A frame for a backlight module includes a stable case (21), a movable case (22) and connecting elements. The stable case has a bottom plate (210) and at least three sidewalls (211) connected to the bottom plate, and the movable case has a back rim (221) and two side rims (222) connected thereto. The movable case is slideably connected with the stable case by the connecting elements. The frame is compact, and which can be used for light guide plates with different sizes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame and a backlight module using the same.
2. The Prior Art
In a liquid crystal display, a backlight module is always used to provide a planar light source for illuminating the liquid crystal display. In general, the backlight module includes a light source and a light guide plate, the light source being located adjacent to one side of the light guide plate. The light guide plate transfers light beams emitted from the light source to planar light beams, and directs them to a liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display.
A conventional backlight module 1, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, is described in China Pat. Pub. No. 1,371,018A which is published on Sep. 25, 2002. The backlight module 1 includes a light guide plate 10, a reflective plate 20, a light source cover 30, a light source 40 and a frame 50. Two protrusions 101 are disposed symmetrically at two sides of the light guide plate 20, respectively. The light source cover 30 has two connecting elements 301, and each of the connecting elements 301 has a mounting hole 302. The frame 50 includes two rims 501, and each of the rims 501 has two guiding troughs 503, 504 and a position area 502 for receiving and positioning the corresponding protrusion 101. Each rim 501 further includes a position hole 505. The light source cover 30 can be fixed with the frame 50 by the cooperation of the mounting holes 302, 505 and two screws 60.
A process is provided to assemble the backlight module 1, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Firstly, the light guide plate 10 is inserted into the frame 50 at a tilt angle, so the protrusions 101 are placed in the corresponding guiding troughs 503, 504 and the position areas 502. Secondly, the light guide plate 10 is rotated slowly until the protrusions 101 are blocked and fixed in the corresponding position areas 502. The frame 50 can prevent the light guide plate 10 from shifting and loosing, so the damage of the light guide plate is eliminated.
Compactness is another important factor for the assembly. However, the above-mentioned assembly can't prevent light beams from leaking because the frame 50 is a fixed structure, which can't be adjusted to obtain a compact assembly. That is, intervals are introduced among the light guide plate 10, the light source 40 and the light source cover 30 due to the essentially tolerances thereof. Thus, a part of light beams emitted from the light source 40 can't be utilized, and the backlight module 1 is poor in brightness. The leaking light beams even lead to mura defects. Furthermore, the frame 50 does not fit in with practical conditions for the light guide plate 10 with different sizes.
An improved frame and a backlight module use the same that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages are desired.

Frame including stable case and slidably movable case and backlight module using same


A detector module for a CT imaging system includes a scintillator to convert x-rays to optical photons. The scintillator is optically coupled to a solid-state photomultiplier with internal gain to receive the optical photons and convert them into a corresponding electrical signal output.

The present invention relates generally to radiographic detectors for diagnostic imaging and, more particularly, to a CT detector module capable of providing photon count and energy data with improved saturation characteristics.
Typically, in radiographic imaging systems, such as x-ray and computed tomography (CT), an x-ray source emits x-rays toward a subject or object, such as a patient or a piece of luggage. Hereinafter, the terms "subject" and "object" may be interchangeably used to describe anything capable of being imaged. The beam, after being attenuated by the subject, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated beam radiation received at the detector array is typically dependent upon the attenuation of the x-rays. Each detector element of the detector array produces a separate electrical signal indicative of the attenuated beam received by each detector element. The electrical signals are transmitted to a data processing system for analysis which ultimately produces an image.
Conventional CT imaging systems utilize detectors that convert radiographic energy into current signals that are integrated over a time period, then measured and ultimately digitized. A drawback of such detectors however is their inability to provide data or feedback as to the number and/or energy of photons detected. During image reconstruction, data as to the number and/or energy of photons detected can be used to distinguish materials which appear identical in images reconstructed from conventional systems that do not provide this additional information. That is, conventional CT detectors have a scintillator component and photodiode component wherein the scintillator component illuminates upon reception of radiographic energy and the photodiode detects illumination of the scintillator component and provides an electrical signal as a function of the intensity of illumination. A drawback of these detectors is their inability to provide energy discriminatory data or otherwise count the number and/or measure the energy of photons actually received by a given detector element or pixel. That is, the light emitted by the scintillator is a function of the number of x-rays impinged as well as the energy level of the x-rays. Under the charge integration operation mode, the photodiode is not capable of discriminating between the energy level or the photon count from the scintillation. For example, two scintillators may illuminate with equivalent intensity and, as such, provide equivalent output to their respective photodiodes. Yet, the number of x-rays received by each scintillator may be different as well as the x-rays' energy, but yield an equivalent light output.
In attempts to design scintillator based detectors capable of photon counting and energy discrimination, detectors constructed from scintillators coupled to either avalanche photodiodes (APDs) or photomultipliers have also been employed. However, there are varying problems that limit the use of these detectors. In the case of APDs, there is additional gain need to enable photon counting, but with associated gain-instability noise, temperature sensitivity, and other reliability issues. In the case of photomultiplier tubes, these devices are too large, mechanically fragile, and costly for high resolution detectors covering large areas as used in CT. As such, these photomultiplier tubes have been limited to use in PET or SPECT systems.
To overcome these shortcomings, energy discriminating, direct conversion detectors capable of not only x-ray counting, but of also providing a measurement of the energy level of each x-ray detected have been employed in CT systems. A drawback of direct conversion semiconductor detectors, however, is that these types of detectors cannot count at the x-ray photon flux rates typically encountered with conventional CT systems. That is, the CT system requirements of high signal-to-noise ratio, high spatial resolution, and fast scan time dictate that x-ray photon flux rates in a CT system be very high, e.g. at or greatly exceeding 1 million x-rays per sec per millimeter squared. Also, the count rate in a single detector pixel, measured in counts per second (cps) and determined by the flux rate, the pixel area, and the detection efficiency, is very high. The very high x-ray photon flux rate causes pile-up and polarization. "Pile-up" is a phenomenon that occurs when a source flux at the detector is so high that there is a non-negligible possibility that two or more x-ray photons deposit charge packets in a single pixel close enough in time so that their signals interfere with each other. Pile-up phenomenon are of two general types, which result in somewhat different effects. In the first type, the two or more events are separated by sufficient time so that they are recognized as distinct events, but the signals overlap so that the precision of the measurement of the energy of the later arriving x-ray or x-rays is degraded. This type of pile-up results in a degradation of the energy resolution of the system. In the second type of pile-up, the two or more events arrive close enough in time so that the system is not able to resolve them as distinct events. In such a case, these events are recognized as one single event having the sum of their energies and the events are shifted in the spectrum to higher energies. In addition, pile-up leads to a more or less pronounced depression of counts in high x-ray flux, resulting in detector quantum efficiency (DQE) loss.
Direct conversion detectors are also susceptible to a phenomenon called "polarization" where charge trapping inside the material changes the internal electric field, alters the detector count and energy response in an unpredictable way, and results in hysteresis where response is altered by previous exposure history. This pile-up and polarization ultimately leads to detector saturation, which as stated above, occurs at relatively low x-ray flux level thresholds in direct conversion sensors. Above these thresholds, the detector response is not predictable and has degraded dose utilization that leads to loss of imaging information and results in noise and artifacts in x-ray projection and CT images. In particular, photon counting, direct conversion detectors saturate due to the intrinsic charge collection time (i.e. dead time) associated with each x-ray photon event. Saturation will occur due to pulse pile-up when x-ray photon absorption rate for each pixel is on the order of the inverse of this charge collection time.
Previously conceived solutions to enable photon counting at high x-ray flux rates include using bowtie shaped filters to pre-shape the profile of the flux rate along the detector, compensating for the patient shape and producing a smaller dynamic range of flux across the field of the detector. What can be problematic, however, is that the bowtie filter may not be optimal given that a subject population is significantly less than uniform and can vary in shape. In such cases, it is possible for one or more disjointed regions of saturation to occur or conversely to over-filter the x-ray flux and create regions of very low flux. Low x-ray flux in the projection will ultimately contribute to noise in the reconstructed image of the subject.
Another proposed solution to accommodate high flux rates has been to subdivide the pixel into multiple sub-pixels, each sub-pixel connected to its own preamplifier. By reducing the area of the direct conversion sub-pixel, the flux rate capability may be increased as fewer photons are collected in the smaller area. However, the signal-to-noise ratio of the resulting signal may be reduced, and the level of cross-talk will be disadvantageously significant due to the increased perimeter between sub-pixels. Crosstalk in a direct conversion detector takes the form of charge sharing between pixels for x-rays that are absorbed near the boundaries between pixels. Charge sharing may cause the photon to be missed entirely or mislabeled in energy. In either case, the DQE is decreased and spectral response is of reduced fidelity as a result of using subdivided pixels, each connected to its own amplifier.
It would therefore be desirable to design a photon counting, energy discriminating CT detector that does not saturate at the x-ray photon flux rates typically found in conventional CT systems. It would be further desirable to design a detector that provides a high gain with low associated noise and is light and robust so as to be reliable and resistant to high temperatures, shock, and mechanical wear.

Photon counting CT detector using solid-state photomultiplier and scintillator


An authentication system authenticates an object. The authentication system includes a capture device for capturing at least one biometric output data record (BD) for the object; a reading device for reading configuration data (Konf), associated with the object, for an artificial neural network; a processing device designed to produce the artificial neural network and to input the BD into the neural network; a verification device which captures an output from the neural network to authenticate the object, wherein the neural network is a bidirectional associative memory, particularly a Hopfield network, having a multiplicity of network states. The verification device is designed to determine the output from the neural network by capturing a final state derived from the input of the BD. The neural network stores a key associated with a particular person. The key is released only when appropriate biometric data are input into the neural network.

The present disclosure relates to an authentication system, a method for authenticating an object, an apparatus for producing an identification device and a method for producing an identification device.
Biometric recognition methods have undergone an enormous upturn in recent years. Technological progress increasingly allows the rapid measurement of biological characteristics and the evaluation thereof with a feasible level of complexity. The use of biometrics is a promising approach to solving the problem of many security concepts. This gives rise to the issue of how identities and the associated rights can be linked to the correct physical object (e.g. a person). In the globalized information society, the solution to this problem is of central importance. By way of example, biometric data (e.g. a fingerprint from a person) can be stored on the identity card of said person in order to ensure that the holder of the identity card is also the owner thereof. Biometric measurements or scans allow forgeries and misappropriations of an identity card to be recognized. Biometric characteristics are frequently distinguished into active/passive, behavior-based, physiologically based or dynamic/static. Behavior-based characteristics which are stable in the long term include the voice, handwriting or signature, keystroke dynamics and gait dynamics. Physiological characteristics which are stable in the long term are the fingerprint, the iris or hand geometry, for example. Biometric characteristics used for authorizing an object are, inter alia: body size, iris, retina, fingerprint, face geometry, hand vessel structure, hand geometry, hand line structure, nail bed pattern, voice, signature, keystroke dynamics, lip movement, gait, body odor and DNA.
A biometric recognition system for authorizing a person is known from WO 00/74001 A1. In this case, biometric data are stored on an identification device, for example an ID card or identity card. In order to authenticate the person and hence to establish the authorization of said person, the person presents his identification device. The biometric data stored thereon are captured by a comparison device and are compared with the relevant biometric characteristics of the person. By way of example, an iris scan can be used to produce what is known as a live template with appropriate reference data and to compare it with stored biometric data, what are known as comparison data. The person is granted a particular authorization only if the geometric characteristics of the person match the stored biometric data. A drawback of the method described in WO 00/74001 A1 is that the memory on the identification device is not conclusively protected against forgery. In theory, it is possible to corrupt the data such that a third party can authenticate himself using these data. Stolen data result in the identity being compromised. The method can be used only for authentication and cannot be used for storing a key.
Furthermore, for reasons pertaining to data protection law, the biometric data can be neither duplicated nor buffer-stored in different countries. One reason for this is that various biometric data can be used to derive information about people that underlies their privacy (for example illnesses). From security-related aspects too, there is a desire to avoid the storage of complete biometric data, since these are a security risk. In theory, biometric characteristics which are required for authorization can be reconstructed and forged, which means that security locks can be bypassed, e.g. using a false fingerprint. WO 2005/064547 A1 discloses the practice of encrypting biometric comparison data and splitting them over a plurality of devices, e.g. a server and an identification device in the form of a chip card.
Different methods are known for linking biometric data or templates from a user or object to a (digital) key (e.g. a number which identifies the object). Usually, a distinction is drawn here between the following three methods:
a method which releases keys (key release);
a method which binds keys (key binding);
a method which generates keys (key generation).
In the case of the methods which release keys, the biometric authentication is completely decoupled from the key release. The biometric comparison data and the key are both stored in a central database, but with each being a separate entry. The key is released only when the biometric output data obtained (live template) match the stored template or the stored templates (comparison data). This method has the drawback that the stored biometric templates can be irrevocably stolen. Furthermore, it is possible to overwrite the stored biometric data or templates and hence to make the associated key accessible to another person.
In the case of the method which binds keys, the key and the biometric template form a unit, with the key being able to be generated only when appropriate biometric data are available. A cryptobiometric comparison algorithm is used in order to perform the authentication and at the same time to release the key. Hence, access to the key without the biometric data can be gained only with difficulty.
In the case of the method which generates keys, neither the key nor the template is stored in any form. The key is obtained directly from the biometric data from the object during the authentication process.
The last two cited methods can be implemented only with great difficulty. A known implementation of a key binding method is known from Uludag and Jain (cf. U. Uludag and A. Jain, "Fuzzy Vault for Fingerprints", Proceedings of the Workshop "Biometrics: Challenges Arising from Theory and Practice", pp. 13-16, Cambridge UK, 2004). Allegedly, however, some of these methods are very susceptible to brute force attacks (cf. P. Mihailescu, "The Fuzzy Vault for Fingerprints is Vulnerable to Brute Force Attacks" eprint arXiv:0708.2974.).
As regards the key release method, it is known practice to use neural networks in order to obtain a reliable comparison between the stored and the obtained biometric data (cf. EP 1 076 878 B1). Using the network as an actual storage location for the key is novel.

Apparatus and method for producing an identification device


A composite casting for wear resistant surface has a base composed of a ductile material and a plurality of wear resistant elements embedded in the base, wherein the wear resistant elements have rounded sides and are arranged in the base so that they are flush with a surface of the base.

The present invention relates to wear resistant composite castings which must have high degree of wear resistance in combination with high ductility and impact strength. Such material can be used to extend significantly the service life of mining and heavy construction equipment such as bucket wheel excavators, dragline excavators, high capacity haulage trucks, and crushing/milling machines.
Hatfield steel and other similar material are used currently in the industry in order to reduce wear of equipment under impact load. These steels have high ductility and plasticity; however, they have relatively low resistance to abrasive and impact wear which reduces the service life of the equipment. Composite castings are also known to be used for protecting the equipment from wear. They usually consist of wear resistant elements and ductile matrix elements which bind the wear resistant elements. In many instances the use of the composite castings replace the Hatfield steel as well as high wear brittle white chromium irons. Such a replacement usually leads to the increase of the service life of the equipment from 2 to 10 times. However, the known composite castings as well as their composition and manufacturing processes have some disadvantages. They are not sufficiently resistant to high dynamic loads. The elevation of the wear resistant elements above the surface of the composite castings and their sharp edges lead to local failure and crack development in the wear resistant elements. The arrangements of the wear resistant elements in parallel rows at an angle relative to the direction of movement of the material leads to the fact that one of the corners of the castings remains unprotected. As a result, the process of continuous wear or "washing out" of the matrix base of the composite casting takes place with the resulting loss of wear resistant elements. The construction and the method of manufacturing lead to the formation of incipient cracks in the matrix base of the castings during the manufacturing process, which reduce the strength of the castings. Finally, the castings are used in hostile environments, they deteriorate due to their low resistance to corrosion. Some castings and methods of their manufacture are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,804,346 and 3,941,589.

Abrasion and impact resistant composite castings and wear resistant surface provided therewith


A device includes a processor and a memory. The processor effectuates operations including monitoring enterprise network traffic associated with one or more user device (UE). The processor further effectuates operations including comparing the enterprise network traffic to a UE profile associated with each of the one or more UE. The processor further effectuates operations including determining whether the comparison indicates that a predetermined threshold has been exceeded. The processor further effectuates operations including in response to the indication that the predetermined threshold has been exceeded, generating an alert, wherein exceeding the predetermined threshold is indicative of a denial of service attack on an enterprise network or an attempt to remove enterprise data via the one or more UE.

Service providers are able to provide a broad array of network-based services that include video, telephone, cellular, data and other services. Such services require extensive network infrastructure and customer premises equipment, which increases the vulnerability of such services to outages and other disruptions. Service providers may troubleshoot network technologies or equipment and repair of network-based services. The service providers may employ BOTs (e.g., robotic process automation (RPA) or computer-generated agents) to run automated tasks within the network. For example, the service providers may use computer-generated agents to provide a rudimentary monitoring for the network technologies and equipment in order to obtain insight into operations. The computer-generated agents may provide information that may be used during troubleshooting or repair. Other business types other than service providers may also use computer-generated agents to perform automated tasks.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art.

Robotic process automation bot operational management system


A lock (10, 40, 42, 58) for security devices 26, such as banknote dispensers, to limit access to a confined space (32, 34) within the device. A remote computer (28) exclusively controls opening of the lock (10, 40, 42, 58). A plurality of the devices may form a network controlled by the remote computer (28).

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns locks for limiting access to a confined and secured space, banknote dispensing devices and machines, and networks formed of devices fitted with such locks.
It concerns more particularly a "lock of the type including:                a bolt, capable of occupying first and second positions in which it is respectively possible or impossible to access the confined space,        an electromechanical device, for allowing or preventing the bolt from moving from one of the bolt positions to the other,        a control circuit for addressing commands to the electromechanical device, and        a communication interface provided with a terminal forming an input to the lock, and arranged so as to be able to be connected, via the terminal, at least indirectly, to a computer type management system.
2) Description of Related Art
Such locks are used, for example, in banknote dispensing apparatus, better known by the name "cash dispensers", in controlling the opening of hotel rooms or in bank vaults, for controlling safes.
In the known systems, such as those described, for example, in EP Patent Application No. 0 985 790, the means for controlling the lock include a microprocessor, a memory and a keyboard, arranged such that, in order to access the confined space, an operator enters an access code by means of the keyboard. The microprocessor checks this code, as a function of information that it will search for in the memory, and gives or does not give the command to release the bolt.
In the aforementioned Patent Application, the code entered by the operator is different each time. This code is generated synchronously by the lock microprocessor and by a computer external to the lock, generally placed at the head office of the company responsible for accessing the confined space. The code originating from the external computer is transmitted to the operator when he starts visiting the cash dispensers, or by telephone before he accesses a given cash dispenser.
Various variants of locks connected to a computer are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,774,058, 5,448,660 and 5,475,378, WO 96-05552 and EP 0,668,423. In these documents, the lock is, generally, fitted with a keyboard and a screen, to allow an operator, responsible for accessing the confined space protected by the lock, to take an active part in controlling the lock.

Device for limiting access to a confined space


An antireflective layer comprises a binder component in the form of a rosin which is soluble in both a low polar organic solvent and an aqueous alkaline solution, and a light absorbing component which is also soluble in both the low polar organic solvent and the aqueous alkaline solution. In photolithography, the antireflective layer exhibits excellent anti-reflective properties in a predetermine UV wavelength region, and, when used for forming resist patterns, the antireflective layer can be applied dissolved in the low polar organic solvent in a manner which has no detrimental effect on the resist, and can be removed along with the resist during the development process using the aqueous alkaline solution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to materials for depositing antireflective layers, a method for forming resist patterns, and a method for manufacturing semiconductor devices.
2. Description of Related Art
The minimization has been introduced in various industrial fields, and for example in the field of electronic material (including semiconductor devices), the minimum feature size of semiconductor integrated circuit has reached to sub-half micron level.
To meet this need, the technology suitable for highly precise fine works has needed, and corresponding to the expectation, for example, KrF excimer laser lithography has attracted attentions. However, various films used in the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices mostly have high reflectance for light in wavelength region used in this technical field. The high reflectance causes the problem of standing wave effect (multiple interference in a film) and notching due to reflection from steps. For example, the variation of pattern size and pattern distortion are caused. The reflection preventing technology has been developed to avoid these problems, and the technology is categorized into the under coated antireflective layer type and the top coated antireflective layer type. Both types involve advantages and disadvantages, top coated reflection preventing technique using top coated organic layer is useful because of simple process of the technique though the technique is not so effective for notching.
Two types of antireflective layer material for deep ultraviolet, water soluble material and non-water soluble materials, are available commercially. The former is removable directly with resist developing solution in favor of simple processing, but the former mostly has high reflective index and it is difficult to find out a material having ideal refractive index. The latter, non-water soluble antireflective layer material, needs additional peeling process disadvantageously, but ideal refractive index is obtained by using fluoro polymers. Since the factor that the process is simple is considered as important from the view point of manufacturing, however, the former, namely water soluble material, is often selected. As described herein above, the use of the former material cannot result in ideal refractive index, but results in relatively high refractive index. The high refractive index involves the problem of reduced suppression of standing wave effect. In addition, the former material involves the problem of plugging of a pump of waste effluent system when the wast effluent of the former is wasted in the same effluent system that used for resist because the former is water soluble.

Method of forming resist pattern utilizing antireflective layer containing rosin or hydrogenated rosin


A system for using a reference plane to control transmission line characteristic impedance includes a signal trace located in a multi-layer structure and at least one constant thickness reference plane proximate to the signal trace, the constant thickness reference plane located with respect to the signal trace so as to provide a desired characteristic impedance between the signal trace and the constant thickness reference plane.

A modern application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) must meet very stringent design and performance specifications. One of the factors that influence the design and performance of an ASIC is the characteristic impedance of the transmission lines that are located on a printed circuit board (PCB), interconnect structure, package, or other elements associated with an ASIC. The terms "impedance" and "characteristic impedance" are used interchangeably. Typically, it is desirable to control the characteristic impedance of a transmission line so as to maximize the efficiency of signal transfer in both a single-ended signal application and in a differential signal application. As its name implies, a single-ended signal is one that is transferred using a single transmission line. A differential signal is one that is represented by two complementary signals on different conductors (i.e., transmission lines), with the term "differential" representing the difference between the two complementary signals. A "differential pair" is a communication methodology that uses two separate conductors (i.e., the differential pair) to carry a differential communication signal. All differential signals also have what is referred to as a "common mode," which represents the average of the two differential signals. One of the conductors carries a "true" or "positive" version of the differential communication signal while the other conductor carries the "complement" or "negative" version of the differential communication signal.
Regardless of whether the transmission line or lines are adapted to transfer a single-ended signal or a differential signal, the characteristic impedance of the transmission line is important as it relates to the efficiency of signal transfer.
Existing techniques to control the characteristic impedance include, for example, controlling line width, line spacing, dielectric thickness, dielectric constant, and others. In a strip line signal trace, low crosstalk environment, a high characteristic impedance is achieved by reducing line width, increasing dielectric thickness or changing material properties of the trace and/or dielectric, and adjusting the number of layers of material. Unfortunately, for example, reducing line width results in higher insertion loss and increasing the likelihood of signal crosstalk. These existing techniques all have other drawbacks and may not achieve the desired characteristic impedance.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a way of controlling the characteristic impedance of a transmission line in an ASIC while maintaining a low insertion loss and low likelihood of signal crosstalk.

System and method for using a reference plane to control transmission line characteristic impedance

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


The invention concerns use of metal scavengers of the formula (1), wherein the variables are as defined in the description of the invention, for removal of ruthenium residues, compounds, or complexes thereof, from the post-reaction mixtures, from the products of reactions catalyzed with ruthenium complexes, as well as from organic compounds contaminated with ruthenium.

Catalysts for many organic reactions of key scientific and industrial significance, such as metathesis of olefins, Mizoroku-Heck, Negishi, Sonogashira, and Suzuki coupling, Noyori asymmetric hydrogenation, or Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, are in the form of transition metal complexes. One of the greatest problems related to the use of compounds of such type in the synthesis, consists in removal of the metal residues from the products of reactions. This issue is particularly important for the pharmaceutical industry because of restrictive standards related to acceptable heavy metal contents in the biologically active compounds, being below 10 ppm (see, European Medicines Agency, Specification limits for residues of metal catalysts CHMP/SWP/4446/2000, 2008). Many examples of pharmaceutical syntheses demonstrate that this problem is very common and troublesome (see, J. Magano, J. R. Dunetz Chem. Rev. 2011, 111, 2177-2250). This problem may be solved in the following ways:
1. by the means of "classic" purification techniques such as crystallisation, extraction, chromatography;
2. by using of specially designed catalysts that are easily removable after the completed reaction, so called self-scavenging catalysts;
3. by adding transition metal scavengers, i.e., the compounds that bind metals and are easily removable after binding metals, to the post-reaction mixtures or reaction products.
The "classic" purification techniques not always make it possible to obtain a pure product with low metal contents, below 10 ppm. On the other hand, self-scavenging catalysts are either hardly available or expensive. The advantage of metal scavengers resides in their universality. The same scavenger compound can often be used in combination with many types of catalysts of various reactions, thanks to this fact such an approach is more general. An ideal metal scavenger should feature the following properties:
1. to bind various forms of transition metal complexes, at various oxidation states, quickly, irreversibly and quantitatively;
2. to be efficient at slight excess with respect to the catalyst used;
3. to be easily removable in the form bound to the transition metal, by extraction, crystallisation, or chromatography;
4. to be inexpensive and easily obtainable;
5. to be stable in the air and against the moisture, non-toxic, safe, odourless, and conveniently applicable;
6. to be either insoluble or very soluble in typical organic solvents.
Ruthenium scavengers are well-known in the state of the art (see, Table 1 for examples). Some of them are commercially available, but only few of them possess most of the above-mentioned features (see, G. C. Vougioukalakis, Chem. Eur. J. 2012, 18, 8868-8880). Their most important drawbacks comprise the need to use a large excess of the scavenger with respect to the (pre)catalyst (50-500 equivalents), prolonged time required to bind the scavengers to the transition metals (12 hours), high level of contamination of the product with ruthenium after purification (above 10 ppm, see the last column of Table 1), poor solubility in typical, low-polar organic solvents (i.e., diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, toluene, dichloromethane), moderate stability in the air, high price.
TABLE 1 Ru contaminationpurificationof the productEntrymetal scavengermol %time [hours]method[ppm]1a 2a430 430   0.16    0.16extraction adding SiO2, filtration670 206 3b25012chromatography over SiO2360 4b25012chromatography over SiO2240 5c 4412chromatography over SiO2220asee, R.H. Grubbs, Tetrahedron Lett., 1999, 40, 4137-4140, bsee, G.I. Georg, Org. Lett., 2001, 3, 1411-1413, csee, S.T. Diver, Org. Lett., 207, 9, 1203-1206.

Use of metal scavengers for removal of ruthenium residues


The present invention provides a method of processing a substrate, comprising a reflow process for forming a desired pattern by dissolving a resist pattern, whereby occurrence of defectives, such as disconnection, can be prevented, and a pattern having an appropriate uniformity can be formed efficiently on each predetermined area desired to be masked. From a photoresist pattern 206 including thicker film portions and thinner film portions, the thinner film portions are removed by a re-developing process. Next, the photoresist so formed by the re-developing process on a backing layer 205 is dissolved such that it passes through a stepped portion 205a formed at each edge portion 205b of the backing layer 205, thereby masking a predetermined area Tg. Upon masking the predetermined area Tg, the photoresist 206 is dissolved in a first dissolving-speed mode on the backing layer 205, and then after the photoresist to be dissolved reaches the stepped portion 205a, the photoresist 206 is dissolved in a second dissolving-speed mode which is slower than the first dissolving-speed mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of processing a substrate, which is adapted to perform a reflow process for forming a new resist pattern by dissolving a used resist pattern which has been formed in a photolithography step and used as a mask.
2. Background Art
For example, in the formation of an amorphous SiTFT (amorphous Silicon Thin Film Transistor) in a step of producing LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays), multiple photolithography steps are required. Thus, in the past, multiple photolithography steps, i.e., exposing and developing steps, have been performed to form a photoresist pattern.
However, in the step of forming a TFT, a coating and developing apparatus and an exposing apparatus are required for each pattern desired to be obtained by etching, leading to a higher machinery cost.
In view of such an issue, a reflow process has attracted significant attention, in which a new resist pattern can be formed on a predetermined area (target) desired to be masked, by dissolving and changing the form of a resist pattern which has been once used as a mask. With this reflow process, a further process using a coating and developing apparatus and an exposing apparatus is no longer required for forming the second new resist pattern, thus reducing the machinery cost and enhancing the production efficiency.
Patent Document 1: TOKUKAI No. 2005-108904, KOHO
As described above, according to the reflow process, an exposing process using an exposing apparatus is not required upon remaking a resist pattern on a substrate, thereby reducing the production cost and enhancing the production efficiency.
However, in order to form a film having a uniform thickness with a sufficient amount of a resist on a target in the formation of such a new second resist pattern, the resist should be dissolved at an appropriately low speed. Therefore, such a process takes much time, thus degrading the efficiency


The present disclosure provides a shift register unit whose operating time includes a plurality of multi-frame periods, each of the multi-frame periods including a plurality of frame periods. The shift register unit includes a trigger signal input terminal, an input module, a pull-up module, a pull-down control module, a plurality of pull-down modules, and a signal output terminal. The pull-down control module is configured to sequentially provide active signals to the control terminals of respective pull-down modules in pull-down stages of respective frame periods of one multi-frame period. The present disclosure further provides a shift register, a gate driving circuit and a display panel. The shift register unit has longer lifetime and better electric performance, and can meet the requirements of high-reliability products.

In order to reduce a size of a bezel of a display device, shift registers of a gate driving circuit are generally integrated on an array substrate. The shift register includes cascaded multiple stages of shift register units. Typically, each shift register unit includes a plurality of transistors. As the functions of the display device become more and more powerful, people use the display device for a longer time.

Shift register unit, shift register, gate driving circuit and display panel

ORDOS YUANSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


Gas separation membranes are prepared from sulfonated polyimides exhibiting desirable gas separation characteristics, combined with good film-forming properties and desirable solubility characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the preparation of sulfonated polyimide polymers and their use as gas and vapor separation membranes.
2. Description of Prior Art
Polyimides with a rigid chain backbone structure, strong chain-chain interactions, and high glass transition temperatures have been reported to exhibit good gas separation and permeation characteristics in gas separation applications. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,705,540; 4,717,393; 4,717,394; 5,042,993; and 5,074,891 disclose such aromatic polyimide gas separation membranes. Polyimides are generally soluble in aprotic solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methyl-pyrrolidone. Some polyimides are further soluble in dichloromethane and m-cresol. Their solubility characteristics make polyimides suitable for preparation of asymmetric gas separation membranes but less suitable for preparation of composite gas separation membranes, the latter frequently requiring mild, highly volatile, e.g., low boiling temperature solvents.
A number of modified polyimide polymers have been also disclosed in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,705,540 and 4,717,394 disclose structurally rigid polyimides having alkyl substituents at all positions ortho to amine functions that form membranes with exceptional gas permeability. U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,993 discloses surface-modified polyimide membranes that exhibit high gas separation factors. The preparation of modified polyimides that contain carboxyl groups is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,816.
The preparation of sulfonated polyimides is reported in U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,144. There was no mention therein of the utility of these materials as separation membranes. The preparation of sulfonated polyimides from sulfonated diamines and pryomellitic dianhydride was further reported by I. V. Vasil'eva et al. in Vysokomol. Soyed., A14, No. 1, 143-149 (1972). The polymers were not soluble in mild solvents such as simple alcohols and were not evaluated for membrane applications. Thus, there remains a need in the field to prepare polyimides with improved separation/permeation characteristics and improved solubility.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to prepare modified polyimides that have broad solubility characteristics including solubility in mild low-boiling temperature solvent systems, such as alcohols that are most useful in preparation of composite membranes.
It is another object of this invention to prepare modified polyimides with improved gas permeation and separation characteristics.
With these and other objects in mind, the invention is hereinafter described in detail, the novel features thereof being particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Sulfonated polyimide gas separation membranes


An up-lighting floor mat includes floor matting that defines an upwardly-facing surface and an opposed downwardly-facing surface when supported atop an upwardly-facing support surface, and that is formed from a first flexible material that enables the up-lighting floor mat to be rolled up for transport or storage; and a first elongate up-lighting assembly positioned within a first elongate slot defined through the floor matting to emit light upwardly from the first elongate slot, wherein at least one elongate edge defined by the first up-lighting assembly is bonded to at least one edge of the floor matting that defines the first elongate slot.

The present invention relates to the field of safety equipment for use in work environments that may present safety concerns related at least to lighting and/or hard floor surfaces. More specifically, the present invention relates to equipment and methods to prevent accidents and/or reduce fatigue issues associated with objects that may be suspended overhead, objects that may extend outwardly from walls, and/or objects that may be positioned about a walking surface.
In various utility room, workshop, maintenance facility and/or factory floor environments, there is often a need to position equipment and/or materials at various locations relative to walking areas that can create a variety of hazards and/or conditions for inducing fatigue. By way of example, where automobiles and/or parts of automobiles need to be suspended overhead to enable manufacturing and/or repairs thereof, risks of head impacts may be created. In such situations, it is usually deemed highly desirable to provide sufficient lighting as to allow such suspended objects to be seen clearly, and thereby avoided. However, the suspension of such objects overhead often blocks out typical overhead lighting, and it has become a commonplace practice to compensate for such reduced lighting by placing lighting devices at various locations on walking surfaces underneath such suspended objects. Unfortunately, this commonplace practice often mitigates one hazard by creating another in which personnel, who keep their gaze upward to watch for overhead hazards, may be caused to trip over such lighting devices and/or the power cords therefor that are located at the level of their feet.
By way of another example, materials for transport and/or used as supplies in a manufacturing or construction project may be stored against walls and/or stacked in rows with walkway space allocated therebetween under conditions that prevent typical overhead lighting solutions from being effective. It may be that stacks and/or shelves full of such materials may be so high as to create a kind of "canyon effect" in which sufficient overhead lighting is simply not able to penetrate far enough down between such stacks and/or shelves as to effectively light walkways so as to allow personnel to see trip hazards. Also, such poor lighting located down within such "canyons" may prevent personnel from recognizing hazards arising from objects extending outwardly toward them from stacks and/or shelves of such materials.
By way of still another example, where various utility services and/or machinery are in the process of being repaired, there is often a need to turn off electric power such that personnel are forced to resort to the use of flashlights, headlamps and/or other portable lighting devices that may need to be positioned at awkward locations. In such situations, personnel are often forced to contend with the use of portable point light sources that can create shadows that hide objects that need to be seen, that must be physically supported in a cumbersome manner using a hand or other body portion, and/or that may need to be positioned on a walking surface at a location that creates a trip hazard. Again, in an effort to mitigate one hazard, another hazard may be created.

Flexible floor mat incorporating LED lighting


The present invention provides methods of cementing subterranean zones using cement compositions comprising calcium aluminate, fly ash, sodium polyphosphate and water.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to well cement compositions and methods, and more particularly, to such compositions and methods which are suitable for cementing high temperature wells containing carbon dioxide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the completion of high temperature subterranean wells containing carbon dioxide, e.g., geothermal wells, the use of conventional hydraulic cement compositions often results in early well failure. Because of the high static well bore temperatures involved coupled with the presence of brines containing carbon dioxide, conventional hydraulic well cements rapidly deteriorate due to alkali carbonation, especially sodium carbonate induced carbonation. In geothermal wells, which typically involve very high temperatures, pressures and carbon dioxide concentrations, conventional well cement failures have occurred in less than five years causing the collapse of the well casing.
It has heretofore been discovered that a cement material known as calcium phosphate cement formed by an acid-base reaction between calcium aluminate and a phosphate-containing solution has high strength, low permeability and excellent carbon dioxide resistance when cured in hydrothermal environments. However, calcium phosphate cement has a relatively high density, e.g., a density in the range of from about 15 to about 17 pounds per gallon, which is too high for geothermal applications. That is, in geothermal wells the hydrostatic pressure exerted by the high density calcium phosphate cement often exceeds the fracture gradients of subterranean zones penetrated by the well bore which causes the formation of fractures into which the cement is lost. While calcium phosphate cements have been developed which include hollow microspheres and as a result have densities of about 10 pounds per gallon, such light weight compositions are relatively expensive and the presence of the microspheres in the cured cement reduces its compressive strength.
Thus, there is a need for improved less expensive well cement compositions useful in cementing high temperature wells containing carbon dioxide.
The present invention provides improved cement compositions and methods which meet the needs described above and overcome the deficiencies of the prior art. The compositions are particularly useful in high temperature wells containing carbon dioxide such as geothermal wells. A composition of the present invention is basically comprised of calcium aluminate, fly ash and sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry.
Another composition of this invention is comprised of calcium aluminate, fly ash, sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry, a foaming agent, a foam stabilizer and a gas sufficient to form a foam having a density in the range of from about 9.5 to about 14 pounds per gallon.
Yet another composition of this invention is comprised of calcium aluminate, sodium polyphosphate, fly ash, sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry, a foaming agent, a foam stabilizer and a gas present in an amount sufficient to form a foam having a density in the range of from about 9.5 to about 14 pounds per gallon.
The methods of the present invention for cementing a high temperature subterranean zone containing carbon dioxide penetrated by a well bore basically comprise the steps of forming a well cement composition of this invention, pumping the cement composition into the subterranean zone by way of the well bore and allowing the cement composition to set into a hard impermeable mass therein.
It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide high temperature well cement compositions and methods.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of improved carbonation resistant well cement compositions and methods.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the description of preferred embodiments which follows.
As mentioned above, high temperature wells containing carbon dioxide such as geothermal wells generally require the use of well cement compositions which do not deteriorate in the presence of carbon dioxide containing brines. The term xe2x80x9chigh temperaturexe2x80x9d is used herein to mean wells wherein the static bottom hole temperature is above about 300xc2x0 F. up to as high as about 700xc2x0 F. When conventional hydraulic cements are utilized in such wells, carbonation causes dissolution of the cement which is converted into water-soluble salts. Further, severe corrosion of steel pipe takes place thereby resulting in the total disruption of the conventional cement supported well structure.
When conventional normal density cement slurries are utilized in geothermal and other similar wells, loss of circulation problems are often encountered. This is due to the weak unconsolidated formations in the wells having very low fracture gradients. When a relatively high density cement slurry is pumped into such a well, the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the weak unconsolidated subterranean zones therein causes the zones to fracture. This in turn causes the cement slurry being pumped to enter the fractures and lost circulation problems to occur. To avoid such problems, the cement compositions utilized in geothermal and other similar wells must be of light weight, i.e., have densities in the range of from about 9.5 to about 14 pounds per gallon.
By the present invention, improved well cement compositions are provided which resist high temperature carbonation deterioration. A cement composition of this invention which can be non-foamed or foamed is basically comprised of calcium aluminate, fly ash and sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry. When foamed, the cement composition includes a foaming agent, a foam stabilizer and a gas present in an amount sufficient to form a foam having a density in the range of from about 9.5 to about 14 pounds per gallon.
Another composition of this invention is comprised of calcium aluminate, sodium polyphosphate, fly ash, a foaming agent, a foam stabilizer and a gas present in an amount sufficient to form a foam having a density in the range of from about 9.5 to about 14 pounds per gallon.
The calcium aluminate can be any commercial grade calcium aluminate suitable for use as a cement. A suitable such calcium aluminate is commercially available from the Lehigh Portland Cement Company of Allentown, Pa., under the trade designation xe2x80x9cREFCON(trademark).xe2x80x9d The calcium aluminate is generally included in the cement composition in an amount in the range of from about 15% to about 45% by weight of the composition.
When used, the sodium polyphosphate includes sodium metaphosphate and sodium triphosphate as well as vitreous sodium phosphates. A suitable sodium polyphosphate for use in accordance with the present invention is commercially available from Calgon Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pa. The sodium polyphosphate can be included in the cement composition in an amount in the range of from about 5% to about 20% by weight of the composition. When included, the sodium polyphosphate combines with the calcium aluminate to form calcium phosphate in the form of hydroxyapatite.
Fly ash is the finely divided residue that results from the combustion of ground or powdered coal and is carried by the flue gases generated. A particular fly ash that is suitable in accordance with the present invention is a fine particle size ASTM class F fly ash having a Blaine fineness of about 10,585 square centimeters per gram which is commercially available from LaFarge Corporation of Michigan under the trade designation xe2x80x9cPOZMIX(trademark).xe2x80x9d Another fly ash that is suitable is an ASTM class F fly ash which is commercially available from Halliburton Energy Services of Dallas, Tex. under the trade designation xe2x80x9cPOZMIX(trademark)A.xe2x80x9d The fly ash is generally included in the composition in an amount in the range of from about 25% to about 45% by weight of the composition.
The major crystalline phase of ASTM class F fly ash is mullite (3Al2O3xc2x72SiO2). It reacts with calcium aluminate to form calcium alumino silicate (CaOxc2x7Al2O3xc2x72SiO2). Also, iron and quartz in the fly ash react with the calcium aluminate to form andradite (Ca3Fe2SiO4)3. These reactions increase the compressive strength of the set cement as compared to set calcium aluminate cement alone.
The water utilized can be from any source provided it does not contain an excess of compounds that adversely affect other compounds in the cement composition. For example, the water can be fresh water or saltwater. Generally, the water is present in the cement composition in an amount sufficient to form a pumpable slurry, i.e., an amount in the range of from about 10% to about 60% by weight of the composition.
In order to facilitate the foaming of the cement composition, a foaming agent is included in the composition. A particularly suitable and preferred such foaming agent is an alpha-olefinic sulfonate having the formula
H (CH2)nxe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94(CH2)mSO3Na
wherein n and m are individually integers in the range of from about 6 to about 16. The foaming agent is generally included in the cement composition in an amount in the range of from about 1% to about 2% by weight of the water in the composition. The most preferred foaming agent of this type is an alpha-olefinic sulfonate having the above formula wherein n and m are each 16, i.e., a sulfonic acid C16-16 alkane sodium salt.
A foam stabilizer is also included in the cement composition to enhance the stability of the composition after it is foamed. A particularly suitable and preferred stabilizing agent is an amidopropylbetaine having the formula
Rxe2x80x94CONHCH2CH2N+(CH3)2CH2CO2xe2x88x92
wherein R is a radical selected from the group of decyl, cetyl, oleyl, lauryl and cocoyl. The foam stabilizer is generally included in the cement composition in an amount in the range of from about 0.5% to about 1% by weight of the water in the composition. The most preferred foam stabilizer of this type is cocoylamidopropylbetaine.
The gas utilized to foam the composition can be air or nitrogen, with nitrogen being the most preferred. The amount of gas present in the cement composition is that amount which is sufficient to form a foam having a density in the range of from about 9.5 to 14 pounds per gallon, most preferably 12 pounds per gallon.
In order to provide resiliency to the set cement composition of this invention, the composition may optionally include inert ground rubber particles. Such particles are produced from worn out tires and are commercially available from Four D Corporation of Duncan, Okla.
At static well bore temperatures above about 125xc2x0 F., a set retarder is required. The set retarder functions to lengthen the time in which the cement composition starts to thicken and set so that the composition can be pumped into the well bore and into the zone to be cemented before such thickening takes place. Preferred such set retarders for use in accordance with this invention are gluconic acid and citric acid. When used, the set retarder is included in the cement composition in an amount in the range of from about 0.5% to about 2% by weight of the composition.
A preferred composition of the present invention is comprised of calcium aluminate present in an amount of about 30% by weight of the composition, ASTM class F fly ash present in an amount of about 50% by weight of the composition and water present in an amount sufficient to form a slurry.
Another preferred composition of the present invention is comprised of calcium aluminate present in an amount of about 30% by weight of the composition, ASTM class F Fly Ash present in an amount of about 50% by weight of the composition, sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry, a foaming agent comprised of a sulfonic acid C16-16 alkane sodium salt present in an amount of about 1.5% by weight of the water in the composition, a foam stabilizer comprising cocoylamidopropyl- betaine present in an amount of about 0.75% by weight of the water in the composition and a gas present in an amount sufficient to form a foam having a density in the range of from about 9.5 to about 14 pounds per gallon.
Yet another preferred composition of this invention is comprised of calcium aluminate present in an amount of about 28% by weight of the composition, sodium polyphosphate present in an amount of about 19% by weight of the composition, ASTM class F fly ash present in an amount of about 49% by weight of the composition, sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry, a foaming agent comprised of a sulfonic acid C16-16 alkane sodium salt present in an amount of about 2% by weight of the water in the composition, a foam stabilizer comprising cocylamideopropylbetaine present in an amount of about 1% by weight of the water in the composition and a gas present in an amount sufficient to form a foam having a density in the range of from about 9.5 to about 14 pounds per gallon.
As previously mentioned, the above described cement compositions can include ground rubber particles present in an amount in the range of from about 10% to about 40% by weight of the compositions to improve the resiliency of the compositions. Further, when the static well bore temperature is above about 125xc2x0 F., a set retarder selected from the group of gluconic acid and citric acid is included in the cement compositions in an amount of about 1.0% by weight of the compositions.
The cement compositions of this invention may be prepared in accordance with any of the mixing techniques utilized in the art. In one preferred method, a quantity of water is introduced into a cement blender followed by the sodium polyphosphate (if used), calcium aluminate and fly ash. The mixture is agitated for a sufficient period of time to form a pumpable non-foamed slurry.
When the cement slurry formed as above is foamed, the slurry is pumped to the well bore and the foaming agent and foam stabilizer followed by the gas utilized are injected into the slurry on the fly. As the slurry and gas flow through the well bore to the location where the resulting foamed cement composition is to be placed, the cement composition is foamed and stabilized. Other liquid additives utilized, if any, are added to the water prior to when the other components of the cement composition are mixed therewith and other dry solids, if any, are added to the water and cement prior to mixing.
The methods of this invention of cementing a high temperature subterranean zone containing carbon dioxide penetrated by a well bore are basically comprised of the steps of forming a foamed cement composition of this invention, pumping the foamed cement composition into the subterranean zone to be cemented by way of the well bore and then allowing the foamed cement composition to set into a hard impermeable mass therein.

Light weight high temperature well cement compositions and methods


An underground water storage tank which rarely causes water leakage, and which largely increases an amount of water to be stored therein having an internal water storage sub-tank 11 provided by coating an assembly of water-bearing materials 12 obtained by combining multiple water-bearing materials 12 with one another with a first water-impermeable sheet 14; soil pressure absorption plates 26 provided outside the internal water storage sub-tank 11; and a second water-impermeable sheet 27 for coating the soil pressure absorption plates 26. The water-bearing materials are rigid pipes 12 made of resin and the assembly of the water-bearing materials is formed by mutually and parallel coupling the multiple rigid pipes 12 by pipe coupling means 13 in a state that the multiple rigid pipes 12 are vertically set and arranged at predetermined intervals therebetween in a horizontal direction.

As equipment for effectively utilizing rainwater, there has been conventionally known one in which a water storage tank capable of storing rainwater therein is buried underground. Such an underground water storage tank is configured to collect rainwater fallen onto roofs or rooftops of houses or a surface of the ground through rain pipes or ditches, and to conduct and store the collected rainwater into the interior of the tank. Such equipment is provided with drainage means such as a pump capable of extracting water stored in the equipment, from the ground surface, and is configured to cause the water stored within the equipment to be extracted by the drainage means to utilize the water.
Conventionally, there has been known a water storage tank to be used in such equipment and installed underground in a relatively simple manner, which tank is configured with stacked water-bearing materials comprising sand, gravel, broken stones, or the like. This water storage tank is formed by: excavating a place where the underground water storage tank is to be formed; arranging a sheet onto the lowermost portion at the center of the excavated place, and stacking up water-bearing materials comprising sand, gravel, broken stones, or the like at the central portion of the sheet; thereafter, raising up the periphery of the sheet to thereby surround the periphery of the water-bearing materials; and placing the ends of the sheet onto upper surfaces of the water-bearing materials. This underground water storage tank is configured to store water in gaps between the water-bearing materials comprising sand, gravel, broken stones, or the like.
However, the above-mentioned underground water storage tank exhibits a problem that the amount of stored rainwater or the like is relatively small because of a relatively large amount of the water-bearing materials comprising sand, gravel, broken stones, or the like in the space enclosed by the sheet. To solve this problem, it has been proposed to form water-bearing materials by molded bodies of plastics formed by molds, respectively (see patent-related reference 1, for example). In case of the water-bearing materials comprising the molded bodies of plastics, usage thereof allows for decrease of an occupying ratio of the water-bearing materials in terms of a volume enclosed by a sheet to thereby increase an amount of stored rainwater.
Patent-related reference 1: JP-B-4-35580 (Claims)


Techniques and devices for sensing a sample by using a whispering gallery mode resonator.

The systems and techniques described herein were made in the performance of work under a NASA contract, and are subject to the provisions of Public Law 96-517 (35 USC 202) in which the Contractor has elected to retain title.
This application relates to techniques and devices for optical sensing and optical detection.
Optical sensing generally uses an optical probe beam to interact with a material to be detected. This interaction between the optical probe beam and the material modifies some aspect of the optical probe beam. A portion of this modified beam, such as the scattered light, the reflected light, or the transmitted light, may be collected and measured to obtain certain information of the material. For example, the optical intensity, phase, spectrum, polarization, or direction of the collected light may be measured either individually or in combination with other parameters to determine the certain information of the material.
Optical sensing may be used to achieve a number of advantages. For example, the sensing can be non-invasive and does not alter the material to be measured under proper operating conditions. The spectrum of the probe beam may be controlled to selectively interact with only certain optical transitions in specified particles, molecules, or atoms in the material. Optical sensing may also be used to achieve high detection sensitivity and to detect minute amount of a particular material.
This disclosure includes optical sensing techniques and devices based on whispering-gallery-mode micro resonators or cavities. An optical probe beam is evanescently coupled into at least one whispering gallery mode of such a resonator. A sample material to be measured may be filled within the resonator or surrounded outside the resonator to interact with and modify the whispering gallery mode or geometry of the resonator. The evanescent field outside the resonator is detected or measured to detect a change caused by the modification. This change is then processed to extract information about the sample material. This change may be reflected as, e.g., a temporal change in the mode structure during a transient period, attenuation in the evanescent field, a frequency shift in the whispering gallery mode and its evanescent field, or a change in efficiency of the evanescent coupling of the probe beam into the resonator or coupling of the energy in the whispering gallery mode out of the resonator.
In one implementation, the quality factor of the resonator for a particular mode may be measured to extract the information about the sample material by, e.g., measuring the spectral bandwidth of the mode or decay time of the mode. In he another implementation, the frequency shift is measured. In yet another implementation, the intensity of light coupled out of the resonator is measured. The resonator may also be actively controlled, e.g., by using a control signal to adjust its dimension, this control signal required to maintain certain desired conditions can be measured before and after the sample is introduced. The change in the control signal, e.g., its magnitude, may be used to extract information on the sample.

Optical sensing based on whispering-gallery-mode microcavity


A tilting organizer including a base section and a supply section movably connected to the base section. The base section being a single unit having no movable parts and including at least one sidewall with a groove formed therein. The supply section being a single unit having no movable parts and including a plurality of compartments formed therein for storage and an arm formed in an exterior sidewall for movably engaging the groove. When the arm moves within the groove the supply section moves within the base section. The supply section can extend from the base section and tilt so as to provide a topical view and access to the compartments.

When items are stored on shelves there is often wasted space as some items can not stand vertically and can not be stacked horizontally on top of one another. For example, in a medicine cabinet such items as toothbrushes, Q-tips, brushes, medication tubes, and make-up often can not be stored vertically on their own and can not be stacked horizontally upon one another. Storage units, such as cups and boxes, are often used to store these type of items vertically. When the items are stored vertically in the storage units it is often hard to see the actual contents of the storage unit or to get access to the contents of the storage units without removing the storage unit. Accordingly the storage units are often not secured so that they may be removed to get access to the contents stored therein. As the storage units are not secured they may tip over spilling the contents. Moreover, if multiple storage units are utilized to store multiple items, the various storage units may interfere with one another.
Accordingly there is a need for an organizer that provides a plurality of storage compartments that can be secured to a location and can provide visibility and access to the contents stored therein.


Disclosed herein is an optical device having a light source, a viscoelastic lightguide and a retroreflective film suitable for retroreflecting light. Light from the light source enters the viscoelastic lightguide and is transported within the lightguide by total internal reflection. The transported light is extracted from the lightguide and retroreflected at a structured surface of the retroreflective film. The optical device may have a “front lit” or a “back lit” configuration depending on the relative positioning of the lightguide and the retroreflective film. The retroreflective film may include prismatic retroreflective sheeting, holographic film or film structured with diffraction gratings. The optical device may be used, for example, as a sign or marking, a license plate assembly, a tail light assembly for vehicles, a security laminate for protection of documents against tampering, or an illumination device.

Retroreflective films are characterized by the ability to reflect incident light back toward an originating light source. Cube corner retroreflective sheeting, sometimes referred to as "prismatic" retroreflective sheeting, typically comprises a thin transparent layer having a substantially planar first surface and a second structured surface comprising a plurality of cube corner elements. Each cube corner element is formed by three reflecting faces at the surface of the thin transparent layer. Light incident upon a reflecting surface can undergo a number of additional reflections before being directed back toward the light source. Prismatic retroreflective sheeting may be used in traffic safety applications, such as for license plates, road signs, barricades, pavement markers and marking tape, as well as for personal safety applications including tape for clothing, headgear, vehicles and the like. Prismatic retroreflective sheeting may be used to provide signage in graphic arts applications.
Prismatic retroreflective sheeting is known for being able to reflect a large portion of incident light back towards an originating light source. Without a light source, however, prismatic retroreflective sheeting can be difficult to see under some conditions.
Lightguides are used to facilitate distribution of light from a light source over an area much larger than the light source. Lightguides comprise optically transmissive materials and may have different forms such as slab, wedge, and pseudo-wedge forms. Most lightguides are designed to accept light at an edge surface and allow this light to propagate by total internal reflection between a back surface and an output surface, toward an opposing edge surface from which the light enters. Light is emitted uniformly from the output surface using extracting features that are positioned in various types of patterns on the output surface.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Retroreflective articles and devices having viscoelastic lightguide


In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a material, such as a plastic film, is used to separate independent food elements. The independent food elements and the separation material are packaged together using a unifying outer package. At a point in time when the customer decides to eat the food, the outer package is opened and the film that separates the different food elements is removed, either manually or automatically. This marks the first point in time that the separate elements come into contact with each other. Therefore, the food product is maintained at the highest level of integrity until the time of usage by the customer. Methods and a machine for layering the contents of the packages so as to form a completed assembly for the packaged elements is also described.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to separable packaging and methods and a machine for dispensing the contents of separable packages, preferably in a layered manner. More specifically, it relates to packaged food products such as sandwiches or other foods that have at least two independent elements such as cheese, meats or vegetables, or other food related items having related elements, such as spaghetti and tomato sauce, a salad and a salad dressing, or even the forenoted spaghetti and tomato sauce and a bowl for holding the just combined spaghetti and sauce,. The invention also relates to methods and a machine for dispensing the contents of separable packages, preferably in a layered manner, so as to form a completed assembly for the dispensed contents of the packages. The present invention is particularly advantageous for automated machine preparation and vending of multi-element food products.
2. Background Information and Description of the Related Art
Currently, foods such as these are often packaged fully assembled, in which case the separate elements come into contact with other elements at the time the contents of the packages are assembled. For example, in the case of a simple cheese sandwich, the cheese will contact the bread and after a period of time, the bread will soak up the moisture from the cheese and the bread will become soggy, leading to a lower quality product and a degradation of textures. In the case of tomato sauce mixed together with the pasta at the point in time when and where it is packaged, the pasta can soak up the moisture from the tomato sauce and the texture and taste will degrade. Existing methods of layering food products include doing it by hand, as is done every day at any restaurant, or by automated machinery which may dispense out of a bulk storage area. These methods require that various portions of the ingredients are exposed to ambient air and other environment conditions during handling and storage time until all of the ingredients are used up when making the finished products are thrown away due to dating or spoilage. In addition, the kitchen or environment where the elements are layered and the objects or hands that contact the food elements are difficult to keep sanitized at all times. Freshness and sanitary conditions are a key concern. Additionally, spoilage and labor requirements are other issues that must be taken into account.

Separable packaging and layering machine therefore


The present invention is directed to de-interlacing method and apparatus using remote interpolation. An up window and a down window are firstly determined. The closest pair of pixels of the up window and the down window along a direction of 90°, −45°, and 45° is determined, which is then used to interpolate a new pixel. Subsequently, the up window and the down window are moved or stayed according to which pair is determined as being closest.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to de-interlacing, and more particularly to de-interlacing using remote interpolation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most broadcasting television signals, such as NTSC, PAL or SECOM, are interlaced to display odd-field and even-field in turn, which are perceived as a whole frame due to persistence of vision. Interlaced video signals could be satisfactorily broadcast without consuming much bandwidth, but disadvantageously have reduced vertical resolution, line or area flicker. The video signals for computer displays, on the other hand, are non-interlaced or progressive to directly display the whole frame on the display.
In order to display the interlaced video signals on a progressive-type display, such as a computer display, the interlaced video signals should be transformed into non-interlaced or progressive video signals through a de-interlacing or line doubling process. Through the de-interlacing, the original odd-field and even-field are combined into a frame.
Video signals are conventionally de-interlaced through spatial, temporal, or spatial-temporal transformation. In the spatial transformation (also known as intra-field transformation), pixel/sample or pixels/samples in the same field are used to generate or insert new pixel. In the temporal transformation (also known as inter-field transformation), pixels in neighboring fields respectively are used to generate new pixel. In the spatial-temporal transformation, the spatial and the temporal transformations are collectively used to generate new pixel.
Among the various transformations mentioned above, the spatial transformation is a basic and important one, in particularly when scene change exists or the temporal transformation is unsatisfactory. One of the fundamental principles of the spatial transformation is to interpolate a new pixel from neighboring pixel or pixels based on the correlation relationship among the new pixel to be interpolated and the neighboring pixels.
FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B illustrate a conventional interpolation in which line n−1 and line n+1 are neighboring lines of a field, and line n is a new line to be interpolated from the line n−1 and the line n+1. Specifically, in FIG. 1A, a new pixel X is interpolated from neighboring pixels of columns k−1, k, and k+1, as being illustratively shaded. In FIG. 1B, another new pixel X+1 is interpolated from neighboring pixels of columns k, k+1, and k+2, as being illustratively shaded.
The conventional interpolation discussed above disadvantageously results in serrate or blurred line, particularly along an edge. Accordingly, a need has arisen to propose a novel transformation or interpolation to procure smooth line in the de-interlacing.

De-interlacing method and apparatus using remote interpolation


A processing device is configured to receive a personal identifier from a user, to obtain a tokencode generated by an authentication token, to determine a permutation type for the user, and to generate a passcode utilizing the personal identifier, the tokencode and the permutation type. The personal identifier may comprise a personal identification number (PIN) or other arrangement of characters, and the permutation type may specify a particular ordering of characters of the personal identifier and the tokencode in the passcode. For example, if the passcode is normally generated by direct concatenation of the personal identifier and the tokencode, the permutation type may specify a deviation from direct concatenation of the personal identifier and the tokencode in generating the passcode, such as at least one of reversal, interleaving and reordering of the characters of the personal identifier and the tokencode in generating the passcode.

Hardware authentication tokens are typically implemented as small, hand-held devices that display a series of tokencodes over time. A user equipped with such a hardware authentication token reads the currently displayed tokencode and enters it into a mobile telephone, computer or other element of an authentication system as part of an authentication operation. It is also known to incorporate software authentication tokens in mobile telephones, computers or other user devices. The dynamic tokencodes provided by hardware or software authentication tokens offer a significant security improvement over authentication based on a static password.
Authentication tokens are typically programmed with a random seed or other type of secret key that is also stored in a token record file of the authentication system. The token record file is loaded into an authentication server, such that the server can create matching tokencodes for the authentication token based on the secret key and the current time or current event count. When the user first activates the token, the server stores a personal identification number (PIN) for the user in association with the secret key corresponding to the activated token.
Conventional authentication tokens include both time-synchronous and event-synchronous tokens.
In a typical time-synchronous token, the displayed tokencodes are based on the secret key and the time of day. An authentication server with access to the secret key and a time of day clock can verify that a given presented tokencode is valid.
One particular example of a time-synchronous authentication token is the RSA SecurID® user authentication token, commercially available from RSA, The Security Division of EMC Corporation, of Bedford, Mass., U.S.A.
Event-synchronous tokens generate tokencodes in response to a designated event, such as a user pressing a button on the token. Each time the button is pressed, a new tokencode is generated based on the secret key and an event counter. An authentication server with access to the secret key and the current event count can verify that a given presented tokencode is valid.
Other known types of authentication tokens include hybrid time-synchronous and event-synchronous tokens.
Many authentication systems are configured to require that a user enter the PIN in addition to entering the tokencode from the authentication token. This provides an additional security factor, based on something the user knows, thereby protecting against unauthorized use of an authentication token that is lost or stolen. Such an arrangement is generally referred to as two-factor authentication, in that authentication is based on something the user has (e.g., the authentication token) as well as something the user knows (e.g., the PIN).
By way of example, in order to gain access to a protected resource, the user typically enters the PIN and then enters the tokencode that appears on his or her authentication token. The protected resource receives this information and passes it on to the authentication server, which will then check if this information matches the information it has for the user in its token record file.
In conventional practice, the PIN is often directly concatenated with the tokencode to generate what is more generally referred to herein as a "passcode." The passcode is provided to the authentication server which verifies the user based on the PIN and tokencode that make up the passcode.

Passcode generation utilizing selected permutation type applied to tokencode and personal identifier


A low reflective film is formed of, in sequence from a side in contact with a laser chip, a first dielectric film of a refractive index n1 and a thickness d1, a second dielectric film of a refractive index n2 and a thickness d2, a third dielectric film of a refractive index n3 and a thickness d3, and a fourth dielectric film of a refractive index n4 and a thickness d4, specifically, aluminum oxide Al2O3 with a refractive index n1=1.638 is used for the first dielectric film, silicon oxide SiO2 with a refractive index n2=n4=1.489 for the second and fourth dielectric films, tantalum oxide Ta2O5 with a refractive index n3=2.063 for the third dielectric film, respectively, resulting in a semiconductor laser device with a reflectance which is stably controllable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser device which has a dielectric reflective film on a optical exit face.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor laser, a dielectric film is generally formed on an end face of a resonator obtained by wafer cleavage. A reflectance controllable film having a desired reflectance can be formed by choosing arbitrarily sorts, thicknesses and numbers of layers for the dielectric film formed on the end face. For example, the lower reflectance of the front end face and the higher reflectance of the rear end face may produce the higher output power.
However, it is not always enough to lower the reflectance of the front end face, and it is necessary to select the reflectance according to application, i.e., characteristics on demand of the semiconductor laser.
In the semiconductor laser of high output type, for example, the reflectance of the optical exit front end face is approximately 3% to 15%. In case the reflectance of 7% is sought, controllability of the reflectance is needed within 6%±1%. Usually, the reflectance of the front end face which emits laser light in the semiconductor laser is controlled by the thickness and the refractive index of a single dielectric film such as Al2O3, SiO2, etc.
FIG. 23 is a structural drawing showing an example of a conventional semiconductor laser device. A laser chip comprises a semiconductor substrates 1, such as GaAs, an active layer 2, cladding layers 3 formed above and below the active layer 2, and electrodes 4 formed above and below the cladding layers 3.
A semiconductor laser device comprises the laser chip noted above, a low reflective film 8 formed on a front end face of the laser chip, and a high reflective film 9 formed on a rear end face of the laser chip.
In general, for the low reflective film 8 on the front end face, a single layer film having an optical thickness of integral multiple of λ/4±α using laser oscillation wavelength λ in vacuum is used, wherein α is a correction coefficient for controlling a desired reflectance.
The front end face of the semiconductor laser is likely to rise in temperature due to high density of laser light. Therefore, the low reflective film 8 is typically formed of an aluminium oxide film with a thickness of 3*λ/4±α so as to serve as a heat dispersing plate (heat spreader).
FIG. 24 is a graph showing an example of reflectance of the conventional low reflective film with the wavelength dependency. FIG. 25 is a graph showing an example of reflectance of the conventional low reflective film with the thickness dependency. Here, for the low reflective film 8, an aluminium oxide film with a thickness of 318.9 nm (α=+17 nm) is formed on the front end face of a red semiconductor laser with an oscillation wavelength λ=660 nm. Incidentally, the equivalent refractive index of the laser chip is 3.817.
Referring to the graph of FIG. 25, when the reflectance of the low reflective film 8 is controlled within 6%±1%, it is seen that the thickness of the low reflective film 8 must be controlled with an accuracy of ±1%, i.e., nearly ±3 nm with respect to the design value of thickness da =318.9 nm. Such an accuracy of thickness is difficult to obtain by means of vacuum evaporation or sputtering which is generally used for forming an optical thin film, resulting in a lower yield of manufacturing a semiconductor laser.
The related prior arts are listed as follows: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-2001-77456-A (2001), and Japanese Patent Publication JP-3080312-B (2000).
However, in case of attaining the low reflective film 8 having a reflectance within 6%±1%, for example, variation in thickness of the single layer film of aluminium oxide must be limited within ±1%, resulting in the stricter controllability of reflectance and lower yield of manufacture.


A method for water leakage prevention in a portion connecting a first pipeline to a second pipeline having one end thereof in communication with a portion of the first pipeline is provided. This method includes the steps of passing elastically deformable drawing means from the other end of the second pipeline to one end of the first pipeline; engaging an impermeable cut-off member, having an expandable hose portion and a flange portion provided integrally with one end of the hose portion, with the drawing means at one end of the first pipeline at the hose portion; drawing the cut-off member into the first and second pipelines by drawing back the hose portion of the drawing means toward the other end of the second pipeline; and disposing the cut-off member in the first and second pipelines, so that the flange portion is positioned within the first pipeline and the hose portion extends within the second pipeline.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for water leakage prevention in a portion connecting a first pipeline to a second pipeline which branches off from the first pipeline.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A portion connecting a first pipeline, such as a main sewer pipe, to a second pipeline, such as a branch pipe, is generally bonded in a liquid tight manner to each pipeline by means of a bonding agent such as mortar. In general, the bonding agent may be removed from the first or second pipelines by only slightly relatively displacing the pipelines. As a result, a space is formed in the connection portion, and the liquid tightness of the connection portion is lowered. A cut-off treatment is performed to prevent water leakage from the space formed in the connection portion.
This water cut-off treatment is generally performed by a chemical feeding method involving the injection of a cut-off agent of cement or liquid type into the space and around the connection portion and then coagulating the cut-off agent.
The chemical feeding method exhibits the following problems. When water leakage occurs in practice, the cut-off agent is diluted with water, flows into the pipeline, and frequently fails to harden. Consequently, subsequent treatment for removing cut-off agent from the pipeline should also be conducted. In the chemical feeding method using a cement-type cut-off agent, the hardened cut-off agent does not exhibit elasticity. When pipes are displaced due to vibration, land subsidence or the like, the hardened cut-off agent is peeled off from the pipeline, and cracks form therein. As a result, any long-term, stable water cut-off is not expected. In the chemical feeding method using a liquid-type cut-off agent, the mechanical strength of the cut-off agent is low. The water cut-off is therefore not stably maintained for a long period of time.
In order to solve these problems, the present inventors employ cut-off methods utilizing an impermeable cut-off member. This impermeable cut-off member has an expandable hose portion and a flange portion provided integrally with one end of the hose portion, so that the flange portion is in liquid tight contact with the inner surface of the first pipeline. The hose portion of the impermeable cut-off member is in contact with the inner surface of the second pipeline and extends within the second pipeline.
This cut-off member exhibits the advantage of water leakage prevention without using a cut-off agent to close the space formed in the connection portion. Water leakage from a portion of the second pipeline is also prevented.
When the first and second pipelines are of a size such that an operator is unable to enter, it is difficult to dispose the impermeable cut-off member, so that the flange portion is positioned within the first pipeline and the hose portion extends within the second pipeline.

Method for water leakage prevention in pipeline