An automated tuning method of a large-scale multivariable model predictive controller for multiple array papermaking machine cross-directional (CD) processes can significantly improve the performance of the controller over traditional controllers. Paper machine CD processes are large-scale spatially-distributed dynamical systems. Due to these systems' (almost) spatially invariant nature, the closed-loop transfer functions are approximated by transfer matrices with rectangular circulant matrix blocks, whose input and output singular vectors are the Fourier components of dimension equivalent to either number of actuators or number of measurements. This approximation enables the model predictive controller for these systems to be tuned by a numerical search over optimization weights in order to shape the closed-loop transfer functions in the two-dimensional frequency domain for performance and robustness. A novel scaling method is used for scaling the inputs and outputs of the multivariable system in the spatial frequency domain.

In the art of making paper with modern high-speed machines, sheet properties must be continually monitored and controlled to assure sheet quality and to minimize the amount of finished product that is rejected when there is an upset in the manufacturing process. The sheet variables that are most often measured include basis weight, moisture content, and caliper (i.e., thickness) of the sheets at various stages in the manufacturing process. These process variables are typically controlled by, for example, adjusting the feedstock supply rate at the beginning of the process, regulating the amount of steam applied to the paper near the middle of the process, or varying the nip pressure between calendaring rollers at the end of the process.
A paper machine employs large arrays of actuators spread across a continuously moving web to control the cross-directional (CD) profiles of paper properties as measured by one (or several) scanning sensor(s) downstream from the actuators. Typically, designers are using pairing rules to choose one CD actuator array for controlling one paper sheet property and the interaction of multiple array CD processes is usually neglected in traditional CD control.
Most well-designed single array CD systems are unfortunately ill-conditioned. Even at steady-state, some of their singular values are vanishingly small. The large dimensionality and the ill-conditioning make these processes challenging to control. It has been recently suggested that for multiple array CD processes the ill-conditioning of the process could be due to the interaction between multiple array measurements and actuators. That means it can be more difficult to control multiple array CD systems than single array CD systems.
Application of model predictive control (MPC) in CD processes has been considered for some time. Although most published papers consider only one actuator array and one controlled property and consequently do not address the problem of coordinating multiple CD actuator arrays controlling multiple sheet properties, multiple array CD control systems are becoming more prevalent. Industrial model predictive control implementation can employ a multiple-array model of the CD process that is obtained from a complementary industrial model identification tool. The advantages of multiple-array control are evident in the improved performances that have been reported. The main disadvantage of online optimization is the enormous computational load required as the constrained quadratic programming (QP) problem may be required to generate as many as 600 actuator setpoints subject to up to 1800 constraints from up to 6000 measurements as often as every 15 seconds. The optimization problem is highly structured and optimization algorithms which exploit this structure have been developed. A potentially complementary technique is to use model reduction techniques to reduce the size of the optimization problem.
In R. Shridhar and D. J. Cooper, "A tuning strategy for unconstrained multivariable model predictive control," Industrial & Engineering Chemistry & Research, vol. 37, no. 10, pp 4003-4016, 1998 and D. Dougherty and D. J. Cooper, "Tuning guidelines of a dynamic matrix controller for integrating (non-self-regulating) processes," Industrial & Engineering Chemistry & Research, vol. 42, no. 8, pp 1739-1752, 2003, the authors proposed some tuning guidelines for multivariable dynamic matrix controllers. In K. Y. Rani and H. Unbehauen, "Study of predictive controller tuning methods," Automatica, vol. 33, no 12, pp 2243-2248, 1997, the authors proposed tuning procedures for predictive controllers that are based on some tuning rules and closed-loop simulations. In J. H. Lee and Z. Yu, "Tuning of model predictive controllers for robust performance," Computers & Chemical Engineering, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 15-37, 1994, tuning rules based on the frequency-domain analysis of the closed-loop behavior of MPC controllers are presented. In A. Al-Ghazzawi, et al., "On-line tuning strategy for model predictive controllers," Journal of Process Control, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 265-284, 2001, an on-line tuning strategy for linear model predictive control algorithms is proposed based on the linear approximation between the closed-loop predicted output and the MPC tuning parameters. J. Trierweiler and L. A. Farina, "RPN tuning strategy for model predictive control," Journal of Process Control, vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 591-598, 2003, presented a tuning strategy based on robust performance number for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) MPC. However, the above tuning strategies may be not directly used for tuning the large-scale two-dimensional industrial CD MPC, especially in the spatial domain.
The procedure for implementing a paper machine CD MPC control system is shown in FIG. 1. The third step where prediction horizons and optimization weights are selected is often ad hoc and typically evaluated via simulations of the closed-loop system. The state of the art is trial and error which quickly becomes overwhelming for large-scale MPC problems. A one-step static optimizer has been proposed to greatly reduce the computation time while accurately predicting the steady-state performance. For CD process, it has been shown that is possible to separately tune the CD controller in the spatial and temporal domain. However, even with the static optimizer, tuning the multivariable CD predictive controller through trial and error is very difficult even for experienced engineers as there are so many (typically more than 10) tuning parameters. Another practical issue is that there is no indication whether the controller is robustly stable for inevitable model uncertainties.

Automated tuning of large-scale multivariable model predictive controllers for spatially-distributed processes


The present disclosure provides a system and method that provides active damping at the input of a motor drive system without the need for the hardware used in conventional and RC damping circuits. According to the disclosure a virtual damping network is realised at the input of the motor drive system based on modification of field-oriented control, FOC. More specifically, a control algorithm creates a virtual damping impedance at the motor drive input by applying a damping algorithm to both q and d components of the motor current.

Electrical power systems generally convert AC power to DC power for several loads to be powered. For such systems, the AC voltage is rectified into DC voltage for the DC loads. In the rectification process, ripple may occur in the DC voltage link which is conventionally filtered by a capacitor between the AC source and the loads of the DC voltage link. The DC voltage link is also subject to disturbances for various reasons such as switching on/off of loads and power mismatches between power supply and demand. Such power systems are used frequently, for example, in aircraft where a DC power bus supplies power to a plurality of loads/components around the aircraft, e.g. electronic systems, control systems, radar, fans, air conditioning systems etc.
Constant power loads, such as a switched mode power converter, dynamically behave as negative resistors and may introduce a destabilizing effect on a DC link causing significant voltage oscillation due to dynamic interactions with its input filter. The input filter of a switching power converter typically comprises one or several "LC" filter cells made up by inductive "L" and capacitive "C" components. They must provide forward voltage attenuation of AC voltage superimposed on the DC link voltage, attenuate current harmonics resulting from switching and have a low output impedance so as not to adversely affect the stability of the switched mode power converter. If stability issues due to constant-power-load behaviour are found, they are typically addressed either by increasing DC-link capacitance, or by adding damping to the resonance.
Moreover, with motor drives, at least in aircraft, the system needs to show stiffness under input voltage oscillations over a certain frequency range. In the case of DC-fed motor drives, this is problematic when the power supply exhibits an oscillation that is close to, or matches, the resonance frequency of the ripple filter, as large amplification of the oscillation may be reflected at the input terminals of the motor drive. This issue is also typically addressed by adding passive damping into the filter. Most commonly, passive dampers have been a RC circuit connected in parallel with the capacitor of the LC cell to be damped. However, other realizations such as RL dampers or other are also possible. The damper circuit reduces the Q of the ripple filter, reducing the peaking and output impedance. The capacitor in the damping circuit is typically larger than the ripple filter capacitor. The capacitors, in particular, of such conventional DC links represent a significant part of the overall size and weight of the motor drive system and also impact reliability. Such conventional systems are, therefore, large and heavy which are generally undesirable characteristics in many fields, particularly in aerospace applications.
It is therefore desirable to provide effective damping without the use of such large damping circuits. More recently, as disclosed in e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 8,415,914, generator control units have been provided with active damping. Other techniques, e.g. see U.S. Pat. No. 8,669,743 switches a resistor into and out of the drive system for damping. This, however, also requires extra hardware.
Other active damping systems and techniques are known and discussed in the following references [1]-[7]. Generally, those methods are based on measuring dc-link signals, such as the dc-link voltage, and applying compensation signals either into the current control loop, or in the current reference signals, to avoid the negative resistance behaviour of the drive at the frequency of interest. [1] X. Liu, A. Forsyth, and A. Cross, "Negative input-resistance compensator for a constant power load," IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron., vol. 54, no. 6, pp. 3188-3196, 2007. [2] P. Liutanakul, A.-B. Awan, S. Pierfederici, B. Nahid-Mobarakeh, and F. Meibody-Tabar, "Linear stabilization of a dc bus supplying a constant power load: A general design approach," IEEE Trans. Power Electron., vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 475-488, February, 2010. [3] P. Magne, D. Marx, B. Nahid-Mobarakeh, and S. Pierfederici, "Large signal stabilization of a dc-link supplying a constant power load using a virtual capacitor: Impact on the domain of attraction," IEEE Trans. on Ind. Appl., 2012. [4] Mohamed, Y. A.-R. I.; Radwan, A. A. A.; Lee, T. K. "Decoupled Reference-Voltage-Based Active DC-Link Stabilization for PMSM Drives With Tight-Speed Regulation", Industrial Electronics, IEEE Transactions on, On page(s): 4523-4536 Volume: 59, Issue: 12, December 2012. [5] A. Riccobono and E. Santi, "Positive Feedforward Control of Three-Phase Voltage Source Inverter for DC Input Bus Stabilization With Experimental Validation", IEEE Trans. Power Electron. Vol 49, no. 1. pp. 168-177, 2013. [6] Lee, W., Sul, Seung-Ki, "DC-link Voltage Stabilization for Reduced DC-link Capacitor Inverter", IEEE Trans. Ind. App., vo 50, no. 1, January-February 2014. [7] H. Mosskull, "Optimal DC-Link Stabilization Design", IEEE Trans. Ind. Electronics, February 2015.
In these systems, the damping effect created at the input to the motor drive depends on the operating point of the system. In particular, it depends on the duty cycle (influenced by the back electromotive force of the motor) and the torque level. As the performance of the active damping is dependent on torque, no damping effect is achieved in conditions where output voltage and current are low. The present technique aims to ensure the damping effect is achieved at all operating points, including low loads and nominal loads.
There is, therefore, a need for improved active damping over the whole operating range.

Active stabilization of DC link in motor drive systems


A method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving an uplink signal by a mobile terminal in a wireless communication system are provided. The first mobile terminal includes a receiver configured to receive, from a base station, a power control variable determined based on an interference value for a first receive beam used in order to receive an uplink signal of the first mobile terminal from among a plurality of receive beams of the base station, to receive, from the base station, neighboring receive beam allocation data indicating whether any of the receive beams in the plurality of receive beams, different from the first receive beam, is being used for uplink signal reception, to determine an uplink transmit power value based on the received power control variable and neighboring receive beam allocation data, and to transmit an uplink signal to the base station by using the determined uplink transmit power value.

In order to meet an ever-increasing demand for wireless data traffic, wireless communication systems are developing to support a higher data transmission rate. The 4th generation (4G) system, which is starting to be commercialized, has been developed mainly to improve spectral efficiency in order to increase a data transmission rate. However, it has become difficult to satisfy an explosively-increasing demand for wireless data traffic solely by the spectral efficiency improvement technology.
To address the above issue, there is a method for using a very wide frequency band. A frequency band used in the current mobile cellular system is generally lower than 10 GHz, and it is very difficult to secure a wide frequency band. Therefore, there is a need to secure broadband frequencies in a higher frequency band.
However, as an operation frequency band for wireless communication becomes higher, a propagation path loss increases. Thus, a wave propagation distance decreases, and a service coverage decreases accordingly. Beamforming is a technology for addressing this issue, that is, for reducing a propagation path loss and increasing a wave propagation distance.
Beamforming includes transmission beamforming performed in a transmitter and reception beamforming performed in a receiver. The transmission beamforming concentrates a wave propagation region in a specific direction by using a plurality of antennas. Herein, a group of a plurality of antennas may be referred to as an antenna array, and each antenna included in the antenna array may be referred to as an array element.
When transmission beamforming is used, a signal transmission distance is increased and a signal is hardly transmitted in directions apart from a corresponding direction. Therefore, an interference with respect to a neighboring cell is greatly reduced.
Meanwhile, the reception beamforming uses an antenna array in a receiver, and concentrates a wave reception-possible region in a specific direction to increase a reception distance of a signal. The reception beamforming excludes a signal received in other directions than a corresponding direction from reception signals to provide a gain of blocking an interference signal.
In a wireless communication system using either the transmission beamforming or the reception beamforming, an absolute amount of a neighboring cell interference is reduced, such that the use of one or more additional beams in a corresponding cell becomes possible. As such, a technique for increasing a transmission capacity by simultaneously transmitting or receiving one or more beams in different directions in one cell or base station is referred to as spatial/space division multiple access (SDMA).
When beamforming and SDMA are used, an uplink power control method needs to differ from an uplink power control method used in previous cellular environments but in the related art, there is no uplink power control method suitable for a wireless communication system using beamforming and SDMA.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and an apparatus in which a mobile terminal transmits a signal by controlling an uplink transmission power based on neighboring reception beam allocation information in a wireless communication system using beamforming.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Uplink signal transmitting and receiving method and device in a wireless communication system


A semiconductor device includes a substrate, first and second bond pad structures supported by the substrate and spaced from one another by a gap, and a wire bond foot jumper extending across the gap and bonded to the first and second bond pad structures.

Wire bonding is an assembly procedure for semiconductor devices in which wires are attached between, for example, a semiconductor die and packaging leads. In wire bonding, bond wires are attached to bond pads located along the periphery of the semiconductor die. Each wire, or wire bond, establishes an electrical connection between a respective bond pad on the semiconductor die and a respective finger or pin of a package lead. The procedure for each bond wire begins with bonding the wire to the bond pad. The bond wire is then extended to position the other end of the bond wire at the lead finger. Once in position, the bond wire is then bonded to the lead finger. The bond wire is then severed, and the process is repeated for the next wire bond connection.
Ball bonding is one type of wire bonding technique for establishing the connections between the wires and the bond pads and the package leads. Ball bonding involves the application of heat to form the weld or connection. In thermo-compression bonding, bonding wire is fed out of a capillary device. A spark or other heat source melts the end of the wire into a ball, which is positioned over the bond pad. The capillary device pushes the molten ball downward onto the bond pad. A bond is formed as a result of the heat and the compression. Once the bond is formed, more wire is fed out of the capillary device to extend the wire to the lead finger. A molten ball may again be formed and pressed against the lead finger to bond the wire thereto. Another spark or heat source severs the wire and forms the ball for the next bond.
Thermo-sonic bonding is another ball bonding technique in which ultrasonic energy is also used to form the ball and establish the bond. The ultrasonic energy is provided by the capillary device through the bond wire.
Ultrasonic, or wedge, bonding is yet another wire bonding technique. Pressure and ultrasonic forces are applied to the wire to form bonds with the bond pad and the package lead. The wire is then severed through clamping and movement of the bonding machine. Wedge-like bonds known as stitch bonds are also formed at intermediate locations at the die or package in some thermo-compression ball bonding procedures in preparation for forming the next ball.
Wire bonding has been used to form jumper connections. The bond wire extends between two points on the semiconductor device to establish an electrical connection. However, such bond wire jumpers may consume excessive space on the semiconductor die. Space for two bond pads as well as at least the minimum distance involved to allow a wire bonder to create the wire jumper. The bond wire jumper may also present excessive inductance, which may limit device performance.


A signal splitter for reducing noise ingress and a cable television network incorporating such splitters. A signal splitter has an input and a plurality of outputs, where alternate outputs are connected to phase shifting devices. Prevention circuitry is provided for at least preventing the generation of intermodulation products in the phase shifting devices. The prevention circuitry is provided with a pre-connected filter in the form of a high-pass filter for stopping voltage peaks through reflection of the energy contained in the voltage peaks.

Cable television networks are no longer purely distribution networks used for TV and radio distribution, but now also provide access for the customer to the networks. Thus TV and radio signals are distributed from a local centre or optical node by way of a signal splitter with an output connected to each customer. Return traffic from each customer is returned through the splitter to the local centre or optical node and thence to the rest of the network. Such return traffic might include requests for pay-per-view television programmes.
Usually the traffic from the customer to the local centre or optical node is called "return path traffic" or "upstream signals". The upstream signals are transported using a different frequency range than the distribution signals (usually called "downstream signals") originating from the network provider. Modern cable TV networks typically use 5 MHz to 65 MHz for upstream signals and 85 MHz to 862 MHz for downstream signals, although other frequency ranges are also used.
All upstream signals, no matter how they originate, are transported to the local centre or optical node. Thus unwanted noise in upstream signals will also be injected into the network. The unwanted signals originate from various sources but a major part is due to radiation of outside transmitters in the used upstream frequency range. The total sum of these unwanted signals is known as "ingress". The majority of ingress originates from the in-house installation of the customer and is therefore injected into the network at a customer access point. This ingress is a major problem in the network since all these unwanted signals are summed and will limit the signal to noise ratio (and therefore the capacity) of the upstream signals.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a signal splitter circuit which reduces noise ingress into a cable television distribution network.

Signal splitter circuit with prevention circuitry to reduce generation of intermodulation products


Embodiments of the present invention provide structures and methods for controlling stress in semiconductor wafers during fabrication. Features such as deep trenches (DTs) used in circuit elements such as trench capacitors impart stress on a wafer that is proportional to the surface area of the DTs. In embodiments, a corresponding pattern of dummy (non-functional) DTs is formed on the back side of the wafer to counteract the electrically functional DTs formed on the front side of a wafer. In some embodiments, the corresponding pattern on the back side is a mirror pattern that matches the functional (front side) pattern in size, placement, and number. By creating the minor pattern on both sides of the wafer, the stresses on the front and back of the wafer are in balance. This helps reduce topography issues such as warping that can cause problems during wafer fabrication.

A problem area in IC chip manufacturing is achieving the dwindling feature sizes necessary to accomplish greater device densities. The meaning of the term "devices" here comprises all the desirable electrical circuit elements to which those skilled in the integrated circuit arts seek to achieve on their chips. For example, active elements like transistors and diodes, passive elements such as capacitors and resistors, or the substrates, metal wires and insulators used to connect the above into circuits. As lithography advances allow device features to shrink their dimensions horizontally, control of the feature positions and vertical dimensions becomes increasingly difficult and important. As critical dimensions continue to decrease, issues such as topography and overlay errors become more significant in determining product yield. It is therefore desirable to have methods and structures for mitigating issues caused by topography variation and overlay errors.

Wafer stress control with backside patterning


A fuel cell stack induces smooth current collection and liquid or gas flow without using a heavy bipolar plate. The fuel cell stack includes: a membrane and electrode assembly (MEA) in which an electrolyte membrane is disposed between a cathode electrode and an anode electrode; a current collector disposed in the MEA to form an electrical path with an adjacent MEA; and a non-conductive separation plate disposed between the MEA and the adjacent MEA, the non-conductive separation plate forming flow channels to supply a liquid or gas to the cathode electrode and the anode electrode. A fuel cell stack structure having the above structure is simple and lightweight as the MEA includes a thin and lightweight non-conductive polymer separation plate and a current collector to connect adjacent MEAs.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a fuel cell stack structure that is formed by stacking membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and flow channel plates, and more particularly, to a fuel cell stack structure in which a flow channel plate, which is also called a bipolar plate, conventionally formed of graphite or a metal can be replaced by a simple separation plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell is an electricity generator that changes chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy through a chemical reaction. A fuel cell can continuously generate electricity as long as the fuel is supplied. FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating the energy transformation structure of a conventional fuel cell. Referring to FIG. 1, when air that includes oxygen is supplied to a cathode 1 and a fuel containing hydrogen is supplied to an anode 3, electricity is generated by a reverse reaction of water electrolysis through an electrolyte membrane 2. However, the electricity generated by a unit cell does not produce sufficient voltage to be used individually. Therefore, electricity is generated by a stack in which a plurality of unit cells is connected in series.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a structure of a conventional unit cell mounted in a stack. Referring to FIG. 2, the unit cell in a stack has a structure in which electrodes 1 and 3 and an electrolyte membrane 2 are located between a pair of bipolar plates 10. Reaction flow channels 11, through which hydrogen or oxygen to be supplied to the electrodes 1 and 3 flows, are formed in both sides of each bipolar plate 10. Hydrogen and oxygen are externally supplied to the electrodes 1 and 3 through the reaction flow channels 11. The flow channel plate 10 is called a bipolar plate as the flow channels are respectively formed on both sides of the flow channel plate 10. Repeated stacking of unit cells results in the forming of a stack. Here, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 20 includes the cathode and anode electrodes 1 and 3 and the electrolyte membrane 2. A gasket 30 seals an inner space of the unit cell so that hydrogen and oxygen cannot leak outside.
The bipolar plate 10 on which flow channels are formed in both sides thereof is mainly formed of graphite. In such case, there is a high possibility that the bipolar plate 10 can be damaged due to its brittleness when stress is applied to the bipolar plate 10 for a period of time. To solve this problem, the bipolar plate 10 is formed of a metal. However, when the bipolar plate 10 is formed of a metal, there is a handling problem due to the heavy weight of the resultant stack. In order to form flow channels in both sides of the bipolar plate 10, the bipolar plate 10 formed of graphite or a metal the bipolar plate 10 must have a thickness of at least 1 mm; and when a plurality of bipolar plates 10 are stacked, the volume of the stack is large. Also, if the bipolar plate 10 is formed of a metal and used for a period of time, current collection efficiency is reduced due to corrosion of the metal bipolar plate 10. To prevent the decrease in current collection efficiency, it is effective to coat Au on electrical paths. However, in when the electrical paths are coated with Au, the entire bipolar plate 10 must be coated with Au since the bipolar plate 10 itself is an electrical conductor acting as an electrical path. Receiving spaces 12 formed in the bipolar plates 10 are connected to an inlet 10a and an outlet 10b of the bipolar plates 10 so that the oxidizer or fuel can enter and leave the reaction flow channels 11 and contact the cathode 1 and the anode 3 of the MEA 20.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop a fuel cell stack structure in which a stack can be formed having a simple configuration.


A coupling made of composite material including a polymer matrix reinforced by a fiber structure is disclosed. The coupling includes a structural portion reinforced by a main fiber structure, and a first machining portion reinforced by a first fiber structure that is distinct from the main fiber structure. The matrices of the structural portion and of the first machining portion are identical. The first machining portion is situated on at least a fraction of the main face of the structural portion and is machined in a first machining surface. There is no intersection between the first machining surface and the fibers of the main fiber structure.

In mechanical structures, parts are often connected together with the help of couplings. In general, a coupling is defined as being a mechanical part that serves to join together two other parts, or to reinforce a part. In structures where weight saving is sought after, for example in a turbomachine, couplings are often made of composite materials having a polymer matrix reinforced by fibers such as carbon fibers, glass fibers, or Kevlar® fibers. Such composite materials present density that is considerably smaller than that of the light alloys commonly in use, and they present better mechanical performance (in terms of stiffness and resistance to rupture).
By way of example, a coupling may be annular in shape. Such an annular coupling may be of the type used for joining a retention casing with an air inlet sleeve or an intermediate casing shroud. It may possess at one of its axial ends (i.e. at one end along its axis of symmetry) an angled region or "flange" joining the tubular central portion of the coupling at the end of the coupling, which flange extends substantially radially. This end includes holes for receiving bolts enabling the annular coupling to be secured with the structure against which said end comes into contact.
More-recent composite materials are made by preparing a three-dimensional fiber preform, i.e. by weaving or braiding fibers in three dimensions. Such a preform is subsequently densified with a polymer in order to make the finished composite part, in which the yarns of the preform are embedded within a solid polymer matrix.
By way of example, one known technique for achieving such densification is liquid impregnation: a distinction is drawn between infusion and injection. With the infusion technique, the preform is placed between a mold half and a cover, a chemical precursor of the polymer is then infiltrated while in liquid form via one end of the preform while a vacuum is established between the mold half and the cover. Under the action of the vacuum, the precursor diffuses throughout the preform, after which it is polymerized by heat treatment so as to be solidified. In the injection technique, the preform is placed in a mold and then the liquid precursor is injected into the mold via a plurality of points until the entire mold is filled (the resin transfer molding (RTM) method), and is then polymerized by heat treatment.
Another known technique for densifying the preform is chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). The preform is then placed in an enclosure and a gaseous phase containing a precursor of the polymer is admitted into the enclosure. Under the temperature and pressure conditions that are established inside the enclosure, the gas diffuses into the preform where it transforms into a polymer on coming into contact with the fibers of the preform.
In order to ensure that the coupling has adequate mechanical behavior, it is necessary for the outer surfaces thereof to match exactly the surfaces of the part with which the coupling comes into contact and to which it is assembled.
Unfortunately, the geometrical specifications for coupling assemblies (or coupling reinforcements) are very varied. The technique consisting in making a different mold for each assembly configuration is not economically viable. Furthermore, for a coupling that possesses a flange, in particular an annular coupling in which the flange is circumferential, the preform can never be deformed sufficiently to match exactly the outlines of the mold in the corners of the flange, since the radius of curvature in these corners is too small. As a result, after densification, the corners of the coupling are zones that are rich in polymer, and therefore mechanically weaker.
In order to accommodate all existing geometrical specifications for couplings, it is therefore necessary to machine those regions of such couplings that come into contact with the surfaces of adjacent parts.
Unfortunately, it is not acceptable to machine the coupling since any such machining would cut through the fibers of the preform, thereby compromising the mechanical integrity of the coupling, since it is the fibers that provide it with mechanical strength.

Composite coupling with a machining portion


A liquid crystal display includes a first panel, a second panel facing and separated from the first panel, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second panels, a plurality of sensor data lines formed on the second panel, a plurality of variable capacitors of which capacitance thereof is varied by pressure, the variable capacitors connected to the sensor data lines, a plurality of reference capacitors connected to the sensor data lines, and first reset transistors and second reset transistors connected to the sensor data lines and supplying a first reset voltage and a second reset voltage to the sensor data lines at different times, respectively.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a liquid crystal display ("LCD") and a method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to an LCD having sensing units detecting touch position and a method of detecting touch position using the sensing units.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays ("LCDs") typically include a pair of panels that are provided with pixel electrodes and a common electrode, as well as a liquid crystal layer with dielectric anisotropy interposed between the two panels. The pixel electrodes are typically arranged in a matrix pattern and are connected to switching elements, such as thin film transistors ("TFTs"), such that they receive image data voltages row by row. The common electrode covers the entire surface of one of the two panels and is supplied with a common voltage. A pixel electrode and corresponding portions of the common electrode and corresponding portions of the liquid crystal layer form a liquid crystal capacitor that, along with a switching element connected thereto, is a basic element of a pixel.
An LCD generates electric fields by applying voltages to the pixel electrodes and the common electrode, and the strength of the electric fields applied thereto are varied in order to adjust the transmittance of light passing through the liquid crystal layer, thereby displaying images.
Touch screen panels write or draw letters or pictures by touching a finger, a touch pen, or a stylus to a display panel or carry out desired operations of machines such as computers, etc., by operating icons. LCDs attached to the touch screen panels determine whether touch is made with the display panel (e.g., via a finger, the touch pen, etc.) and, if so, a corresponding touch position. While these panels provide certain advantages, the manufacturing costs of the LCDs that incorporate touch screen panels are high compared to the costs of LCDs that do not employ touch screen panels. Furthermore, the process used in attaching the touch screen panel to the LCD causes a reduction in the yield and the luminance of the LCD, as well as an increase in the thickness of the LCD.
For solving the above problems, a plurality of photo sensing units, which are implemented with thin film transistors, may be integrated into pixels displaying images of the LCD. The photo sensing unit senses the variation of light incident upon the display panel by a touch of the finger or an implement of a user, to determine whether there has been touch with the display panel and a touch position.
However, these photo sensing units are influenced by characteristics such as intensity of external light, intensity of light from a back light unit included in the LCD, and temperature, thereby resulting in a decrease in the accuracy of a corresponding sensing operation.

Liquid crystal display and method thereof


The present invention reveals bioabsorbable staples and methods for tissue closure. The first type of staple is a one-piece bioabsorbable staple constructed of an elongate body and a locking mechanism, where the locking mechanism is made up of a retainer having a central tunnel and is located at the first end of the elongate body, and an arrow head located at the second end of the elongate body. The second type of staple is a two-piece staple for tissue closure constructed of a first elongate body having a leg connected to an arrow head at each end and a second elongate body having a retainer at each end, where each retainer contains an eyelet. Each method for tissue closure involves grasping and holding the tissue to be closed, forcing a bioabsorbable staple through the tissue, and locking the staple.

1. Field of the Ivention
The present invention discloses new bioabsorbable staples and methods for tissue closure. These bioabsorbable staples improve the consistency and reliability of the suturing process, and facilitate the wound closure process. The staples are delivered through a separate staple delivery device.
The first type of bioabsorbable staple is comprised of a single piece. The one-piece staple has three parts, namely, an elongated body, a retainer at one end of the elongated body, and an arrow head at the other end of the elongated body. The retainer has a tunnel passing through its core. The arrow head is inserted through the tunnel of the retainer and forms a secure lock with the retainer. The secured arrow head, retainer, and elongated body form a closed ellipsoid suture structure.
The other type of bioabsorbable staple is comprised of two pieces. The two-piece staple or suture is comprised of a first elongated body having a leg connected to an arrow head at each end and a second elongated body having a retainer at each end, where each retainer contains an eyelet. The arrow heads are separately inserted into the eyelets of the retainers. The secured arrow heads, retainers, and elongated bodies form a closed ellipsoid suture structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because of the advantages over conventional suturing techniques, mechanical stapling is now widely used in surgical procedures. Wound closure with stainless steel staples has resulted, for example, in decreased tissue trauma, a reduction in the length of hospital stay, and a lower infection rate (see, for example, Steckel et al., Experimental Evaluation of Absorbable Copolymer Staples for Hysterectomy, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Vol. 68, No.3, pp. 404-410, September 1986).
Numerous types of surgical staples have been reported. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,220 (Engelsher) discloses a suture guard device comprised of an outer tube, an inner tube, and a locking means. The suture guard is semirigid and preferably made of polyethylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,350 (Golden et al.) discloses a two-piece tissue fastener comprised of an open loop fastening member having two legs with rows of rounded protrusions and a receiver. The legs of the fastening member are inserted into bores of the receiver and the rounded protrusions cooperate with a bore to form a secure connection.
Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,285 (Wilk) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,913 (Wilk et al.) disclose a one-piece suture device comprised of:
a) a thread provided with a series of resilient projections along a portion of its length,
b) a loop defining an opening,
c) a joining means for connecting one end of the thread to the loop, and
d) locking means.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,604 (Vincent) discloses a one-piece gastric band comprised of a body portion with a tail end and a buckle. The tail end of the body portion is inserted into the buckle to form a loop.
However, none of these patents disclose bioabsorbable staples and all are patentably distinguishable over the bioabsorbable staples of the present invention. Furthermore, none of these patents are believed to have any direct relevance to the patentability of the bioabsorbable staples of the present invention.
Although the advantages of stapling are numerous, complications associated with the use of steel staples led to the development of bioabsorbable staples.
Bioabsorbable staples were developed by combining different concentrations of lactide and glycolide, polymerized under varying conditions to enhance their rate of hydrolysis and absorption from tissues. In the early 1980s, lactomer absorbable plastic staples, e.g., polysorb, became available for use in hysterectomy in women. Lactomer staples are hard and opaque, and are unlike conventional metallic staples in that they are not bent during their application to form the shape of a "B". Rather, each copolymer staple is composed of two parts: a "U"-shaped fastener and an "8"-shaped retainer. When the stapling instrument is fired, the fastener is forced through the tissue and locks into its retainer. Currently available lactomer staples retain about 75% of their initial strength during the first postoperative week, with 40% tensile strength retention at about 2 weeks. The staples begin fragmenting after 3 to 4 weeks, and absorption follows. Numerous types of bioabsorbable surgical staples have been reported. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,352 (Korthoff) discloses a two-piece surgical fastener made from an absorbable resinous material. The surgical fastener is comprised of a base and a prong-containing member. Each prong is inserted into an aperture in the base to form a secure connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,923 (Kronenthal) discloses a two-piece surgical fastener made from a synthetic absorbable polymer containing an absorbable glass filler. The surgical fastener is comprised of a staple and a receiver. The staple is inserted into openings in the receiver to form a secure connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,741 (Smith) discloses a two-piece surgical staple made from a blend of a lactide/glycolide copolymer and poly(p-dioxanone). The surgical staple is comprised of a base with two legs and a receiver. The legs of the base are inserted into receptacles in the receiver to form a secure connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,119 (Jamiolkowski et al.) discloses a two-piece surgical fastener made from a glycolide-rich blend of two or more polymers. The surgical fastener is comprised of a base with two legs and a receiver. The legs of the base are inserted into receptacles in the receiver to form a secure connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,829 (Hermes) discloses a two-piece biodegradable surgical device comprised of a fastener with two prongs and a receiver. The prongs of the fastener are inserted into the receiver to form a secure connection. Both the fastener and the receiver contain a hollow core region.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,479 (Shichman et al.) discloses a biodegradable two-piece surgical clip comprised of a fastener and a retainer. The fastener has a set of legs containing gripping means adapted to be engaged by the retainer. When the legs of the fastener are engaged by the retainer, a closed connection is formed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,542 (Alesi, Jr.) discloses a biodegradable one-piece surgical strap assembly having a flexible elongated strap and a buckle attached to one end of the strap. A portion of the strap contains a plurality of ratchet teeth. The ratchet teeth of the strap engage a locking mechanism in the buckle to form a loop.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,619 (Peters et al.) discloses a biodegradable one-piece or two-piece surgical device comprised of an eye with a latching pawl and a flexible strip with ratchet teeth. The ratchet teeth of the flexible strip engage with the latching pawl of the eye to form a loop.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,295 (Yoon) discloses an apparatus for suturing tissue comprised of a knotting element connected between two length portions of filamentous suture material to form a contractile loop for confining segments of the length portions therein.
However, each of these patents is patentably distinguishable over the bioabsorbable staples of the present invention and none of these patents are believed to have any direct relevance to the patentability of the bioabsorbable staples of the present invention.
A thorough review of the field of bioabsorbable staples and stapling instrumentation has been reported by Michael M. Pavletic and Anthony Schwartz in Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, Volume 24, Number 2, pages 247-278, March 1994.


The liquid crystal display device of the invention has a plurality of pixels, each including a first electrode 111, a second electrode 131 and a vertically aligned liquid crystal layer 120 interposed between the first and second electrodes. The first electrode has at least one opening 114 or cut 113 formed at a predetermined position in the pixel. At least one shading conductive layer 116 electrically connected to the first electrode is formed at least near the at least one opening or cut. In each of the plurality of pixels, a plurality of regions in which the directions of tilt of liquid crystal molecules are different from one another are formed when at least a predetermined voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and more particularly relates to a liquid crystal display device suitably used for portable information terminals (for example, PDAs), mobile phones, car-mounted liquid crystal displays, digital cameras, PCs, amusement equipment, TVs and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The information infrastructure is advancing day to day, and equipment such as mobile phones, PDAs, digital cameras, video cameras and car navigators has penetrated deeply into people's lives. Liquid crystal display (LCD) devices have been adopted in most of such equipment. With increase of the information amount handled with the main bodies of the equipment, LCD devices are requested to display a larger amount of information, and are demanded by the market for higher contrast, a wider viewing angle, higher brightness, multiple colors and higher definition.
A vertical alignment mode using a vertically aligned liquid crystal layer has increasingly received attention as a display mode enabling high contrast and a wide viewing angle. The vertically aligned liquid crystal layer is generally obtained using a vertical alignment film and a liquid crystal material having negative dielectric anisotropy.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-301036 (Literature 1) discloses an LCD device in which an inclined electric field is generated around an opening formed in a counter electrode that faces a pixel electrode via a liquid crystal layer, so that liquid crystal molecules surrounding liquid crystal molecules existing in the opening, which are in the vertically aligned state, are aligned in inclined directions around the opening as the center, to thereby improve the visual angle characteristics.
However, in the device described in Literature 1, it is difficult to generate an inclined electric field over the entire region of each pixel. Therefore, each pixel has a region in which liquid crystal molecules delay in response to a voltage, and this causes a problem of occurrence of an afterimage phenomenon.
To solve the above problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-47217 (Literature 2) discloses an LCD device in which a plurality of openings regularly arranged are provided in a pixel electrode or a counter electrode, to form a plurality of liquid crystal domains each having axisymmetric alignment in each pixel.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-167253 (Literature 3) discloses a technology in which a plurality of projections are provided regularly in each pixel to stabilize the aligned state of liquid crystal domains having radially inclined alignment formed around the projections. This literature also discloses using an inclined electric field generated at openings formed in an electrode, together with the alignment regulating force of the projections, to regulate the alignment of liquid crystal molecules, and thus improve the display characteristics.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-242225 (Literature 4) discloses a vertically aligned LCD device (MVA LCD device) having a plurality of slits (openings or cuts) extending in parallel with one another and projections or depressions formed in an electrode in each pixel.
In recent years, a type of LCD device providing high-quality display both outdoors and indoors has been proposed (see Japanese Patent Gazette No. 2955277 (Literature 5) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,140 (Literature 6), for example). In this type of LCD device, called a transflective LCD device, each pixel has a reflection region in which display is done in the reflection mode and a transmission region in which display is done in the transmission mode.
The currently available transflective LCD devices adopt an ECB mode, a TN mode and the like. Literature 3 described above also discloses adoption of the vertical alignment mode for, not only a transmissive LCD device, but also a transflective LCD device. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-350853 (Literature 7) discloses a technology in which in a transflective LCD device having a vertically aligned liquid crystal layer, the alignment (multi-axis alignment) of liquid crystal molecules is controlled with depressions formed on an insulating layer. The insulating layer is provided to make the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in a transmission region twice as large as that in a reflection region. According to this literature, the depressions are in the shape of a regular octagon, for example, and projections or slits (electrode openings) are formed at positions opposed to the depressions via the liquid crystal layer (see FIGS. 4 and 16 of Literature 7, for example).
In the devices having openings and/or cuts in electrodes in pixels as described in Literature 1 to 4, problems such as overetching and peeling off of a conductive film constituting the electrodes may occur in formation of the openings and cuts by etching, and as a result, the electrodes may be cut off and regions having no voltage supply may be formed. Formation of regions shut off from supply of a predetermined voltage in pixels will be recognized as display defects (black points in normally black mode display).
Also, when openings or cuts (electrical alignment regulating structure) and projections and depressions (physical alignment regulating structure) are provided as alignment regulating structures as described in Literature 1 to 7, liquid crystal molecules near such alignment regulating structures are inclined more greatly (closer to the horizon) than liquid crystal molecules in the other regions. Regions having such alignment regulating structures are therefore observed as brighter than the other regions in normally black display. In particular, the physical alignment regulating structures, which use the effect of the shapes of the projections and depressions and the like, exert their alignment regulating forces even during non-voltage application. Light leakage therefore occurs even in the black display state and this causes decrease in contrast ratio.
In view of the above, a major object of the present invention is providing a liquid crystal display device in which occurrence of display defects caused by cutting off of electrodes in pixels, which may otherwise occur when openings or cuts are formed in the electrodes, is prevented. Another object of the present invention is providing a liquid crystal display device in which reduction in contrast ratio due to light leakage, which may otherwise occur with alignment regulating structures formed in pixels, is suppressed.
Yet another object of the present invention is providing a transflective liquid crystal display device having a transparent dielectric layer in each reflection region, which has improved display quality.

Liquid crystal display device comprising a shading conductive layer formed at least near an opening or cut of an electrode


A network device (100) detects a network problem in a medical system (105). A reception module (110) receives current medical system process data. A monitoring module (120) detects predefined events (124) based on the process data and triggers a detection signal (132) output in the presence of a predefined event. A sending module (130) sends the detection signal to a predefined device address (134) via a network (140). The predefined events include: a predefined plurality of unsuccessful password entry attempts within a predefined first time period; an unsuccessful encryption within an encryption protocol framework; a predefined plurality of outputs via the network triggered via the network within a predefined second time period; an output of a signal, which is to be carried out, has been unsuccessful; and a predefined number of messages have been received within the framework of a service discovery within a predefined third time period.

It is known that a medical device outputs a corresponding warning message when a network problem is detected by the medical device. Furthermore, the forwarding of an alarm signal to alarm generators is known. Thus, DE 10 2015 009 087 A1 describes a regional and chronological assignment of alarm signals by an alarm source to a plurality of alarm generators.

Network device and medical system for the detection of at least one network problem


A semiconductor wafer boat used in a vertical CVD apparatus includes four columns fixed to upper and lower support plates. Each of the columns has a plurality of first grooves arranged at regular intervals in the vertical direction so as to place wafers in substantially parallel to each other, and a plurality of second grooves formed alternately with the first grooves. A plate ring is provided for each of the second grooves so as to improve the uniformity of thickness of a film to be formed on each wafer. Each ring has an outer diameter larger than that of a wafer, and an inner diameter smaller than that of the wafer. Each ring is placed such that there is a clearance for transferring each wafer between each ring and each wafer in the vertical direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vertical boat used for heat treatment of a semiconductor wafer, and a vertical heat treatment apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an vertical CVD apparatus for processing a number of semiconductor wafers in a batch manner, wafers are placed in a wafer boat, which is further loaded on the process chamber. The boat is made of a heat-proof quartz or the like, and has a structure having wafer placement positions arranged in the vertical direction such as to have an interval between adjacent wafers when placed.
Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application (PUJPA) No. 61-247048, and PUJPA No. 3-83730 disclose a structure in which rings each encircling a wafer are placed at the placement positions. With the structure set forth in each of these reference, a wafer is directly set on a ring. A ring serves to improve the uniformity of thickness within the surface of the thin film formed on a wafer.
U.S. patent application 07/765,888 (filed Sep. 26, 1991) discloses a structure in which a number of quartz support stands are provided on each of the rings, and a wafer is set on the stands. With this structure, there is created a gap between the ring and the wafer, and therefore it becomes easy to transfer wafers onto or from a boat, and to supply process gas thereonto.
With the structure set forth in each of the PUJPA Nos. 61-247048 and 3-83730, there must be provided a mechanism for lifting a wafer above from the ring when the wafer is transferred onto or from the boat. Since this lifting mechanism is used in combination with the transfer mechanism, an interval between adjacent wafer placement positions must be taken wide. With the structure disclosed in U.S. application No. 07/765,888, formation process of the support stands is complicated, and therefore it is difficult to achieve a high dimensional precision for each stand. As a result, it is necessary to provide a wide interval between adjacent wafer placement positions so as to compensate for the dimensional precision.
For the reason stated above, the interval between adjacent wafer placement positions is generally set at 9/16 inches in the above-described structures. The interval between adjacent placement positions depends on the number of wafers mounted on a boat having a predetermined length, and must be set as narrow as possible.
Further, with the structures described above, the thickness of the rings cannot be reduced because the rings must have a certain mechanical strength to support a wafer. In particular, with the latter structure, the rings must have a such strength that they can remain during process of the support stands. More specifically, for a semiconductor wafer generally having a thickness of 0.6 mm to 0.7 mm, the thickness of each ring should be 3 mm, about 4.5 to 5 times as thick as the wafer. However, a thick ring is not desirable, because it not only entails a high production cost, but also provides a thermal capacity more than necessary, to the periphery of a wafer.

Vertical boat used for heat treatment of semiconductor wafer and vertical heat treatment apparatus


An information filtering apparatus for receiving articles, such as texts or images, from information sources to select predetermined articles from the supplied articles to a user has a storage portion, an article retrieving portion, a determining portion and a presentation portion. The storage portion stores retrieving conditions previously specified for each user. The article retrieving portion retrieves the supplied articles to select articles which satisfy the retrieving conditions for each user. The determining portion calculates similarities among the articles selected by the article retrieving portion or the selected articles and other articles to determine relevant articles for each article in accordance with the similarities. The presentation portion adds information of the determined relevant articles to the selected articles to present the articles and information to the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information filtering apparatus for selecting articles from a great quantity of text articles that are required by a user or that meet requirements and interests of the user so as to periodically present the selected articles to the user, and a method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, wide use of word processors and computers and that of electronic mail and electronic news through computer networks has resulted in electronic documents being spread rapidly.
As can be understood from the term "electronic publication", it can be considered that presentation of information of the contents of newspapers, magazines and books will be given generally. As a result, an expectation can be performed that the quantity of text information that is available in real time for persons is enlarged.
Therefore, there has arisen a requirement for an information filtering system or an information filtering service for selecting a text article from a great quantity of text articles of newspaper and magazines that meets requirements and interests of a user to periodically present the selected article to the user.
Conventional information filtering systems have been arranged to retrieve articles that meet a user profile expressing requirements and interests of a user and to give a presentation of the overall body of the articles while lining up the articles.
Generally, the user profile contained a plurality of topics in which a user is interested in.
Moreover, a function called "Relevance Feedback" has been realized with which the availability of the presented article is determined by a user and information about the determination is reflected onto the user profile to improve the adaptability in the ensuing information filtering operations.
However, the conventional systems, having the simple structure such that the selected articles are enumerated so as to be presented to the user, has a problem in that the user cannot easily recognize the relationship between the articles presented this time and those which have previously been presented.
Moreover, the simple presentation of articles performed by the conventional systems lacks information about the topic and the retrieval conditions of the topic with which matching has been made and which has thus caused the article to be presented to the user and information about the method of other users to read the presented article. Therefore, a great labor has been required to determine the availability of the article and consistency cannot easily be maintained.
It is effective for the information filtering system to perform double filtering such that an important article is selected and then an important text in the article is partially selected in view of effectively collecting information from a long article. However, since the conventional system has the structure such that a text having an appropriate length has been mechanically extracted, there arises a problem in that unnecessary information is sometimes included or required information is lacking.
Since the conventional system has the simple structure such that a text to be presented to the user is selected in accordance with similarity of the text supplied from a news source and the retrieval condition, texts even having the same contents are supplied in a disordered manner.
The information filtering system of the foregoing type has been structured under condition that all articles to be supplied from a news source are written in a single language (for example, English) and the system has been designed to be used in only the subject language zone. Therefore, articles obtained from a news source in another language zone cannot be mixed and supplied to the user.
To provide a news source having articles supplied in a certain language zone and a news source having articles in another language zone are mixed and supplied to a user, a system having a structure such that information filtering apparatuses respectively realized in the subject languages are provided individually are insufficient. If the information filtering apparatuses are provided individually, the user is required to set retrieval conditions for each information filtering apparatus. Moreover, articles written in different languages but having the same contents sometimes coexist. Therefore, the system simply having individual information filtering apparatuses encounters a problem in that duplicate articles are supplied to a user.
An object of the present invention is to provide an information filtering apparatus capable of giving a presentation of the relevance of articles to be supplied to a user by information filtering and enabling the user to recognize the relevance of the articles, and to a method therefor.

Information filtering apparatus for selecting predetermined article from plural articles to present selected article to user, and method therefore


The invention provides methods, compositions and kits for the identification and enrichment of progenitor cell lines obtained from pluripotent stem cells.

Pluripotent stem cells (PS), such as human pluripotent stem (hPS) cells, are capable of immortal proliferation in vitro and differentiation into derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers (Cohen D E, Melton D (2011) Nat Rev Genet 12: 243). As a result, the isolation of hPS cells, which include human embryonic stem (hES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (Blanpain et al. (2012) Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 13: 471), has spurred new avenues of research to evaluate their potential to provide a renewable source of human cells for basic research and as replacement cells for the treatment of injury, aging, or any one of a number of intractable degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, Parkinson's and perhaps even Alzheimer's disease (Cohen D E, Melton D (2011) Nat Rev Genet 12: 243; Blanpain et al. (2012) Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 13: 471). Reprogramming methods for creating iPS cells from somatic cells (Nakagawa (2010) Adv Exp Med Biol 695: 215) have greatly expanded the number and diversity of PS cell lines, including hPS cell lines, available for research. Donor-derived hPS cells are a source of patient matched cell types for disease modeling (Tiscornia et al. (2011) Nat Med 17: 1570), drug screening (Laposa (2011) J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 58: 240), and the development of potential autologous cell replacement therapies (Nelson et al. (2010) Stem Cells Cloning 3: 29). However, there remains a need for efficient directed differentiation methods and improved cell purification technologies for deriving various cell types with sufficient purity and known identity to meet the standards required for translation into routine clinical application.
Current directed differentiation methods for obtaining specific mature cell types from hPS cells are sometimes limited by low efficiencies of reproducibly yielding the desired cell types, and in certain instances, such preparations rarely exceed 30% purity (Cohen, Melton (2011) Nat Rev Genet 12: 243). One approach to increasing the yield is enrichment of desired cell types using one or more progenitor-specific markers. For example, cell enrichment using surface antigens that define progenitor populations has been used to improve the yield of the desired cell types such as neural and cardiomyocyte progenitors (Dubois et al. (2011) Nat Biotechnol 29: 1011; Yuan et al. (2011) PLoS One 6: e17540). Progenitor surface markers could also be useful for monitoring and validating hPS differentiation and for high throughput screening of reagents that stimulate differentiation toward a given lineage. However, apart from mapped hematopoietic progenitor markers, there is a paucity of validated cell surface antigens for most embryonic progenitor cell lineages.
Phage display is a powerful ligand selection method that has been applied both in vitro and in vivo for the identification of cell-specific targeting peptides (Molek et al. (2011) Molecules 16: 857; Teesalu et al. (2012) Methods Enzymol 503: 35). Peptide libraries displayed on phage particles are selected by repeated rounds of enrichment for target binding phage. Displayed peptides, genetically expressed on phage coat proteins, are identified by sequencing recovered phage DNA. A distinct advantage of phage display is that it is a non-biased approach that does not require prior knowledge of the targeted cell surface receptor. However, selection against a mixed population of differentiated hPS cells is challenging because the cellular heterogeneity limits the abundance of each of the various cell type specific surface targets. Clonal expansion of cells derived from hPS cell differentiation could provide a more abundant source of progenitor cell surface targets for phage selection. Over 140 distinct clonal embryonic progenitor cell lines have been derived from hES cells using a combinatorial cell cloning approach (the ACTCellerate Initiative) that resulted in a diverse assortment of clonally pure, scalable cell lines that were selected under a variety of cell culture and differentiation conditions (West et al. (2008) Regen Med 3: 287). Characterization of these clonal progenitors could result in the identification of markers associated with progenitor cell types of specific organs and tissues allowing for both enrichment of specific progenitors from a mixed population of cells, as well as the monitoring of the development potential of these progenitor cells both in vivo and in vitro.
The instant invention addresses a variety of needs known in the art, including, but not limited to, the identification of markers associated with progenitor cell lines and the enrichment of progenitor cell types for use in research and clinical applications.

Methods and compositions for targeting progenitor cell lines


The present invention is directed towards an improved golf ball that includes a high-specific gravity central sphere encapsulated in a soft and resilient shell layer. The soft-resilient shell may be formed of polybutadiene rubber. This shell is subsequently wound with thread a wound core, which is then covered. The sphere can be formed of a solid metal or molded of high-specific gravity powder retained in a binding material.

This invention relates to golf balls and, more particularly, to wound golf balls with high specific gravity centers.
Conventional golf balls have been designed to provide particular playing characteristics. These characteristics are generally initial velocity, compression, and spin of the golf ball, and they can be optimized for various types of players. For instance, certain players prefer a ball that has a high spin rate in order to control the ball flight and stop the golf ball on impact with the greens. This type of ball, however, may not provide maximum distance. Other players prefer a ball that has a low spin rate and high resiliency to maximize distance.
Generally, golf balls have been classified as wound balls or solid balls. Wound balls are generally constructed from a liquid or solid center surrounded by an elastic thread wound in tension to form a wound core. This wound core is then surrounded by a cover. Wound balls are generally thought of as performance golf balls. When struck by a golf club, these balls have good resiliency, relatively high spin rate, and xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d feel. Wound balls are generally more difficult to manufacture than solid golf balls.
Some early solid or non-wound golf balls contained metal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,613 to Walker discloses a practice golf ball with a dense metal-containing core surrounded with a thick layer of resilient material. To this, a fabric cover is bound. U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,126 to Gentiluomo discloses a non-wound ball that includes a dense center of steel surrounded by a molded encapsulating mass of a low density resilient synthetic elastomer composition. Both of these patents disclose solid or non-wound balls that include metal.
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 1,946,378 to Young and U.S. Pat. No. 2,914,328 to Harkins disclose golf balls that include wound layers. For example, the Young patent discloses a spherical center weight of metal with an intermediate sphere of soft rubber thereon. Windings of rubber are disposed about the intermediate layer and an outer casing is formed thereon. Since high cis, polybutadiene was first introduced in 1956, the Young patent that was filed in 1931 and issued in 1934, did not disclose the use of such a compound. The commercial product related to the Harkins patent was the First Flight(trademark) golf ball. The Harkins patent does not disclose the use of polybutadiene and the First Flight(trademark) balls were not manufactured using polybutadiene.
The balls in Table I are formed with a steel inner sphere surrounded by an outer sphere or shell to form a center. The outer sphere is formed of natural rubber, designated NR, and possibly styrene butadiene rubber, designated SBR. No polybutadiene is used.
In conventional balls, when polybutadiene forms a core layer of the golf ball it typically includes enough high density fillers to alter the weight of such a layer. The amount of high density fillers used is, however, less than about 10 parts per hundred based upon 100 parts per hundred of polybutadiene. These fillers have two unfortunate side effects, they increase the hardness of the center and reduce the ball""s resiliency.
Therefore, a need exists for a golf ball with lower hardness or compression but with greater resiliency. The improved golf balls of the present invention to provide as disclosed herein provides such a golf ball.
The present invention is directed towards an improved golf ball that includes a high-specific gravity central sphere encapsulated in a soft and resilient shell layer.
In one embodiment, the sphere is formed of metal and the soft-resilient shell is formed of polybutadiene rubber molded thereon. This shell is subsequently wound with thread that is preferably elastic to form a wound core. This wound core is then covered. One feature of the metal sphere is that it has a specific gravity of at least about 6.0.
In this embodiment, the sphere has a sphere diameter less than about 0.5 inches and the subassembly with the shell has a shell diameter equal to or greater than about 1.3 inches. Further in this embodiment, the wound core can include a wound core diameter of greater than about 1.55 inches.
Preferably, the inventive golf ball has a compression of less than about 90, and more preferably the compression is between about 40 and about 80.
Preferably, the wound layer is formed of at least one spun elastic thread, and the sphere is formed of a solid metallic material. In this embodiment, the metallic material is formed from one of the following: tungsten, steel, brass, titanium, lead, zinc, copper, iron, silver, platinum, gold, or alloys thereof.
In another embodiment, the sphere is molded of high-specific gravity powder retained in a binding material. Preferably, the binding material is a thermoplastic compound, and the high specific gravity filler is metallic powder. A soft-resilient layer is disposed on the sphere and preferably is formed of polybutadiene rubber molded thereon. This layer is subsequently wound with thread that is preferably elastic to form a wound core. This wound core is then covered.
In yet another embodiment, the binding material can be a thermosetting compound.
According to one feature of this embodiment, the metallic powder is formed from one of the following: steel, brass, titanium, lead, zinc, copper, tungsten, bismuth, nickel, molybdenum, iron, bronze, cobalt, silver, platinum, gold, or alloys thereof. In addition, the sphere has a mass, the metallic powder forms a first percentage of the mass, the binding material forms a second percentage of the mass, and the first percentage is greater than the second percentage.
According to another embodiment, the wound golf ball of the present invention comprises a sphere having a specific gravity of above about 6.0, at least one molded shell, a wound layer, and a cover. The molded shell is formed around the sphere to form a center. The center has a diameter equal to or greater than about 1.25 inches. The wound layer is disposed about the center to form a wound core, and the cover surrounds the wound core.
In alternative embodiments, the center has a diameter of greater than about 1.3 inches or greater than about 1.4 inches.
In this embodiment, the sphere can be formed of a solid metallic material or of metallic powder retained in a binding material.
In yet another embodiment, the center further includes a first shell disposed on the sphere and a second shell disposed on the first shell, wherein the first shell is a molded layer and the second shell is a wound layer. According to one feature of this embodiment, the first shell has a first Shore D hardness and the second shell has a second Shore D hardness different from the first Shore D hardness by at least 5. The first Shore D hardness can be greater than or less than the second Shore D hardness.
The present invention is further directed to a wound golf ball that comprises a solid sphere formed of a metal material, at least one molded shell, at least one wound layer, and a cover. The molded shell is formed around the sphere to form a center. The shell includes a rubber material and has the center has a diameter greater than about 1.25 inches. The wound layer is disposed about the center to form a wound core, and the cover surrounds the wound core.
In one embodiment, the wound layer can be formed of a thread that includes a mixture of synthetic cis-1,4 polyisoprene rubbers, natural rubber and a curing system. Alternatively, the wound layer can be formed of a thread that includes a polyurea material. In another embodiment, the cover is formed of one of the following: balata, gutta percha, an ionomer or a blend of ionomers, polyurethane, polyurea-based composition, epoxy-urethane-based compositions, single sitexe2x80x94including metallocenexe2x80x94catalyzed polyolefins, cast elastomers, or combinations thereof.
In another embodiment, the sphere can have a diameter greater than about 0.4 inches, and/or an outer hardness of the wound core is greater than about 55 Shore D.
According to features of the present invention the golf ball cover includes at least two layers. In addition or in the alternative, this golf ball includes at least two wound layers.

Wound golf balls with high specific gravity centers


The photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion circuit for outputting photocurrent generated in a photoelectric conversion element as output voltage subjected to logarithmic compression by a first diode element, a reference voltage generation circuit for outputting reference voltage subjected to logarithmic compression by a second diode element in accordance with the amount of current flowing to a resistor, an arithmetic circuit for outputting an output signal obtained by amplifying a difference between the output voltage output from the photoelectric conversion circuit and the reference voltage output from the reference voltage generation circuit, and an output circuit for outputting current corresponding to the logarithmically-compressed output voltage output from the photoelectric conversion circuit by the output signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photoelectric conversion devices and electronic devices having the photoelectric conversion devices. In particular, the present invention relates to photoelectric conversion devices in which output signals are logarithmically converted and electronic devices having the photoelectric conversion devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
A large number of photoelectric conversion devices generally used for detecting electromagnetic waves are known. For example, photoelectric conversion devices having sensitivity to ultraviolet rays to infrared rays are generally referred to as optical sensors. Among optical sensors, an optical sensor having sensitivity to a visible light region with a wavelength greater than or equal to 400 nm and less than or equal to 700 nm is particularly referred to as a visible light sensor. A large number of visible light sensors are used for devices which need illuminance adjustment, on/off control, or the like depending on human living environment.
In some display devices, ambient brightness of the display devices is detected so that display luminance is adjusted. This is because with optical sensors, visibility can be improved or wasted power consumption can be reduced by detecting ambient brightness and obtaining appropriate display luminance. For example, examples of display devices having optical sensors for adjusting luminance are mobile phones, computers provided with display portions, and the like. In addition, not only ambient brightness of the display portions but also the luminance of display devices, in particular, the luminance of backlights of liquid crystal display devices is detected with optical sensors so that the luminance of display screens is adjusted.
An optical sensor, which is a photoelectric conversion device, uses a photoelectric conversion element such as a photodiode for a light sensing portion, supplies photocurrent generated in the photoelectric conversion element to a resistor, and can detect light intensity in accordance with obtained output voltage (see Reference 1). Further, the photocurrent generated in the photoelectric conversion element is amplified in an amplifier circuit so that weak light is detected. A current mirror circuit is used as the amplifier circuit, for example (see Reference 2).
In a photoelectric conversion device disclosed in Reference 2, when light intensity of weak light to strong light is to be detected, the range of photocurrent amplified is wider. Therefore, in the case where photocurrent amplified by external load resistance or the like is converted into voltage, output voltage increases linearly with respect to illuminance. Accordingly, when output voltage is to be obtained in a wide illuminance range, several milli-volts are obtained in the case of weak light, and several volts are obtained in the case of strong light. Thus, due to limitations on a circuit (e.g., power supply voltage), it is difficult to broaden the dynamic range of illuminance as an optical sensor.
Meanwhile, in order to broaden the dynamic range of illuminance in a photoelectric conversion device, output having the level of voltage subjected to logarithmic compression (hereinafter referred to as output voltage) is obtained by supplying photocurrent generated in a photoelectric conversion element to a diode element (see Reference 3). Note that logarithmic compression refers to a technique by which the amount of output current or the level of output voltage is obtained as a logarithmic function with the illuminance of light which enters a photoelectric conversion element, i.e., the amount of photocurrent used as a variable.

Photoelectric conversion device having a reference voltage generation circuit with a resistor and a second diode element and electronic device having the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A device for manufacturing a bead array is provided including a container, a liquid including a bead having a biological substance fixed on a surface of the bead, and means for ejecting the liquid including the bead on a desired position on a solid-phase base. A method for manufacturing a bead array is also provided including: containing the liquid including the bead in a container; selectively ejecting the liquid on a desired position on the solid-phase base; and forming a reactive region where the liquid is ejected.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a device and method for manufacturing a microarray including beads having biological substances fixed on their surface, and a method for detecting a target substance.
2. Background
Recently, techniques of analyzing genes and protein have undergone rapid development and have advanced the identification of the mechanisms of cancers and other specific diseases. In order to facilitate disease diagnoses and medical checkups utilizing the analysis techniques, microarrays are expected to contribute. Examples of such microarrays include a DNA microarray and a protein microarray.
The DNA microarray is composed of a number of nucleic-acid probe spots with known base sequences aligned on the surface of a solid-phase base. Utilizing interactions (hybridization) of complementary nucleic acid sequences, the microarray captures a target nucleic acid and detects the nucleic acid by means of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or fluorescent-molecule labeling. Since the base sequence of the nucleic-acid probe spot in which the nucleic acid has been detected is known, the DNA base sequence of a sample containing the gene of interest can be specified.
The protein microarray is used to capture target protein in biological samples (e.g. blood serum, urine, spinal fluid, synovial fluid, saliva, tissue homogenate) and various other samples containing protein (e.g. cell culture supernatant, cultured cell breaking fluid), utilizing its affinity for the surface of the spots.
For fixing the probes made of nucleic acid or protein, a method for fixing the probes as spots directly on a flat solid-phase base is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-186880 (paragraphs 12 and 13), for example. Another method is for containing beads that, having multiple types of biological substances on their surface, in wells on a microtiter plate, fixing the beads on a terminal end of an optic fiber so as to identify them, and detecting reactions of the biological substances on the surface of the beads, which is exemplified in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-533727 (paragraphs 9 and 12).
The latter method of fixing the probes made of nucleic acid or protein on the surface of the beads has advantages over the former method of fixing the probe spots directly on a flat base in various ways as follows: providing a broader surface of the solid base on which the probes are located and higher sensitivity, involving a lower risk of mutual contamination among adjacent spots, lowering the chance of the deactivation of the biological substances due to drying, and enabling proper processing of the surface of the solid-phase base that suits the types of the biological substances fixed on it. It is, however, difficult to correctly allocate a small amount of beads that have to be correctly selected from a single or adequately mixed multiple types of beads to reactive regions such as wells on a microtiter plate.
In order to address this issue, the present invention aims to provide a device and a method for manufacturing a bead array including beads having probes made of nucleic acid or protein fixed on their surface on a solid-phase base that makes it possible to accurately provide the beads in target reactive regions on the solid-phase base.

Device and method for manufacturing bead array, and method for detecting target substance


Disclosed are an organic semiconductor compound that exhibits chemical resistance and etch resistance while maintaining electrical characteristics and thus is applicable to an existing photolithography process, thereby increasing process efficiency, and an organic semiconductor device using the same.

Recently, research into application of flexible materials to displays, thin-film solar cells, and the like has been actively conducted.
In fabricating such electronic devices, it may be advantageous to use an organic semiconductor instead of a conventional inorganic semiconductor.
Accordingly, interest in an organic semiconductor device wherein channels are formed using an organic semiconductor material is increasing.
However, since organic semiconductors are more sensitive to the external environment than inorganic semiconductors, there is a need to improve the electrical characteristics and durability of organic semiconductor devices.

Compound of organic semiconductor and organic semiconductor device using the same

FOUNDATION OF SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION

INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY


An electronic alarm and a vending machine equipped with the alarm monitors a plurality of zones by suitable circuitry to detect vandalism and theft. Each zone has a mechanically-triggered sensor that provides an electrical output. The zones comprise a pair of door sensors and a separate, shock sensor. A solid-state logic circuit includes a red and green indicator light, and a loud warning buzzer ultimately triggered by the sensors. A circuit time delay and logic scheme analyzes sensor status, and separate false-alarm prevention circuits insure proper triggering after a predetermined delay. Alarm status is indicated by highly visible green and red status lights mounted on the door. A buzzer sounds in response to sensor activation and circuit logic. A back-up battery that is coupled to the logic circuitry for fail-safe operation includes an automatic recharge system, and dual red and green LED's monitor battery condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vending machine alarm systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to alarm-equipped vending machines typically used at self-service car washes that are deployed in unattended locations, and which are subject to relatively high rates of vandalism and theft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the last several years, the self-service car wash industry has greatly modified the quality and quantity of products and services that are offered to customers. Many ancillary products such as vehicle waxes, detergents and other diverse items are sold from self-service "coin-operated" vending machines of diverse sizes, configurations and shapes that are usually mounted conveniently close to the washing bays. (As used herein the term "coin-operated" refers to self service vending machines that accept coins, credit cards, currency, tokens, or combinations thereof). Besides offering the consumer several cleaning options related to the vehicle exterior, typical self-service car wash installations offer a variety of products and choices relating to the vehicle interior. For example, numerous coin-operated suction-applying vacuuming systems exist. Various carpet cleaning and spot removal products are available for more vigorous interior cleaning. Various towels, dashboard cleaning solutions or preparations, various waxes, deodorants, and other diverse automotive items are typically stocked by well-equipped vending installation. Coin-operated vending machines that dispense fragrances and apply them to the vehicle interior are becoming relatively common.
In the self-service car wash industry most common coin-operated vending machines are installed outdoors at unattended locations. Of course, industry practice has been to mount the machines as safely and securely as possible within illuminated, high visibility areas. Often, custom-designed concrete "islands" are created at the carwash site specifically for mounting vending machines. Despite the advantages in security that result from specialized mounting designs, the risks of burglary and vandalism are ever-present. Most vending machines comprise a dollar-bill changer accessory, and a coin storage box. Many machine components are viciously mutilated when thieves smash their way through external components trying to break into these components. Although the burglary of money stored within vending machines is significant, the cost of physical damages inflicted upon vending machine structures by thieves during a theft often exceeds the amount of money stolen. As a result of such factors, burglary and/or intrusion warning systems designed specifically for vending machines have been proposed previously. However, known alarms suffer from many disadvantages.
Usually burglars try to pry open the vending machine door with a crow bar or other large lever, the use of which results in significant damages. Most of the alarms proposed to date are triggered by a switch at either the bottom or top of the door which is set off when the cabinet door, or a portion of the door, is deflected. However, if the burglar or vandal is attempting to pry open the door at a point below the latch, and if the alarm switch is above the latch, the alarm may not be triggered. Some alarms trigger only after significant structural damages are incurred by the machine. Many alarms require constant attention and complex maintenance by the proprietor. Some alarms are simply too difficult to set and reset. Most importantly, many common systems are prone to frequent, irritating false alarms.

Vending machine with remote control alarm


Provided is a dry separation apparatus including: a main body; a first deck; a plurality of guides; a supply part; an air blow fan; and a vibration part. A dry separation method includes: supplying an object to be separated to a top surface of a first deck provided with a plurality of punches; sending, by an air blow fan, air to the punches (first punches); and horizontally vibrating, by a vibration part, the first deck so as to discharge particles which have different specific gravities of the object to be separated and a moveable force exerted by air passing the first punches through different passages.

An apparatus for separating particles from each other using a difference in specific gravities has been widely used in a dry coal preparation field, a sorting field for recycling waste plastic, a field for purifying precious metals such as rare earth resources, and the like.
In particular, in the dry coal preparation field, a run of mine coal which is mined from a coal bed contains a large amount of coal and has a mixture of clean coal having a small amount of ash and a gangue which is a fragment of rock. When the clean coal includes the gangue, a quantity of heat may be reduced and harmful gas (SOx) may occur, during a combustion process and mica, chlorite in the gangue and alkaline components (K2O and Na2O) which are included in clay, and the like have a reduced melting point of ash during a combustion process, such that slagging or fouling may occur inside a boiler of a thermal power plant, which is a factor of shortening lifespan of the boiler.
Therefore, to improve the combustion efficiency and extend the lifespan of the boiler, attempts to develop a technology for removing the gangue mixed in the run of mine coal by a physical method have been conducted.
Korean Patent No. 1010940 which is the related art discloses an apparatus for improving low grade coal into high quality coal including: an abrasion crusher which includes a main body of a crusher which is provided with a receiving part to receive both of low grade coal of which the ash content is a predetermined level or more and water, a plurality of friction balls which is received in a receiving part of a main body of the crusher to crush the coal by collision and friction with the coal, and an agitator which is rotatably disposed in the main body of the crusher to agitate the coal and the friction ball so as to provide mutual collision and friction between the coal and the friction ball; a screen which is installed over the receiving part of the abrasion crusher and provided with a plurality of transmit holes through which only particles having a predetermined size or less may pass; and a collector supply apparatus which supplies a collector hydrophobicizing the crushed coal particles to the receiving part so as to make the coal particles crushed by the abrasion crusher float toward a top portion of the receiving part. In summary, the related art is concerned with the run of mine coal to be sorted into clean coal particles and gangue particles by flotation.
However, the related art requires a post-treatment process of performing dehydration and drying the processed coal and therefore a lot of costs may be required.
Therefore, there is a need to develop various dry separation apparatuses for solving the above problems.

Dry separation apparatus and dry separation method

KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES