvement of productivity, clear joints, and reduction of production cost. It is useful in various applications including the preparation of molded articles, including hollow shapes, in automobile industries and electric and electronic industries. Recently, work has intensified in the area of blends of thermoplastic resin and a colorant containing an organic dye or pigment. Better control of the conversion of laser energy to heat is achieved by the addition of such colorants to the resins. Laser beams penetrate through transparent articles positioned closer to the laser beam source, and are largely absorbed in the opaque article, which has a relatively higher absorption coefficient in comparison with the aforementioned transparent article. Careful attention to the amount of the colorants therein results in the junction portion being melted and the articles joined together.
See for example Japanese Published (Koukoku) Patent No. 62-49850 and Japanese Published (Koukoku) Patent No. 5 (93)-42336. Other resin compositions associated with the laser welding are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,959 which discloses transparent and opaque workpiece parts welded together by a laser beam along a joining zone. Both parts contain black dye pigments such as carbon black to cause them to offer a substantially homogenous visual impression even after welding.
Other illustrations of the laser welding of compositions are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,959. For example, the color of the thermoplastic components may be black (carbon black or nigrosine) which is commonly and widely used in the automobile industry among other applications. However, carbon black and nigrosine cannot transmit a laser beam with a main wavelength in the infra-red region (1200 nm to 800 nm), such as Nd:YAG laser and a diode laser, both of which are of wide use in industries.
Surprisingly, it has now been found that thermoplastic resin compositions both black in appearance can be used for laser-welded molded articles for both the transparent and opaque parts subjected to the laser beam. A significantly improved transmission to near-infrared light of the laser beam, with excellent and balanced heat-resistance and mechanical properties as required in automobile applications, is achieved by including a specific weight percentage of black dyes comprising amine salt of anthraquinone dyes.
Using these components, thermoplastic resin compositions can be utilized for laser welding and exhibiting improvements in moldability, solubility in the thermoplastic resin, bleeding- and blooming-resistance as well as transparency to the wavelength of a laser beam and resistance to chemicals.

Colored thermoplastic resin compositions for laser welding, anthraquinone colorants therefor and molded product therfrom


A door for a vehicle having a body controller includes a vehicle interior-facing surface. The door locking system includes a latch mechanism configured to alternately attain a first state that locks and a second state that unlocks operation of the latch mechanism. The door locking system also includes a control switch on the interior-facing surface for generating a signal to alternatively select one of the first and second latch mechanism states. The door locking system additionally includes an indicator light integrally mounted on the control switch and configured to provide a visual signal indicative of the selected latch mechanism state. The controller is configured to receive the signal from the control switch, command the latch mechanism to attain one of the first and second states in response to the signal, and trigger the indicator light when the latch mechanism has attained one of the first and second states.

In general, doors are used to control passage between separate spaces. A typical door is a panel that swings on hinges, slides, or rotates inside a space. When open, doors admit ventilation and light. A door may be used to control physical atmosphere within a space so that an interior may be more effectively heated or cooled. Doors also act as a barrier to noise, inclement weather, and physical intrusion into a specifically defined space.
A typical vehicle has at least one door for accessing an interior of the vehicle. Such a door usually has a latch mechanism for maintaining the door in a locked state until access into or egress from the vehicle is required. Conventionally, the latch mechanism is actuated by an outside door handle to gain access to the interior of the vehicle, and by an interior door handle to facilitate exit from same. Actuation of the latch mechanism may also be locked or disabled to thereby prevent unauthorized access into the vehicle.

Door lock switch with lock state indicator


A microfluidic component comprises at least one closed microchannel filled with nanostructures. The microchannel is produced by previously forming an opening delineating a bottom wall and two opposite side walls of the microchannel in a surface of a substrate. The nanostructures filling said microchannel are formed by in situ growth to constitute a layer of metallic catalyst deposited on said side walls and on said wall bottom. The microchannel is closed, before the nanostructures are formed, by sealing a protective cover onto said surface of the substrate. Sealing is obtained by formation of an eutectic compound between a material of the cover and the metal of the catalyst used for in situ growth of the nanostructures and deposited on the surface of the substrate designed to come into contact with the cover.

The invention relates to a method for fabricating a microfluidic component comprising at least one microchannel delineated by bottom and top walls and two opposite side walls, a method comprising:                formation, in a surface of a substrate, of the bottom wall and of the two opposite side walls of said microchannel,        formation of nanostructures filling said microchannel by in situ growth from a metallic catalyst layer deposited on the opposite side walls and on the bottom wall of said microchannel,        and formation of the top wall of said microchannel by positioning a cover on said surface of the substrate and sealing said cover on said surface.

Method for fabricating a microfluidic component comprising at least one microchannel filled with nanostructures


A remote power controller module for use in power distribution systems having a number of current limiting channels that are capable of being paralleled to provide current pathways from a power source to a load. In one embodiment, the current limiting channels may contain control and monitoring circuitry for monitoring the trip status of all channels and for disabling all paralleled channels in response to the disablement of one channel. The control and monitoring circuitry may also reset the disabled current limiting channels. In another embodiment toggle switches may be used to reset the disabled current limiting channels. The current limiting channels may contain circuitry for monitoring the load across the channel and for tripping current a limit switch within the channel. In one embodiment, the circuitry may monitor current flow through the current limit switch. In another embodiment, the circuitry may monitor the current flow through the switch as well as the voltage drop across the switch.

Hierarchical power systems are a standard feature for most aircraft and ground power distribution networks. An example of a typical hierarchical power system found in the prior art is illustrated in FIG. 1. Several levels of power distribution exist between a power source 1 and a variety of loads 3. Remote Power Controllers (RPCs) 5-16 are located at each level of the hierarchical power system. Each of the RPCs 5-16 isolates one or more of the loads 3, monitors current through a power switch (not shown) located within each of the RPCs 5-16, and responds by opening its power switch when a current limit or rating is reached. For example, if there is a fault at one of the loads 3, e.g., a short circuit to ground, any one of the RPCs 5-16 located on current path from the power source 1 to the faulted load may open its power switch, depending on which RPC 5-16 reaches its current limit or rating first. The RPCs at the upper hierarchical levels of a power system have higher current ratings and are generally located near the power source, while RPCs at the lower levels have lower current ratings and are generally located near loads. Current ratings for each of the RPCs 5-16 are given in FIG. 1.
The preferred packaging approach for RPCs is to place combinations of them in a single box, often called an Electrical Load Management Center (ELMC). There may be several of these ELMCs in a typical hierarchical power system. The prior art ELMC packaging approach gives rise to inherent inefficiencies and added system cost because the number of RPCs and their individual ratings are now fixed for a given ELMC design. A system designers' choices are now limited to the available ratings and quantities of RPCs which have been placed in a given ELMC. Further, the RPCs in the prior art ELMCs provide single, as opposed to parallel, current pathways from the source to the load. Standard ELMC designs are available, each having a certain selection of RPCs. For example, a Type 1 ELMC having eight 12 amp RPCs, a Type 2 ELMC having four 25 amp RPCs, a Type 3 ELMC having two 50 amp RPCs, a Type 4 ELMC having one 65 amp RPC, and a Type 5 ELMC having sixteen 3.5 amp RPCs and two 12 amp RPCs were established for the system of FIG. 1.
Specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates a hierarchical power system requiring a Type 4 ELMC, 17, tied at the first hierarchical level to the source 1, via input line 18. The output of ELMC 17 is connected at a second hierarchical level to a Type 3 ELMC, 19, and to a Type 2 ELMC, 21, via line 20. To accommodate the lower level of the power system, i.e. near the loads 3, the output of ELMC 19 is connected to a Type 2 ELMC, 23, and a Type 5 ELMC, 25, via line 24. Further the output of ELMC 21 is connected to a Type 5 ELMC, 27, and a Type 1 ELMC, 29, via line 28. Based on this example prior art system with the RPC ratings and quantities of the ELMC types given above, a total of 7 ELMCs of five different designs were required to complete the system. In addition, the system of FIG. 1 resulted in 43 unused RPCs (not shown) in the required ELMCs. The unused RPCs represent excess cost, weight, and design complexity in the system application.
Furthermore, the prior art ELMC design is not flexible enough to accommodate upgrades and enhancements that invariably occur in hierarchical power systems. System changes have to be made within the limitations of the unused RPCs available in the ELMCs found in the system. When system improvements require changes in load current ratings and/or location of power switches within the system hierarchy, the associated RPCs have to be replaced or additional RPCs added to meet the new system requirements.

Power controller module providing user selectable overload protection


A power supply keying method for use with an electrical apparatus includes defining a plurality of power supply classes; associating with the plurality of power supply classes a plurality of power supplies, each of the plurality of power supplies including a power supply housing having a unique keying arrangement corresponding to one power supply class of the plurality of power supply classes; and providing in the electrical apparatus a power supply receptacle for receiving at least one power supply of the plurality of power supplies, the unique keying arrangement of the power supply housing in conjunction with the power supply receptacle permitting reception of a particular power supply of the plurality of power supplies into the power supply receptacle only if the power supply class associated with the particular power supply has power supply electrical characteristics that satisfy electrical power requirements of the electrical apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power supplies for use in electrical devices, and, more particularly, to a power supply keying arrangement for an electrical apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrical apparatus, such as an ink jet printer, typically requires a power supply to convert alternating current (AC) power, such as that available at a wall outlet at a user's home or office, to direct current (DC) power at a DC voltage level and current level suitable for use in the electrical apparatus. It is known to provide both internal and external power supplies for such an electrical apparatus.
For example, an ink jet printer having an internal power supply typically requires the user to simply attach an electrical cord from an AC connector located at the AC input of the internal power supply to an AC wall outlet. An advantage of the internal power supply is that it is easy for the user to apply electrical power to the printer. One disadvantage, however, is that if the printer power supply fails, then the entire printer must be sent to a service center for repair.
An ink jet printer having an external power supply typically requires the user to attach the DC output of the external power supply to the DC input of the ink jet printer and attach the AC input of the power supply to the AC wall outlet. An advantage of the external power supply is that in the event of a power supply failure, the power supply unit can be replaced without having to send the entire printer in to a service center for repair. However, typically, replacement of the power supply is limited to an exact replacement of the power supply.
What is needed in the art is a power supply keying arrangement for an electrical apparatus that permits a range of downwardly compatible power supplies to be used in the electrical apparatus.

Power supply keying arrangement for use with an electrical apparatus


A vehicle includes a system for recording and analyzing user preferences during a vehicle test drive. The system includes a processor and a memory that stores processor-readable instructions. When executed by the processor, the processor-readable instructions cause the system to: determine a user identity; create a user preference profile based on the user identity; communicate a prerecorded message describing one or more vehicle options to the user; record a user response of the user in response to the prerecorded message; analyze the recorded user response; and update the user preference profile based on the analysis of the recorded user response.

Vehicles of a particular make or model may have multiple packages of options to choose from or may have customizable options. Users may have preferences for a given options package or for particular options, but may not have sufficient information regarding the availability of a vehicle that includes the given options package or the particular options. Accordingly, systems and methods for making vehicle purchase recommendations based on a user preference profile are desired.

Systems and methods for making vehicle purchase recommendations based on a user preference profile


A method is provided for the care and treatment of AD and related dementias by staging patients using the FAST, BCRS, and/or the GDS staging elements, translation of the staging elements into corresponding developmental ages (DAs), using the patient DA to determine the overall management and care needs of patients with AD and related retrogenic dementias, refining these needs based upon axioms refined by postulates and caveats.

Retrogenesis is the biologic process by which normal physiologic, psychologic, and behavioral processes in the course of dementia reverse those of normal human developmental acquisition. Relationships between normal human development and dementia have long been recognized. For example, the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes noted in 423 B.C. that "old men are children twice over". Similarly, the English dictionary defines dotage, a synonym for dementia and related conditions, as "childishness of old age". Physicians and scientists have also recognized similarities between senile dementia and normal early human development. For example, in the first American textbook of psychiatry, Benjamin Rush (1793), noted that in old age the body shows the marks not only of a second childhood but even the marks of second infancy. In the twentieth century investigators began to find relationships between Piagetian developmental stages and degeneration occurring in dementing disorders.
In 1982 Dr. Reisberg and associates published the Global Deterioration Scale, which described seven major stages of normal aging and the progressive dementia of AD. Later, in work published from 1984 to 1986, Dr. Reisberg identified the characteristic progression of functional changes in normal aging and progressive AD. Sixteen successive functional stages were described. It was immediately recognized by Dr. Reisberg that this functional progression in aging and AD reversed the stages of functional acquisition in normal human development. Subsequent work by Dr. Reisberg and his colleagues also indicated that the pattern of loss of feeding capacities and figure drawing abilities in AD reversed the normal acquisition pattern in early human development. Together with Dr. Emile Franssen, Dr. Reisberg found that: (1) normal infantile neurological reflexes emerge in the course of AD, and (2) that these reflexes occur at the same point in AD, from the perspective of the inverse functional stage, as would be anticipated from the human developmental model. This discovery of a method for diagnosis of incontinence of corticocerebral origin by neurologic examination has been previously described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,585 awarded to Dr. E. H. Franssen and Dr. B. Reisberg.
In other work by Dr. Reisberg and his associates it was found that childhood and infant psychological test measures are useful in assessing residual cognitive capacities in, what was previously termed "untestable", severe AD. These findings are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,446 awarded in 1992 to Dr. S. G. Sclan and Dr. B. Reisberg. Work by other investigators, indicated that a widely used dementia assessment, the Mini Mental State Examination, showed just as robust relationships between the mental age of children, as has been observed for the relationship between Mini Mental State Examination scores and any independent objective, non-cognitive assessments in AD patients.
On the basis of the findings described above, as well as other findings, it was concluded in 1998 that the stages of AD can be usefully described in terms of corresponding developmental ages (DAs) (Reisberg, et al., J Neural Transm,[Suppl] 54: 9–20, 1998). We noted that the management needs of AD patients and many of the behavioral changes in these patients could be explained by the DA model.
Later, in 1999, we concluded that the process by which the progressive changes in AD and related dementing disorders reverses the order of acquisition in normal human development should be given a new and appropriate name. Therefore, we termed this process, "retrogenesis" (Reisberg, et al., International Psychogeriatrics, 11: 7–23, 1999 and Reisberg, et al., Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 249: Suppl. 3, 28–36, 1999). We hypothesized that an entire science of management for AD and related dementing disorders could be formulated based upon an understanding of this retrogenesis process. We also hypothesized at that time that this understanding would have to incorporate both similarities and differences between AD and normal human development.

Management, care and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias


The present disclosure discloses a low-water-vapor-permeability polyolefin-elastomer film and its preparation method. The film comprises: 50-100 mass parts of a matrix resin, 0-40 mass parts of a modified resin, 0.001-2 mass parts of an activator, 0.1-3 mass parts of an organic peroxide, 0.02-5 mass parts of an assistant cross-linker, 0.02-2 mass parts of a silane coupling agent, 0.005-2 mass parts of a light stabilizer, and 0-20 mass parts of a water blocking filler. In the present disclosure, by adding the modified resin and the activator that have an active group, a cross-linking degree and a cross-linking density of the film are improved, and a water-vapor permeability is reduced; by adding the water blocking filler, the water blocking property of the film is further improved, thereby ensuring reliability of the assembly, and prolonging service life of the assembly.

As the problems of energy shortage and environment pollution are urgent, it is an evitable trend to search for reproducible and environment-friendly green energy sources. Photovoltaic power generation is a process of converting solar energy into electric energy, and has three great advantages of long service life, clearness and good flexibility, and compared with conventional thermal power generations such as hydraulic power generation and nuclear power generation, it can be easily produced and reproduced, such that it has promising development prospect.
At present, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) is usually adopted as an encapsulating material of photovoltaic assemblies. However, due to the molecular structure of the EVA material, EVA film has several shortcomings such as high water-vapor permeability and poor weather resistance. Along with the development of battery technology, various novel high-efficiency batteries such as N-type battery, PERC battery and double-face battery successively emerge, which raises higher requirements on the property of the encapsulating material. Furthermore, in projects such as the Fishing-Light Complementation Project, the assembly is required to operate in environment with high humidity, and thus the encapsulating material is required to have a lower water-vapor permeability to ensure the long-term high-efficiency operation of the assembly. Those novel high-efficiency batteries or specific water-vapor environment raise higher requirements on the water-vapor blocking property of the encapsulating material. It is urgent to solve the problem how to enhance the water-vapor blocking property of the encapsulating materials to prolong the service life of the photovoltaic assemblies.
If a content of vinyl acetate (VA) in the matrix resin EVA is reduced, the blocking property of the encapsulating material can be correspondingly increased with the decreasing of a proportion of the polar functional groups, leading to a problem of a reduced light transmittance, which is adverse to the improvement of the electric energy production of the photovoltaic battery. In an extreme case, such as disclosed in patent CN106752997A (publication number) and patent CN102863916B (publication number), instead of using a polar-monomer copolymer as the matrix resin, a polymer, which is formed by copolymerizing metallocene-catalyzed ethylene and α-olefin monomer such as butylene, pentylene and octylene, is used as the matrix resin for encapsulating. Since the molecular chain does not contain unsaturated bond, the weather resistance and the water blocking property are obviously better than those of EVA. However, such an improvement approach can merely be realized during the polymerization process, it is impossible to further those properties during manufacturing the encapsulating film.
A conventional method for improving the water blocking property of the encapsulating film is adding a water absorbent into the film, to slow down diffusion of water vapor in the films by physical adsorption or chemical reaction. For example, in patent CN103756579A, an ionic polymer is added, and in patent CN104962216A (publication number), dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and 1-ethyl-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide are added. However, the method has limited effect on improving the water blocking property of the film, and the water blocking effect is absent when the water absorbent has reached saturated absorption or completely reacted with the water, and thus a long-term reliability of the assembly can not be ensured.
Accordingly, it is very urgent to provide a novel film having a low water-vapor permeability, which can ensure a long-term high-efficiency operation of the photovoltaic assemblies.

Low-water-vapor-permeability polyolefin-elastomer film and method for preparing the same

HANGZHOU FIRST APPLIED MATERIAL CO., LTD


A lens, a lens array and imaging device and system containing a lens, and a method of forming a lens array and an imaging device and system containing a lens. Each lens has varying reflection indices in a radial direction.

Lenses have been used to collect incident light from a larger light area and focus the collected light onto a smaller area. For example, in the application of an imaging device, microlenses are used to focus incident light impinged on the imaging device onto a photosensitive area of a corresponding photosensor, thereby improving photosensitivity of the imaging device. In an image display device, on the other hand, lenses can be used to transmit light from a light-producing component to project an image for display. Products and systems that utilize lenses and microlenses in these and other similar ways include, without limitation, flat-panel visual displays, solar panels, digital cameras, camera mobile telephones, video telephones, computer input devices, scanners, machine vision systems, vehicle navigation systems, surveillance systems, auto focus systems, star trackers, motion detector systems, and image stabilization systems among other imager and display applications.
Lenses can be formed through an additive process. In a conventional additive microlens fabrication, one or more lens materials are deposited onto a substrate and formed into a microlens array using a reflow process. For example, a lens material is patterned into individual lens units with gaps around each lens unit. During reflow of the patterned lens material, the individual lens units undergo a heating process and transform into a partially spherical shape driven by the force equilibrium of surface tension and gravity. The individual lens materials then harden in this shape to form microlenses.
A number of conventional lens fabrication techniques may affect focal characteristics of the resultant lenses in the same lens array. For example, when the various microlenses in the same microlens array have different curvatures, the microlenses may have different focal characteristics, which may compromise the quality of images captured by the imaging device. Also, heat, ultra-violet treatment and/or type of photoresist materials used during an additive process may affect stability of the lens materials and/or optical properties of the resulting lenses.
It is desirable to provide an improved method of fabrication and structure for a lens, lens array, and imaging device and system having a lens that mitigates these problems.

Lens, a lens array and imaging device and system having a lens, and method of forming the same


This invention relates to novel pharmaceutical penetration compositions capable of facilitating penetration of at least one effector across biological barriers. The invention also relates to methods of treating or preventing diseases by administering penetration compositions to affected subjects.

Techniques enabling efficient transfer of a substance of interest across a biological barrier are of considerable interest in the field of biotechnology. For example, such techniques may be used for the transport of a variety of different substances across a biological barrier regulated by tight junctions (i.e., the mucosal epithelia, which includes the intestinal and respiratory epithelia and the vascular endothelia, which includes the blood-brain barrier).
The intestinal epithelium represents the major barrier to absorption of orally administered compounds, e.g., drugs and peptides, into the systemic circulation. This barrier is composed of a single layer of columnar epithelial cells (primarily enterocytes, goblet cells, endocrine cells, and paneth cells), which are joined at their apical surfaces by the tight junctions. See Madara et al., PHYSIOLOGY OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT; 2nd Ed., Johnson, ed., Raven Press, New York, pp. 1251–66 (1987).
Compounds that are presented in the intestinal lumen can enter the blood stream through active or facilitative transport, passive transcellular transport, or passive paracellular transport. Active or facilitative transport occurs via cellular carriers, and is limited to transport of low molecular weight degradation products of complex molecules such as proteins and sugars, e.g., amino acids, pentoses, and hexoses. Passive transcellular transport requires partitioning of the molecule through both the apical and basolateral membranes. This process is limited to relatively small hydrophobic compounds. See Jackson, PHYSIOLOGY OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT; 2nd Ed., Johnson, ed., Raven Press, New York, pp. 1597–1621 (1987). Consequently, with the exception of those molecules that are transported by active or facilitative mechanisms, absorption of larger, more hydrophilic molecules is, for the most part, limited to the paracellular pathway. However, the entry of molecules through the paracellular pathway is primarily restricted by the presence of the tight junctions. See Gumbiner, Am. J. Physiol., 253:C749–C758 (1987); Madara, J. Clin. Invest., 83:1089–94 (1989).
Therefore, large hydrophilic molecules of therapeutic value present a difficult problem in the field of drug delivery. While they are readily soluble in water, and thus easily dissolve in physiological media, such molecules are barred from absorption by the mucosal layer due to their cell-membrane impermeability. The epithelial cell membrane is composed of a phospholipid bilayer in which proteins are embedded via hydrophobic segments. Thus, the cell membrane constitutes a very strong barrier for transport of hydrophilic substances, including peptides and proteins.
A need remains for an efficient, specific, non-invasive, low-risk means for the delivery of biologically active molecules, such as polypeptides, drugs and other therapeutic agents, across various biological barriers.

Amino acid sequences capable of facilitating penetration across a biological barrier


Example flexible face panels for dock shelters and dock seals at a loading dock are disclosed herein. An example seal assembly comprises a face panel to be coupled to a projection panel, where the face panel has a front side, a back side and an edge spaced apart from the projection panel. A bulb is positioned adjacent the edge of the face panel. A seal flap is attached to the bulb such that the seal flap projects from an outer surface of the bulb and toward a doorway of a loading dock when the seal assembly is coupled to a wall of the loading dock.

In general, dock seals and shelters prevent the ingress of outdoor environmental conditions or contaminants (e.g., rain, snow, wind, hot/cold temperatures, insects, animals, etc.) into the interior of a building (e.g., the dock area) and/or cargo area of a vehicle during the loading or unloading of the vehicle. Dock shelters and seals may also prevent the egress of conditioned air from within a building and/or a vehicle cargo area to the outdoor environment. In some instances, vehicles (e.g., the trailer or rear portion of a truck) may not be sufficiently centered relative to dock seals or shelters when backed into the seal or shelter to isolate the interior space of a building and adjacent vehicle cargo area from the outdoor environment. As a result, some dock seals and shelters compensate for some range of off-center vehicle positions within which the functionality of the seal or shelter is not compromised. Further, some structures of a seal or shelter, particularly side members, are capable of recovering from repeated impacts from the rear portions of off-center vehicles without sustaining substantial permanent deformation.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. As used in this patent, stating that any part (e.g., a layer, film, area, or plate) is in any way positioned on (e.g., positioned on, located on, disposed on, or formed on, etc.) another part, means that the referenced part is either in contact with the other part, or that the referenced part is above the other part with one or more intermediate part(s) located therebetween. Stating that any part is in contact with another part means that there is no intermediate part between the two parts.

Face panels for loading dock seals and shelters


A paper feeding device of an inkjet printer includes a motor generating a drive force, a pickup drive shaft rotated by the motor, a pivoting link housing disposed on the pickup drive shaft, a pickup roller connected to the ling housing, and a clutch enlinking the pickup drive shaft and the link housing enabling the link housing to pivot by a predetermined angle by rotation of the pickup drive shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer, and more particularly, to a paper feeding device for an inkjet printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inkjet printer is a printing apparatus that creates an image on a sheet of paper by spraying ink through a print head, and typically has a front insert front out (FIFO) feeding structure in which paper is supplied and discharged in the same direction.
FIG. 1 shows an example of an inkjet printer having the FIFO feeding structure. Referring to FIG. 1, the inkjet printer comprises a print head 10 that sprays ink onto a sheet of paper, a feed cassette 20 in which paper is stacked, and a paper feeding device 30 that supplies the stacked paper to the print head 10. The paper feeding device 30 comprises a pickup roller 31 that picks up the stacked paper, a drive roller 32 that conveys the picked up paper, and a feeding roller that conveys the conveyed paper towards the print head 10 in increments.
When the pickup roller 31 is driven, the paper stacked in the feed cassette 20 is separated sheet by sheet by a separation wall 21 and picked up. The picked up paper proceeds between the drive roller 32 and a pinch roller 34 pressing the drive roller 32 with a predetermined force, and is moved towards the feeding roller 33 by the drive roller 32. The paper conveyed to the feeding roller 33 is transferred to below the print head 10 by the feeding roller 33 and the friction roller 35 disposed above the feeding roller 33. When the paper arrives on the paper guide 40 disposed below the print head 10, the print head 10 prints an image by spraying ink onto the paper while moving left and right along the guide bar 11. The discharge roller 50 discharges the paper with the image printed thereon outside the device.
Since it takes time for the print head 10 to spray ink on the paper while moving along a line, the feeding roller 33 line-feeds paper to the paper guide 40 at a predetermined interval. In order to line-feed, a line-feed (LF) motor (not shown) is used for driving the feeding roller 33. The LF motor not only drives the feeding roller 33 but also the pickup roller 31 selectively. That is, when the LF motor rotates forward, the feeding roller 33 is driven in the paper convey direction A. When the LF motor rotates backward, the feeding roller 33 rotates in the reverse direction B. Concurrently, a driving force is transmitted to the pickup roller 31 whereby the pickup roller 31 rotates in the paper pickup direction C and picks up the paper. Here, a swing gear or a one-way clutch selectively transmits a driving force to the pickup roller 31. When the paper picked up by the pickup roller 31 reaches the feeding roller 33 rotating in the reverse direction B by the drive roller 32, the LF motor rotates forward again thereby rotating the feeding roller 33 in the paper convey direction A. At this time, the pickup roller 31 rests on the paper as it does not receive any driving force, and the paper is line fed to the paper guide 40 by the feeding roller 33.
However, such a conventional paper feeding device 30 of an inkjet printer prevents the drive roller 32 and the feeding roller 33 from smoothly conveying the paper since the pickup roller 31 rests on the paper even after a sheet of paper is picked up. Accordingly, paper is not smoothly conveyed to the printer head. Thus, print quality deteriorates. Moreover, if the pickup roller 31 does not press the paper with the same load each time paper is picked up, the paper can be skewed or jammed.


A micro flow sensor includes: a flow path through which a fluid to be measured flows; a detection unit having a heater configured to heat the fluid to be measured in the flow path and temperature sensors configured to measure temperature of a fluid to be measured in the flow path; an arithmetic unit configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid to be measured flowing through the flow path based on the temperature of the fluid to be measured, measured by the temperature sensors; and a narrowed portion disposed on an upstream side of the detection unit in the flow path for narrowing the flow path.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a micro flow sensor.
2. Related Art
A micro flow sensor measures a flow rate of a fluid by detecting a thermal transfer of a fluid. There have been proposed various types of micro flow sensors having flow paths and detection units integrated therein. For example, such micro flow sensors have been disclosed in Yoshiaki Tanaka and three others, "micro flow sensor for microreactor system", Yokogawa Technical Report, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, 2008, Vol. 52, No. 4 (2008), p. 39-42, and JP-A-2010-230388.
FIGS. 18A and 18B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a flow sensor disclosed as a conventional example in JP-A-2010-230388. FIG. 18A is a perspective view of the flow sensor and FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along line B-B in FIG. 18A.
The flow sensor a includes a flow sensor chip 2 and a flow path forming member 3. A lower surface 3a of the flow path forming member 3 is connected to an upper surface 2a of the flow sensor chip 2. A micro flow path 4 is formed between the flow path forming member 3 and the flow sensor chip 2. A fluid to be measured, such as a gas, flows through the flow path 4. The flow path forming member 3 is made of transparent glass chips. On both ends of the flow path 4, a fluid inlet 4a and a fluid outlet 4b are formed. The fluid inlet 4a and the fluid outlet 4b have openings on an upper surface 3b of the flow path forming member 3. A gas as a fluid to be measured is introduced into the flow path 4 via the fluid inlet 4a, flows through the flow path 4, and is led out of the fluid outlet 4b.
The flow sensor chip 2 includes a silicon base plate 5. As illustrated in FIG. 18B, an insulating film (thin film) 6 made of silicon nitride or silicon dioxide is formed on an upper surface of the silicon base plate 5. A flow rate detection unit 7 is formed at a position corresponding to a center of the flow path 4 on an upper surface of the insulating film 6. The flow rate detection unit 7 is coated with an insulating film 8 made of silicon nitride or silicon dioxide.
A cavity-like recess 2c is formed below the flow rate detection unit 7 in the center of the upper surface 2a of the flow sensor chip 2. Thus, a site, on the insulating film 6 including the flow rate detection unit 7 formed thereon, that covers the recess 2c is formed into a diaphragm shape. Thus, the flow rate detection unit 7 and the silicon base plate 5 are thermally blocked.
The flow rate detection unit 7 includes a heater and temperature measuring elements which are arranged on the insulating film 6. The temperature measuring elements are arranged on an upstream side and a downstream side at the same distance from the heater. The heater and the temperature measuring elements include, for example, platinum thin films. The flow rate detection unit 7 is configured to serve as a thermal detection unit. Furthermore, the flow rate detection unit 7 may include an ambient temperature sensor (not shown) disposed on the silicon base plate 5. When the heater of the flow rate detection unit 7 is energized, the heater is heated by a control circuit so as to be higher by a certain temperature than a temperature of a gas measured by the ambient temperature sensor. In this manner, the heater heats a gas flowing through the flow path 4.
While a gas does not flow through the flow path 4, the upstream side and the downstream side of the heater have a uniform temperature distribution. The temperature measuring element on the upstream side and the temperature measuring element on the downstream side exhibit resistance values corresponding to temperatures in a substantially equal manner. On the other hand, while a gas flows through the flow path 4, the uniform temperature distribution between the upstream side of the heater and the downstream side of the heater is lost. For example, the upstream side has a lower temperature, and the downstream side has a higher temperature. Then, a Wheatstone bridge circuit including the temperature measuring element on the upstream side and the temperature measuring element on the downstream side detects a difference in resistance value, that is a difference in temperature, between the temperature measuring elements. The flow sensor measures a flow rate of a gas flowing through the flow path 4 based on the detected temperature difference.
This flow sensor adopts a measurement principle of a so-called three-wire thermal system. In the three-wire thermal system, a temperature distribution to be formed by heating a heater is measured based on a temperature difference between two temperature sensors arranged on an upstream side and a downstream side of a heater at substantially equal distances from the heater. This temperature distribution depends on a flow rate. Therefore, the flow rate is calculated from this temperature distribution.


An option valve for controlling the operation of an option actuator added as an option is installed into each of first and second main valve blocks in each of which plural control valves, a pressure oil supply line connected to a pump and a tank line connected to a tank are incorporated, and plural types of connection blocks incorporating circuit elements to be added to the option valve are attached to the main valve blocks selectively to constitute a hydraulic valve device. According to this hydraulic valve device, it is possible to widely cope with various option attachments despite a built-in system with the option valve incorporated beforehand in the main valve blocks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic valve assembly installed in a hydraulic working machine and a method for assembling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Control valves used in a hydraulic excavator are usually divided into two groups, which are installed into two separate main valve blocks. In both main valve blocks, there are respectively disposed pressure oil supply passages for conducting pressure oil from first and second pumps as pressure oil sources in the main valve blocks to the control valves.
In addition to a standard specification, an option attachment such as a crusher or a breaker is sometimes attached to the hydraulic excavator. In this case, an option actuator for the option attachment and an option valve for controlling the operation of the option actuator are needed.
In a method wherein an option valve unit comprising the option valve and a circuit element connected hydraulically to the option valve unit is installed into a main valve block, the option actuator is connected to an actuator port formed in the main valve block.
An affixing method wherein a connection block with an option valve and a related circuit element incorporated therein is attached to a main valve block is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10-25770.
However, in the former method, since there is obtained only one function that the built-in option valve unit possesses, it is impossible to cope with various option attachments different in function and purpose of use. For example, in the case where an actuator for an option attachment requires a large flow rate, it has so far been impossible to meet various users' demands, including a demand for joining discharge oil from both pumps and feeding the resulting confluent oil to an option actuator and a demand for limiting pressure due to a low working pressure of an option actuator.
On the other hand, according to the latter affixing method, since an option valve and a related circuit element are integrated to constitute a connection block, connection blocks with option valve must be provided and replaced by the number corresponding to the number of required functions (circuit elements). Consequently, not only the cost is very high but also the connection blocks are large-sized and heavy, thus giving rise to the problem that the replacing work is troublesome.

Hydraulic valve device and method for assembling the same

Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.