A method is provided for inhibiting or reducing the risk of macular degeneration with phytoestrogenic isoflavones. A further method is provided for inhibiting or reducing the risk of macular degeneration with a soy protein material containing phytoestrogenic isoflavones.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of incurable blindness in persons over 55 years of age. Approximately one in four persons age 65 or over have signs of age-related maculopathy, and about 7% of persons age 75 or over have advanced macular degeneration with vision loss. Unfortunately, treatment for macular degeneration is limited to laserphotocoagulation, which is effective only for a small subset of those suffering the disease.
Macular degeneration is a degeneration of the macular region of the retina. The macular region of the retina is located in the center of the retina and includes the fovea, where the cone photoreceptor cells reach their greatest density. The macular region of the retina provides the greatest degree of visual acuity in the retina, and degeneration of the macula causes the loss of acute vision.
The exact causes of macular degeneration are not known, however, contributing factors have been identified. The collective result of the contributing factors is a disturbance between the photoreceptor cells and the tissues under the retina which nourish the photoreceptor cells, including the retinal pigment epithelium, which directly underlies and supports the photoreceptor cells, and the choroid, which underlies and nourishes the retinal pigment epithelium.
One factor which has been identified as contributing to macular degeneration is reactive oxidants, such as free radicals and singlet oxygen (.sup.1 O.sub.2), which cause oxidative damage to the cells of the retina and the macula. The retina may be prone to oxidative damage as a result of the large degree of oxidation-susceptible polyunsaturated fatty acids present in the retina.
The macula may be particularly prone to oxidative damage since the macula is especially rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and is exposed to a relatively high degree of high-energy blue light. Triplet oxygen, or ground state oxygen, absorbs high-energy blue light to convert to singlet oxygen, an oxidizing agent capable of damaging the polyunsaturated fatty acids, DNA, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates in the macula. Blue light may also generate free-radical oxidizing agents by photochemical reactions with other compounds in the eye. The oxidized by-products from interactions between the retina and oxidative agents may accumulate in the retinal pigment epithelium, contributing to macular degeneration.
Another factor which may be involved in the pathology of macular degeneration is a high serum low density cholesterol lipoprotein (LDL) concentration. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol can be oxidized by an oxidizing agent to form oxidized LDL, a compound found in atherosclerotic plaques. As noted above, oxidizing agents can be generated in the macula by high energy light, and these oxidizing agents can interact with LDL to form oxidized lipid products. These products may accumulate as deposits in healthy retinal pigment epithelium and cause necrosis or death of functioning tissue. LDL cholesterol may also form atherosclerotic plaques in the blood vessels of the retinal and subretinal tissue, inducing hypoxia in the tissue, resulting in neovascularization.
Another factor which has been identified as contributing to macular degeneration, and which is an indication of advanced macular degeneration, is neovascularization of the choroid tissue underlying the photoreceptor cells in the macula. Healthy mature ocular vasculature is normally quiescent and exists in a state of homeostasis in which a balance is maintained between positive and negative mediators of angiogenisis (development of new vasculature). Macular degeneration, particularly in its advanced stages, is characterized by the pathological growth of new blood vessels in the choroid underlying the macula. Angiogenic blood vessels in the subretinal choroid often leak vision obscuring fluids, leading to blindness.
Angiogenisis in the choroid is induced by the presence of cytokine growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Hypoxia of retinal cells is one factor which may induce the expression of such growth factors, where the hypoxia may be induced by cellular debris (drusen) accumulated in the retinal pigment epithelium, oxidative damage of retinal and subretinal tissue, or deposits of oxidized LDL cholesterol.
Existing retinal and subretinal vascular endothelial cells are activated by interaction of the cytokine growth factors, particularly bFGF, with tyrosine kinase mediated receptors of the endothelial cells. The activated endothelial cells increase in cellular proliferation and express several molecular agents, including the integrin .alpha..sub.v .beta..sub.3, adhesion molecules, and proteolytic enzymes, which enable newly developed endothelial cells to extend through the surrounding tissue. The newly extended endothelial cells form into vascular cords and eventually differentiate into mature blood vessels.
Several factors have been identified as protective factors against macular degeneration which substantially reduce the risk of developing the disease by interfering with the action of the contributing factors described above. Estrogen has been identified as a protective factor, and postmenopausal women given unopposed estrogen replacement therapy have a reduced risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Evidence for Protection Against Age-Related Macular Degeneration by Carotenoids and Antioxidant Vitamins, Snodderly, Am J Clin Nutr 1995;62 (suppl): 1448S-61 S, 1454S. Estrogen is known to increase high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) in the blood, which may produce changes in the transport and metabolism of lipid-soluble antioxidants, thus limiting the accumulation of oxidized LDL cholesterol in the retinal and subretinal tissues and blood vessels.
Certain antioxidant nutrients are also associated with a substantially reduced risk of developing macular degeneration. Protective antioxidants reduce the formation of radicals and reactive oxygen by decomposition of hydrogen peroxide without generating radicals, by quenching active singlet oxygen, and by trapping and quenching radicals before they reach a cellular target. An increased intake of the dietary antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are caroteinoids found in spinach, has been found to be protective against macular degeneration. Dietary Caroteinoids, Vitamins A, C, and E, and Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Seddon et al., JAMA, 272(18): 1413-20 (Nov. 9, 1994). High blood levels of antioxidant vitamins C and E have also been shown to be protective against macular degeneration. Evidence for Protection Against Age-Related Macular Degeneration by Carotenoids and Antioxidant Vitamins, Snodderly, Am J Clin Nutr 1995;62 (suppl): 1448S-61S, 1453S.
Treatment of advanced macular degeneration with integrin antagonists to inhibit angiogenisis in the subretinal tissues has also been proposed. Involvement of Integrins .alpha..sub.v .beta..sub.3 and .alpha..sub.v .beta..sub.5 in Ocular Neovascular Diseases, Friedlander et al., Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 93:9764-69 (Sept. 1996). Integrin .alpha..sub.v .beta..sub.3 is necessary for angiogenisis in retinal tissue, and is only found in actively proliferating vascular endothelial cells. Peptide antagonists of .alpha..sub.v .crclbar..sub.3 have been shown to substantially inhibit development of new retinal vasculature in mice.

Method for inhibiting or reducing the risk of macular degeneration

Protein Technologies International, Inc.


A system and method for creating multi-priority streams of compressed video data. Included is a method for assigning priority to streams of compressed video data, comprising the steps of: determining a relative importance of each macroblock in a video frame based on how often each macroblock acts as a reference macroblock; and prioritizing each of the macroblocks in the video frame based on the relative importance.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to systems for processing compressed video data, and more particularly to a system and method for dividing MPEG video data into multiple streams of different priority.
2. Related Art
As the demand for the on-line delivery of video applications continues to grow and transmission bandwidth remains at a premium, the ability to provide highly efficient transmission schemes has become indispensable. One such scheme involves dividing MPEG coded video data into multiple streams, each having a different priority. This type of scheme, referred to herein as "multi-priority streams," allows different portions of the video data to consume different amounts of bandwidth, depending on the importance of the particular portion.
One specific scenario where multi-priority streams are useful involves applications that utilize transmission channels susceptible to errors. In these cases, it is necessary to protect the data with additional error protection bits, which may for example provide a certain amount of redundancy. Unfortunately, the inclusion of error protection bits creates additional overhead in terms of bandwidth consumption. By dividing MPEG data into a plurality of streams of differing priorities, individual streams can be assigned different levels of error protection. Accordingly, high priority streams can receive a greater amount of error protection than lower priority streams. Thus, overhead can be balanced with the corresponding priority of the streams.
A second scenario where multi-priority streams are useful involves networks that offer multiple quality of service (QoS) options. In such a case, different levels of quality of service for transmitted data are made available by the underlying transport. Thus, in order to efficiently utilize such a system, it is necessary to divide the video data into streams of differing priority, and then send each stream over the connection offering the appropriate QoS.
Unfortunately, existing methods of creating multi-priority streams for MPEG video are limited. For example, one approach is to divide the bitstream into different priorities based on the type of frame. In particular, since for picture quality I frames are generally more important than P frames, and P frames are generally more important than B frames, I frames receive a highest priority, P frames receive a medium priority, and B frames receive a lowest priority. However, because the actual size of a typical I or P frame can be hundreds of thousands of bits, this type of prioritization provides only marginal results since only three priority levels can be implemented. Moreover, there can be a large amount of variation in terms of importance between two I frames, or two P frames, and such variations are not taken into account in the above scheme. Thus, a need exists to create a finer prioritization among and between frames.
A second approach for creating multi-priority streams for MPEG video is to create scalable video that contains a base layer and one or more enhancement layers. The base layer is assigned a higher priority than the enhancement layers. The drawback of this approach is the increased complexity required for encoding and decoding, and the need to transcode the already coded non-scalable bitstream into a scalable bitstream.
Accordingly, a system is required: (1) that can provide a finer prioritization than the I, P and B frame prioritization; and (2) that can directly process a coded bitstream without incurring the complexity of a system that utilizes scalable video.

System and method for creating multi-priority streams


A projection system, a spatial light modulator, and a method for forming a micromirror array such as for a projection display are disclosed. The spatial light modulator can have two substrates bonded together with one of the substrates comprising a micro-mirror array. The two substrates can be bonded at the wafer level after depositing a getter material and/or solid or liquid lubricant on one or both of the wafers if desired. In one embodiment of the invention, one of the substrates is a light transmissive substrate and a light absorbing layer is provided on the light transmissive substrate to selectively block light from passing through the substrate. The light absorbing layer can form a pattern, such as a frame around an array of micro-mirrors.

Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs) are transducers that modulate an incident beam of light in a spatial pattern that corresponds to an optical or electrical input. A type of SLM is the SLM based on Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). A typical MEMS-based SLM consists of an array of micro-mirrors mounted on movable elements. Each individual micro-mirror can be independently deflected by an electrostatic force. Reflection of a beam of incident light impinging a micro-mirror can then be controlled, for example by deflecting the micro-mirror through changing the electrostatic force applied to the micro-mirror. MEMS-based SLMs have experienced significant developments and been innovatively implemented in many applications, one of which is the use in digital display systems. In a display application, each micro-mirror is associated with a pixel of a displayed image. To produce a bright pixel, the state of the micro-mirror associated with the pixel is set in such a way that the reflected light from the micro-mirror is directed onto a target for viewing. And to produce a dark pixel, the status of the micro-mirror is tuned such that the reflected light from the micro-mirror is directed away from the display device. In order to display a black-and-white image, the micro-mirror array is illuminated by a beam of light. By coordinating the reflective status of the micro-mirrors based on the brightness of the pixels of the desired image, the collective effect of all reflected lights from individual micro-mirrors is the generation of the desired image. Gray-scaled and colored-images can also be displayed using the micro-mirror array with the pulse-width-modulation and sequential-color-display techniques, which will not be discussed in detail herein.
Currently, varieties of MEMS-based SLMs have been developed. Regardless of the differences, the function of the MEMS-based SLMs for display is based on the reflection of light from individual micro-mirrors. Therefore, the quality of the displayed image strongly depends on the reflections of the micro-mirrors.
There are many things that define the quality of a displayed image. Contrast ratio is a major determinant of perceived image quality. Contrast ratio is the ratio of luminance between the brightest white that can be produced and the darkest black that can be produced. If a displayed image has high contrast ratio, a viewer will judge it to be sharper than a displayed image with lower contrast ratio, even if the lower contrast image has substantially more measurable resolution. Contrast ratio of a displayed image from a MEMS-based SLM can be seriously degraded by light scattered, for example, from the edges of the micro-mirrors and the structures below the micro-mirrors. This scattered light typically travels through the projection lens of the display device and is directed on to the target, even when the micro-mirrors are set for displaying a dark pixel.
Therefore, methods for use in MEMS-based SLMs are needed to improve the display quality.

Spatial light modulators with light blocking/absorbing areas


A stereo decoder and a method therefor are provided. The stereo decoder receives a MPX signal from an FM demodulator, and comprises a first auto-calibration circuit, a band-pass filter, a second auto-calibration circuit, a slicer and a PLL circuit. The first auto-calibration circuit generates a first control signal. The band-pass filter generates the pilot signal by filtering the MPX signal with a center frequency set by the first control signal. The second auto-calibration circuit generates a second control signal. The slicer converts the pilot signal into a square wave signal. The PLL circuit comprises a voltage controlled oscillator for generating an oscillation frequency in response to the second control signal. The PLL circuit receives the square wave signal to generate the reference signal around the predetermined frequency in response to the oscillation frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereo decoder and method for processing a pilot signal; more specifically, relates to a stereo decoder and method for processing pilot signal with an auto-calibration circuit.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
For pilot detectors of the prior art, there is an FM demodulator used to demodulate a received signal to generate a multiplexed (MPX) signal which carries a pilot signal and an audio signal. The MPX signal's spectrum shows in FIG. 1. The MPX signal comprises a bandwidth of a summation of a left sound signal and aright sound signal (L+R) 100, the pilot signal 102, two bandwidths of subtraction of the left sound signal and the right sound signal (L−R) 104, 106, and a radio data system signal (RDS) 108. The pilot signal 102 for identifying that the audio signal is a mono signal or a stereo signal is modulated at a certain frequency. As FIG. 2 shows, a stereo decoder 2 of the prior art comprises a pilot signal processor 21, a de-emphasis filter 23. The pilot signal processor 21 is configured to retrieve a pilot signal out from a MPX signal. More particularly, the pilot signal processor 21 comprises a band-pass filter 201 with a center frequency of 19 kHz to filter the MPX signal so that the pilot signal can be retrieved. The pilot signal processor 21 further comprises a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit 203 for synchronously processing the pilot signal to detect phase difference between the pilot signal and a reference signal. The de-emphasis filter 23 is configured to de-emphasize an audio signal, which is retrieved from the MPX signal, to generate a de-emphasis signal. The de-emphasis signal is a signal being low-passed by a first order low-pass filter of which the 3-dB frequency is around, for example, 2.122 KHz (US standard) or 3.183 KHz (Japan/Euro standard).
Both of the band-pass filter 201 and the PLL circuit 203 require passive components, e.g. networks 205 and 207, to set the center frequency of bandpass filter 201 and the loop bandwidth of PLL 203. The de-emphasis filter 23 also requires a filter capacitor, e.g. a network 209. These networks 205, 207, 209 are implanted on a printed circuit board and connected to the chip of the stereo decoder 2. In other words, the networks 205, 207, 209 are not integrated in the chip of the stereo decoder 2. Such external components occupy too much space and increase cost.
Accordingly, a solution of integrating a pilot detector and filter capacitors/resistors is desired in the industrial field.

Stereo decoder and method for processing pilot signal


The present invention relates to a center mounting type air conditioner for a vehicle, which can reduce size and noise of a blower, and enhance installation efficiency and reduce an installation space of the air conditioner installed in the vehicle. At least one bypass passageway is formed in a dead space located between the scroll case and the air conditioning case, whereby some of air sucked from the intake duct is bypassed and sucked toward the second wheel of the dual blower wheel, to which the motor is connected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a center mounting type air conditioner for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a center mounting type air conditioner for a vehicle, which can bypass some of air sucked from an intake duct through at least one dead space located between a scroll case and an air conditioning case and blow it toward a wheel of a dual blower wheel to which a motor is connected, thereby reducing size and noise of a blower, and enhancing installation efficiency and reducing an installation space of the air conditioner mounted in the vehicle since the front side of the air conditioner has a vertical plane.
2. Background Art
To use the indoor space of a vehicle efficiently, a necessity of a compact type and small-sized air conditioner for the vehicle is being increased. According to such necessity, a semi-center type air conditioner including an evaporator unit and a heater unit, which are integrated with each other, has been generally used.
However, recently, development of a center-mounting type air conditioner including a blast unit, an evaporator unit and a heater unit, which are integrated together, is being increased. FIG. 1 shows a prior art center mounting type air conditioner for a vehicle.
In FIG. 1, the center mounting type air conditioner for the vehicle includes: a blower 10; an air conditioning case 40 having an inlet connected to the blower 10 and an outlet, the outlet having a number of air vents 42 each of which is adjustable in an opening; an evaporator 20 and a heater core 30 embedded in the air conditioning case 40; and at least one temperature-adjustable door 44 for adjusting the opening of a cool air passageway P1 and a hot air passageway P2 of the air conditioning case 40.
The center-mounting type air conditioner for the vehicle is generally classified into three kinds according to a structure of the blower 10 for sucking air and blowing the air toward the air conditioning case 40.
First, one of the three kinds of the blowers has a structure to suck air bi-directionally, namely, in right and left directions. As shown in FIG. 2, the blower 10a includes two scroll cases 11a and 11a, two intake ducts 12a and 12a respectively connected to the outer circumference of each scroll case 11a for sucking the indoor air or the outdoor air; a motor 13a mounted between the two scroll cases 11a and 11a; and two blower wheels 14a and 14a respectively connected to shafts protruding outwardly from both sides of the motor 13a, each blower wheel 14a being mounted inside each scroll case 11a.
Thereby, when the opening of each intake duct 12a is adjusted by a door (not shown), the indoor air or the outdoor air is sucked toward both sides of the blower 10a, and then, blown to the inside of the air conditioning case 40 through each scroll case 11a.
The prior art center mounting type air conditioner to which the blower 10a of FIG. 2 is applied has an advantage in that it can supply sufficient air volume and reduce noise, but has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to achieve a compact type or small-size air conditioner for a vehicle since the blower 10a has two air intake structures located at right and left sides thereof.
Furthermore, the prior art center mounting type air conditioner to which the blower 10a of FIG. 2 is applied has another disadvantage in that it cannot provide good installation efficiency and occupies a wide installation space when it is installed in rear of a dash panel of the vehicle since the front side of the air conditioner, namely, the front side of the blower 10a, does not have a vertical plane and the upper portion thereof is projected forwardly.
FIG. 3 shows another blower lob having a structure to suck air bi-directionally, namely, in right and left directions.
The blower 10b includes a scroll case 11b, an intake duct 12b connected to the scroll case 11b for sucking the indoor air or the outdoor air, a dual blower wheel 14b rotatably mounted inside the scroll case 11b, and a motor 13b for rotating the dual blower wheel 14b.
As shown in FIG. 4, the dual blower wheel 14b has two wheels 15b and 16b disposed on both sides of a hub plate 17b to which the motor 13b is connected.
As described in the above, the blower 10b of FIG. 3 has a size smaller than the blower 10a of FIG. 2 since the blower 10b of FIG. 3 has one scroll case 11b, and provides sufficient air volume since it sucks and blows air bi-directionally.
However, the blower 10b of FIG. 3 has a disadvantage in that it generates serious noise due to an interference caused between a flow of air sucked toward the wheel 16b of the motor 13b and a flow of air blown out from the wheels 15b and 16b as shown in FIG. 4.
Meanwhile, the other blower (not shown), which has one blower wheel, may be applied to the air conditioner for the vehicle. The blower having one blower wheel can reduce noise sufficiently, but not provide proper size and air volume.

Center mounting type air conditioner for vehicle


An apparatus for driving an ink jet printer including actuators for first and second pressure chambers communicating with first and second nozzles, the printer operating in a first mode in which the first and second nozzles are permitted to eject a first and a second ink and in a second mode in which only the first nozzles are permitted to eject the first ink, the apparatus including an obtainer which obtains a mode signal indicating in which one of the first and second modes the printer is to operate, and image data indicating whether each of the first and second nozzles is to eject a corresponding one of the first and second inks; and an applier which applies, based on the signal and the data, a voltage to each actuator such that when the printer is to operate in the first mode, a first voltage not equal to zero V is applied to an actuator corresponding to an operative nozzle of the first and second nozzles that is to eject a corresponding one of the first and second inks and subsequently a first subsequent voltage based on the data is applied to the actuator corresponding to the operative nozzle of the first and second nozzles, and such that when the printer is to operate in the second mode, the first voltage is applied to an actuator corresponding to an operative nozzle of the first nozzles that is to eject the first ink and subsequently a second subsequent voltage based on the image data is applied to the actuator corresponding to the operative nozzle of the first nozzles, and a second voltage equal to zero V is applied to one or more actuators corresponding to the one or more second nozzles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving apparatus for driving a plurality of actuators of an ink jet recording device, and additionally relates to an ink jet printer including a plurality of actuators and a driving apparatus for driving the actuators.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is known a piezoelectric-type ink jet recording head including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink; a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the nozzles, respectively; and a plurality of piezoelectric actuators opposed to the pressure chambers, respectively. The pressure chambers also communicate with a common ink chamber for supplying the ink to each of the pressure chambers. Each of the piezoelectric actuators includes a piezoelectric element and two electrodes sandwiching the piezoelectric element. When respective electric potentials of the two electrodes sandwiching the piezoelectric element are equal to each other, i.e., an electric voltage equal to zero volt (i.e., 0 V) is applied across the two electrodes, the each piezoelectric actuator is not deformed. However, when the respective electric potentials of the two electrodes are not equal to each other, i.e., an electric voltage not equal to 0 V is applied to the two electrodes, the each piezoelectric actuator is so deformed as to decrease a volume of a corresponding one of the pressure chambers. Therefore, in the ink jet recording head, if an electric voltage equal to 0 V and subsequently an electric voltage not equal to 0 V are applied to each piezoelectric actuator, a corresponding one of the nozzles ejects a droplet of ink.
Japanese Patent Application Publication P2003-237078A1 discloses a piezoelectric-type ink jet recording head employing, as a piezoelectric-actuator driving method, a so-called "fill-before-fire" method. In this method, first, an electric voltage not equal to 0 V is applied, as a stand-by voltage, to each one of piezoelectric actuators so as to decrease a volume of a corresponding one of pressure chambers, and subsequently an electric voltage equal to 0 V is applied to the each actuator so as to produce a negative pressure in the one pressure chamber. The thus produced negative pressure propagates as a pressure wave from the one pressure chamber to a common ink chamber and, when the negative pressure reflects at the common ink chamber, the negative pressure obtains an inverted phase and returns as a positive pressure to the one pressure chamber. Then, at a timing when the positive pressure arrives at the one pressure chamber, an electric voltage not equal to 0 V is applied to the each actuator so as to decrease the volume of the one pressure chamber. Since the thus produced positive pressure overlaps the returning positive pressure, an increased positive pressure is produced in the one pressure chamber. Thus, owing to the "fill-before-fire" method, each nozzle can eject a droplet of ink at a high speed without needing to applying a high voltage to each actuator.

Driving apparatus for driving ink jet recording device, and ink jet printer


An apparatus which compensates for the velocity mismatch between a roll fuser and an image receiver. A vacuum belt transport disposed intermediate the fuser and the image receiver is adapted to have its downstream end pivoted for forming a controlled buckle in an image substrate such as plain paper.

This invention relates generally to electrophotographic printing and more particularly relates to fuser velocity variations which affect the movement of an image bearing substrate between an image receiver and a image fuser.
In imaging systems commonly used today, a charge retentive surface is typically charged to a uniform potential and thereafter exposed to a light source to thereby selectively discharge the charge retentive surface to form a latent electrostatic image thereon. The image may comprise either the discharged portions or the charged portions of the charge retentive surface. The light source may comprise any well known device such as a light lens scanning system or a laser beam. Subsequently, the electrostatic latent image on the charge retentive surface is rendered visible by developing the image with developer powder referred to in the art as toner. The most common development systems employ developer which comprises both charged carrier particles and charged toner particles which triboelectrically adhere to the carrier particles. During development, the toner particles are attracted from the carrier particles by the charged pattern of the image areas of the charge retentive surface to form a powder image thereon. This toner image may be subsequently transferred to a support surface such as plain paper to which it may be permanently affixed by heating or by the application of pressure or a combination of both.
In order to fix or fuse the toner material onto a support member permanently by heat, it is necessary to elevate the temperature of the toner material to a point at which constituents of the toner material coalesce and become tacky. This action causes the toner to flow to some extent onto the fibers or pores of the support members or otherwise upon the surfaces thereof. Thereafter, as the toner material cools, solidification of the toner material occurs causing the toner material to be bonded firmly to the support member.
One approach to thermal fusing of toner material images onto the supporting substrate has been to pass the substrate with the unfused toner images thereon between a pair of opposed roller members at least one of which is internally heated. During operation of a fusing system of this type, the support member to which the toner images are electrostatically adhered is moved through the nip formed between the rolls with the toner image contacting the heated fuser roll to thereby effect heating of the toner images within the nip. Typical of such fusing devices are two roll systems wherein the fusing roll is coated with an abhesive material, such as a silicone rubber or other low surface energy elastomer, for example, tetrafluoroethylene resin sold by E. I. DuPont De Nemours under the trademark Teflon. To further enhance release, a release agent material such as silicone oil is applied to elastomer coating.
The velocity of such roll fusers varies in the order of 2-3% of the nominal speed. Thus, in a printing apparatus where the image receiver and roll fuser are positioned close enough so that image transfer and fusing occur simultaneously, image smear prevention must be addressed. The problem is caused by relative movement between the the image receiver and the image substrate to which powder images are transferred from the image receiver. The image receiver may comprise a photoreceptor belt while the image substrate may comprise plain paper.
Smear prevention due to speed mismatch of machine components has been the subject of various publications as will be discussed hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,645 granted to Keck on Sep. 2, 1975 describes a machine which includes rolls between which a flexible sheet is passed. After passing from one section, the flexible sheet falls downwardly to form a loop, the other side of which passes upwardly into another section of the machine. A motor drives a roll which advances the sheet from one section [one] to the other section. A pivotable plate contacts the lowermost region of the loop. The direction that the plate pivots depends upon the whether the loop is increasing or decreasing. The direction that the plate pivots controls the speed of the motor advancing the sheet.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,017,065 granted to Poehlein on Apr. 12, 1977 and 4,058,306 granted to Fletcher on Nov. 15, 1977 disclose a vacuum support interposed between the fuser and the photoreceptor. When the lead edge of the copy sheet enters the fuser roll nip, the vacuum is turned off and a buckle forms in the sheet due to the speed mismatch between the fuser and the photoreceptor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,581 describes a web accumulator positioned between a variable speed drive and an intermittent drive. A portion of a web in the accumulator is curved into a downward extending loop by a curved support and the force of gravity acting on the web.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,052 granted to Cassano et al on Feb. 7, 1990 discloses an apparatus which compensates for the velocity mismatch between adjacent sheet transports. A plate, interposed between the sheet transports, supports the sheet until the leading edge thereof advances from the first sheet transport to the second sheet transport. When the leading edge of the sheet is received by the second sheet transport, the plate pivots away from the sheet to a location remote therefrom. Since the first sheet transport advances the sheet at a greater velocity than the second sheet transport, the sheet forms a buckle to compensate for the velocity mismatch between sheet transports.
Xerox Disclosure Journal Volume 4, No. 2 published March/April 1979 discloses a sheet transport between a photoreceptor stripping point and a roll fuser adapted for speed mismatch compensation. A slack, curved belt is used as the transport to provide an initial sheet buckle, which buckle can be pulled out by the fuser over-speed without pulling (sliding) the sheet trail edge on the photoreceptor. A sprocket-driven belt transport is maintained slack in its copy sheet transport side or flight, while its opposite flight is the tension side. A vacuum is applied through the slack side to conform the copy sheet to the belt's concave configuration until the lead edge of the copy sheet reaches the fuser roll nip. The slack can be maintained by a separate drive belt connection the shafts of the two large diameter sprocket wheels supporting the transport belt or belts. Alternatively, the slack can be maintained by driving the upstream wheel while applying drag to the downstream wheel.


A portable remotely controlled automatic door closing apparatus enables the door of a room or office to be closed from a remote location within the room or office by transmitting a signal to an actuator which exerts a force on the door to move it from an opened position to a closed position. The apparatus comprises a battery or AC powered motor which moves a lever arm into engagement with the door to rotate the door about its hinges from the open to the closed position. The apparatus is free standing and immobilized on the floor in a non-connected relationship thereto between an adjacent wall and the door in its open position. The apparatus is immobilized to prevent slipping by a floor-engaging mechanism, such as an adhesive, an anti-skid rubber material, or suction cups, or carpet engaging projections.

This invention relates generally to apparatus which is portable and which permits a user to selectively close a door from a remote location in a room such as an office.
Devices for automatically opening and closing a door are well known. Most commonly, they include an actuator such as a switch secured to a structure surrounding the door or a sensor as in the floor or over the door to detect the presence of a person approaching the door. The actuator may control an electrical motor and mechanical drive mechanism, such as a radius arm that extends out over the door to transmit an opening and closing force to the door. In other cases, doors which are biased to a closed position as by a spring or pneumatic device may be held opened by a magnetic latch which can be remotely deactivated to allow the door to close.
All of these known operating devices require that a drive mechanism for operating the door be physically attached to the door and to an adjacent structure, such as the wall or door frame. Once installed, they are not intended to be moved to different locations, and typically require extensive modifications to a door or to its frame or adjacent walls in order to be later added or removed.
There are a number of situations where remotely controlled automatic door closers are desirable. For example, in an office environment, a professional may need to close his or her office door for privacy or to reduce noise from outside without disrupting his or her conversation, meeting or work to get up, walk to the door, and physically close it. While there are devices which will allow the occupant to close a door from a remote location within a room, they have not found wide applicability. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,331 to Merendino et al. discloses a remotely controlled door opening and closing device which may be operated from a remote location. However, this device and all other similar known devices suffer from the disadvantages of complicated construction and the necessity of being physically attached to the door and surrounding structure. In a commercial office building where office space is leased, it is not cost effective or practical for a landlord to provide such devices, and it may be too expensive and impractical for a tenant to add or remove them subsequently, especially where occupants of offices may be subject to change.
It is desirable to provide automatic door closing apparatus which avoids the foregoing and other disadvantages of known devices, and which enables an occupant in a room to close a door automatically from a remote location in the room, and to easily move the apparatus to different rooms. It is to these ends the present invention is directed.


A thin display structure including a case, at least two joining sleeves disposed at the bottom of the case, and at least two support units with the transverse width similar to the thickness of the case is provided. The support units are rotatably disposed in the joining sleeves, such that the support units can rotate with respect to the case, so as to have a receiving position hiding in the case and a supporting position protruding from the case. In the receiving position, the thin display can be received in a packing case or hung on a wall surface, and in the supporting position, the thin display can stand on a plane.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a display structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thin display structure with a rotatable support unit.
2. Related Art
Compared with a conventional cathode ray tube display (CRT DISPLAY), a thin display, such as a liquid crystal display television (LCD TV) or a plasma display panel television (PDP TV), not only has advantages of being light in weight, and compact in size, and occupying a relative small space, but also has various functions of externally connecting to a computer, and audio-visual home appliances, and thus the thin display has generally become a standard device for the current digital family.
The thin display generally has a foot for supporting the thin display to be placed on a TV cabinet, and the area of the foot is generally larger than the thickness of the thin display, so as to stably support the thin display to stand on the TV cabinet. Currently, the thin display has gradually developed from more than ten inches to more than fifty inches or even seventy or eighty inches, that is, the size of the thin display has become increasingly large. Thus, in order to support the thin display stably, the volume of the foot is enlarged accordingly to enhance the stability of the supporting.
The foot of the conventional thin display is designed to be directly fixed to the bottom of the display, or designed to be detachable from the bottom of the display. No matter it is fixed or detachable, since the foot occupies a certain volume, the manufacturers must consider the volume of the external packing case of the thin display for receiving the foot, and thus the volume of the external packing case must be much larger than that of the thin display. However, if the required volume of the packing case is increased only for receiving the foot, a relatively large freight space is occupied, and under the same fixed freight space (e.g., a standard container), the loaded amount is relatively small, thus increasing the transportation cost.
Furthermore, besides being placed on the TV cabinet, the current thin display also can be directly hung on the wall surface in the room due to its small thickness. However, if the user hangs the thin display on the wall surface, the foot originally disposed on the thin display must be detached and put way in another place, thus causing inconvenience to the user.


In a connector attachment structure of an electronic device, an immixture of a noise into a signal line by a static electricity is prevented by using a simple and inexpensive composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector attachment structure for electronic apparatus, and especially relates to a connector attachment structure for protecting electronic components of the electronic apparatus from static electricity discharged to the connector when connecting a communication cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electronic apparatuses to which various kinds of communication cables are connected, various methods are conventionally proposed to protect electronic component of the electronic apparatus from static electricity discharged to a connector when a communication cable is connected thereto. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-63336 discloses a connector attachment structure which prevents occurrence of noise by letting off the static electricity to a heat sink, chassis, or the like by covering whole of a circuit board with a large fireproof cover plate on an outer shell of an USB connector.
On the other hand, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-158065 discloses a connector shielding structure in which a PI board with an all-overlaying pattern is formed between a first shield covering a peripheral portion of a surface except an insertion face in a PI unit on the PI board and a second shield covering a peripheral portion of a rear surface.
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1998-32047 discloses a connector for IC card that a metal plate on a top face of the IC card is grounded through a plate spring member.
Still furthermore, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-342697 discloses a structure to remove static electricity for the purpose of preventing generation of noise caused by the static electricity when inserting and pulling out a printed circuit board with using a conductive attachment device.
However, the above mentioned conventional structures are unfit for inexpensive electronic apparatuses for consumers, because they need relatively costly exclusive components such as the fireproof cover plate, the plate spring member for grounding, the conductive attachment device, and so on, and thereby, expenses of them increase. In addition, the structure described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-158065 needs the PI board to which the all over-laying pattern is added as well as the first and the second shields, and thereby, the unit cost of the PI board increases due to the increase of a number of components, so that the expense of the apparatus piles up.

Connector attachment structure for electronic apparatus

Abstract: A connector attachment structure (10) is composed of a connector (11), a circuit board (12), a metal chassis (13), a connector setscrew (14), etc., and a metal shielding member (16) is disposed around a terminal (15) of a connector (11). A static electricity discharged to the shielding member (16) can be let off to the chassis (13) through the connector setscrew (14) by connecting the shielding member (16) to the chassis (13) through the connector setscrew (14) electrically, and the immixture of the noise into the signal line can be prevented as well as using an inexpensive-general screw.


The present invention provides a radiation detector for detecting both the intensity and direction of one or more sources of radiation comprising a radiation sensor, an inverse collimator that shields the sensor from at least a portion of the incident radiation originating from the direction in which the inverse collimator is pointed and a means for pointing the inverse collimator in different directions. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for detecting both the intensity and direction of one or more sources of radiation comprising the steps of providing a radiation sensor, providing an inverse collimator that shields the sensor from at least a portion of the incident radiation originating from the direction in which the inverse collimator is pointed, providing a means for pointing the inverse collimator in different directions, pointing the inverse collimator in a direction, recording the direction in which the inverse collimator is pointed and recording the signal from the sensor, repeating the preceding two steps one or more times for one or more different directions.

In environments that may have multiple radiation sources present, and that are potentially moderately to highly radioactive (e.g. nuclear processing or decontamination facilities), manual access is limited for safety reasons, and load limits are present with respect to mechanical and electrical support. Desirable attributes of a directional radiation detection apparatus for use in such an environment are that the apparatus should be rugged, remotely operated, self-contained, lightweight, inexpensive so that it can be disposed of after use rather than decontaminated, and it should be able to survey a radioactive environment in as little time as possible. Existing methods for detecting both the intensity and direction of one or more radiation sources in a moderately to highly radioactive environment suffer from serious drawbacks.
Two standard methods exist for measuring both the direction and intensity of a source of radiation in an environment as described above. First, a non-directional radiation detection apparatus can be transported from place to place within the environment to be surveyed. By conducting a grid search in this manner, the location of the source or sources of radiation can be determined. The major drawback of this method is that it is time intensive.
Second, a collimator can be used to create a very strongly directional detection apparatus. By pointing the collimated detector in different directions, an image of radiation intensity versus direction can be obtained. A collimator, as used in such detectors, includes a radiation shield that surrounds a radiation sensor, and an opening through which radiation from a radiation source is collimated. The major drawback of this method is that the collimator shield component must be made of a heavy material such as lead or stainless steel, such that a very strong and therefore expensive mechanism is needed to move the collimated detector so that it can be pointed in different directions. An example of this type of apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,963, which is incorporated herein by reference.
There remains a need for an improved directional radiation detection apparatus that is relatively lightweight and inexpensive.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

Directional radiation detection apparatus and method using inverse collimation


A method for manufacturing a mounting substrate on which a semiconductor chip is mounted includes: forming a wiring section by electrolytic plating on a first face of a supporting substrate which is made of an insulating material, by supplying electric power from a first power supply layer through a via plug piercing through the supporting substrate, the first power supply layer being formed on a second face of the supporting substrate; performig patterning on the first power supply layer so as to form a first conductive pattern which is connected to the wiring section through the via plug; performing a connection test of the wiring section by using the conductive pattern; mounting the semiconductor chip on the wiring section; and removing the supporting substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a mounting substrate on which a semiconductor chip is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, electronic devices using semiconductor devices such as semiconductor chips have been manufactured in high performance. Under such a circumstance, semiconductor-chips are required to be mounted on substrates in high density, and substrates on which semiconductor chips are mounted are required to be made compact and also required to save spaces.
Various types of methods for mounting semiconductor chips have been proposed, for instance, methods for mounting semiconductor chips in flip-chip manners have been proposed (referto, for example, JP-A-11-112152). While such a flip-chip mounting technique is utilized, mounting substrates in which semiconductor chips are embedded may be furthermore constructed.
However, in a case where mounting substrates on which semiconductor chips have been mounted are manufactured, there are some possibilities that below-mentioned manufacturing problems may occur.
FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C are diagrams for showing one example of sequential operations for manufacturing a mounting substrate on which a semiconductor chip is mounted.
First, in a step shown in FIG. 1A, a supporting substrate is prepared having conductive layers (for instance, copper foils, etc.) 12 and 13 formed on both faces of a core substrate 11. The core substrate 11 is made of, for example, a prepreg material.
Next, in a step as shown in FIG. 1B, a patterned connecting layer 14 is formed on the above-explained conductive layer 12, by electrolytic plating while using the conductive layer 12 as a power supply path. The connecting layer 14 is made of Au/Ni/Cu.
Next, in a step as shown in FIG. 1C, an insulating layer (build-up layer) 15 is formed on the conductive layer 12 in such a manner that the insulating layer 15 covers the connecting layer 14. In the below-mentioned steps, while the conductive layer 12 and the connecting layer 14 are used as a power supply path, via plugs and pattern wiring are formed on the connecting layer 14 by electrolytic plating so as to form a wiring section, and then the semiconductor chip is mounted on the wiring section, for example.
However, in the above-described configuration, under such a condition that the respective wiring sections on which a semiconductor chip is to be mounted are electrically connected to each other by the conductive layer 12, the semiconductor chip is mounted on these wiring sections. As a result, there is such a problem that connection tests (Short/Open Test, will be sometime referred to as "SOT") for the individual wiring sections can be hardly carried out.
For example, in the above-explained case, the connection test of the wiring sections is carried out after the semiconductor chip is mounted and thereafter the supporting substrate is removed. As a consequence, a malfunction of a circuit (wiring) is detected after the semiconductor chip is mounted on the mounting substrate, and then the high cost semiconductor c-hip is mounted on the mounting substrate having malfunction. In this case, such a problem may occur that the semiconductor chip has to be disposed. Accordingly, there is a risk that the manufacturing cost is increased.

Method of manufacturing mounting substrate


A fleece for a smokeless tobacco pouch is disclosed. The fleece is formed with apertures.

Snus is a type of smokeless tobacco product which may be for example separated into individual portions and contained within permeable pouches (known as pouched snus). These pouches are referred to as snus pouches and the material used to form the pouches is referred to as a fleece. A snus pouch is typically used by the user placing it between their lip and gums for a period of time.

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED


The invention is directed to techniques in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is coordinated with the operation of an implantable medical device (IMD). By using an IMD to sense conditions, MRI can be improved because the sensed conditions can accurately define timing for application of electromagnetic radiation bursts. Moreover, by applying stimulation pulses specifically to coordinate the electromagnetic radiation bursts, the MRI may also be improved.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques make use of electromagnetic fields to create images of a patient. MRI techniques permit the generation of high-quality two- or three-dimensional images of a patient's body, which can then be examined by a physician for diagnosis purposes. In particular, MRI techniques permit the generation of internal images of a patient's flesh, blood, bones, cartilage, blood vessels, organs, and the like. The generated images can then be examined by physicians in order to diagnose disease, disorders or injuries, and facilitate patient care.
MRI devices typically subject a patient to a very strong static magnetic field and a pulsed gradient magnetic field, and then apply pulses or bursts of electromagnetic radiation (typically radio frequency (RF) radiation bursts) to an area of the patient to be imaged. The strong magnetic field generally orients the protons of the patient's tissue in particular directions. However, the RF radiation bursts cause some of the patient's protons to resonate, or spin, at a particular frequency depending on the local magnetic field during application of the radiation burst. The resonance frequency in MRI is referred to as the Larmour frequency which has a relationship with the local magnetic field. When the RF radiation burst is terminated, the resonating protons reorient themselves in accordance with the strong magnetic field of the MRI device, giving off energy in the process. The MRI device can detect the energy given off by the reorienting protons in order to create a high quality image of the patient's tissue.
In some cases, application of the RF radiation bursts must be timed specifically with a patient's physical body rhythm. For example, when using MRI to image a patient's heart, each burst should be timed for application at a common point of the sinus rhythm. In other words, each of a series of MRI electromagnetic radiation bursts and gradient fields may need to be applied when the heart is in a similar state, i.e., in the same stage of the cardiac cycle. In order to monitor or measure the condition of the heart to facilitate timing of the electromagnetic radiation bursts, MRI techniques typically make use of surface electrocardiograms (ECGs). The ECGs provide measurements of the sinus rhythm and thereby facilitate the coordination of electromagnetic radiation bursts at common times during the cardiac cycle. Surface ECGs, however, can sometimes provide inaccurate cardiac measurements. Moreover, the electromagnetic radiation bursts used for MRI may significantly affect ECG readings such that accuracy of the measurements are undermined during the MRI.

Timing techniques for magnetic resonance imaging


A vehicle control system includes a calculator that calculates an integrated controlled variable including a first controlled variable used for controlling the braking/driving force of each wheel so as to optimize the μ utilization ratio of the wheel and a second controlled variable used for controlling the steering angle of each wheel, based on constraints including a target resultant force to be applied to the vehicle body and a limit friction circle of each wheel, a calculator that calculates a steering controlled variable used for controlling only the steering angle of each wheel so as to achieve the target resultant force, and a controller that controls only the steering angle of each wheel, or the steering angle and braking/driving force of each wheel, based on a controlled variable obtained by linearly interpolating the integrated controlled variable and the steering controlled variable.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a vehicle control system and a vehicle control method, and more particularly to a vehicle control system and a vehicle control method which provide desired vehicle body force and yaw moment by controlling only the steering angles of the front and rear wheels in a normal region in which an unused grip range is large, thereby to suppress unnecessary braking, and which is able to efficiently perform coordinated control of braking/driving control and steering control in regions, including a limit region in which the unused grip range is small, other than the normal region.
2. Description of Related Art
As a conventional technique for controlling the steering angles and braking/driving forces of all of the four wheels to be controlled, independently of one another, coordinated control for controlling the steering angle and braking/driving force of each wheel in a coordinated fashion as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-249971 is known. This technique is to provide a combination of the tire forces of the four wheels, which is selected from some combinations of the tire forces of the four wheels that achieve the target resultant force applied to the vehicle body and target yaw moment, such that the selected combination minimizes the μ utilization ratio of each wheel (i.e., the ratio of the tire force of each wheel to the maximum value thereof), namely, maximizes an unused grip range of a tire of each wheel. Here, it is to be noted that the μ utilization ratio and the unused grip range have a relationship that "unused grip range=1−μ utilization ratio". A known integrated control logic for controlling the steering angles and braking/driving forces of the four wheels in an integrated fashion provides an algorithm that minimizes the μ utilization ratio of the wheel having the largest μ utilization ratio, out of the four wheels, thereby to achieve the theoretical limits of the vehicle body force and yaw moment in a region in which the tire forces of all of the four wheels are used. Thus, the known technique makes it possible to utilize the tire forces with high efficiency, and greatly contributes to an improvement of the dynamic performance of the vehicle while it is running in a limit region in which the unused tire grip range is important or critically small.
If the algorithm of the known technique is used, the dynamic performance of the vehicle can be effectively controlled in the limit region in which the unused tire grip range is important or critically small, but a steering actuator and a braking/driving actuator comprising a brake actuator and a driving actuator are also operated in a normal region in which the unused grip range is large, as well as in the limit region. The operation of the brake actuator causes the speed of the vehicle to be reduced, and the reduction in the vehicle speed may make the driver uncomfortable in the normal region. If the driving actuator is operated so as to compensate for the reduction of the vehicle speed, the fuel economy or efficiency may undesirably deteriorate.

Vehicle control system and vehicle control method


In one embodiment, an adapter for increasing exterior dimensions of a post mount support block includes a base having two sides that meet to form an angle of approximately ninety degrees, two legs, wherein each of the two legs extends from an outside edge of a different one of the two sides of the base, and two flanges, wherein each of the two flanges extends from an inside edge of a different one of the two sides of the base, such that each of the two flanges is positioned in a substantially parallel orientation relative to one of the two legs.

Post mounts are frequently used in the construction of decks, porches, stairs, and other structures that include railings. FIG. 1, for example, is a schematic illustration of a portion of an exemplary railing system 100, including a post mount 108. The railing system 100 comprises a railing 102, a support surface 104, and a plurality of posts 1061-106n (collectively referred to as "posts 106"). Generally, the rail 102 is supported in a spaced-apart relation relative to the support surface 104 by the posts 106.
In order to mount the posts 106 to the support surface 104 in a substantially invisible manner (i.e., little or no outwardly visible hardware), post mounts may be first installed in the support surface 104. For example, the post 1061 is mounted to the support surface via a post mount 108 (illustrated in phantom). The post mount 108 may include a support pipe 110 supported between two support blocks 1121 and 1122 (collectively referred to as "support blocks 112"), for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,546,720. The post mount 108 is fastened to the support surface 104 in a secure manner, and the hollow post 1061 is then slipped over the post mount 108. In this manner, the post 1061 is supported securely by the support surface 104 and in turn provides secure support for the railing 102.
In some applications, the interior dimensions of the post 1061 may exceed the exterior dimensions of the post mount 108 (e.g., the exterior dimensions of the support blocks 112). In such a case, the post 1061 will not fit over the post mount 108 snugly; it will be loose, and may undermine the stability of the railing system 100.


A method is provided for zone-melting-recrystallization (ZMR) to produce high quality substantially subboundary-free silicon-on-insulator (SOI) thin films by controlled radiant heating of the silicon film. Using this technique, a much wider experimental parameter range which improves the uniformity of the crystalline quality over the entire SOI film is possible.

This invention relates generally to the conversion of amorphous or polycrystalline semiconductor materials to substantially single crystal semiconductor material by a process known as zone-melting recrystallization.
From transistors to very large scale integration of complex circuitry on a single chip, the field of solid state electronics has been built largely upon the abundant non-metallic element silicon. Large diameter single crystal boules of silicon are sliced into wafers on which dopants, insulators and conductors are applied using a variety of processes. Over the past few years, a major effort has been devoted to developing a new silicon-based technology involvinq the preparation of very thin films of pure single crystal silicon on the the order of one-half micron thick, compared to the one-half millimeter thickness of typical silicon wafers. This emerging technology is called silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology because the thin silicon (sic) film is supported by an insulating substrate. An efficient, reliable and economical process for producing thin film single crystal silicon has eluded researchers until now.
In comparison to device performance in bulk silicon, SOI promises significant advantages:
(1) improved speed performance in discrete devices and circuits resulting from reduced parasitic capacitance;
(2) simplified device isolation and design layout, yielding potentially higher packing densities; and
(3) radiation hard circuits for space and nuclear application.
In addition, new SOI technologies may also be utilized for three-dimensional integration of circuits.
At present, there is one relatively mature SOI technology, silicon-on sapphire (SOS). However, the commercial utilization of SOS has been severely limited by its high cost, relatively poor crystalline quality, and difficulty in handling and processing in comparison to bulk Si.
Recently, a new SOI technology called zone-melting recrystallization (ZMR) based on standard silicon wafers rather than sapphire crystals has exhibited the potential for displacing SOS and for utilization on a much larger scale by the semiconductor industry.
In known ZMR techniques, SOI is produced by recrystallizing a fine-grained Si film on an insulating substrate. A typical sample structure consists of a silicon wafer coated with a 1-micron, thermally grown SiO.sub.2 insulating layer, a half micron polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) layer formed by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPVCD), capped by a 2-micron layer of CVD SiO.sub.2. The last layer forms a cover to encapsulate the polysilicon film constraining it while the film is being recrystallized.
The ZMR technique for SOI is described in a paper entitled "Zone Melting Recrystallization of Silicon Film With a Movable Strip Heater Oven" by Geis et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. Solid State Science and Technology, Vol., 129, p. 2812 (1982).
The sample is placed on a lower graphite strip and heated to a base temperature of 1100-1300.degree. in an argon gas ambient. Silicon has a melting point of about 1410.degree. C.; SiO.sub.2 has a higher melting point, about 1710.degree. C. Additional heat in the form of radiant energy is typically provided by a movable upper graphite strip heater which produces localized heating of the sample along a strip to a temperature between the two melting points. The upper heater scans the molten silicon zone across the sample leaving behind a recrystallized monocrystalline SOI film beneath the SiO.sub.2 cap.
The development of ZMR, however, has been frustrated by processing problems. The interface between the molten silicon and adjacent silicon dioxide layers gives rise to the so-called silicon beading phenomenon during ZMR which can fracture the SiO.sub.2 cap and lead to defects in the crystalline structure of the silicon. A solution to this problem is the subject of the above-referenced U.S. application Ser. No. 805,117.
A second obstacle to the commercial utilization of ZMR has been the presence of excessive edge defects and warping which result from heat buildup about the periphery of the wafer during processing. These defects require post-ZMR processing to both improve the cosmetic appearance and prepare the crystal for automated semiconductor processing. These problems are addressed by the patent application U.S. Ser. No. 238,311.
Yet another problem encountered in the ZMR method involves the presence of low angle grain boundaries or subboundaries in processed wafers which interrupt the crystalline structure in the silicon film and thereby reduce utility of the film in electronic applications.
Major ZMR research in past few years has been focused on eliminating these subboundaries. Recently, elimination of such defects was realized in one micron (1 um) Si SOI materials using low moveable strip heater power and velocity conditions. The precision and accuracy of the various experimental parameters required to produce this subboundary-free material was so high, however, that it was very difficult to practice. Furthermore, the range of acceptable parameters becomes even more restrictive in the manufacture of technologically and commercially more important half micron (0.5 um) SOI wafers.

Enhanced radiative zone-melting recrystallization method and apparatus


Methods, program products, and systems for proactively securing mobile devices are described. A mobile device can proactively determine whether the mobile device is associated with a security risk and the level of the security risk. Upon determining a security risk, the mobile device can transmit coordinates of its current geographic location to a server. To protect privacy of authorized users, the transmission can be disabled by entering a password. If multiple failed password attempts are detected, the mobile device can proactively increase a security level of the device, and selectively protect files or other content stored on the mobile device. In some implementations, the mobile device can be transitioned into a surveillance mode where the mobile device records or captures information associated with one or more of user actions, ambient sound, images, a trajectory of the device, and transmits the recorded or captured information to the network resource.

Mobile devices, such as phones and media devices, have a high risk of being lost or stolen. If a mobile device is stolen, the information contained on the device can be accessed. Various security methods have been developed to prevent unauthorized access of information stored on mobile devices. Some methods will encrypt the data to prevent access. Simple encryption ciphers can be broken and more secure encryption techniques are also more complex and thus require more resources that may not be available on some devices. Other security methods allow a remote wipe command to be sent to the mobile device over a network. The remote wipe command, however, wipes out all the data on the mobile device accept a boot file. This forces the user to have to restore the wiped data, which can be inconvenient and time consuming for the user.


A liquid crystal display and a driving method thereof that is adaptive for improving picture quality. In the method, video signals are applied to a plurality of data lines connected to the liquid crystal cells. At least one gate pulse having a desired falling slope is sequentially applied to a plurality of gate lines connected to the liquid crystal cells in a direction crossing the data lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display and a driving method thereof that is adaptive for improving picture quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display (LCD) uses a pixel matrix arranged at intersections between gate lines and data lines to display a picture corresponding to video signals. Such a pixel consists of a liquid crystal cell controlling a transmitted light amount in accordance with a video signal, and a thin film transistor (TFT) for switching a video signal to be applied from the data line to the liquid crystal cell.
When a gate pulse is sequentially applied to the gate lines, a video signal is applied to the data lines. At this time, a desired voltage is supplied to a liquid crystal cell to which the gate pulse and the video signal are applied simultaneously, and a liquid crystal is driven with this voltage to thereby display a picture corresponding to the video signal. However, in such a conventional LCD, a charged voltage is differentiated depending upon a position of the liquid crystal cell.
In other words, when the same video signal is applied, a certain voltage Vg1 is charged in the liquid crystal cell positioned at an intersection between the first gate line GL1 and the first data line DL1 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2A. Otherwise, a voltage Vg2 lower than the certain voltage Vg1 is charged in the liquid crystal cell 4 positioned at an intersection between the first gate line GL1 and the nth data line DLn as shown in FIG. 2B.
As described above, in the conventional LCD, a voltage charged depending upon a position of the liquid crystal cell is differentiated due to a resistance voltage of the gate line GL and a capacitance value of the liquid crystal cell. Particularly, since such a phenomenon becomes more serious as LCDs move toward larger screens and a high resolution, picture quality of the LCD is deteriorated. In order to solve this problem, there has been suggested a driving method as shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 shows a method of driving another conventional LCD.
Referring to FIG. 3, gate lines GL of another conventional LCD are supplied with two gate pulses GP1 and GP2. At one gate line GL, a first gate pulse GP1 is applied in such a manner so as to be synchronized with an nth horizontal synchronizing signal H while a second gate pulse GP2 is applied in such a manner to be synchronized with a (n+2)th horizontal synchronizing signal H.
In operation, when the second gate pulse GP2 is applied to the first gate line GL1, the first gate pulse GP1 is applied to the third gate line GL3. At this time, a certain voltage corresponding to a video signal is charged in the first gate line GL1. On the other hand, a voltage corresponding to the video signal at the first gate line GL1 is pre-charged in the third gate line GL3 supplied with the first gate pulse GP1.
For instance, if the second gate pulse Gp2 is applied to the first gate line GL1, then a voltage of 5V is pre-charged in the liquid crystal cells provided along the third gate line GL3 when a video signal having a voltage of 5V is supplied. Thereafter, if the second gate pulse GP2 is applied to the third gate line GL3, then only a voltage of 2V is charged in the liquid crystal cells provided along the third gate line GL3. In other words, in another conventional LCD driving method, when the first gate pulse GP1 is applied to the nth gate line GLn, a voltage corresponding to a video signal applied to the (n−2)th gate line GLn−2 is pre-charged, thereby charging a desired voltage irrespectively of the location of the liquid crystal cell.
FIG. 4 represents a gate driver for generating the gate pulse shown in FIG. 3.
Referring to FIG. 4, the conventional gate driver includes an OR gate 12 and a driver integrated circuit 14, hereinafter referred to as "D-IC". Herein, a gate shift clock GSC is a signal for determining a time when the gate of the TFT is turned on or off. The gate start pulse GSP is a signal for indicating the first driving line of the field in one vertical synchronizing signal.
Flip-flops 6, 8 and 10 receive a gate shift clock signal GSC as shown in FIG. 6. When the liquid crystal display panel is driven, the gate start pulse GSP is inputted to the first flip-flop 6. The gate start pulse GSP inputted to the first flip-flop 6 is shifted into the second flip-flop 8 when the gate shift clock GSC is inputted. At this time, the gate start pulse GSP shifted into the second flip-flop 8 is applied to the OR gate 12. The gate start pulse GSP inputted to the OR gate 12 is applied to the D-IC 14.
Meanwhile, the gate start pulse GSP applied to the second flip-flop 8 is shifted into the third flip-flop 10 when the gate shift clock signal GSC is inputted. Further, the gate start pulse GSP applied to the third flip-flop 10 is applied to the OR gate 12 when the gate shift clock signal GSC is inputted. In other words, two gate start pulses GSP are inputted to the OR gate 12 at a desired time difference (i.e., one period of the gate shift clock signal GSC). Thus, the OR gate 12 applies two gate start pulse GSP2 to the D-IC 14 as shown in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 5, the D-IC 14 includes an inverter 16 supplied with a gate output enable signal GOE, an AND gate 18 supplied with an output signal of the inverter 16 and two gate start pulse GSP2, and first and second switching devices SW1 and SW2 controlled by an output signal of the AND gate 18. The first switching device SW1 is connected to a first gate voltage source Vcc while the second switching device SW2 is connected to a second gate voltage source −Vg. Herein, the gate output enable signal GOE is a signal for controlling an output of the gate driver.
The AND gate 18 receives two gate start pulse GSP2 and a gate output enable signal GOE inverted by the inverter 16. At this time, the AND gate 18 applies a control signal of "1" to the first and second switching devices SW1 and SW2 when the gate start pulse GSP2 has a high state and when the gate output enable signal GOE passing through the inverter 16 has a high state. If a control signal of "1" is applied from the AND gate 18, then the first switching device SW1 is turned on to thereby output the first gate voltage Vcc to the gate line GL.
Thereafter, the AND gate 18 applies a control signal of "0" to the first and second switching devices SW1 and SW2 when the gate start pulse GSP2 has a low state or when the gate output enable signal GOE passing through the inverter 16 has a low state. If a control signal of "0" is applied from the AND gate 18, then the second switching device SW2 is turned on to thereby output the second gate voltage −Vg to the gate line GL. By repeating such a process, the first and second gate pulses GP1 and GP2 are sequentially outputted to the gate lines GL.
However, in another conventional LCD, when the gate pulse GP is fallen, a voltage charged in the liquid crystal cell is dropped by a voltage ΔV as shown in FIG. 7. In other words, when the gate pulse GP suddenly falls, a voltage charged in the liquid crystal cell is dropped by a voltage ΔV along the falling gate pulse GP. Accordingly, a desired voltage fails to be charged in the liquid crystal cell and hence a picture having a desired quality fails to be displayed on the LCD.

Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof


Specification of an attack for a player character is received by means of an attack specifying operation of the player. A direct attack reaction is determined in the case where it is determined that the attack hits an enemy character A. The direct attack reaction indicates a reaction of the direct attack target character that suffers the direct attack. The enemy character A is then caused to execute the determined direct attack reaction. In the case where it is determined that an indirect attack to be caused by contact between the enemy characters A, B hits an enemy character B when the enemy character A executes the direct attack reaction, an indirect attack reaction indicating a reaction of the enemy character B that suffers the indirect attack is determined. The enemy character B is then caused to execute the determined indirect attack reaction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for controlling progress of a video game by displaying a player character on an image display screen of an image display apparatus, and by controlling an action of the player character displayed on the image display screen in response to operation(s) by a player.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, various kinds of so-called role playing games (RPG; that is, a game in which a player plays a role of a character in a world of the game, and accomplishes a predetermined object while enjoying a process that the character grows through various experiences) have been provided.
In a RPG, generally, a player character acting in response to operations by the player wins a battle against an enemy character thwarting accomplishment of a predetermined object in the RPG, by which various benefits such as an experiential value are supplied to the player character.
In a video game such as a RPG, an attack against an enemy character in a battle is generally executed by means of a direct attack in which a weapon such as a sword is used or an indirect attack in which magic is used.
In such an attack, heretofore, there is proposed a system in which it is determined whether or not an attack against an enemy character can be executed in view of movement speed of the player character and/or a distance between the player character and the enemy character.
In the conventional video game, a direct attack and an indirect attack can be executed by the player character. However, the direct or indirect attack is an attack to the inside of a predetermined range. More specifically, in the case where the attack is a direct attack with a sword, an enemy character positioned within a range in which the sword reaches to the enemy character may become an attack target. In the case where the attack is an indirect attack with magic, an enemy character positioned within a predetermined range of a distance from the player character may become an attack target. Thus, such an attack became monotone, and therefore, there was a fear that this causes such a player to lose interest in the video game.

Video game processing apparatus, a method and a computer readable medium that stores a program for processing a video game


A heat sink has a substrate with first pivoting portions thereon. A heat scattering member has a plurality of fins on a top thereof, a protrusion on a periphery thereof and a pressing portion between the protrusion and the distal fin. A clip member has connection portions, second pivoting portions and a lock portion. The second pivoting portions are projected from ends of the connection portions to be pivotally connected to the first pivoting portions of the substrate. The clip member is moved between a fist position and a second position. The lock portions are projected from the other ends of the connection portions to be engaged with the pressing portions while the lock portion is moved to the second position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a heat sink, and more particularly to a heat sink capable of engaging an electronic device with the heat sink rapidly.
2. Description of the Related Art
To maintain a computer running well, it is well known in the electronic industry to mount a heat sink on an electronic device, which generates heat while working (such as CPU), to keep the electronic device under a suitable temperature.
In prior art, the heat sink is provided with an elastic pressing member to secure the heat sink on the electronic device or on a circuit board. The conventional pressing members are classified into two types and they are described hereunder.
The pressing member of the first type is that the pressing member crosses above the electronic device and ends thereof are secured on a base. On one conventional technology, the pressing member is a plate-like member to provide a well performance for pressing the electronic device. The width of such pressing member reduces the area on the heat sink to provide fins, hence it affect heat dissipating. The other conventional technology provides a strip-like pressing member with a narrow width. Such pressing member gives a less effect for the fins provided on the heat sink, but the shape of the pressing member is twisted to provide enough pressure for pressing the heat sink. Such pressing is easy to be deformed and some of the fins must be provided at specific positions to lock protrusions of the pressing member. This increases the cost of manufacture.
The second type provides the pressing members at opposite sides thereof. One conventional technology provides the electronic device with a mount at opposite sides thereof to connect the pressing members respectively. Such structure has a poor stability and a higher cost. The other technology provides a shaft running through the stacked heat sink plates. The shaft is clipped at opposite ends by an elastic clip respectively and is installed on a base. The structure of the second invention is complex and there is no stable structure between the heat sink plates and the base.


Devices and methods for CPR chest compression with active decompression.

Chest compressions provided as a component of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be accomplished at a consistent depth of about 2 inches, according to the CPR Guidelines 2010. This is difficult to accomplish, especially over a long course of CPR. Chest compression monitors, such as those used in ZOLL Medical Corporation's CPR D Padz® and Real CPR chest compression monitor, give real time feedback to a CPR provider, measuring the depth and rate of compressions achieved during CPR and providing immediate reports of achieved chest compression depth to the CPR provider. This helps the CPR provider achieve the desired compression depth and also helps the CPR provider realize when he is too fatigued to provider proper chest compressions. In use, the chest compression monitor is sandwiched between the chest of a cardiac arrest victim and the hands of a CPR provider during compressions. These chest compression monitors are free-floating, and can accurately measure chest compression depth without reference to any external reference or input. This is described in Halperin, et al., CPR Chest Compression Monitor, U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,996 (May 21, 2002), as well as Palazzolo, et al., Method of Determining Depth of Chest Compressions During CPR, U.S. Pat. No. 7,122,014 (Oct. 17, 2006). Nonetheless, these chest compression monitors can be augmented with reference sensors, to ensure or improve accuracy when chest compressions are performed on a patient that is coincidentally subject to gross vertical movements. For example, Palazzolo, et al., Method Of Determining Depth Of Chest Compressions During CPR, U.S. Pat. No. 7,122,014 (Oct. 17, 2006) disclosed a system including a chest compression monitor disposed on the chest of a cardiac arrest victim and a reference sensor disposed elsewhere on the body of the cardiac arrest victim or a gurney supporting the cardiac arrest victim.
For adults, CPR chest compressions are delivered while the patient is supine, supported by a sufficiently rigid surface (a floor, gurney, or hospital bed). For infants, CRP chest compressions are provided with one of two methods. The preferred method is the two-thumb method, and entails grasping the infants thorax with both hands, placing both thumbs over the sternum (with the fingers supporting the back of the infant) and compressing the sternum with the thumbs. Another method, suggested for use by a lone rescuer, is referred to as the two-finger method, and entails compression of the infant's chest with two fingers placed over the inter-mammary line (superior to the xiphoid process). Compressions should be about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) (one third of the thickness of the thorax of 4.5 inches (11.4 cm), which is rough estimate of infant chest thickness which is of course variable depending on the age of the infant patient). The chest should be released completely after each compression. According to the American Heart Association, the 2-thumb-encircling hands technique is preferred over the 2-finger technique because it produces higher coronary artery perfusion pressure, results more consistently in appropriate depth or force of compressions, and may generate higher systolic and diastolic pressures.
In another aspect of CPR, active compression-decompression CPR has been suggested as an adjunct to CPR. Active compression-decompression refers to compression techniques which include some mechanism for actively lifting the chest wall between compression down strokes, rather than merely relying on the natural resilience of the chest wall to expand the chest between compressions. Active decompression devices, such as proposed by Steen, Systems and Procedures for Treating Cardiac Arrest, U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,427 (Jun. 5, 2007), use a piston to compress the chest. The piston is driven up and down by a motor. A suction cup on the lower face of the piston is intended to pull the chest wall up with the piston. Active decompression is not yet recommended for pediatric use.
Voss, et al. (including Lurie), Guided Active Compression Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Systems and Methods, U.S. Pat. No. 8,702,633 (Apr. 22, 2014) discloses a device to facilitate manual chest compressions, including a handle connected to the chest during use with an adhesive pad which can be used to provide active decompression by manually lifting the chest upward between compressions. Steen, Systems and Procedures for Treating Cardiac Arrest, U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,427 (Jun. 5, 2007) (Jolife) discloses a piston-based CPR chest compression device with a solid pad disposed on the bottom surface of a piston which is used to push downwardly to compress the chest. The bottom surface of the pad is adhesive, and adheres to the chest wall of the patient, which provides active decompression to pull the chest upward between compressions. To provide a compression cycle while using these systems, the CPR provider must push down on the patient's sternum to provide compression, and then pull the device upward to provide active decompression.
Each of these systems compresses the chest with a downward compression stroke, with a force applied in a posterior direction along the anterior-to-posterior axis of the chest. During manual CPR or piston-based CPR, downward force is applied to the sternum. During belt driven CPR, the forces applied over the anterior surface of the chest wall cause coincident flexion and rotation of the ribs (folding/collapsing inferiorly and closing clam-shell style in an adduction-like movement) as well as downward movement of the sternum.
Turning now to the mechanics of the human chest, the chest is known to naturally expand upon relaxation (for example, during respiration or chest release after compression), pivoting about a hinge point at the connection point between the vertebrae of the spine and the ribs. The head of each rib is the end that connects to the spine, and the ribs articulate about this connection during compression and subsequent release (and also during normal inhalation and exhalation). The shaft or body of each rib is the somewhat flattened portion that extends laterally from the head, out toward the axillary region, and then curves anteriorly and then medially to meet the sternum (presenting the rib shape known in human anatomy, which may be described as approximately C-shaped). The sternal end of the rib is the anterior termination of the rib, and the part that connects to the sternum, through the costal cartilage either directly (the true ribs 1-7) or indirectly through coastal cartilage of the ribs above them (false ribs 8-10). The sternal end of the rib is capable of articulating, or rotating, relative to the sternum.
During the release phase of each compression cycle, in the process of natural expansion, the ribs resiliently return toward their original condition expanding laterally (along the lateral or transverse axis) and also such that the sternal end moves upward (in an anterior direction away from the spine along the anterior-posterior axis) as well as in a superior direction (along the superior-inferior axis). The movement of the ribs outward and upward is referred to as the "bucket handle" movement and the motion of the ribs during natural chest expansion is referred to as the "pump handle" movement, as described in the literature.
The movement of the sternum, which is composed of the manubrium, body, and xiphoid process is also described in the literature, for example, as it undergoes upward expansion when breathing deeply. The manubrium is somewhat fixed to the first rib, whereas the body is more flexible around the 2nd to 7th rib. Thus, movement of the sternum can be described as hinge-like during deep inspiratory and relaxed expiratory phases. For extension, the extensor muscle group is the most active, with a motion range of approximately 20-25 degrees. The process of chest extension is also described in the literature, for example it is known that during extension the ribs move in the superior direction (along the superior-inferior axis). Thus, as described above, it is well known that during the natural expansion of the chest, whether during unaided release after chest compression or during respiration, the chest expands in multiple directions. Also, the sternum exhibits not only the posterior to anterior (downward to upward) trajectory, but also motion in the superior direction. Other parts of the chest also expand laterally. Thus there is a need for facilitating chest expansion during chest release in the process of performing chest compressions and/or decompressions that more closely resembles natural chest expansion.

Chest compression devices for augmented CPR


Techniques for efficiently and economically providing data transfer through wireless data networks. These techniques are particularly suitable for Internet data transfers. In one aspect, mobile devices are able to be allocated additional wireless channels to obtain increased data transfer capabilities. The additional wireless channels can be used for unicast, multicast or broadcast of data. These techniques provide additional wireless bandwidth to mobile devices and allows control over allocation of the additional wireless bandwidth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless networks and, more particularly, to data transmission over wireless networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet or the World Wide Web is a global network of interconnected computers. Clients or users can access files or documents, e.g., hypermedia documents, residing on the host website computers connected to the Internet through use of a network browser program. Examples of network browser programs include Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer. One type of hypermedia documents is commonly referred to as web pages. Sites or documents on the Internet are typically chosen by a user by entering a site address, i.e., a Universal Resource Locator (URL), or by a selection of a link on a displayed web page.
FIG. 8 is a conventional client/server system 800. The conventional client/server system 800 includes a client system 802 that couples to a server system 804 via the Internet 806. In this manner, any of a plurality of local files 808 (documents) associated with the server system 804 can be delivered to the client system 802 through the Internet 806. For example, the server system 804 transfers data for files 808 to the client system 802 through the Internet 806 utilizing a standard protocol, e.g., Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), for transferring data through the Internet 806. The server system 804 represents a host website computer providing the local files 808.
Unfortunately, due to the increased popularity of the use of the Internet 806 and due to increases in file sizes that are to be delivered to the client system 802 through the Internet 806, increasing demands are placed on the server system 804 and links 810 and 812 to handle the increased traffic. The file sizes continue to increase as files (e.g., web pages) become more elaborate and more graphical. As a result, general congestion tends to form in the system 800. This general congestion (or traffic) leads to slowed data transfer through the Internet 806, and thus clients or users face long waiting times.
In the case where the client system 802 connects to the Internet 806 through a wireless network and a wireless Internet Service Provider (ISP), the data transfer is presented with additional difficulties. Namely, the wireless connection has limited bandwidth which leads to even slower data transfer. The slow data transfer is not only frustrating to users but also expensive as users typically have to pay for wireless Internet access on a connection time basis.
Conventional solutions to difficulties problems with providing wireless Internet access have primarily been directed at reducing the amount of data to be transferred. For example, with Internet access, the data requested is often a web page. Conventionally, web pages have been "stripped down" for wireless access. For example, graphical images have been removed from the web pages. While removing graphical images does substantially reduce the amount of data to be transferred for a web page, it results in an uninteresting web page. The graphical images are important not only to the presentation of the information associated with the web page but also to providing advertising revenue. Another conventional approach has been to build private wireless networks for densely populated user areas, such as a corporate site, university, hotel, etc. These private wireless networks might be able to provide improved Internet access, but these networks are expensive to build and are only usable while in limited areas (e.g., corporate site, university, hotel).
Therefore, there is a need for improved techniques for efficiently and economically providing data transfer through wireless data networks.

Wireless internet access with enhanced bandwidth capabilities


Diagnostic methods and systems are described in which a client or consumer electronic device can be remotely controlled and operated for purposes which include performing diagnostics and/or implementing remedial measures designed to remedy identified problems associated with the consumer electronic device.

Current remote diagnostic support efforts for consumer electronic devices typically require a product support representative to instruct a customer to perform series of commands with an input device, such as a remote control device, to attempt to test and diagnose a particular problem. This can and usually does take place over the telephone, with the customer and the support representative exchanging information during their conversation.
Needless to say, this approach is a fairly inefficient way to attempt to discover and remedy problems associated with the device. For example, this solution typically requires a one-to-one relationship between the customer and the support representative. In addition, this solution does not scale very well in the event a large number of customers experience problems at the same time, or experience problems having a similar nature.
Accordingly, this invention arose out of concerns associated with providing improved diagnostics and customer care.

Methods and systems for performing remote diagnostics