The present invention is dealing with a drug delivery system, preferably in a ring-shaped form suitable for vaginal administration, for the simultaneous release of a progestogenic steroid compound and an estrogenic steroid compound in a fixed physiological ratio over a prolonged period of time. The drug delivery system comprises at least one compartment comprising a thermoplastic polymer core containing the mixture of the progestogenic and estrogenic compounds and a thermoplastic polymer skin, the progestogenic compound being initially dissolved in the polymer core material in a relatively low degree of supersaturation.

The present invention relates to a drug delivery system for the simultaneous release of two or more active substances and more particularly to a ring shaped vaginal drug delivery system, which system releases the active substances in a substantially constant ratio over a prolonged period of time.
Such release system is for example known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,995,633 and 3,995,634, where separate, preferably spherical or cylindrical, reservoirs containing different active substances are assembled in specially constructed holders. Such a release system is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,885, where a tube or coil of polymeric material is divided into portions by means of a plurality of "spacers" provided in the tube, after which each of the separate tube portions is filled with a different active substance in a silicone fluid and the two ends of the tube are subsequently connected to one another. In this release system, however, transport (diffusion) of active material from one reservoir to the other takes place through the wall of the tube, especially upon prolonged storage, so that the pre-set fixed release ratio between the active substances in question will change over a period of time.
A two-layered vaginal ring has been described in European patent publication 0,050,867 which ring comprises a pharmacologically acceptable supporting ring covered by two layers preferably of silicone elastomers whereby the inner layer is a silicone elastomer loaded with an active substance.
A similar ring shaped vaginal delivery system had been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,965. The use of silicone elastomers is nowadays considered to be less safe and is clearly no longer the material of choice.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,576 a two-compartment vaginal ring has been disclosed, wherein each compartment contains a different active substance. To achieve a suitable ring with a constant release ratio between the various active substances, it was necessary, however, to join the endportions of the compartments by inert stoppers, preferably glass stoppers.
Patent Publication WO 97/02015 discloses a two-compartments device, a first compartment consisting of a core, a medicated middle layer and a non medicated outer layer, and a second compartment consisting of a medicated core and a non medicated outer layer.
Release systems which over a lengthy period release two or more active substances in a substantially constant ratio to one another are extremely useful for certain applications. For example, in the field of contraception and in the field of hormone replacement therapy, extensive use is made of the simultaneous administration of an agent having a progestogenic activity and an agent having an estrogenic activity, preferably in a substantially constant ratio.
The simultaneous introduction of these two drugs into one reservoir can however only purely accidentally lead to the desired release ratio. In fact, the release per unit time is determined by the solubility of the active substance in the outer layer of polymeric material (which forms the wall of the reservoir) and by the diffusion coefficient of the active substance in that outer layer. In this type of release system, in fact, the choice of the outer layer material of the reservoir determines the release ratio of the active substances contained in the reservoir to a large extent.
Though theoretically it is possible to choose from among a very large variety of polymeric materials, it is found in practice that only a relatively small number of polymers seem to be capable of functioning satisfactorily as a release determining outer layer of the reservoir. Not only does the medical use impose certain requirements on the polymer but in addition a large number of polymers are unsuitable in that, for example, they possess insufficient rigidity, are insufficiently inert, provide insufficient solubility of the active substance(s), etc.
Moreover, the composition of the reservoir containing the active substances is likewise important because the reservoir material is responsible for an adequate supply of the active substances to the inner side of the outer layer. The reservoir material may not shrink upon release of the active substances, must be capable of taking up a large amount of the active substances, etc.
In most cases one is therefore forced to choose a release system with a plurality of separate reservoirs as a release system which is capable of releasing two or more active substances in a particular ratio as is clearly demonstrated in the above mentioned references. Apart from a not always satisfactory release, release ratio and release term in some cases, the disclosed vaginal rings all suffer from being relatively complicated, making them more expensive to manufacture.

Drug delivery system for two or more active substances


A tension adjusting device for a packing machine using plastic film includes a shaft with a plastic film roll mounted thereto which is pressed by a press member. An axle extends centrally from the press member and is connected to a plate which extends radially and outwardly from a first rotatable rod. The shaft has an end member with which a belt is engaged which has a first end fixedly connected to a first fixed position. A first gear is fixedly connected to the first rotatable rod and a second rotatable rod is located in parallel with the first rotatable rod with a second gear connected to the second rotatable rod and engaged with the first gear. A third gear is connected to the second rotatable rod and has a chain engaged therewith which has one end thereof fixedly connected to a second fixed position and the other end thereof connected to a second end of the belt via a spring so that when the third gear is rotated, the belt is loosened or tightened.

One type of packing machines uses plastic film to wrap products so as to prevent the products from being contaminated, the plastic film originally provided in the machine is in the form of a roll of plastic film which is unwrapped by motors and rollers. An outer diameter of the plastic film roll will be gradually reduced because the plastic film is unwrapped from the plastic film roll continuously so that a tension force of the plastic film unwrapped from the plastic film roll varies as the outer diameter of the plastic film roll reduces, and this results in fluctuant wrapping results. In order to resolve the problem, an additional tension adjusting mechanism is added to the packing machine so as to control the tension force on the unwrapped plastic film. By operating the tension adjusting mechanism, the tension force on the plastic film can be maintained at a constant value. However, the additional tension adjusting mechanism occupies a large space so that the packing machine has a larger volume and becomes a complicated structure which is expensive. Furthermore, the complicated structure means higher maintenance costs are required.
The present invention provides a tension adjusting device for a packing machine using plastic film and is able to automatically adjust the tension force on the plastic film during the packing process so that the disadvantages of the conventional tension adjusting mechanism of the packing machine can be mitigated and/or obviated.

Tension adjusting device for a packing machine using plastic film

Tai E International Patent and Law Office


Techniques for tracking a current location of a user are described. According to various embodiments, an ambient noise signal proximate to a user device is detected using a microphone. Audio sample information may be accessed, where the audio sample information identifies various audio samples and, for each of the audio samples, a source of the corresponding audio sample. Thereafter, a specific audio sample corresponding to the ambient noise signal may be identified. Moreover, a current location of the user device may be determined, based on the source of the specific audio sample.

Various applications provide the ability to estimate a location of a mobile device (such as a cell phone or smartphone) using, for example, a global positioning system (GPS) or a Wi-Fi positioning system of the mobile device. For example, some child monitoring mobile applications allow parents to track the location of a child and to check that the child is where they should be by tracking the location of the child's mobile device. Typically, the location of the mobile device will be provided in the format of a street address, or latitude and longitude coordinates.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for tracking a user's location


The invention relates to an electronic device comprising at least two power management circuits and a signal line connecting the circuits. Each of the circuits is adapted to control a power supply to at least one functional component of the electronic device. Each of the circuits is adapted to detect a condition which requires powering down functional components of said electronic device and to set the signal line to a predetermined state, in case the circuit detects a condition which requires a powering down of the electronic device. Further, each of the circuits is adapted to monitor a state of the signal line and to power down all functional components associated to it upon detection of the predetermined state of the signal line.

A power management circuit is a circuit which controls the power supply to at least one functional component of an electronic device. If a device comprises a plurality of functional components, a dedicated power management circuit may be associated to each of these functional components.
For example, a cellular terminal usually comprises a cellular modem as a first functional component, an application engine as a second functional component, etc. The term application engine refers to the "motor" of a terminal. It may comprise the application processor and related memory components, including the core software, hardware drivers, low level software and operating system, as well as related power management components and interfaces to peripherals like display, camera, keyboard, Bluetooth™ module, etc., even to the cellular modem. The application engine does not contain the mentioned peripherals, though. The idea behind the use of such an application engine is that it allows constructing many kinds of terminals using the same core components but varying for example the user interfaces, like display and keyboard. In general, it enables the construction of products that look quite different and have different features but that use the same technology inside.
Each of the functional components may be realized for instance on a separate chip, and each chip may comprise a power management circuit. Each power management circuit can be realized for instance in form of an Integrated Circuit (IC) or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC).
In case a plurality of power management circuits are present, one of the circuits is normally defined to be a master circuit, while the other circuits are defined to be slave circuits. The master circuit controls the power-up and down of the entire system. This can be realized with an enable signal which is controlled by the master circuit and which can be detected by the slave circuits. Whenever the enable signal becomes active, the slave circuits cause the associated functional components to be powered up, and whenever the enable signal becomes inactive, the slave circuits cause the associated functional components to be powered down.
Typically, a power management circuit also comprises a thermal shut-down function. That is, in case the temperature of an associated functional component or of a chip comprising the associated functional component rises too high, the power management circuit forces the component to power off, in order to prevent a destruction of the component.
Abnormal heating may be caused by many reasons, for example by an overload on some regulator, a short circuit, high ambient temperature, or even a crash of the system software.
The temperature can be sensed by a sensor. Such a sensor is normally integrated on a single chip together with the power management circuit. Usually, such a sensor monitors two limits. The lower limit is a warning limit and the higher limit is the actual shut-down limit.
In case a sensor detects that the warning limit is exceeded, it informs an associated power management circuit that the chip temperature has started to rise too high. The power management circuit provides thereupon a warning to a system processor, for example in the form of an interrupt. The system processor will then turn the system off in a controlled manner. To this end, it requests the master power management circuit to shut down the system. The master circuit deactivates thereupon the enable signal and shuts down the power for the functional component or components associated to the master circuit. The slave circuits detect the deactivation of the enable signal and shut down the power for the components associated to the slave circuits.
In some situations, however, the monitored temperature may exceed the shut-down limit before the system processor is able to turn the system off in a controlled manner. For instance, in case of a particularly fast increase of temperature upon a sudden short circuit, etc., the software of the system processor might not have enough time to react. Moreover, the system processor might suffer a crash after which the software is no longer functional and thus fails to power down the system. In cases in which the monitored temperature rises very fast above the shutdown limit, the concerned power management circuit should therefore force the associated functional component autonomously to power down, before hardware damage occurs. In a possible implementation, for example, a power management circuit causes a shut down of an associated functional component, if an interrupt provided to the system processor is not acknowledged within a certain time limit.
Whenever there are multiple power management circuits in an electronic device, each of these power management circuits is capable of interrupting the system processor due to a detected rising temperature.
A problem may arise in a situation, in which a slave power management circuit detects an overheating, and in which the system software has crashed or is unable to respond to an interrupt by the slave circuit for some other reason, or the temperature rises so fast that the system software has not enough time to react.
If only one of the slave circuits detects a temperature rising above the shut-down limit, a situation may occur in which one component is switched off, while one or more other components remain switched on, that is, the power down of the system is not complete. In a cellular terminal, for example, it might happen that the cellular modem is still powered on, while the application engine has shut down. This, in turn, is a non-allowed system state, which can have unpredictable consequences and even result in hardware damage. At least a weird behavior might be seen by the user of the electronic device.


A display apparatus is provided. The A display apparatus includes a plurality of subpixels, the plurality of subpixels comprising a plurality of first subpixels, a plurality of second subpixels, and a plurality of third subpixels. The plurality of third subpixels are arranged in an array of I columns and J rows. The display apparatus includes a plurality of repeating units. A respective repeating unit of the plurality of repeating units includes one of the plurality of first subpixels, one of the plurality of second subpixels, and two of the plurality third subpixels. The two of the plurality third subpixels in the respective repeating unit are arranged along a first direction or a second direction, the one of the plurality of first subpixels and the one of the plurality of second subpixels in the respective repeating unit are arranged along the second direction or the first direction.

Nowadays, display devices are required to have higher and higher resolutions. A display device having a high resolution can perform a high quality display. Usually, decreasing the size of each subpixel and distances between any two adjacent subpixels can increase the resolution of a display device. To decrease the size of each subpixel and distances between any two adjacent subpixels, the accuracy of fabricating the display device should be higher, resulting in increasing difficulties in fabricating the display device, and increasing cost of fabricating the display device.
Sup-Pixel Rendering takes advantage of the fact that human eyes have different sensitivities with respect to different colors. By changing a pixel arrangement that a pixel has a red subpixel, a green subpixel, and a blue subpixel into a pixel arrangement that two or more pixels share a subpixel having a selected color with respect to which the human eye has a relatively low sensitivity, a total number of subpixels can be decreased, but the display performance by the latter pixel arrangement can keep the same as the display performance by the former pixel arrangement. Reducing the total number of subpixels can reduce the difficulties to fabricate a display panel, and decreasing the cost of fabricating the display panel.

Display apparatus having driving circuit for deriving actual data signal based on theoretical data signal

Beijing BOE Technology Development Co., Ltd.


An ion detector for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a microchannel plate 8 which receives ions 12 at an input surface and releases electrons 16 from an output surface. A detecting device is arranged to receive at least some of the electrons 16 emitted from the microchannel plate 8. The detecting device receives electrons 16 on a first portion of the detecting device at a first time t1 and receives electrons 16 on a second different portion of the detector at a second later time t2. Time-varying electric and/or magnetic fields are applied between the microchannel plate 8 and the detecting device to guide electrons 16 emitted from the microchannel plate onto different regions of the detecting device in a time varying manner.

A known ion detector for a mass spectrometer comprises a microchannel plate ("MCP") detector. A microchannel plate consists of a two-dimensional periodic array of very small diameter glass capillaries (channels) fused together and sliced into a thin plate. The microchannel plate detector may comprise several million channels, each channel operating in effect as an independent electron multiplier. An ion entering a channel will interact with the wall of the channel causing secondary electrons to be released from the wall of the channel. The secondary electrons are then accelerated towards an output surface of the microchannel plate by an electric field which is maintained across the length of the microchannel plate by applying a voltage difference across the microchannel plate.
The secondary electrons generated by an incident ion will travel along a channel on parabolic trajectories until the secondary electrons strike the wall of the channel and cause further secondary electrons to be generated or released. This process of generating secondary electrons is repeated along the length of the channel such that a cascade of several thousand secondary electrons may result from the incidence of a single ion. The secondary electrons then emerge from the output surface of the microchannel plate and are detected.
It is known to provide two microchannel plates sandwiched together and operated in series. The two microchannel plates are maintained at a high gain so that a single ion arriving at the first microchannel plate may cause a pulse of, for example, 107 or more electrons to be emitted from the output surface of the rearmost of the two microchannel plates. The two microchannel plates may be arranged in a chevron arrangement wherein the microchannel plates are arranged in face to face contact such that the channels in one microchannel plate are arranged at an angle with respect to the channels of the other microchannel plate. This arrangement helps to suppress ion feedback which may otherwise lead to damage.
The requirements of an electron multiplier in a Time of Flight mass spectrometer are particularly stringent. The electron multiplier should produce minimal spectral peak broadening and provide a linear response at both low and high ion arrival rates whilst allowing single ion events to be distinguished clearly from electronic noise.
In order to achieve these criteria the output of an electron multiplier due to an individual ion arrival event should have minimal temporal spread and the pulse height distribution of the electrons should be as narrow as possible. In addition, the gain of the electron multiplier should preferably be in the order of 106 or greater to allow single ion events to be easily distinguished from electronic noise.
For ion counting applications microchannel plate ion detectors have so far yielded the most satisfactory characteristics in terms of these criteria. However, under optimal operating conditions the dynamic range of microchannel plate ion detectors can be limited.
Under conditions of high gain, for example 106–107, the output current from a single channel of a microchannel plate will become space-charge saturated, leading to narrow pulse height distributions approaching gaussian distributions. Narrow pulse height distributions are advantageous for ion counting devices using Time to Digital Converters ("TDC") as they allow the majority of single ion events to be distinguished from electronic noise. Narrow pulse height distributions are also advantageous for use with Analogue to Digital Converters ("ADC") as they allow for accurate quantitation at low count rates and an improved dynamic range.
The maximum output current of a microchannel plate detector is limited by the recovery time of the individual channels after illumination and the total number of channels illuminated per unit time. Ions incident upon a microchannel plate detector in an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser will illuminate a discrete area of the microchannel plate detector. Accordingly, ions will be incident upon only a portion of the total number of microchannels available regardless of the area of the microchannel plate. Therefore, when large ion currents are incident upon the microchannel plate ion detector or at certain steady state output currents a significant proportion of channels will not recover fully after illumination and hence the overall gain of the microchannel plate ion detector will be reduced. In particular, the final 20% of the length of the channels in the final gain stage of a microchannel plate ion detector will be limited by this saturation point first. This has the result of causing there to be a non-linearity in the response of the ion detector for quantitative analysis which will result in inaccurate isotopic ratio determinations and inaccurate mass measurements.
In order to increase the maximum input event rate which the ion detector can accommodate before saturation occurs, the gain of the microchannel plate could in theory be reduced. However, reducing the gain would cause broadening of the pulse height distribution and would shift the pulse height distribution to a lower intensity resulting in a compromise in the ability of the ion detector to detect all single ion arrivals above the threshold of electronic noise.
The limitations of a conventional microchannel plate ion detector will now be considered in more detail below. In particular, two microchannel plates arranged as a chevron pair will be considered. After a cloud of electrons has exited an individual channel in a microchannel plate the charge within the channel walls must be replenished. For a circular microchannel plate the number of channels N is given by:
  N  =            π                                              D        2                            12                          p        2            where D is the diameter of the microchannel plate and p is the channel centre to centre spacing (channel pitch).
For a circular microchannel plate having a diameter of 25 mm and comprising channels having a diameter of 10 μm and a channel pitch of 12 μm, the total number of channels N is 3.9×106. Typically, the total resistance of such a single microchannel plate is 108 Ω.
Therefore, the resistance Rc of a single channel of the microchannel plate is approximately 3.9×1014 Ω.
The total capacitance of a single microchannel plate may be approximated by considering it to be a pair of parallel metal plates separated by a relatively thin glass plate. The total capacitance C may be approximated as:
  C  =            ɛ                                              ɛ        0                  S        d  where C is the capacitance in Farads, ε is the dielectric of glass (approximately 8.3 F/m), ε0 is the permittivity of a vacuum 8.854×10−12, S is the area of the microchannel plate and d is the thickness of the microchannel plate.
Therefore, if the thickness d of the microchannel plate is taken to be 0.46 mm, the total capacitance C of a single microchannel plate is 78 pF and hence the capacitance Cc for each channel of the microchannel plate is 2×10−17 F.
The time constant τ for recovery of an individual channel in the microchannel plate after an ion event is given by:CcRc=τ
In this example the time constant τ for an individual channel is 7.8 ms. For a pair of microchannel plates in a chevron pair arrangement a primary ion event at the input surface of the first microchannel plate typically results in secondary electrons illuminating approximately ten channels on the input surface of the second microchannel plate. Assuming the first and second microchannel plates are identical, then the maximum ion input event rate E at the first microchannel plate is given by:
  E  =      N          10                                      τ
Accordingly, the maximum ion input event rate Emax at the first microchannel plate which is sustainable without appreciable overall loss of gain of the whole ion detector is approximately:
      E    max    =      E    10
In the example given above the maximum input event rate Emax is 5×106 events/s. At a mean gain of 5×106 this equates to a maximum output current Imax of 4×10−6 A.
Orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass spectrometers commonly have very large ion currents at sampling repetition rates of tens of kHz. Under these conditions the input ion current to the microchannel plate approximates to a steady DC input current. The gain of the microchannel plate is constant until the microchannel plate output current exceeds approximately 10% of the available current passing through the microchannel plate, i.e. strip current. In the example given above the maximum output current Imax is 10−6 A when 1000 V is maintained across the microchannel plate.
Several approaches have been developed to overcome this limitation in the maximum output current from a microchannel plate. For example, reducing the resistance of the microchannel plate reduces the time constant τ for channel recovery and increases the strip current available and hence increases the maximum output current from the microchannel plate. However, there are also practical limitations. The negative temperature coefficient of resistance of the channel walls in the microchannel plate ultimately results in thermal instability as the resistance of the microchannel plate is reduced. This causes heating of the microchannel plate which can result in ion feedback leading to thermal runaway which may result in local melting of the microchannel plate glass. The mechanism by which heat is dissipated from a microchannel plate is predominantly by radiation from the surface of the microchannel plate and the heat dissipation is therefore directly proportional to the exposed surface area of the microchannel plate.
It has been found experimentally that it is not practical to operate microchannel plates at levels of heat generation above 0.01 W/cm2. For a circular microchannel plate having a diameter of 33 mm and maintained at a bias voltage of 1000 V, this rate of heat generation corresponds to a microchannel plate having a total resistance of approximately 107 Ω. As a consequence of this limitation on the microchannel plate total resistance, it should be noted that the maximum output current of the microchannel plate cannot be increased by simply decreasing the diameter of the channels in the microchannel plate in order to increase the number of channels available per unit area. For example, a circular microchannel plate having a diameter of 33 mm, corresponding to an active diameter of 25 mm, and comprising channels having a diameter of 10 μm and a channel pitch of 12 μm will have a total of 3.9×106 channels. If the microchannel plate has a total resistance of 107 Ω then the resistance of each channel will be 3.9×1013 Ω. For a circular microchannel plate having the same diameter, the same total resistance, a reduced channel diameter of 5 μm and a reduced channel pitch of 6 μm the total number of channels will be 1.6×107. Accordingly, each channel will now have an increased resistance of 1.6×1014 Ω. In this example, it is shown that by reducing the diameter and pitch of the channels in the microchannel plate the total number of channels has increased by a factor of approximately ×4. However, the resistance per channel and hence the time constant for recovery of an individual channel τ has also increased by the same factor. Therefore, no overall gain in the maximum output current of the microchannel plate is obtained.
Direct cooling of the microchannel plate does in theory allow very low resistance microchannel plates to be employed. However, such direct cooling is impractical in most situations.
Another method of increasing the maximum output current of the microchannel plate is to disperse the incoming ion beam over a relatively large microchannel plate or over the input surface of multiple microchannel plates. This dispersion of the ion beam increases the number of channels available without changing the characteristics of the individual channels in the microchannel plate. The overall resistance of the microchannel plate ion detector is therefore reduced resulting in a higher available strip current and hence a higher onset level of channel saturation.
In this arrangement the microchannel plate(s) may be operated under relatively stable conditions since the surface area available for radiative cooling of the microchannel plate(s) is also increased. However, deliberately diverging the ion beam as it travels towards the ion detector is impractical in many situations depending on the geometry and size of an individual mass spectrometer. Furthermore, in order to diverge the ion beam electric fields must be provided in the region of the mass spectrometer upstream of the ion detector. This is particularly disadvantageous in a Time of Flight mass spectrometer in which the region upstream of the ion detector is a drift region since the introduction of an electric field into the drift region may affect the resolution and mass measurement accuracy of the ion detection system. In addition, the electric field conditions are required to be changed when detecting negative and positive ions. Therefore, diverging the ion beam is not a practical solution to this problem.
It is therefore desired to provide an improved detector for a mass spectrometer.


The invention disclosed relates to an aqueous activator solution and a method for the electroless deposition of copper on a laser direct structured substrate surface. By the invention, an aqueous activator solution comprising a strong reducing agent is proposed to enhance the catalytic activity of the irradiated surface area of a LDS substrate.

Laser direct structuring (LDS) is a well know method in the art of producing electric and electronic devices. Especially for the aim of miniaturization, LDS enables size reduction of the device, whilst simultaneously equipping them with greater functionality, e.g. a higher density of circuits. Examples for such electronic devices are injection-molded circuit carriers, also known as molded interconnected devices (MID). MIDs are designed to be three dimensional (3D-MIDs). One intention of such 3D-MIDs is to combine the electrical and the mechanical functionalities in a single component. The circuit paths in such devices are integrated into the housing, thereby replacing conventional circuit boards. The weight and package size of such devices is significantly reduced in comparison to classic electronic devices and the integration of further functionalities, like e.g. the integration of sensors or antennas, is simplified. MID technology offers a greater freedom of design and due to a shortened process chain a significant potential of rationalization. With the method of laser structuring of MIDs it is possible to produce high-resolution circuit layouts also on complex three-dimensional carrier structures, thus integrating casings and circuit boards that previously were separated units in one device.
Main application fields of the MID technology are automotive electronics and telecommunication. However, also in the area of computer technology, household applications, as well as medical devices the benefit of the MID-technology is exploited.
Among the various technologies to produce such MIDs, additive or subtractive laser structuring is well known.
In US 2004/0241422, a method for laser structuring of circuit paths is disclosed. In this method circuit path structures are generated on an electrically non-conductive carrier material, where these paths consisting of metal seeds and a metallization subsequently applied to these seeds. The metal seeds resulted from the raising of electrically non-conductive metal compounds that are contained in a very finely divided form in a carrier material, by electromagnetic radiation. In doing so, the electrically non-conductive metal compounds are formed of thermally very stable inorganic metal compounds that are insoluble and stable in aqueous acidic or alkaline metallization baths and that remain unaltered in regions not irradiated by the laser. The process is based on doted thermoplastic materials on which tracks that are to be realized as circuits paths are activated by means of a focused laser beam. Said activated tracks are subsequently metalized in plating bathes, like e.g. electroless copper plating bathes.
Today, different carrier materials already doped with a metal-organic complex compounded that releases the needed metal seed when laser activated are available. Examples of such carrier materials are polycarbonates, polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blends, polyamides, poly urethane resins, liquid crystal polymers, polybutylene terephthalates, polyethylene terephthalates, and co-polymers of these.
EP1584708 A2 discloses a method for treating plastic substrates structured by means of a laser or generation of seed structures on the surface that are suitable for subsequent metallization. The substrates, after the laser structuring, are brought into contact with a process solution that is suitable for removal of the unintentional deposits that arise during the laser structuring. The treatment of the laser-structured substrates with a mixture of wetting agents and compositions that support the cleaning before metallization leads to sufficient removal of the unintentionally deposited metal seeds, without having a lasting damaging effect on the planned structured surface paths.
US 2007/0163887 A1 discloses a method of manufacturing a circuit carrier and the use of said method are proposed, said method comprising, after providing a printed circuit board (a), coating the circuit board on at least one side thereof with a dielectric (b), structuring the dielectric for producing trenches and vias therein using laser ablation (c) are performed. Next, a primer layer is deposited onto the dielectric, either onto the entire surface thereof or into the produced trenches and vias only (d). A metal layer is deposited onto the primer layer, with the trenches and vias being completely filled with metal for forming conductor structures therein (e). Finally, the excess metal and the primer layer are removed until the dielectric is exposed if the primer layer was deposited onto the entire surface thereof, with the conductor structures remaining intact (f).
Catalyst filled plastics for LDS can be copper-plated in the laser-activated areas using electroless copper plating solutions. In fact, the initiation of the copper growth on the laser structures substrate areas is slow in comparison to palladium activated copper plating on plastic substrates. This is especially true for plastics like ABS or ABS/PC blends, which are widely used e.g. for mobile phone antennas. Long deposition times and/or non sufficient coverage of activated areas are observed. To overcome this drawback, in today's processes often a two-step plating concept is used. In a first step a highly active, but unstable plating electrolyte solution is used, which provides a quick coverage (flash copper). Subsequently, a more stable electrolyte solution is used which only works if there is already copper deposited on the surface to be plated. This two-step concept is time and cost intensive.

Process for electroless copper deposition on laser-direct structured substrates


Software code may include code to receive a first request associated with a discrete problem that is broadcast over a network of cobots. The request may be accepted based on the discrete problem to be solved. The code may also include code to determine whether a utility function associated with the plan to solve the discrete problem meets a threshold. The plan may include a plurality of steps. A report including information related to the chosen plan may be sent to the requesting cobot. Information related to the plan may include information such as the forecasted outcome of the plan. The cobot may then receive permission to implement the chosen plan. The plan may be implemented before any subplans are known or are determined to be possible. In the event that a subplan is required to carry out the plan, then a second request may be broadcast to a plurality of other cobots in the network. One or more of the plurality of other cobots may receive this request and the process may repeat at that cobot as described above. The cobots may be configured in a network of cobots to solve complex problems.

For many years researchers in the field of artificial intelligence have attempted to produce processor-based software architectures that 'think' more like humans. Some examples of technology that embody so-called 'artificial intelligence' include planners and networks of problem solving agents. To date, however, the use of agents and planners has been limited in both applicability and in speed. This is because these systems do not operate in the same way that the human brain functions.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,594 to Wazumi discloses a problem solver that utilizes a network of agents. These agents can cooperate to solve a particular problem. Each agent in the network of agents includes information associated with the remaining agents and required to select agents suitable for a cooperative problem solving. This problem solver requires that each of the agents include information relevant to the other agents in the network with which that agent may need to cooperate with. This is a cumbersome process when new agents are added to the network because the agents are required to essentially assimilate with one another. Additionally, this problem solver requires the agents to know which other agents in the network can solve aspects of problems a priori. Thus, as the networks of agents expands, the amount of storage space required to facilitate problem solving using this network also increases.
Another exemplary prior art problem solver is disclosed on U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,115 to Cheyer et al. This patent discloses a software-based architecture including a number of cooperative agents. Communication between the agents is fostered by a facilitator agent. According to some embodiments disclosed in this patent, interagent communication languages are used to enable client agents to make requests in the form of arbitrary complex goal expressions that may be solved using the facilitator agent. The facilitator agent is responsible for matching requests, from users and agents, with descriptions of the capabilities of other agents within the network. The use of this facilitator agent, however, can also become cumbersome as the number of agents increase.
Therefore the present inventors have recognized a deficiency in the prior art systems for distributed problem solving and/or planning in that as the networks become larger, they inherently become much more inefficient. Moreover, with increasing size of the networks, additional memory is typically needed and is associated with, for example, each individual agent or a select group of agents in the network. Therefore, what is needed is a network of interrelated agents that can operate without prior knowledge regarding the other agents in the network. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to solving at least one of these exemplary problems associated with the prior art by providing a modular network of interrelated software agents or "cobots."

System, method and software for cognitive automation

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc.


An active matrix type display apparatus includes a plurality of pixel circuits each having an electroluminescent element EL, a 1st FET to control a current flowing in the EL, and a 2nd FET provided between a gate and a drain of the 1st FET. The plurality of pixel circuits are arranged in a matrix and have every column connected to a data line. The 2nd FET is turned on for a predetermined time period, and an image data current flowing in the data line is supplied to the gate and drain of the 1st FET, thereby writing a current value of the image data current. A preliminary charging circuit is connected to the data line. Before the writing operation in the predetermined time period is expired, a current of a predetermined current value is applied to the image data current so that a gate-source voltage of the 1st FET is equal to or larger than a threshold value.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a current programming apparatus, an active matrix type display apparatus, and a current programming method. More particularly, the invention is preferably used in an active matrix type display apparatus using current driving type display elements.
2. Related Background Art
In an active matrix type display apparatus using electroluminescent elements, a current writing type circuit for writing and storing a drive current of a light emitting element into a driving circuit of each pixel is used. In the present specification, the operation to write and store the drive current into each pixel of such a matrix type display apparatus is called a current programming and a circuit for the current programming is called a current programming circuit.
A current programming circuit to hold a current which is supplied to a data line as a gate-source voltage of a transistor has been disclosed in FIG. 18 of the U.S. Publication No. 2002195964. Such a Patent Document discloses that when data is written into the current programming circuit, by supplying the current in the direction in which the write current is set off, gradation displays of black and low luminance level can be improved.
When the conventional current writing type pixel circuit is used, there is a case where the writing operation of an image data current cannot be stably executed in each pixel circuit. Although it will be explained in detail hereinbelow, it is because a threshold value of a driving transistor varies every pixel.
It is an object of the invention to provide a current programming apparatus, an active matrix type display apparatus, and their current programming method in which the writing operation of an image data current can be stably executed.

Current programming apparatus, active matrix type display apparatus, and current programming method


A hydraulic brake force regulating system controls the brake system of a vehicle such that substantially the same breaking power is applied to both wheels of an axle despite the presence of a biased load applied to the wheels. A pair of positioning sensors mounted on the axle to detect the level of inclination of the axle. An electronic controller between the positioning sensors and a control valve regulates the hydraulic oil transferred to the wheels on the axle. The electronic controller actuates a device for controlling the control valve based on a signal received from the electronic controller.

Generally, a brake system of automotive vehicle restricts the rotation of wheels. The brake force stops or restricts the speed of the car.
The general brake system of vehicle, as shown in FIG. 1, has a mastercylinder 10 generating hydraulic pressure by stepping on the brake pedal 12, a brake shoe 14 or a calliper 16 which contacts with a drum 18 or a disk 20 of the car wheel and generates friction force, and a wheel cylinder 21 actuated by the hydraulic oil force from the master cylinder 10 and pushing the brake shoe 14 or the calliper 16 to the drum 18 or the disk 20.
Between the brake pedal 12 and the master cylinder 10 is positioned a booster 22 which increases the stepping force of the foot pedal. Therefore, the high hydraulic oil force can be generated by the stepping force of the brake pedal through the master cylinder 10 and the booster 22.
The hydraulic oil force of the booster 22 is transferred to the brake shoe 14 or the calliper 16, and friction force is generated between the brake shoe 14 or the calliper 16 and the drum 18 or the disk 20, to stop or reduce the revolution speed of the car wheel.
If different loads are applied crosswise along a car between the side wheels of the car, a biased brake forced is generated, particularly when a much larger load is applied to one of the side wheels. That is, one side wheel when less load is applied is more locked than the other side wheel by the hydraulic force supplied from the brake system. Therefore, for prohibiting the biased braking force, a hydraulic brake force regulating device is widely used in an automotive vehicle.
The prior brake hydraulic force regulating device as shown in FIG. 2, is composed of a spring lever 22 which is mounted on one side of the center portion of an axle housing 24, and a control spring 26 which is mounted between the axle housing 24 and the side frame 28 of the car body.
When the biased load is applied to the axle housing 24, the axle housing 24 is inclined to one side of the car body and the control spring 26 senses the inclination of the car body.
An operating lever 30 is provided on the control spring 26 and a hydraulic force regulating valve 32 being controlled by the operating lever 30 is provided on the oil line 34 through which the hydraulic brake oil is transferred from the master cylinder 10 to the wheel cylinder 21
If a biased load is applied on both side wheels, the one end of the axle housing 24 where less load is applied is raised upward. At this time, the operating lever 30 is actuated by the spring lever 22 and the control spring 26, and the hydraulic brake force regulating valve 32 is controlled by the operating lever 30 so that more brake hydraulic oil is transferred to the brake wheel cylinder where more load is applied.
Therefore, when a biased load is applied both wheels are braked by the same brake force. One wheel of the side wheels is not locked and biased brake force is prohibited, and safety braking can be expected.
However, since the prior brake system comprising the control spring 26 and the hydraulic brake regulating valve 32 is a mechanical mechanism, the exact operation of the hydraulic brake regulating valve can not be ensured.


Optical termination box comprises: a base (10) articulating a lid (20) and fixing trays (80) for accommodating optical fiber splices and extensions; a panel (40) removably mounted on an opening (13) of a peripheral wall portion (12) of the base (10) and provided with cable openings (41) for passage of respective optical cables and connection openings (42) housing a respective fixed connector (50) for receiving a movable connector (55) of a respective approach cable (CA); a base plate (60) removably secured within the base (10) and carrying the anchoring means (65) and a support (70) that articulates trays (80), wherein the base plate (60), the anchoring means (65), the support (70) and the trays (80) form an internal module (IM) removable from the base (10) together with the panel (40) without dismantling of the anchors and optical connections between distribution cables (CD) and any extension cables (EC) and approach cables (CA).

Fiber optic telecommunications systems employing optical cables and electronic equipment require the provision of splice points and endpoints, for user activation.
At a splice point, for example, all of the fibers at one end of a given cable are spliced to corresponding fibers of a new cable length to give continuity to the optical cable required to reach a new splice point or a user activation endpoint.
However, at a user's activation point, the fiber optic cable splice arriving at an air terminal box may be totally or partially connected to the cables approach, the so-called cable "drop" which are designed to transport the optical signal to end users of the network. The optical cable fiber bypass, which come to a termination box but are not connected to a respective cable "drop" may go through the box unchanged or amended to a new cable extension to continue towards a new point of amendment or user activation.
At both points, splicing and/or a user activation, the optical fibers may be exposed, if necessary, by removal of a specific length of protective cover of the optical cables to be suitably spliced to respective cable runs, distribution or approach ("drop"), remaining protected inside the seam or user activation termination box.
The splicing and/or termination box can be constructed to meet certain splice points and may acquire more generous dimensions to accommodate a greater amount of optical fibers, in the case of splicing points with a high score optical fiber, or it may be especially designed to operate totally or partially as a termination box, from which the "drop" cables depart and go directly to the end user facilities in a house or company.
The ports of such boxes may be terminated as inputs to branch, extension or approach ("drop") cables, or take the form of fixed optical connectors.
In case of ports as inputs, a passing-through cable enters the interior of the box so as to have one or more of its optical fibers coupled, each to an internal optical connector or spliced to an optical fiber of an approach cable ("drop") or a branch cable from the operator or to an extension cord to other parts of amendment or termination, thus having the amendments protected inside the termination box. An aerial splice box construction for fiber optic cables using internal optical connectors can be seen in a previous patent application BR10 2013 009448 0, from the same applicant.
In the case when the ports are defined by fixed optical connectors mounted on an external wall of the termination box, they are built so as to be specially protected against weather and also known as reinforced optical connectors, wherein movable optical connectors (terminals) are also especially constructed to be protected against weather are applied to the end of the "drop" cables, to be coupled to the fixed optical connectors installed in an external wall of the housing. In this case, the "drop" cables does not enter the termination box, the opening of the box lid being not necessary in order to perform the connection or disconnection of a "drop"cable, i.e. intervention from a subscriber of the FTTH ("fiber to the home") service.
Many fixed or mobile optical connectors having reinforced construction are known and are, mostly, for exclusive use by the developers thereof. However, there are also many fixed or mobile optical connectors with reinforced construction and free to use. Considering that the termination boxes described herein are usually designed to serve only a respective optical connector model of reinforced construction and for the exclusive use of the same box manufacturer in which they will be applied, the configuration of the optical termination boxes and the fixed or mobile optical connectors is predetermined, not allowing the operator/installer of the optical distribution network to use different types of optical connectors in a given termination box. In the known constructions, each termination or splice box model requires a respective fixed and mobile optical connector model.
The termination boxes have been designed to be primarily composed of two parts: base and lid. In this type of configuration, the ports to optical cables are necessarily embedded in one of the two parts (base or lid) and all necessary internal components such as cable anchors, splice trays, brackets and the like are required to be fixed at one of these two parts, usually within the base.
Although this type of construction simplifies production, it is often difficult for the operator/installer of the optical network, especially in cases of maintenance. There are rare cases of damage to termination boxes due to: natural disasters or caused by third parties; maintenance of other systems in the case of box installation to pole; reforms in buildings or facade wherein the box is installed, and vandalism.
In the case of existing termination boxes in the market, in the event of any damage to the box there is no other choice but to redo the entire installation, which entails the following: remove the "drop"cables; remove the distribution cables and extension that are internal to the box; possibly remove fixed and mobile optical connectors, fiber extensions, splice trays and passive optical splitters; replace the terminal box; replace the internal components; redo the preparation of distribution, extension and approach ("drop") cables; redo the seams; and finally reconnect the "drop"cables.

FURUKAWA INDUSTRIAL S.A. PRODUTOS ELÉTRICOS


A composite textile fabric for rapidly moving moisture away from the skin, and for retaining body heat, is provided. The composite fabric includes an inner fabric layer made of a yarn comprising a plurality of fibers primarily of polyester or other synthetic yarns which have been rendered hydrophilic, and an outer fabric layer made of a yarn comprising a plurality of fibers primarily of polyester or other synthetic yarns which have also been rendered hydrophilic. The inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer are formed concurrently by knitting a plaited construction so that the layers are distinct and separate, yet integrated one with the other. The yarn fibers of the inner fabric layer are embedded with particles of a refractory carbide, or may be treated by metal vapor deposition to enhance the retention of body heat.

This invention relates to a composite textile fabric, and more particularly, to a composite textile fabric made of yarns which act to move liquid moisture away from the skin and through a garment made with the composite fabric, while at the same time providing improved thermal insulation.
Most polyester textile fabrics are likely to result in the substantial enclosure of liquid moisture between the wearer's skin and undergarments, or between the undergarments of the wearer and the outerwear due to perspiration of the wearer. When moisture saturation takes place, the wearer begins to feel uncomfortable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,667, owned by Maiden Mills Industries, Inc., describes a composite textile fabric with a first layer made of either polyester or nylon material, and a second layer having a substantial portion of a moisture absorbent material, such as cotton. U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,733, also owned by Maiden Mills Industries, Inc., describes a composite textile fabric that includes an inner fabric layer made of a yarn comprising a plurality of fibers, primarily of polyester, which have been rendered hydrophilic, and an outer fabric layer made of a yarn comprising a plurality of fibers, primarily of polyester, which have also been rendered hydrophilic. For each of these patented textile fabrics, the two fabric layers are formed concurrently by knitting a plaited construction so that the layers are distinct and separate yet integrated one with the other.
While the textile fabrics described in both of these Maiden Mills patents are advantageous, they are less than desirable. In each of these textile materials, the thermal insulation provided is limited to the thermal properties of the yarn materials and the construction of fabric.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a textile fabric which overcomes the above disadvantages and which facilitates liquid moisture transport to promote evaporation and keep the wearer dry, as well as providing for the retention of body heat to keep the wearer warm.

Plaited double-knit fabric with moisture management and improved thermal insulation


A power transmission belt with an embedded load carrier cord having a plurality of yarns and possessing a first twist corresponding to a first twist multiplier and a first twist direction, and possessing a second twist corresponding to a second twist multiplier in the opposite direction, such that the ratio of the first twist multiplier to the second twist multiplier is greater than about 1.5. The belt may be a multi-v-ribbed belt. The load carrying cord may have a plurality of twisted yarns having a first yarn twist and a second cord twist in a direction opposite the yarn twist and a ratio of yarn twist to cord twist from about 1.5:1 to about 4:1.

The present invention pertains to endless belts comprising a load carrier cord, and particularly to such belts wherein the cord comprises a plurality of plied yarns that are twisted together to form the cord in a direction opposite that of the first twist of the plied yarns.
In the construction of endless belts, flexible couplings, tires, and other rubber composite articles employing a load-carrying cord comprising a plurality of yarns, it is known to first twist together one or more ends of yarns in a first step to form a number of plied yarns, and to then twist together the plied yarns in a second step to form a plied or cabled cord. In such constructions it is known to twist the individual yarns in one direction in the first twist stage and to ply the twisted yarns in the opposite direction in the second twist stage. Conventionally in such constructions for such purposes, it has been found desirable to perform the twisting and plying operations to achieve a balanced twist; i.e., that arrangement which will not cause the cord to twist on itself when held in an open loop. This is accomplished for example by performing the first and the second twist operations such that the filament direction in the plied cord is the same as the longitudinal axis of the cord itself, and is described by employing equal but opposite twist multipliers in the first and the second twists.
Particularly but not exclusively in the area of multi-v-ribbed belts for utilization in modern multi-function automotive applications such as generator-starter devices, the performance requirements for both the belts' flexural fatigue resistance and its load carrying capability have increased dramatically. Higher modulus cords, including those formed of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO), aramid, or liquid crystal polymer (LCP) are known to exhibit high load carrying capability, but are known to exhibit relatively poor flexural fatigue resistance. Attempts have been made to improve the flexural fatigue resistance of belts formed from such cords, e.g., by utilizing braided cord instead of plied cord, but such methods are generally more expensive, and tend to decrease the overall cord strength, thereby diminishing the materials' value.
The need remains for a high modulus load carrying cord, including for incorporation in an endless belt or similar rubber composite article, which exhibits a good balance of load carrying capability and flexural fatigue resistance.

Endless belt with improved load carrying cord


An apparatus to clean gold plated contact surfaces on printed circuit boards uses a printed circuit board guide and cleaning units in contact with the printed circuit board guide. A guide rail on the printed circuit board guide is adapted to guide the printed circuit board having contaminated gold plated contact surfaces. The cleaning units include grindstones to abrade the gold plated contact surfaces and rub off the contaminants. Embodiments are capable of achieving cleaning uniformity, reducing failure rate, and enhancing the quality of the products. The effectiveness of the invention permits operators to carry out other operations during the cleaning process. Practice of the present invention also provides improved operating conditions without problems such as those due to the presence of waste eraser particles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and process for cleaning gold plated contact surfaces of printed circuit boards and, more particularly, to an apparatus and process for removing contaminants from gold plated contact surfaces by using a grindstone in contact with the gold plated contact surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, on printed circuit boards various components (e.g. resistors, capacitors, inductors, integrated circuits and the like) are mounted and soldered. The components are electrically connected to each other to function via pre-patterned copper wiring traces formed on the surfaces of printed circuit boards. Surface mounting technology components and printed board assembly components are mounted upon printed circuit board assemblies. After the surface mount technology components are mounted and soldered on the surface of the printed circuit board, the printed board assembly components are inserted through the holes on the printed circuit board and the assembly is introduced into a soldering machine. Flux is applied to the printed circuit board in a flux bath, the board is preheated in a heater, the solder ports of the printed circuit board are soldered, and the printed circuit board is then cooled upon completion of the soldering.
Printed circuit boards serve as main boards or as expansion boards in electronic appliances such as personal computers. Usually, the expansion boards are adapted for expanding the functions of the personal computers and have gold plated contact surfaces that enable the board to be inserted into the slots on a main board and while forming electrical connections allowing the functionally extended boards to communicate via signals exchanged with the main board. These gold plated contact surfaces are contaminated by the flux applied however, and the residue and other dirt stain the gold plated contact surfaces due to oxidized gas generated during soldering. Such contaminants on the gold plated contact surfaces exhibit poor electrical connection with the slots and connectors.
Other efforts that used grinding of circuit boards included the Biased Grinding Assembly of T. F. Dawson, et alii, U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,773, and the Sample Holder For Use In The Grinding Or Polishing Of Samples of J. T. Voss, et alii, U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,033. Other processes such as the Selectively Plating Electrically Conductive Pin by Peter Tsuk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,486, seek to avoid leading residue or contaminants on gold plated contact regions by the expedient of a partially cured, aqueous stripping system. Relatively recent efforts such as the shot blasting technique of Nobuhiko Tada, et alii, found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,890 entitled Lead Frame Processing Method, eject minute particulates that collide with the circuit board; this technique relies upon the kinetic energy of the particulates to remove spatters and dross deposited during manufacture of the circuit board.
Customarily, the gold plated contact surfaces formed on a circuit board are manually erased with an eraser after the soldering process to remove the various contaminants; however the contaminants caused by the oxidized gas can be erased with an eraser while the flux can not be removed effectively in the same manner and the presence of the human operator diminishes production efficiency. Moreover, it is hard to uniformly remove the contaminants and the operating conditions become worse due to the creation of waste particles from the eraser.


A processor includes a plurality of processing units. A plurality of first arbitration units each arbitrate request signals output from at least two of the processing units to generate a first arbitration signal. A second arbitration unit arbitrates first arbitration signals output from the first arbitration units to generate a second arbitration signal. A plurality of clock controllers, arranged in correspondence with the first arbitration units, each generate a clock signal supplied to a corresponding first arbitration unit and the processing units coupled to the corresponding first arbitration unit. A control unit determines whether or not to operate each processing unit in accordance with an operation state of the processor and generates control information according to the determination result. Each of the clock controllers supplies or stops the clock signal or changes a frequency of the clock signal in accordance with the control information.

An electronic device such as a digital still camera includes a plurality of processing units for processing data and a memory for storing data. Each processing unit reads data from the memory and writes processed data into the memory. These accesses to the memory are asynchronously occurred. There is a case where access requests from the processing units to the memory contend with each other. To address such a contention, the electronic device includes an arbitration device. The arbitration device is arranged between a plurality of processing units and a memory and arbitrates requests to access the memory. Japanese National Phase Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-508099 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2005-250653 and 2002-312309 describe examples of such an arbitration device.
The number of processing units arranged in an electronic device increases due to, for example, multifunctional purposes. Any increase in the number of processing units causes an increase in power consumed by the electronic device. There is a demand for a reduction in power consumption in the electronic device.

Processor and control method for processor


β2-agonists, such as clenbuterol and salbutamol can enhance the recovery of locomotive function and/or neuromuscular strength following spinal cord injuries or as a result of degenerative neural conditions such as Mnd. Pharmacological compositions for treating spinal cord injuries and degenerative neural conditions are also provided.

The invention relates generally to treatments with β2-agonists, such as treating neural conditions caused by spinal cord injuries and other causes, such as degenerative diseases, and more particularly to drugs and treatment methods which enhance the recovery of locomotor function and neuromuscular strength following spinal cord injuries or which result from other neurological conditions.
The spinal cord often responds to injury with profound loss of neuronal tissue and functional capacity. This can lead to significant loss of locomotor function. The same result can be caused by various neural conditions, such as motor neuron degeneration (mnd). For this reason, an important goal of rehabilitation following spinal cord injury or in the treatment of neurological conditions is to increase neuromuscular strength and function.
Prior treatments of spinal cord injuries have not been shown to be fully satisfactory and accordingly, it is desireable to provide improved treatment methods which can speed the recovery of the victim of a spinal cord injury, such as speeding the recovery of locomotor function and neuromuscular strength. A variety of agents including free radical scavengers, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, lipopolysaccharides, several steroids, calcium chelators, hypothermia, x-irradiation as well as surgical implants, that contain growth factors, have been shown to promote recovery based on various animal experiments. (See, e.g., Albin, M. S., R. J. White, G. Acosta-Rua, and D. Yashon, 1968, Study of functional recovery produced by delayed localized cooling after spinal cord injury in primates, J. Neurosurg. 29:113–120; Cheng, H., Y. Coa, and L. Olson. 1996, Spinal cord repair in adult paraplegic rats: Partial restoration of hind limb function, Science 273:510–513; Guth, L., Z. Zhang, and E. Roberts, 1994, Key role for pregnenolone in combination therapy, that promotes recovery after spinal cord injury, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:12308–12312; Haghighi, S. S. ED. Hall, X. Z. Geng, J. J. Oro. and G. C. Johnson, 1993, Therapeutic value of 21-aminosteriod U74389F in acute spinal cord injury, Neurol. Res. 15:321–326; Kalderon. N., and Z. Fuks. 1996, Severed corticospinal axons recover electrophysiologic control of muscle activity after x-ray therapy in lesioned adult spinal cord, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:11185–11190; and Kudo. Y. K. Takeda, and K. Yamazaki, 1990, Quin2 protects neurons against cell death due to Ca2+ overload, Brain Res. 528:48–54, all incorporated by reference. However, these countermeasures may be incompletely effective, difficult to administer or costly. Because of such limitations, additional or alternative agents, particularly of a pharmacological nature, that can be used in spinal cord injured patients or patients suffering from neurological diseases are needed.
Accordingly, it is desireable to provide improved treatments for neural conditions resulting from injury and other causes.

Treating neural conditions resulting from spinal cord contusions and other causes


A method of forming a pattern including a first pattern portion having a first minimum dimension and a second pattern portion having a second minimum dimension includes a first exposure step of performing exposure using a Levenson-type mask and a second exposure step of performing exposure using a half tone-type mask. When second minimum dimension is 1.3 time or more than the first minimum dimension, the exposure amount of the second exposure step is set to be equal to or smaller than the exposure amount of the first exposure step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern formation method and a method of manufacturing a Levenson-type mask.
2. Description of the Background Art
In semiconductor devices such as semiconductor integrated circuits, a photolithography technique may be used to form electrodes or interconnections. In a photolithography step, an exposure step is performed to expose a resist in a prescribed shape through a photomask. The resist is formed, for example, of a photosensitive resin and formed into a prescribed shape by performing development after the exposure step.
The mask used in the exposure step has a light transmitting portion and a light shielding portion. The photomask includes a phase shift mask for changing a phase of light transmitted through the light transmitting portion to increase a resolution. The phase shift mask includes a Levenson-type mask and a half tone-type mask. These photomasks use the interference action of light to increase a resolution.
In the Levenson-type mask, when a resist, which is for example positive, arranged on a surface of a substrate is processed into a prescribed shape, a light transmitting portion is formed on one side of opposite sides of a part to allow light to pass through and a light transmitting portion is formed on the other side to cause phase reversal with respect to the phase of light of the light transmitting portion on one side. The Levenson-type mask is a photomask formed such that the phases of light on opposite sides of a part are reverse to each other thereby improving the resolution at the part.
In the half tone-type mask, when a resist arranged on a surface of a substrate is processed into a prescribed shape, a light transmitting portion is formed in one of a part or a surrounding part of the part and a light-shielding portion is formed in the other, which allows light to partially pass through it and additionally reverses the phase, thereby improving the resolution at the above-noted part.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-229181 discloses a Levenson-type mask for forming a light shielding portion for isolated pattern element formation and a plurality of light shielding portions for forming periodic pattern elements on a transparent substrate. This Levenson-type mask has a phase shift portion and a light transmission portion arranged on opposite sides of the light shielding portion for isolated pattern element formation. A phase shift portion and a light transmitting portion are arranged on opposite sides of the light shielding portion for forming periodic pattern elements. The remaining part of the transparent substrate is covered with a light shielding portion. It is disclosed that the width of the phase shift portion for isolated pattern element formation is made approximately equal to the width of the phase shift portion for forming periodic pattern elements.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-168640 discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in which the phases of a fine line pattern formed by a phase shift mask and of a shifter pattern adjacent thereto in a certain range are reverse to each other. Preferably, at least four shifter patterns are provided with a fine line pattern formed by a phase edge interposed at the middle, and the adjacent shifter patterns are arranged to have opposite phases.
In photolithography, a method of performing exposures multiple times is known to form a fine part on a surface of a substrate.
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-283904 discloses an exposure method including: a high-resolution exposure in which a pattern of a part difficult in line-width control is transferred using a phase shift pattern; and a normal exposure in which a pattern of a part easier in line-width control is transferred to a photoresist layer without using a phase shift pattern while the part of the photoresist layer to which the pattern has already been transferred by the high-resolution exposure is protected by a light-shielding portion of the mask pattern.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,580 discloses use of two mask processes. The first mask is a phase shift mask and the second mask is a single phase structure mask. The single phase structure mask allows exposure in such a manner that the region of the phase shift is not erased. In the single phase structure mask, an exposure is performed so as to avoid formation at the undesired part in a region other than the part formed by the phase shift mask.
In addition, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 01-283925 discloses an exposure method of patterning densely in a first region and patterning more coarsely than the first region in a second region. The first region is exposed by a mask pattern having a phase shift pattern to cause phase reversal of exposure light and the second region is exposed by a mask pattern having a light transmitting region and a non-transmitting region.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-247606 discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which in forming a gate comprised of a gate electrode and a gate interconnection, only a gate electrode pattern is formed by a double exposure process using a binary mask or a half tone mask as a first mask and a Levenson-type mask as a second mask, and thereafter a gate interconnection pattern is formed by an exposure process using a binary mask or a half tone mask as a third mask.
As described above, a phase shift mask or multiple exposure allows formation of a pattern including a part having a small minimum dimension. However, for example in a semiconductor device, further miniaturization is likely to be sought, and forming a fine pattern with high dimensional accuracy is currently desired.
In a Levenson-type mask, a light-shielding film such as a chrome film is arranged on a surface of a transparent substrate. An opening portion is formed to transmit light. The opening portion mainly includes a same phase opening portion and a reverse phase opening portion. The same phase opening portion is a region through which light is transmitted without a phase change and is formed of a main surface of the transparent substrate. In the reverse phase opening portion, a concave portion is formed or a shifter is arranged in the transparent substrate. The light passing through the reverse phase opening portion has its phase reversed.
Some Levenson-type masks including a concave portion in a transparent substrate as a reverse phase opening portion have an undercut portion formed such that the concave portion extends to below the end portion of a light-shielding film. In this Levenson-type mask, when the reverse phase opening portions are adjacent to each other, the undercut portions are adjacent to each other. With increased miniaturization of semiconductor devices, the distance between the undercut portions is reduced. As a result, the contact area between the light-shielding film arranged on the surface of the transparent substrate and the transparent substrate is reduced, so that the light-shielding film may sometimes strip away.

Pattern formation method using levenson-type mask and method of manufacturing levenson-type mask


A method is provided for transmitting an Application Layer-Forward Error Correction (AL-FEC) packet by an AL-FEC packet transmission apparatus in a multimedia communication system. AL-FEC packets are generated. The AL-FEC packets are transmitted to an AL-FEC packet reception apparatus. Each of the AL-FEC packets includes an AL-FEC codeword symbol and an AL-FEC header, and the AL-FEC codeword symbol is one of AL-FEC codeword symbols included in an AL-FEC codeword block. The AL-FEC header includes order information indicating an order of an AL-FEC codeword symbol into which the AL-FEC header is inserted among the AL-FEC codeword symbols included in the AL-FEC codeword block.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving a packet in a multimedia communication system, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving an Application Layer-Forward Error Correction (AL-FEC) packet in a multimedia communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multimedia communication system, such as a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Media Transport (MMT) system, provides various large-capacity content such as High Definition (HD) content, Ultra High Definition (UHD) content and the like.
According to diversification of content and increases in large-capacity content such as HD and UHD content in a multimedia communication system, data congestion has become a serious issue. Due to this, content transmitted by a signal transmission device may not be completely transferred to a signal reception device, and some of the content is lost en route.
In general, data is transmitted on a packet basis, and accordingly data loss is generated on a transmission packet basis. Accordingly, if the transmission packet is lost on a network, the signal reception device cannot receive the lost transmission packet, and thus cannot determine the meaning of data within the lost transmission packet. As a result, audio signal quality deterioration, video picture quality deterioration, video picture break, caption omission, file loss and the like, may occur.
Therefore, the MMT system may enhance a whole system reliability using various error-control schemes in order to reduce information data loss due to an error which may occur on a network according to channel status. A typical example of an error-control scheme is an Application Layer-Forward Error Correction (AL-FEC) scheme.
A multimedia communication system such as an MMT system requires usage of a Forward Error Correction (FEC) code supporting a codeword length and a code rate, which are varied according to a code rate and delay time required by a service.
If a conventional AL-FEC scheme is used, a signal transmission and reception apparatus should use different FEC codes according to a codeword length and a code rate, which increases the complexity of the MMT system making it difficult to implement the MMT system.

Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving an application layer-forward error correction packet in multimedia communication system


A laser marker control system includes a personal computer, a programmable logic control (PLC), a movable carrier table, an industrial man-machine interface and a laser device. The personal computer is linked to the PLC to control the laser device and is linked to the carrier table in a point-teaching operation. The PLC is provided for numeral calculation, signal input, status output and control of the carrier table, and provides signal, data and status exchange when linked to the man-machine interface. The carrier table is the carrier of the work piece, controlled by the PLC to change the position thereof. In the point-teaching operation, the carrier table is linked to the personal computer and the PLC. The man-machine interface is a touch-control monitor for status display and may indirectly control the carrier table when linked to the PLC. The laser device which generates and emits a laser beam for marking operation is connected to the PLC. The laser device is linked to the carrier table in the point-teaching operation. The control system of the present invention may be used to replace the manual control and may "learn" to perform marking operation on work pieces of different specification by means of the point-teaching operation which collects and stores related data of the work pieces so as that the system may form desired characters/marks on the work piece precisely and efficiently by means of the laser beam in an automatic manner.

Characters or marks that are shown on the outer surfaces of industrial products are subject to contacts of human hands so that they fade very quickly, thus reducing their service lives. A common example of such a problem is computer keyboards which comprises a number of movable keys or blocks or pushbuttons each having a particular character or mark provided thereon for indication distinction purposes. To solve the quick fading problem of the characters or marks on industrial products, a laser marker is adapted to form characters or marks on the industrial products, such as the computer keyboards, by means of a laser beam etching or engraving surfaces of the products. The characters or marks so formed are in general recessed with respect to the surface on which they are formed so as to prevent the characters or marks from abrasion and fading.
Conventionally, the laser marker that is used to mark the key blocks of the keyboard comprises a work piece carrier table and a laser device controlled by a computer. In operation, "blank" keyboards are manually positioned by an operator in a one by one fashion onto the carrier table that is located below the laser device and then the operator uses the laser device to mark the blank keyboard. The keyboard hat is so processed is then manually moved away. This completes the character marking operation of the keyboard.
Such a conventional laser character marker has some evident drawbacks and is quite impractical. For example, the operator has to watch the computer that controls the laser device and the related parameter settings of the laser. The operator also needs to be careful about the position and orient the keyboard in the carrier table and has to move the keyboards so processed to a collection shelf one by one after the marking operation. This is quite inconvenient in operation and the precision of the marking operation is subject to influence of human factor. Accident may occur to physically damage the operator in positioning the keyboard into the laser marker or removal of the keyboard therefrom due to for example injury caused by the laser beam. Further, the manual operation makes it difficult to enhance the character marking operation efficiency. In addition, for keyboards of different specifications, the locations of the key blocks that are to be processed by the character marking operation may on the keyboard may be different from keyboard to keyboard so that the difference in the specifications of the keyboards requires the carrier table to be moved in different ways and automation of both marking operation on the work pieces of different specification and forming characters of different styles on the keyboards is in general impossible. Thus, it is not possible to increase the manufacturing efficiency of the keyboards and the cost cannot be cut down.
It is thus desirable to have a control system for the laser marker which overcomes the drawbacks encountered in the conventional laser marker systems.


An interactive visitor announcement/access control system for residents of limited access and gated communities. The system includes a computer database and a community staff-operated personal computer (p.c.) located at each visitor access point to the community, the staff p.c. being connected to the database by direct link and/or via the Internet. Each resident having a personal computer is provided with limited Internet access to the database to enter scheduling information and a description of each expected visitor, including the visit date and time, the name of each visitor, and a printed bar-coded pass authorization and mode of delivery thereof for each visitor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems and methods for dealing with visitors of each resident of one or more gated or restricted access communities and more particularly to an interactive visitor access control system and method for more reliably and fluently dealing with a broad range of visitors to such communities.
2. Description of Related Art
Many residential communities and businesses allow visitors and guests to freely come and go through the interior property by simply entering through one or more of the open entrances to such communities and businesses. However, other such communities and businesses have chosen to restrict visitor access and have provided a staff and one or more points of entry into the property which regulate visitor traffic flow to insure that only authorized visitors to specific residents of the community are allowed access into the property.
A standard means for dealing with this level of visitor restriction and entry is in the form of a staff member at a controlled access point of the community. When a visitor presents him or herself for access to visit a particular resident, various levels of staff-enforced checks may be implemented, starting with recording the name of the visitor, the license plate of the vehicle, the name of the resident and, in more complex situations, having contact with the resident either through prior visitor authorization or through direct telephonic communication with the resident at the time the visitor presents him or herself for entry into the community.
More sophisticated means for accomplishing various aspects of dealing with the visitors into a gated or restricted community or business are taught in prior art as follows:                U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,130 to Lee        U.S. Pat. No. 6,504,470 to Puchek, et al.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,119 to Wenzel        U.S. Patent Pub. 2003/0112939 to Hom        U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,112 to Terada, et al.        U.S. Patent Pub. 2004/0233036 to Sefton        U.S. Pat. No. 6,794,986 to Puchek, et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,119 to Wenzel discloses a security access system, the central station of which has access to databases to determine whether the visitor should be granted access. Two U.S. patents to Puchek, et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,504,470 and 6,794,986 teach automated access control methods and apparatus for members and guests, one aspect of the invention details a data collection device proximate an entrance with stored data identifying those persons granted access.
A system to simplify visitor formalities and to manage visitor's entry into and departure from a gate is taught by Terada, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,112. U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,139 to Lee discloses a system for identifying visitors utilizing video and audio means, a computer system and monitor.
U.S. published application 2003/0112939 to Hom teaches a security system for use with a security gate entry system with audio means and Sefton discloses an automated site security, monitoring and access control system with an expected visitor database in U.S. published application 2004/0233036.

Interactive visitor announcement/access control system


A liquid discharge head includes a substrate having a discharge port, a plurality of energy generating elements disposed on a first surface of the substrate for generating energy to discharge liquid from the discharge port, a liquid supply port, and a member provided on the first surface and forming a wall of a liquid chamber and a wall of a liquid path from the liquid supply port through the liquid chamber to the discharge port. A plurality of first penetrating electrodes penetrate the substrate from the first surface to the second surface, wherein one of the first penetrating electrodes electrically connects one of the energy generating elements, and a plurality of second penetrating electrodes penetrate the substrate from the first surface to the second surface, wherein one of the second penetrating electrodes electrically connects to the same energy generating element connected to the first penetrating electrode. Also, first and second power wirings are provided, and a plurality of driving elements are electrically connected between the first penetrating electrode and the first power wiring, correspondingly to each of the energy generating elements, to drive and control the energy generating elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid discharge head which discharges a liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, a liquid discharge head has been configured to discharge a liquid in a direction vertical to the surface of the head on which a heating resistor is disposed, and the head has been put to practical use. In such a liquid discharge head, as shown in FIG. 7A, in general, a liquid supply port 302 is rectangular as viewed from an upper surface of a head substrate 301, and liquid discharge ports 303 are linearly arranged as rows of discharge ports on opposite sides of the liquid supply port. It is to be noted that the arranged rows of liquid discharge ports 303 open at a discharge port open surface 305. FIG. 7B is a sectional view cut along the 7B-7B line of FIG. 7A. As shown in the drawing, heating resistors (hereinafter referred to as the heaters) 304 are arranged so as to face the liquid discharge ports 303, and the heaters generate thermal energy as discharge energy to discharge the liquid.
However, if the heaters 304 are highly densely arranged, it is difficult to linearly arrange the liquid discharge ports 303 as described above. This is because there are dimensional restrictions due to heater sizes and bore diameters of the liquid discharge ports 303. Therefore, instead of linearly arranging the liquid discharge ports 303 as the rows at the discharge port open surface 305 (one-dimensional arrangement), a method (two-dimensional arrangement) is proposed. In this method, the heaters 304 and the liquid discharge ports 303 are arranged non-linearly, for example, in a staggered arrangement in a plane of the discharge port open surface 305.
However, if an electric connecting portion is disposed on a front surface of the head substrate 301 (on a side provided with the liquid discharge ports) of the head substrate 301, a protruding portion is necessarily formed. As a constitution which does not have any protruding portion, it is considered that a back surface of the head substrate 301 (the surface on a side opposite to the surface provided with the liquid discharge ports) is electrically bonded. Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S61-016862 discusses that a penetrating wiring is disposed so as to penetrate the head substrate 301 from the front surface to the back surface of the substrate and that the back surface of the head substrate 301 is connected to an external wiring.
However, a driving element which allows the heaters 304 to generate heat is disposed adjacent to the heaters 304. In consequence, the wirings for driving can be reduced, but it is difficult to draw around wirings of a logic circuit which drives the driving element. Therefore, a wiring region needs to be secured. For this purpose, when the liquid discharge ports 303 (or the heaters 304) are two-dimensionally arranged, a size of the head substrate sometimes increases.
Moreover, when a liquid path extends from the liquid supply port to the liquid discharge port through a liquid chamber where the heater is disposed, the path is halfway separated so as to supply the liquid from one liquid supply port to two liquid discharge ports. In this structure, a length difference is made between the liquid paths extending to two liquid discharge ports owing to a manufacturing error. A fluctuation might be generated in discharge performances from the individual liquid discharge ports, depending on this difference.