A utility razor knife for use by carpenters and the like is arranged to include a reciprocating blade mounted to a forward end of the structure, with a rearwardmost end of the housing structure including a pencil sharpener structure permitting access in the sharpening of a pencil in association with the knife blade arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to utility knife structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved razor knife with built-in pencil sharpener arranged to provide for convenient and effective orientation of a pencil sharpener relative to the knife organization.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Utility knife structure of various types have been utilized in the prior art such as indicated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,320,576 and 5,036,591 as examples.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiency of the prior art by providing for the use of a pencil sharpener structure in cooperation with a knife blade inasmuch as the knife blade organization is employed by carpenters and the like having pencils, wherein the maintaining of the pencils in a sharpened conduction relative to the outlining of various indicia to permit subsequent severing is required in the craft and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Razor knife with built-in pencil sharpener


A recycling center receivable on a supporting surface is provided. The recycling center includes first and second sidewalls. Each sidewall has a forward edge, a rearward edge, an upper edge and an inner surface such that the inner surfaces of the sidewalls define a recycle receiving chamber. A bag slide slidably is mounted within recycle receiving chamber. The bag slide is movable between a first retracted position wherein the bag slide is received within the recycle receiving chamber and an extended position wherein at least a portion of the bag slide projects from the recycle receiving chamber. A first bag retainer is pivotably mounted to the bag slide for receiving a first portion of upper end of a first bag thereon. The first bag retainer is pivotable between a first position and a second retaining position for supporting the first bag in an open configuration.

As is known, the United States produces over 250 million tons of municipal solid waste each year. This number represents approximately 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day. A large portion of this waste is hauled away in garbage trucks and packed into sanitary landfills. As a result, landfilling has become the number one method of disposing trash in the United States. However, most of the material disposed of in landfills is recyclable. Hence, in order to reduce the volume of waste disposed of in landfills, Americans have turned to recycling. It has be found that recycling benefits the environment at every stage in the life cycle of a consumer product, from the raw material used to make the product, to the final method of disposal. In order to encourage recycling, many public facilities have start to position recycling bins throughout their premises.
While functional for their intended purpose, these prior recycling bins have shortcomings that make them unsuitable for certain applications. For example, prior recycling bins typically have single openings for receiving single types of recycling material therein. As such, a user must provide distinct recycling bins for each type of recycling material. In other words, a first recycling bin may be provided for receiving a first material such as paper and a second recycling bin may be provided for receiving a second material such as plastic. This, in turn, increases the overall costs associated with providing recycle bins in certain environments.
In addition, prior recycling bins require the use of bags therein. These bags receiving the recycling materials deposited in the recycling bins. Consequently, these bags must be replaced after each bag is filled with recycling material. As such, it is highly desirable to provide a simple and easy mechanism for attaching and supporting the bag within a corresponding recycle bin. In addition, a bag filled with recycling material may weight a significant amount. It is also highly desirable to provide a mechanism for maintaining the bag in an open configuration within a corresponding recycle bin as the bag is filled.
Sholinder, U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,166 discloses an example of a prior recycling bin. The bin discloses in the '166 patent includes a rigid modular container having a floor and an opposite lid. Opposite rigid rectilinearly-shaped first and second panels are provided between the floor and lid and oppositely disposed rigid rectilinearly-shaped third and fourth panels extending from and between the first and second panels. The panels are removably mounted to the floor. The side edges of adjacent panels are removably mounted to each other as by bolting so that the side edges of the third and fourth panels abut the side edges of the first and second panels. Fastener bracing means such as bolt bracing are mounted to the side edges of the panels and are aligned between adjacent the panels so that fastener receiving apertures therethrough provide for rigid bracing of rigid fasteners such as bolts mounted through and between the fastener bracing means on the adjacent panels. Rigid fasteners such as bolts may be mounted through the fastener bracing means on the adjacent the panels. It is noted, however, that no mechanism is provided for supporting one or bags within the recycling bin. Further, the '166 patent does not contemplated providing a bin having multiple openings therein which are adapted receiving different types of recycling material.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a recycling center having multiple openings therein which are adapted receiving different types of recycling materials.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a recycling center that is simple to construct and easily expanded by a user.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a recycling center that incorporates a support mechanism for supporting one or bags within the interior thereof.
In accordance with the present invention, a recycling center is receivable on a supporting surface. The recycling center includes first and second sidewalls. Each sidewall includes a forward edge, a rearward edge, an upper edge and an inner surface such that the inner surfaces of the sidewalls define a recycle receiving chamber. A bag slide is slidably mounted within recycle receiving chamber. The bag slide is movable between a first retracted position wherein the bag slide is received within the recycle receiving chamber and an extended position wherein at least a portion of the bag slide projects from the recycle receiving chamber. A first bag retainer is pivotably mounted to the bag slide for receiving a first portion of upper end of a first bag thereon. The first bag retainer is pivotable between a first position and a second retaining position for supporting the first bag in an open configuration.
A lid extends between the upper edges of the first and second sidewalls. The lid has a first aperture therethrough which is axially aligned with the first bag. A door is pivotably connected to the forward edge of the first sidewall. The door is movable between a first closed position and a second open position allowing access to the recycle receiving chamber. The bag slide includes first and second generally parallel rails and a first rod extending between the first and second rails along a first axis. The first rod is rotatable about the first axis. The bag slide also includes a second rod extending between the first and second rails along a second axis.
The recycling center may also include a second bag retainer mounted to the second rod for receiving a second portion of the upper end of the first bag thereon. Alternatively, the second bag retainer may be mounted to the first rod for receiving a first portion of an upper end of a second bag thereon. The first bag retainer extends from the first rod and defines a loop. The first rod is movable along the first axis between a first retaining position wherein the first bag retainer is maintained in a user desired position and a second position wherein the first bag retainer is movable between the first and second positions.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a recycling center is provided. The recycling center includes a housing having first and second sidewalls and defining a recycle receiving chamber therein. A bag slide is slidably mounted within recycle receiving chamber and is movable between a first retracted position wherein the bag slide is received within the recycle receiving chamber and an extended position wherein at least a portion of the bag slide projects from the recycle receiving chamber. The bag slide including includes first and second generally parallel rails and a first rod extending between the first and second rails along a first axis. A first bag retainer extends from the first rod of the bag slide for receiving a first portion of an upper end of a first bag thereon. The first bag retainer is pivotable between a first position and a second retaining position for supporting the first bag in an open configuration.
A second bag retainer extends from the first rod for receiving a first portion of an upper end of a second bag thereon. The second bag retainer is pivotable between a first position and a second retaining position for supporting the second bag in an open configuration. The bag slide includes a second rod extending between the first and second rails along a second axis. It is contemplated for the second bag retainer to extend from the second rod for receiving a second portion of the upper end of the first bag thereon. The first rod is movable along the first axis between a first retaining position wherein the first bag retainer is maintained in a user desired position and a second position wherein the first bag retainer is movable between the first and second positions.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a recycling center is provided. The recycling center includes a housing having first and second sidewalls and defining a recycle receiving chamber therein. A door is pivotably connected to the housing, the door movable between a first closed position and a second open position allowing access to the recycle receiving chamber. A bag support is slidably mounted within recycle receiving chamber. The bag support includes first and second rails and a first rod. The first rail is slidably mounted to the first sidewall. The first rail has a forward end and a rear end. A second rail slidably mounted to the second sidewall. The second rail has a forward end and a rear end. The first rod extends between the first and second rails. A first bag retainer extends from the first rod of the bag support for receiving a first portion of upper end of a first bag thereon. The first bag retainer is pivotable between a first position and a second retaining position for supporting the first bag in an open configuration.
A second bag retainer extends from the first rod for receiving a first portion of an upper end of a second bag thereon. The second bag retainer is pivotable between a first position and a second retaining position for supporting the second bag in an open configuration. A bag support includes a second rod extending between the first and second rails along a second axis. Alternatively, a second bag retainer extends from the second rod for receiving a second portion of the upper end of the first bag thereon. The first rod is movable along the first axis between a first retaining position wherein the first bag retainer is maintained in a user desired position and a second position wherein the first bag retainer is movable between the first and second positions. A biasing structure urges the first rod towards the retaining position.


The present invention discloses a backlight module, comprising a backsheet, and a light guide plate and a middle frame provided on the backsheet; the backsheet being assembled with multiple spacers, one side of the spacer being connected with the side wall of the backsheet, the opposite side thereof being tightly connected with the light guide plate, on the spacer further being provided with a holding groove; a slot connected to the holding groove being provided corresponding to each spacer on the side wall of the backsheet; the middle frame comprising a vertical supporting portion, the vertical supporting portion comprising multiple intertongue, each intertongue corresponding to each holding groove, on the side wall of the intertongue being provided with a hook; the middle frame being assembled in the holding groove through the intertongue, the hook and the slot being engaged with each other. The present invention further discloses a liquid crystal display device comprising the backlight module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the fields of liquid crystal display, and in particular to a backlight module and a liquid crystal display device.
2. The Related Arts
The liquid crystal display (LCD) has the advantages of thin body, low power consumption, no radiation, etc., which has been widely applied, such as mobile phones, digital cameras, computers, television screens, etc. On the existing liquid crystal display market, most are the backlight-type liquid crystal display, which comprises a liquid crystal panel and a backlight module, and the liquid crystal panel and the backlight module are provided opposite to each other. The backlight module provides a display light source for the liquid crystal panel, so that the liquid crystal panel displays images. In the increasingly competitive display market, differentiated design has become one of the important research directions to enhance the selling of the products for the manufacturers. In the conventional products, the common design are thinner or narrow frame, which has more aesthetic appearance to attract the attention of consumers.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of the backlight module according to the existing technology, which comprises a backsheet 1, and a reflective plate 2, a light guide plate 3 and a diaphragm set 4 sequentially arranged on the backsheet 1, which further comprises a middle frame 5 fixing with the backsheet 1. The vertical supporting portion of the middle frame 5 comprises an inner wall 6 and an outer wall 7. A groove is formed between the inner wall 6 and the outer wall 7, and on the outer wall 7 is provided with a slot 8. On the side wall of the backsheet 1 is provided with a hook 9. The side wall of the backsheet 1 is inserted into the above groove, and the hook 9 and the slot 8 are engaged with each other, so that the backsheet 1 and the middle frame 5 are fixed with each other. In the structure of the backlight module, because the vertical supporting portion of the middle frame 5 comprises the inner wall 6 and the outer wall 7, the presence of the outer wall 7 increase the frame width of the liquid crystal display module, which is not beneficial to the design of the narrow frame structure. Moreover, in the structure, the middle frame 5 can limit the light guide plate 3 in the vertical direction, but limitation of the transverse direction of the light guide plate 3 needs another defining unit, which increases the complexity of the structure of backlight module.

Backlight module and liquid crystal display device

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


A hot-pressing tool mounted on a press and operable under a controlled atmosphere, a method for implementing such a hot-pressing tool, and a facility for manufacturing objects that includes such a hot-pressing tool. The tool includes a first tool portion having a first fastening device to fasten onto a first platen, a second tool portion having a second fastening device to fasten onto a second platen. The first fastening device and the second fastening device are mobile with respect to one another to define a pressing chamber having an inner volume which is heated via a heating device. The first fastening device and the second fastening device each respectively have a pressing member to exert a pressing force on opposite faces of an object to be pressed in the pressing chamber. The heating device is to heat via optical radiation that is concentrated on the object via a concentration device.

In a known manner, a hot-pressing tool comprises two portions, in general respectively upper and lower, that are mounted on respective platens. The latter are mobile with respect to one another under the action of movement means, typically cylinders. The two tool portions can thus adopt a mutually distant position, as well as a mutually close position in which they define a reception chamber, with a view to the pressing of the elements forming the object to be manufactured.
Moreover, such a hot-pressing tool is provided with heating means, allowing to bring the inner volume of the aforementioned chamber to a temperature appropriate for a satisfactory pressing operation. Finally, in the case in which this tool operates under vacuum, there are means intended to place the inner volume of the chamber under vacuum. The respective numerical values of exerted pressure, of temperature and optionally of vacuum in the chamber, are a function of the tool and of the nature of the objects to be manufactured.
Hot-pressing tools of the aforementioned type have already been proposed, for the manufacturing of items of various types. Mention is made, for example, of Chinese Patent Application Nos. CN103158252B and CN101758638, which relate to the manufacturing of flat waveguides, Japanese Patent Application No. JP5576636, the object of which is the production of parts made of resin, European Patent Application No. EP2251188 which relates to the manufacturing of objects in the form of a pad, or Chinese Patent Application No. CN101468370B which describes a production of alloys. In these various documents, the heating is implemented electrically, or via induction.
The tools of the prior art, mentioned above, have, in particular, a major limit on the thermal level. Indeed, their implementation is accompanied by a significant dissipation of the heat produced, outside of the target zone in which the elements forming the part to be pressed are located. Consequently, given the range of temperatures at which the pressing method is carried out, it is necessary to produce a particularly large quantity of heat.
Moreover, in the prior art described above, the temperature during use is very high, not only in the pressing zone strictly speaking, but also near the latter. In these conditions, the mechanical manufacturing of the auxiliary elements necessary for the correct operation of the tool, like joints or the equivalent, involves a compromise.
First of all, it can be chosen to place these elements at a reduced distance from the pressing zone, in order to limit the overall dimensions. In this case, they must have a significant thermal resistance, which is disadvantageous in terms of manufacturing costs. Alternatively, it can be chosen to manufacture such auxiliary elements at a relatively lower cost. In this case, their low thermal resistance means placing them at a substantial distance from the pressing zone, which significantly increases the dimensions of the tool.
Furthermore, by U.S. Pat. No. 7,473,088, a micro- or nano-imprinting device has been proposed, comprising sources of heating via optical radiation. However, the teaching of this document does not provide a satisfactory solution to the problem of heat dissipation, presented just above.
A preferred, but non-exclusive, field of use of the present invention is the manufacturing of all-solid lithium-ion batteries, called all-solid Li-ion batteries in the present document. Such batteries substantially consist of at least one elementary cell, each of which is formed by an assembly of three layers, namely an anode layer, a cathode layer, and an intermediate layer of electrolyte.
The invention can be applied to the two main modes of manufacturing such a battery, involving different ranges of pressure and of temperature. First of all, operation can be at high temperature, typically between 400° C. and 700° C., and high pressure, typically between 20 and 200 MPa. In this case, the aforementioned layers are assembled, either by sintering, or by "diffusion bonding" (or welding by diffusion). Alternatively, operation can also be at a lower temperature, typically between 100° C. and 200° C., and lower pressure, typically between 5 and 10 MPa. In this case, the aforementioned layers are assembled, either by gluing, or by polymerization.
French Patent Publication No. FR 2 956 523 describes a method for manufacturing an all-solid battery, involving assembly via sintering. According to this method, the three aforementioned layers are placed in a die, then are subjected to a pressure of 100 MPa for 7 minutes. This provokes the sintering of these layers to each other, which gives them the desired cohesion. The pressing operation is carried out under vacuum, with progressive heating allowing to reach a temperature of 650° C. The temperature ramps are obtained by heating of the electric type, namely by applying pulsed direct currents.
Mention is also made of U.S. Pat. No. 7,695,865 which describes a method for production of a battery, wherein the assembly of the thin layers is implemented via gluing. This method involves heating, via a device of an optical nature. The pressing temperature is less than or equal to 120° C., while the pressure is between 50 and 500 kg/cm.
These two latter solutions have, however, certain limits. Indeed, even though French Patent Publication No FR 2 956 523 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,695,865 contribute substantial specifications on the manufacturing method, they only describe the corresponding facility schematically. Upon reading these documents, it is not therefore possible to obtain meaningful information, on the structural level. In particular, these documents do not provide any teaching regarding the management of the heat dissipation, a teaching that would be useful for being able to resolve the technical problem presented above.
Moreover, U.S. Patent No. 2016/183327 describes a device for heating a composite material comprising two shells, defining a reception chamber for the composite material. A film can be interposed between this material and the upper shell, which is formed by a plurality of modules comprising LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). The heating of the composite material, placed in the reception chamber, is carried out via the LEDs. This document merely alludes to emission, guiding, distribution and redirection of the light.
German Patent Publication No DE 20 2006 008399 describes a stamping die, which comprises a shaft and an embossing layer. The latter has an active surface, intended to cooperate with a substrate to be treated. In one embodiment, the shaft and the embossing layer are at least partly made from a transparent material, in such a way as to allow the transmission of light along the dotted arrow. This document teaches a simple transmission of the optical energy, via the walls of the head of the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,312,232 discloses a device for producing light, integrating cooling by liquid. This device comprises in particular a lamp unit, formed by a mercury lamp surrounded by a tube made of glass or of quartz. This lamp unit, closed by two end caps, is surrounded by a sleeve allowing the circulation of a cooling liquid.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/284320 describes an apparatus allowing to laminate a structure, formed by a substrate, a magnetic film and a resistive film. This apparatus comprises first of all two platens and a light source, placed radially at a distance from the platens and located at the same altitude as the structure to be treated.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/104682 describes an imprinting device, comprising two pressing members mounted on respective platens. Light sources are placed directly in the aforementioned platens.

Hot-pressing tool, method of operating it, and corresponding installation and method of manufacture


The invention related to a device for making a part of a composite material by resin-transfer molding, that includes a manufacturing mold in which is placed a blank of the part to be impregnated with resin, characterized in that the manufacturing mold is divided into a matrix and one or more mobile structural member to be indexed on the matrix, the whole defining, after assembly, an imprint corresponding to the shape of the part to be manufactured.

Several known moulding methods by impregnation of fibres with resin may be used for making parts in composite material and notably moulding methods using closed moulds.
Firstly, mention may be made of the resin-transfer moulding or RTM method.
In this RTM method, a set of fibre elements is positioned in a particular way around a support and the set is placed inside a closed mould, the general shape of which corresponds to that of the part to be made.
In the traditional RTM method, this mould consists of a female mould or matrix and a counter-mould portion or punch.
A resin is then injected into the mould and polymerised by providing energy to it. The molecules of this resin then begin to bind together and form a solid network. A rigid part in composite material formed with fibres and polymerised resin is then obtained.
Mention may also be made of the resin infusion moulding method.
Generally, such a method applies several steps among which appears the placement of fibre reinforcing elements on the shape of a mould.
The mould is then closed via a flexible lid allowing controlled passage of a resin which will infuse inside the fibre reinforcing elements and then polymerise, in order to provide a rigid part.
The propagation of the resin is accomplished by a driving force generated by a depression in certain points of the lid, towards which moves the resin introduced into the mould.
In the traditional infusion method, moulding tooling is thus formed with a matrix mould and a sealed lid such as a cover as a counter-mould portion.
These methods whether these are standard RTM or resin infusion moulding methods, are technologies in which the moulding tooling is heavy and designed for a specific part shape intended to be made. This generates high tooling costs in order to be able to produce very diverse parts.
Further, this tooling may have a very limited lifetime. Indeed, it is understood that in standard RTM tooling, deterioration of the matrix mould or of the counter-mould or of both of them involves deterioration of the thereby formed tooling in its entirety.
Finally, because of the complex development of moulding tooling adapted to a specific type of part in a composite material, these technologies are limited to shapes of parts in composite material which are not very or moderately complex, the characteristics of which are not very elaborated.

Device for making a part of a composite material by resin-transfer moulding

SOCIETE LORRAINE DE CONSTRUCTION AERONAUTIQUE


A knee airbag system for a vehicle is disclosed. The knee airbag system may include a reaction plate having a plurality of apertures. The knee airbag system may include an airbag. The airbag may have a plurality of locations that are disposed to correspond to the plurality of apertures if the airbag is positioned for attachment to the reaction plate. The knee airbag system may also include a plurality of protrusions. The plurality of protrusions may extend through the plurality of apertures for securing the reaction plate to the airbag.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to attaching an airbag to the interior of a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a blow molded knee airbag with an integrated reaction plate for mounting to a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Inflatable airbags enjoy widespread acceptance as passive passenger restraints for use in motor vehicles. This acceptance has come as airbags have built a reputation of preventing numerous deaths and injuries as the result of years of development, testing, and use. Studies show that in some instances, the use of frontally placed vehicular airbags can reduce the number of fatalities in head-on collisions by 25% among drivers using seat belts and by more than 30% among unbelted drivers. Other statistics suggest that in a frontal collision, the combination of a seat belt and an airbag can reduce the incidence of serious chest injuries by 65% and the incidence of serious head injuries by up to 75%. These numbers and the thousands of prevented injuries they represent demonstrate the life-saving potential of airbags and the need to encourage their use, production, and development.
As a result in part because of the benefits such as those described above, automakers are now required to install airbags in most new vehicles manufactured for sale in the United States. Many automobile manufacturers have turned this airbag technology requirement into a marketing tool. Enticed by the promise of added safety, vehicle purchasers frequently seek out vehicles with sophisticated airbag systems.
Airbags may be mounted in vehicular panels near the steering wheel, in the region or components of the glove box, in vehicle doors, along vehicle roof rails, walls, vehicle floors, or beneath a dashboard to provide deceleration in specific types of collision events.
As experience with the manufacture and use of airbags has progressed, the engineering challenges involved in their design, construction, and use have become better understood. Most airbag systems are designed to rapidly inflate and provide a cushion in front of or alongside an occupant based on a presumption that the occupant will be in a predetermined position. Problems have been observed when the occupant is "out of position" when a collision occurs and the airbag deploys. Similar problems may occur when the occupant is deflected away from the airbag before proper deceleration can occur.
Out-of-position injuries may be attributed in part to the fact that most airbag systems deploy in front of the torso of an occupant. More specifically, these conventional airbags deploy between the upper torso of an occupant and the windshield and instrument panel. During a front-end collision, there is a tendency for an occupant, particularly one who is not properly restrained by a seat belt, to slide forward along the seat. This results in poor kinematics and positioning when the occupant interacts with a frontal airbag, such as a driver or a passenger's side airbag.
During a front end collision, there is a tendency for an occupant, particularly one who is not properly restrained by a seat belt, to slide forward along the seat and "submarine" under the airbag (hereinafter referred to as the "primary airbag"). When the occupant submarines, the primary airbag is less effective in protecting the occupant. Such submarining causes the vehicle occupant's knees to contact the instrument panel or structure beneath the panel. Further injuries can occur when the occupant's legs move forward such that the knees are trapped in or beneath the instrument panel just before the foot well collapses. As the foot well collapses, the vehicle occupant's feet are pushed backward, which causes the knees to elevate and become further trapped. As the foot well continues to crush, the load on the trapped legs increase and can cause foot, ankle, and leg injuries.
In order to improve occupant protection, knee airbag systems have been developed. Knee airbag systems typically engage an occupant's knees or lower legs and prevent submarining under the primary airbag. Knee airbag systems are generally positioned in the lower portion of the instrument panel. Typical knee airbag systems include a knee airbag and an inflator. The inflator, once triggered, uses compressed gas, solid fuel, or their combination to produce rapidly expanding gas to inflate the airbag. The inflated knee airbag occupies a generally rectangular volume of the vehicle leg compartment. These systems hold the occupant in place on the seat, and improve the kinematics for the occupant.
Such knee airbag systems often include a knee airbag, a reaction plate, and a panel. The panel, referred to as a knee bolster panel is disposed forward of the knee airbag. The reaction plate is typically required by a knee airbag system to allow the air bag to expand or deploy in the correct direction. In some cases the reaction plate is a part of the instrument panel. In other cases, often due to vehicle assembly concerns, the reaction plate may be part of the knee airbag module. Having the reaction plate on the module may complicate how the reaction plate is attached to the airbag. Typically mechanical fasteners, such as rivets, or screws are used to attach the reaction plate to the airbag.
However, the use of mechanical fasteners may create additional labor, part, and design expenses. For example, holes must be machined into the airbag such that the fasteners can effectively attach the two parts. Moreover, it is labor intensive and time consuming to use mechanical fasteners. The design expenses also increase because the installation order and process of the knee airbag system must be considered in designing these types of covers. When these additional expenses are incurred with respect to a large number of vehicles, the total expense can be substantial.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a novel knee airbag system that addresses one or more of the above-listed problems. Such a system is disclosed herein.

Blow molded knee airbag with integrated reaction plate


A postoperative garment for protection and improved healing of a wound, injury or disease site comprising a first panel and a second panel, the panels being constructed of a fabric structure comprising a blend of at least one polyester fiber and at least one elastic fiber. The fabric has an elasticity of about 200-220+/-10% in both the warp direction and in the fill direction, the difference between the warp and fill direction elasticity preferably being no more than about 3% to about 5%, a compression modulus of about 1 to about 4, and a breathability measurement of 70-100% moisture loss within 30 minutes and an approximate skin surface temperature reduction of about 4-6.degree. F. within about 3-7 minutes as measured by evaporative cooling, and the panels being attachable to each other along one edge by a closure means, such as mated hook and loop fasteners. The improved universal compression characteristics, breathability and thermoregulation provide enhanced ability to promote healing and protect the wound site.

Wound and injury healing is a complex science affected by many inter-related body functions. Arterial and venous blood flows, lymphatic drainage and body temperature are three of the key factors in the reduction of the time for a wound or injury to heal without complications. Such complications can be life-threatening as well as inhibiting proper wound healing and include edema, seroma, hematoma, and infection, to name a few. Medical professionals address several of these factors with current procedures, but the current art neglects the simultaneous interaction of the previous mentioned blood flows, lymphatic drainage and maintenance of body temperature with wound or injury healing.
Arterial and venous blood flows are intricately related and regulated by the body. Flow pressure ranges are important and remain within certain parameters; changes to them can greatly affect body function as well as wound healing. Arterial pressures normally remain with 120 mm Hg (systolic) and 80 mm Hg (diastolic) and, due to the muscular nature and structure of the body's arterial delivery system, remains relatively constant. On the other hand, venous pressures are more variable because veins are oftentimes compressed and consequently impede blood flow back to the heart. The central venous pressure is normally 0 mm Hg while the venous resistance and the effect of hydrostatic pressure can vary the venous pressure up to 90-100 mm Hg. Key then to the continuous flow of arterial and venous blood flows is the venous pump. The veins are constantly being squeezed and compressed by the body's muscles and other external pressures. It is important to note that the function of the venous system is significantly important to the circulatory filling pressure, an important determinant of cardiac output. The slightest improvement of venous tone and venous filling ultimately will positively affect cardiac output, which can be correlated to as an important factor to improved wound healing. External compression garments have been prescribed as an aid to a reduction in venous flows such as varicose veins and it is a known treatment.
The lymph system is an accessory route used by the body to maintain fluid balance between the interstitial spaces and the blood. Most of the fluid escaping from the capillaries is reabsorbed into the venous capillaries but the remaining 10% is key both to life function and wound healing. The lymph system, with this small amount of fluid, can also carry proteins and particulate matter away from tissue spaces (i.e., a wound site) that would not normally be removed by capillary action. The action of this function of the large vessel lymph system is called the lymphatic pump and is an intricate, fine functioning system of major lymph vessels and valves. Key to this is that the large lymph vessels can be compressed by the walls of the lymphatics themselves or by additional pressures from the surrounding surfaces. This same function in the large vessels occurs in the lymph capillaries. Note that during the normal postoperative period, the patient is restricted from activity, and is sometimes confined to a bed. This quiet period is contraindicated for the lymphatic pump action as there is no additional external factors to increase lymphatic flow during a time that the body most likely has need of such (edema, seroma, hematoma and other complications). An externally applied compression would be helpful and advantageous.
Although mentioned briefly above, the removal of proteins from the interstitial fluid spaces is an important balancing effect. Proteins, in other than proper amounts, can affect tissue colloid osmotic pressures, which can affect capillary fluid absorption and interstitial fluid volumes and pressures. Interstitial fluid pressures are normally negative and are maintained this way by a proper functioning lymphatic pump but even more so by the removal of excess proteins. The area around the postoperative wound site has been most likely traumatized by a number of factors and thus the proper functioning if the wound site has been reduced. External compression can aid the body and more specifically lymphatic flows to maintain protein balances by maintaining the normal "dry" state of the interstitial spaces.
Some common postoperative complications directly relating to interstitial fluid spaces are edema, seroma and hematoma. Many factors can cause the interstitial pressures to increase and without a similar increase in fluid flows, then there is a fluid buildup or edema. A stretch of the tissue spaces occurs with edemas of more than a few days--sometimes even a few hours--so proper and immediate treatment is important. Further to the stretch of the tissue is that fact that this excess fluid disrupts the normal absorption and use of tissue nutrients as the cells are now further from the capillaries. In the case of a wound site, this will slow the recuperative capacities of the body to heal the wound. Seromas can also affect the wound or injury site as does edema but, additionally, the danger of infection is increased. A hematoma similarly affects the wound site. However, it is possible to proactively address the possibility of edemas, seromas, and hematomas by applying external pressure immediately postoperatively with the intent of increasing capillary pressures and lymphatic flows possibly with a target of 17 mm Hg above the normal capillary pressure. This can be done with a properly designed compression garment.
It should be noted that arterial, venous and lymphatic pressures and flows are intricately balanced and interrelated. Additionally, the interstitial fluid volume and pressures are also balanced with these systems. The skin acts as the body's normal enclosure and it has its own elastic characteristics. Injury or wounds may disrupt the normal fluid and pressure balances causing fluids to build up and the skin stretches or contracts depending on the time from injury. Elastic bandaging has been used for many years as an indication in some of these cases, but not widely so as there are well-known cases of the application of conventional elastic bandages or other dressings that due to their design, material composition or application actually worsened the patient condition and caused complications. The correct application of compression is critical and should be able to perform within the intricate requirements of the body's systems. A fabric that could perform as good or better than skin, in stretch, compression, and thermoregulation, would be a great asset to the patient's postoperative regime.
Blood flows are directly affected by the body's autonomic response to maintain the body's core temperature of 37.degree. C. within about 0.6.degree. C. Core body temperature varies depending on external and internal influences, but is much more stable than the body's surface temperature. Heat is produced continually by the body during its metabolic processes and this heat is naturally lost to the surroundings through various mechanisms, principally radiation, conduction, evaporation and air convection. These processes are dynamic and inter-related. The skin is the key organ that is used by the body to maintain temperature and blood flow to the skin's venous plexus and can be up to 30% of cardiac output. Circulation of the skin has two main (and sometimes conflicting functions): 1) nutrition of the skin and 2) conduction of body heat. The rate of blood flow through the skin is the most variable of any other part of the body because the flow to regulate the temperature of the body is affected by the body's momentary metabolic rate and its immediate surroundings. The sympathetic nervous system automatically responds to these internal and environmental factors to vasoconstrict or vasodilate the skin's blood vessels and begin the perspiration process. For example, blood flow to the skin can increase up to 7 times its normal flow if the body needs to cool itself; this is a significant drain on cardiac output requiring blood to be redirected away from other needed body sites (such as a healing wound). Additionally, if the body is cool, then vasoconstriction of the skin occurs and blood flow is redirected to internal core organs and functions (and possibly away from a wound site). There is then a constant conflicting need for blood flow due to the body's need for temperature regulation and tissue nutrition, which can be contrary to the indications for proper wound site healing.
The clothing or in the case of wound sites, the dressings, placed on top of or proximate to the skin directly affect the results of the aforementioned heat-maintaining processes. Their breathability and thermoregulation characteristics influence their effect on the body. Clothing can trap air next to the skin and thus reduce the effect of the convective movement of air against the skin. The radiative effect of the skin is reduced as the clothing can reflect this heat back to the skin reheating it. Finally, perspiration is only effective as a cooling mechanism if it can evaporate; dripping perspiration is lost body energy that could have been directed toward wound healing. First, the clothing must be efficient in wicking moisture away from the skin. In so doing it becomes wet and must be able to maintain body temperature even when wet; many fabrics increase the body's heat loss by 20-30 times when filled with moisture. Clothing that absorbs moisture but does not evaporate effectively in essence reduces the effectiveness of the body's sweating mechanism. Additionally, patient comfort directly affects patient compliance. Since tapes, elastics, and commonly used postoperative and post-injury garments can be noticeably uncomfortable, it is not uncommon for a patient to self-direct the removal of a wound site dressing much earlier than their postoperative instructions to the detriment of their postoperative result. It would be desirable to have an interactive performance fabric that can aid the body in maintaining core body temperature amidst a variety of external environments and keep the skin dry would aid the body in maintaining internal blood flows (to a wound site) for tissue nutrition purposes rather than temperature maintenance.
The wound site is changing over the time of the postoperative period. The wound or injury site postoperative condition is significantly different 24 hours following injury or surgery than it is two or three weeks following surgery. In the cases of some injuries (such as burns), postoperative treatments are often indicated for more than one or two years. Today, patients are treated with singular, stand alone dressings or the medical professional simply modifies standard tapes and elastics to formulate a dressing for the patient's then current condition. No series of specifically designed garments is used although the wound site and the patients' conditions are dynamically changing.
Current garments, bandages, elastics and dressings are constructed of fabrics commercially available. Both the concepts of stretch fabric and elastic garments are nothing new in themselves and are commercially available in many types. Fabrics that absorb moisture are also not new. Most of these stretch fabrics are now manufactured of a spandex material like LYCRA.RTM. (a registered trademark of E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.). Spandex is a complex, synthetic, elastomeric material with stretch up to 500-600% and is not practical in solely being used to make garments. It is blended with many other types of fibers such as polyesters, cottons, nylons and others commercially available.
Along with these different fiber blends, different fabric construction methods can be used such as weaving and knitting. Within knitting, tricot and raschel constructions are used. Additionally, there is another type of commonly used fabric that is constructed of similar fibers but manufactured into a web.
All of these in one form or another have limitations and affect the body or more specifically the wound or injury sire in various ways. The use of many blends of fibers in either woven or knitted fabrics is usually limited in that the stretch (elasticity) and the modulus (compressive power or force) are different in the two orientations of the fabric: warp or length direction and the width or fill direction. Ranges vary widely depending on the fibers used, fiber compositions, and manufacturing method but might typically range between 100-180% for the warp and 70-140% for the filler. Modulus readings also vary widely and can range from 2-4 in the warp and 1-3 in the fill. Fiber compositions using synthetics, usually nylons, offer negligible breathability; nylon does not wick or evaporate moisture effectively. Some polyesters do so and it has been a goal of some fabric manufacturers to develop a family of performance fabrics that are used primarily in sport and outdoor activities. There has been a lack of medically-oriented garments to address the combination of the body's ability to recover from wounds or injuries. No medically oriented garments effectively address the combination of the body's need for uniform compression to aid its fluid and pressure systems and the body's need to maintain its temperature. These two key factors directly affect the body's ability to recover from wounds. And, finally, no discussion has been previously made about the possibility that a particular medical garment used immediate postoperative or post-injury might not be applicable 2-3 weeks later. The medical professional knows this reality and oftentimes prescribes different dressings, but in the case of many post-operative and post-injury regimes, they instruct the patient to buy a non-medical item at a retail store which may be impracticable or ineffective.
Additionally, patients have reported discomfort with conventional garments due to excessive heat and moisture buildup between the skin and fabric, especially during summer months in temperate climates and year round in tropical climates. This discomfort can cause the patient to not use the garment for the full physician-prescribed period of time or worse, cause potential medical complications, including improper or prolonged healing, worse scar formation, improper skin retraction, pain caused by fluid buildup or inflammation, and the like.
None of the current art or available resources to today's medical professional encompass the full range of factors influencing the postoperative or post-injury patient. Accordingly, there is a need for a fabric having desirable breathability yet having uniform and high elasticity measurements. The changing of a wound/injury site over time requires changing treatment options. The ambulatory patient has a need to comfortably function in normal activities whole wearing their postoperative/post-injury dressings while complying with their postoperative and/or post-injury instructions. There is a need for dressings, through uniform compression, to assist the body's natural hemodynamic, venous, and lymphatic systems at various stages of wound site or injury healing. There is a need to maintain full percentage of cardiac output directed to natural tissue nutrition at the wound site while minimizing the body's need to regulate its temperature and redirect blood flows. There is a need to, during the above mentioned temperature maintenance autonomic process, improve the body's sweating (cooling) mechanism to more efficiently use body resources (especially blood flow) to cool/heat the body.

Postoperative wound protection garment having improved elasticity, modulus and breathability

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A picture-display-region discriminating apparatus comprising a device for setting a number of picture detection regions on a display screen of a television receiver, a detecting device for detecting a level of a video signal corresponding to each picture detection region by utilizing two reference levels, and a device for determining whether or not a picture exists in each picture detection region based on detection results from the detecting device. One of the reference levels utilized by the detecting device is a black level of a luminance signal of the video signal and the other reference level utilized therewith is a white level of the luminance signal of the video signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a television receiver and particularly to a picture-display-region discriminating circuit of a so-called wide-screen television receiver for discriminating whether or not any picture is displayed on a specific region where a picture or a letter is to be displayed.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been increased a video software obtained by converting a movie having a rectangular picture (also referred to as a wide screen) called a Vista Vision size or Cinema Scope size into a picture with an aspect ratio of 4:3 to be displayed on a screen of a television receiver of a standard system (NTSC system, PAL system, SECAM system and so on), and a broadcasting program having a picture obtained by converting a broadcasting signal of a high-definition television system used for a television receiver of a wide screen corresponding to a frame size of an aspect ratio of 16:9 into a signal used for a television receiver of the standard television system.
There is available on a market a television receiver called a wide-screen television receiver having a display screen with an aspect ratio of 16:9 so as to display pictures of these video softwares for the wide screen on the screen with using 525 scanning lines similarly to that of the standard television system.
This wide-screen television receiver is provided with various display modes used for a viewer to watch such video software or broadcasting program on the television receiver with an optimum frame size of such video software or broadcasting program. The viewer operates a remote controller or the like to select a preferable display mode.
For example, the wide-screen television receiver provides the following display modes.
(1) The first display mode is used when a rectangular picture of a video software is displayed on the screen of the wide-screen television receiver; the displayed picture is enlarged in the frame-height direction with reference to a center thereof in accordance with a ratio of a frame height of a standard frame size to that of a wide frame size, thereby a zoom picture being enlarged so as to occupy a substantially entire wide screen and displayed thereon.
(2) The second display mode is used when a letter-box picture of a video software whose picture display region is different depending upon a video software and a picture of a foreign movie with a superimposed dialogue is displayed on the screen of the wide-screen television receiver; since it is impossible to fix a reference point of an enlargement of the displayed picture in the frame-height direction, the picture is allowed to scroll in the frame-height direction until only an upper or lower end portion scrolls off the screen.
(3) The third display mode is used when a picture of the standard system with an aspect ratio of 4:3 is displayed on the wide screen so as to occupy an entire screen in the frame-height direction; in this case, portions where no picture is displayed are produced on both of left and right ends of the wide screen, which prevents the wide screen from being utilized effectively. Accordingly, in this case, a central portion of the picture is not processed but both of left and right end portions thereof are enlarged in the frame-width direction, thereby a rectangular picture being displayed on the entire wide screen.
However, it is not easy for the viewer to select an optimum display mode for the video software or broadcasting program.
A system for an automatic selection of the display mode is considered, wherein a broadcasting side or a software production side inserts an identification information indicative of a kind of a software into a vertical blanking period of a video signal and a television receiver automatically switches a display mode based on the identification information. However, realization of the system for the automatic selection of the display mode encounters problems, e.g., requirement of preparation on all the broadcasting sides or software production sides and manufacturing costs of a television receiver of such system. Therefore, the system will not be put into practice in the near future.
In order to solve the above problems, after studying distribution of pictures on the screen of the television receiver or the like, the same assignee has already developed a low-cost television receiver for solving the above problems and disclosed it in Japanese patent application (filed on Aug. 16, 1994). According to this application, as shown in FIG. 1, stripe picture detection regions a, b are respectively set on an upper portion and a center portion of the picture screen, and small picture detection regions c, d, e, f, are set on a lower portion of the picture screen. It is detected whether or not any picture is displayed on each of the above six picture detection regions a to f. Based on the detection result, it is discriminated which kind of the picture the video software has. Based on the discriminated result, an optimum display mode for the video software is selected.
However, such picture-display-region discriminating system of the above television receiver encounters the following problems.
(1) Only six picture detection regions are provided on the picture screen. The number of the picture detection regions is not enough. If the video softwares having many kinds of picture sizes are distributed in the future, then it will be impossible with flexibility to discriminate all kinds of the video softwares with using only the above six picture detection regions. Moreover, for example, if a level of the video signal corresponding to a center portion of a picture screen is changed considerably, then the discrimination may be erroneous.
(2) Since the picture-display-region discriminating system employs only one reference black level, the discrimination result is presented as one of two values obtained from discriminating whether or not the level of the video signal corresponding to each of the picture detection region is equal to or smaller than the black level. As a result, if the black level itself is changed, it may lead to erroneous discrimination.
(3) Since the reference level (black level) is fixed, if the black level is changed to a higher level, then a portion where no picture is displayed is erroneously discriminated as a portion where any picture is displayed.
Accordingly, the above picture-display-region discriminating system encounters the problems to be solved for precisely discriminating whether or not any picture is displayed on each of the picture detection regions a to f.


A semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a power rail on the substrate; an active layer on the substrate and at same layer as the power rail; and a contact electrically connecting the power rail to the active layer. The active layer includes source/drain terminals.

1. Field
Aspects of exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device having a buried power rail.
2. Related Art
When forming a device including a plurality of semiconductor devices, such as integrated circuits, standard cells may be used as a base unit for designing and manufacturing the integrated circuits. The standard cell(s) may be used to form one or more functional circuits, and each standard cell may have the same footprint (e.g., may have a standard footprint). Using standard cells when designing complex circuits and components reduces design and manufacture costs.
In use, each standard cell of a device requires power input (Vdd) and ground (Vss) connections. To power the various components thereof, each standard cell is generally coupled to a power rail which is electrically connected to an active layer of the standard cell to provide the power (Vdd). In some instances, a plurality of power rails may be provided for each standard cell to respectively provide the power (Vdd) and the ground (Vss).
Furthermore, to provide the power to each power rail, a chip level power grid is included in the device. The chip level power grid may run through or between the various standard cells and is electrically connected to the power rails at various points along a length of the power rails.
Referring to FIG. 1, a standard cell 1 includes a power rail 10, contacts 30 (e.g., a contact layer), and a Via 20 (e.g., a tap). The Via 20 extends between and electrically connects the power rail 10 to the contacts 30, thereby providing power to the standard cell.
The standard cell 1 further includes an active layer 40 (e.g., fins or a nanosheet), including source/drain terminals (e.g., source/drain electrodes), and gate electrodes 50. While not shown, the active layer 40 is separated from a gate electrode by a gate insulation layer. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the power rail 10 is arranged above the contacts 30 and above the active layer 40.
Generally, a standard cell is designed having a stacked structure of various metal layers, termed M1-Mx, for example. The lowest metal layer is often termed M1 and is the first metal layer above an interconnection layer (e.g., a metal interconnection layer), sometimes termed M0.
The metal layers M1-Mx each include routing tracks, and various interconnections 12, 13 are formed in the routing tracks to connect various components of the standard cell to each other and to other standard cells. Generally, designs including a plurality of standard cells may include up to about eight metal layers M1-M8. However, semiconductor devices can be manufactured with more or fewer metals layers.
In FIG. 1, the power rail 10 of the standard cell 1 is arranged in a first metal layer M1, above the interconnection layer M0, in which the active layer 40 and the gate electrodes 50 are arranged. The interconnection layer M0 may be the first metal layer on a substrate and is electrically insulated from the first metal layer M1 by an insulating layer (e.g., an electrically insulating layer).
Due to the power rail 10 being arranged in a different layer than the active layer 40, the Via 20 is included. The Via 20 extends through the insulating layer between the first metal layer M1 and the interconnection layer M0 and electrically connects the power rail 10 to the contacts 30 and, thus, to the active layer 40.
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the standard cell 1 illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 5, the interconnection layer M0 is indicated by 1000 and is where the contacts 30 and the active layer 40 are arranged. The first metal layer M1 is indicated by 1010 and is at which the power rails 10 and routing tracks 90 are arranged. As can be seen, the power rails 10 occupy the same level in the standard cell 1 as the routing tracks 90, thus reducing the space available for the routing tracks 90 in the standard cell 1.
Moreover, because the power rail 10 is included in one of the metal layers M1-Mx, the power rail 10 occupies space that could otherwise be used for routing tracks 90 and various interconnections. In addition, the power rail 10 is connected to the active layer 40 by the Via 20, and an IR drop across the Via 20 must be considered in designing a semiconductor device including the standard cell 1.

Semiconductor device having buried power rail


A protein signature analysis is obtained using a peptide ladder library. The molecular signature of a protein is defined to be that subsequence of amino acid positions within the protein which are essential for the protein to bind to a target molecule. The molecular signature may be determined by screening a peptide ladder library which corresponds to the protein against the target molecule. The peptide ladder library is a library of m peptides wherein each peptide has an amino acid sequence of length m corresponding to an amino acid sequence of the protein, with one exception, viz. peptidem has a substitute amino acid at positionm and the substitute amino acid is attached by a labile bond to its neighboring amino acid. Screening the peptide ladder library against the target molecule results in a division of the original mixture into a positive (functional) pool and a negative (non-functional) pool. The pools are separated and subjected to cleavage to obtain cleavage products. Analysis of cleavage products by mass spectrometry identifies the positions that are essential for the protein to bind to its molecular target.

The present invention relates to methods for analyzing, altering, and controling the structural basis for protein binding to target molecules. More particularly, the present invention is directed to peptide ladder libraries corresponding to a protein, protein fragment, or other bioactive peptide and to the use of peptide ladder libraries for obtaining a protein signature analysis.
One of the major strategies for determining the relationship between the chemical structure of a peptide and its biological activity is to systematically alter the covalent structure and observe the effect on function. Through the use of chemical synthesis, a wide variety of modifications can be made. For example, N-methylation and the use of ester bonds can probe backbone interactions (Arad et al. Biopolymers 1990, 29, 1633-1649; Bramson et al. J. Biol. Chem. 1985, 260, 15452-15457; Caporale et al. In: Peptides: Structure and Function, Proceedings of the Tenth American Peptide Symposium; Marshall, G. F. Ed. Escom:Leiden: The Netherlands, 1988, pp. 449-451), while sidechain contributions can be probed using D-amino acid or Alanine/Glycine substitutions (Konishi et al. In: Peptides: Structure and Function, Proceedings of the Tenth American Peptide Symposium, Marshall, G. F. Ed. Escom, Leiden: The Netherlands, 1988, pp. 479-481; Tam et al. In Peptides:Proceedings of the Eleventh American Peptide Symposium; Rivier, J. E.; Marshall, G. R. Ed.; Escom: Leiden, The Netherlands, 1990. pp 75-77). As traditionally practiced, a separate analogue must be prepared and assayed for each position in the peptide sequence that is to be studied.
An alternative, currently popular method of studying peptides is through combinatorial chemistry. This approach has had a major impact on the study of the molecular basis of peptide activity and has contributed to the search for new biologically active peptides (Thompson et al. Chem. Rev. 1996, 96, 555-600; Gordon et al. J. Med. Chem. 1994, 37, 1385-1401; Scott et al. Curr. Op. Biotech 1994, 5, 40-48) xe2x80x98Multiple Peptide Synthesisxe2x80x99 has extended the traditional approach by allowing peptides to be synthesized simultaneously (Geysen et al. J. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1984, 81, 3998-4001; Houghten et al. Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1985, 82, 5131-5134). The individual peptide products are spatially separated and can be analyzed either attached to a solid support or in solution. Established xe2x80x98split synthesisxe2x80x99 (Furka et al. Int. J. Pept. Prot. Res. 1991, 37, 487-494; Lam et al. Nature 1991, 354, 82-84) procedures allow for the rapid generation of huge numbers of peptide sequences through the repetition of a simple divide, couple and recombine process. The compositional diversity made possible by this approach is advantageous for the discovery of new xe2x80x98leadxe2x80x99 compounds since, in principle, all possible structural variants can be explored for the desired activity and only the few active oligomers of interest need to be individually identified (Furka et al. Int. J. Pept. Prot. Res. 1991, 37, 487-494; Lam et al. Nature 1991, 354, 82-84). However, where information about a complete set of functional and non-functional components is desired over many positions in a peptide sequence, such libraries are too complex to fully characterize and may have limited utility.
A more systematic investigation of the molecular basis of peptide function requires a different type of molecular diversity. Instead of a peptide mixture of high compositional diversity, it would be useful to construct an array of peptides which differ from each other in a precise and defined manner. In principle, one way to access this population would be as a minor fraction of a large, fully combinatorial library. For example, such an array of analogues could consist of all peptides which differ from a target sequence by a single amino acid substitution at each position in a peptide sequence (cf. xe2x80x98Ala scansxe2x80x99). By removing this defined subset of analogues from the context of a complex, fully combinatorial mixture of peptides, handling and analysis would be greatly simplified and a more useful profile of the effects of substituting the amino acid throughout the peptide chain would be obtained. Current split resin methods do not allow for this type of control over the composition of a peptide library. (Furka et al. Int. J. Pept. Prot. Res. 1991, 37, 487-494; Lam et al. Nature 1991, 354, 82-84).
Typically, to investigate the molecular basis of protein function systematic modifications are made to the protein structure and the effects of those modifications on the properties of the protein are evaluated. Site-directed mutagenesis (Smith et al. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1994, 33, 1214-1220) has been the principle tool used to implement this approach and has given many insights into the contribution of individual sidechains to protein function. In particular, xe2x80x98alanine scanningxe2x80x99 (Wells et al. Methods in Enzymology 1991, 202, 390-411) has been used to identify specific amino acid sidechains involved in ligand binding interactions. This technique involves the sequential substitution of native amino acids by individual alanine residues which are regarded as functionally and structurally neutral. To extend the repertoire of modifications beyond the twenty genetically encoded amino acids, methods have been developed to substitute non-natural groups into proteins (Noren et al. Science. 1989. 244, 182-185). Although a variety of both novel sidechain and backbone modified proteins have been generated, there are apparent limits to the modifications possible using the methods of molecular biology and ribosomal synthesis (Ellman et al. Science 1991, 255, 197-200; Cornish et al. Angew Chem Int. Ed. Engl. 1995, 34, 621-633).
Recent advances in the total synthesis of polypeptides have opened the world of proteins to direct application of the tools of organic chemistry (Schnxc3x6lzer et al. Science 1992, 256, 221-225; Jackson et al. Science 1994, 266, 243-247; Dawson et al Science 1994, 266, 776-779; Canne et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 2998-3007; Liu et al J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995. 118, 307-312; Englebretsen et al. Tet. Lett. 1995, 36, 8871-8874). Using total chemical synthesis, a variety of protein analogues has been synthesized. Of particular note have been proteins containing xcex2-turn mimics (Baca et al. Prot. Sci. 1993, 2, 1085-1091), N-methylated amino acids (Rajarathnam et al. Science 1994, 264, 90-92), modified backbone atoms (Baca et al J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 1881-1887), and mirror image proteins composed entirely of D-amino acids (Zawadzke et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1992, 114, 4002-4003; Milton et al. Science 1992, 256, 1445-1448; Fitzgerald et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 11075-11080; Schumaacher et al. Science 1996, 271, 1854-1857). In addition, important insights into the mechanism of action of enzymes have been attained through the total chemical synthesis of unique analogues (Baca et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1993, 90, 11638-11642).
Although structure-function relationships in proteins can be studied using individual analogues prepared by either recombinant or chemical techniques, development of a profile of effects across the whole protein molecule is hindered by the time and effort required to generate and analyze multiple protein analogues (Matthews et al. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 1993, 62, 139-160). The use of combinatorial oligonucleotide synthesis in conjunction with protein expression in bacteria (Reidhaar-Olsen et al. Science 1988, 241, 53-57; Gregoret et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1993. 90. 4246-4250) or on phage (Scott et al. Science 1990, 249, 386-390; Lowman, H. B. Bass, S. H.; Simpson, N.; Wells, J. A. Biochemistry 1991. 30 10832-10838) has provided a powerful method for studying large numbers of analogue proteins. These techniques allow pools of expressed proteins to be probed for a desired function. With appropriate screening procedures, a statistical sampling of numerous functional protein variants can be analyzed and identified (Gu et al. Protetin Science 1995, 4, 1108-1117). This strategy has proved to be powerful for generating variant proteins with new or optimized functions (Lowman et al. J. Moll. Biol. 1993, 234, 564-578; Rebar et al. Science 1994, 263, 671-673). However, studies designed to elucidate the molecular basis of protein function have been complicated by the necessarily incomplete characterization of the numerous protein analogues generated, and also by limitation to the naturally encoded amino acids.
In applying molecular diversity to the study protein function it would be useful to combine the valuable information gained by systematic modification through chemical synthesis with the advantages of combinatorial methods.
What is needed is an integrated approach to the preparation of a defined array of peptide and protein analogues in a single synthesis, their functional separation into active and inactive pools, and a simple one step readout of the composition of the self-encoded mixtures.
There are three aspects to the invention:
1. A combinatorial method for synthesizing a peptide ladder library corresponding to a protein, protein fragment, or other bioactive peptide.
2. A method for screening the peptide ladder library with respect to a binding function.
3. A method for identifying active or inactive components of the peptide ladder library, i.e. identification of a protein signature for the protein or protein fragment under investigation with respect to the function being probed.
A combinatorial synthetic method for making a peptide ladder library is illustrated in FIG. 1. The peptide ladder library is a one pot collection of xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d peptides, each peptide being identical to the others in the library with respect to molarity and structure except for the substitution of a marker at position xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d. The marker introduces a labile bond into the peptide backbone, e.g. a thioester bond, which can be selectively cleaved without cleaving other bonds within the peptide backbone. The marker also serves to introduce a ladder of stearic perturbations into the peptide backbone and/or to introduce a ladder of peptide side chain substitutions. The synthetic protocol employs a split synthesis method.
Conventional screening methods may be employed on the peptide ladder library to separate active components from inactive components within the library. An exemplary screening protocol is illustrated in FIG. 2.
After the screening is complete, the isolated components are analyzed as illustrated in FIG. 3 to obtain a molecular signature for the protein. Briefly, the isolated components are cleaved at their marker and analyzed. Mass spectrometry is the preferred method of analysis. However, alternative analytical methods include nmr (with deuterium exchange), ir, and FACS. Comparison of the analysis, e.g., ms, of the isolate with the control, i.e., an aliquot of the entire library, provides a molecular signature which identifies sites within the protein responsive or unresponsive to the screening method. For example, sites within the protein essential for binding or folding may be identified. The protein signature of the Crk-N/C3G interaction is illustrated in FIG. 3.
Successive iterations of the method of the invention can be employed to obtain a complete deconstructive analysis of a protein, even if the structure of the protein is unknown. The invention may be employed to characterize protein interactions and can facilitate the design of new therapeutics which are dependent upon such protein interaction.
One aspect of the invention is directed to a method for obtaining a molecular signature of a protein. The protein is of a type which has an amino acid sequence with length m, each amino acid position being represented by (aa)n where 1xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m. The protein is also of a type which has a binding affinity with respect to a target molecule under binding conditions. The molecular signature then defined by a subsequence of the amino acid sequence of the protein. The subsequence is selected from amongst those positions (aa)n of the protein which, if individually replaced by a substitute amino acid, lead to a loss of binding affinity by the protein with respect to the target molecule.
The method employs a peptide ladder library. The peptide ladder library has m peptides. Each of the peptides is represented by (peptide)n, where 1xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m. Each peptide has the same amino acid sequence as the protein except that position (aa)n of (peptide)n is replaced by a substitute amino acid. Preferred substitute amino acids include alanine and glycine. If only one substitute amino acid is employed, then the peptide has a footprint the size of one amino acid. In alternative embodiments, the footprint may include two or three substitute amino acids. The substitute amino acid at position (aa)n is linked to the amino acid at position (aa)n+1 by means of a labile bond. Preferred labile bonds are thioester bonds and ester bonds.
The peptide ladder library is then contacted with the target molecule under binding conditions in order to form bound peptides and unbound peptides. The bound peptides are bound to the target molecule; the unbound peptides are not. The unbound peptides are then separated from the bound peptides from said Step B in order to obtain separated unbound peptides. Each of the separated unbound peptide has the substitute amino acid only at position (aa)n which constitute the subsequence that define the molecular signature of the protein with respect to the target molecule. The labile bond of the separated unbound peptides are then cleaved in order to produce peptide cleavage products. Each peptide cleave product corresponds to one of the positions (aa)n from the subsequence which defines the molecular signature. The subsequence which defines the molecular signature of the protein is then constructed using the identity of the peptide cleavage products to identify the subsequence of amino acid positions that are essential for binding to the target molecule.
Alternative substitute amino acids include the following: L-alanine, L-arginine, L-aspartic acid, L-asparagine, L-cysteine, L-cystine, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, L-glycine, L-histidine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-lysine, L-methionine, L-phenylalanine, L-proline, L-serine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, L-valine, D-alanine, D-arginine, D-aspartic acid, D-asparagine, D-cysteine, D-cystine, D-glutamic acid, D-glutamine, D-glycine, D-histidine, D-isoleucine, D-leucine, D-lysine, D-methionine, D-phenylalanine, D-proline, D-serine, D-threonine, D-tryptophan, D-tyrosine, D-valine, L-xcex1-aminobutyric acid, D-xcex1-aminobutyric acid, L-xcex3-aminobutyric acid, D-xcex3-aminobutyric acid, L-xcex5-aminocaproic acid, D-xcex5-aminocaproic acid, L-homophenylalanine, D-homophenylalanine, L-alloisoleucine, D-alloisoleucine, L-xcex2-2-napthylalanine, D-xcex2-2-napthylalanine, L-norvaline, D-norvaline, L-ornithine, D-ornithine, L-pyridyl alanine, D-pyridyl alanine, L-2-thienylalanine, D-2-thienylalanine L-methyltyrosine, D-methyltyrosine, L-citrulline, D-citrulline, L-homocitrulline, and D-homocitrulline.
In an alternative mode, the molecular signature of the protein is determined as described above except that the analysis is performed on the bound peptides are separated from the unbound peptides. Each of the separated bound peptides lacks any substitute amino acid at position (aa)n from the subsequence which defines the molecular signature of the protein. The labile bonds of the separated bound peptides are then cleaved to form peptide cleavage products. Each peptide cleave product corresponds to one of the positions (aa)n not included within the subsequence which defines the molecular signature. Accordingly, in this mode of the invention, after detecting and identifying each of the peptide cleavage products, the subsequence which defines the molecular signature of the protein with respect to the target molecule is constructed by identifying amino acid positions (aa)n which does not correspond to any of the peptide cleavage products.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a peptide ladder library corresponding to a protein. The protein is of a type which has a binding affinity with respect to a target molecule under binding conditions. The protein is also of a type which has an amino acid sequence with length m where 1xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m. Each amino acid position within the protein is represented by (aa)n. The peptide ladder library then comprises m peptides, each peptide being represented by (peptide)n, where 1xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m. Each peptide within the library has the same amino acid sequence as the protein except that position (aa)n of (peptide)n is replaced by a substitute amino acid. The substitute amino acid at position (aa)n is linked to the amino acid at position (aa)n+1 by means of a labile bond. If only one substitute amino acid is employed, then the peptide has a footprint the size of one amino acid. In alternative embodiments, the footprint may include two or three substitute amino acids. Preferred labile bonds include thioesters and esters. Preferred substitute amino acids are alanine and glycine.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a method for constructing a peptide ladder library corresponding to a protein. The protein is of a type which has an amino acid sequence with length m. Each amino acid position of the protein may be represented by (aa)n where 1xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m. The peptide library includes m peptides. Each peptide may be represented by (peptide)n, where 1xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m. Each peptide has the same amino acid sequence as the protein except that position (aa)n of (peptide)n is replaced by a substitute amino acid. The substitute amino acid at position (aa)n is linked to the amino acid at position (aa)n+1 by means of a labile bond. A first reaction vessel may be provided which contains a first pool of nascent peptides having a length of mxe2x88x92n. The amino acid sequence of the nascent peptides runs between n+1 and m of the protein. The nascent peptides are attached to a matrix material. A second reaction vessel may be provided which contains a first pool of nascent ladder peptides having a length of mxe2x88x92n. The amino acid sequence runs between n+1 and m of the protein except that each (nascent ladder peptide)p has the substitute amino acid at position (aa)p, where n+1xe2x89xa6pxe2x89xa6m. The nascent ladder peptides are attached to a matrix material. An aliquot of matrix material is then transferred from the first reaction vessel to a third reaction vessel. Elongation reactions are then performed in each of the three reaction vessels. The first pool of nascent peptides in the first reaction vessel is elongated by addition of the amino acid of position (aa)n to form a second pool of nascent peptides having a length of mxe2x88x92n+1; the aliquot of nascent peptides in the third reaction vessel is then elongated by addition of the substitute amino acid of position (aa)n by means of labile bond to form a nascent ladder (peptide)n having a length of mxe2x88x92n+1; and the first pool of nascent peptide ladders in the third reaction vessel is elongated by addition of the amino acid of position (aa)n to form a partial second pool of nascent peptide ladders having a length of mxe2x88x92n+1. After the elongation reactions are complete, the product of the third reaction vessel is transferred to the second reaction vessel to complete the second pool of nascent peptide ladders having a length of mxe2x88x92n+1. The above process may then be repeated until n=1 and the second reaction vessel contains the sought after peptide ladder library.


Provided is a method for broadcasting visible light information in visible light communication. The method includes determining a time interval for a simultaneous signal and a time interval for an individual signal of information to be displayed on a display device; simultaneously modulating output signals of three Red-Green-Blue (RGB) Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) making up one pixel, and transferring the modulated information to the display device; individually modulating output signals of the three RGB LEDs and transferring the modulated information to the display device; and displaying the modulated information for any selected one of the time interval for the simultaneous signal and the time interval for the individual signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to broadcasting visible light information, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for broadcasting visible light information using multiplexing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE), forecasts that Light Emitting Diodes (LED) will replace other existing lighting devices by 2015. As LEDs improve in light emitting efficiency and decrease in price, LEDs are becoming more popular not only in the special lighting market for portable devices, displays, automobiles, traffic lights, advertising electric bulletin boards, etc., but also in the normal lighting market for fluorescent lamps, incandescent lights, etc. In particular, the white LEDs have already reached parity with incandescent lamps in terms of the light emitting efficiency, and LED products superior even to fluorescent lighting are also available now.
Recently, study of wireless visible light communication based on visible LEDs, which are being conducted in many enterprises and research institutes as the interests in wireless optical technologies and are complementary to Radio Frequency (RF) technologies, has been increasing due to the exhaustion of RF frequencies, the possible interferences between several wireless communication technologies, the required increase in communication security, and the advent of the ultra-high-speed ubiquitous communication environment of the 4th Generation (4G) wireless technology.
Lighting lamps, such as fluorescent lamps and incandescent lights now used in households, offices and public places, will be replaced in the near future by LEDs having high performance and high durability. Lighting LEDs can also be used as light sources for communication by modulating a current being applied to the LEDs that are used as lighting lamps. In other words, it is possible to transmit/broadcast data only with lighting LEDs, without additional light sources.
Delivering information using visible lights is advantageous in that visible light communication can provide visibility by which the communication link can be checked by the naked eye and can also guarantee reliable security. Visible light communication also has various uses and, in contrast with radio communication, visible light communication can be freely used without regulations. Visible light communication can also simultaneously perform lighting and communication functions. That is, in visible light communication, normal lighting equipment can transmit and receive information as a visible light communication transceiver, while simultaneously serving as a lighting source.
Visible light communication devices based on LED pixels adopt, as a communication scheme for displaying data, a communication scheme that transmits/receives data to/from each other using three colors of Red, Green, and Blue (RGB). This visible light communication system performs data communication through instantaneous switching or adjusting of the visible lights.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are graphs illustrating data signals which are commonly modulated according to time and wavelength in visible light communication. FIG. 1A illustrates data signals obtained by simultaneously modulating output signals of three RGB LEDs, while FIG. 1B shows data signals created by individually modulating output signals of three RGB LEDs.
Referring to FIG. 1A, one modulated data signal is obtained by simultaneously modulating output signals of three RGB LEDs with the passage of time, and the modulated data signal corresponds to any one of a case where the three LEDs are all turned on and another case where the three LEDs are all turned off. The former case where the three LEDs are all turned on is suitable for long-distance communication where the modulated data signal can be received even at the location of a far-away user (for example, a user located far away from the LED display), as the signal is output in white. However, it is not possible to simultaneously transmit many data signals since only one data signal can be modulated at a time.
Next, referring to FIG. 1B, data communication is performed by modulating output signals of three RGB LEDs individually with the passage of time. When the output signals of three RGB LEDs are modulated individually, data transmission is possible using a combination of the RGB signals. However, the individual modulation of FIG. 1B can be used for short-distance communication where the data can be received by a nearby user (for example, a user located near the LED display), as the output power of the LED is low in comparison to the simultaneous modulation of FIG. 1A.
Accordingly, there is a demand for a method of transmitting necessary data by changing a modulation method for output signals of three RGB LEDs at stated intervals to satisfy both the far user and the near user.

Apparatus and method for broadcasting visible light information in visible light communication


A method for providing notification of a predictable memory failure includes the steps of: obtaining information regarding at least one condition associated with a memory; calculating a memory failure probability as a function of the obtained information; calculating a failure probability threshold; and generating a signal when the memory failure probability exceeds the failure probability threshold, the signal being indicative of a predicted future memory failure.

The present invention relates generally to the electrical, electronic and computer arts, and, more particularly, to methods, apparatus and systems for memory failure notification.
In high performance computing (HPC), uncorrected errors in the main memory ("memory") of the computer are one of the main reasons HPC systems crash or fail. For example, uncorrected errors may cause a crash due to an unrecoverable corruption of an operating system of the HPC system or an application running on the HPC system, which then may require the system or application to be restarted. After the crash, sometimes the application may resume from a predefined checkpoint.
A machine check is one way in which system hardware may indicate an internal error. Machine check handlers have been used to signal to the operating system the occurrence of memory parity check errors encountered by a memory controller and that cannot be corrected by a memory protection mechanism, such as Error-Correcting Codes (ECC), for instance. The memory controller also accounts for corrected and harmless errors. Corrected and harmless errors are errors that do not generate a machine check exception. As is well known by those skilled in the art, a machine check exception occurs when an error cannot be corrected by the hardware and in turn signals a machine check handler. Corrected and harmless errors may typically be tracked. Logs of corrected errors and the monitoring of a corrected error count compared to static thresholds have been used in proactive HPC system failure avoidance.

Methods, apparatus and system for notification of predictable memory failure

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for filtering image data having at least three types of distinct regions from a selected type of region, each of the at least three types of distinct regions being characterized by a plurality of unitary image elements, the method comprising providing the image data; selecting a portion of the image data comprising at least a corresponding portion of each of the at least three types of regions; determining at least one distribution for each of the at least three types of regions in the selected portion; determining at least one function for associating each unitary image element of the selected type of region in the selected portion to another type of region of the at least three types of regions such that the at least one distribution of the selected type of regions in the selected portion is transposed into a corresponding distribution of the another type of region; and applying the at least one function to each unitary image element of the selected type of region of the selected portion to thereby provide filtered image data. Applications of the method for suppressing tagged material in virtual colonoscopy are also disclosed.

Conventional endoscopic procedures typically rely on the use of a flexible fiber optic tube which is inserted in the patient's body to visually examine an inner anatomical structure. The operator can then manipulate the tube inside the anatomical structure to search for any anatomical abnormalities.
Conventional colonoscopies using this procedure, although reliable, are both costly in money and time. Moreover, it is an invasive, uncomfortable and sometimes painful procedure for the patient.
Non-invasive procedures have been used to reduce at least one of the above mentioned drawbacks of the invasive colonoscopic procedure.
These non-invasive procedures use imaging techniques such as a computed tomography (CT) scanning to obtain image data representative of the anatomical structure to analyze. These procedures nevertheless require a cathartic preparation of the patient for colon cleansing prior to the exam.
To even reduce the discomfort felt by the patient, minimum cathartic preparation procedures that tag liquid and solid fecal matter for subsequent virtual removal using digital subtraction algorithms have been proposed.
However, the imaging techniques used to obtain the image data typically present a spatial resolution which generates a blur at each anatomical interface.
Consequently, when removing the tagging material, these algorithms may artificially smooth the surface between the removed material and the colon's inner wall and polyps or other abnormalities present in the colon may be inadvertently removed or wrongly reduced to an acceptable level, which is a major concern.
These algorithms generally rely on image segmentation by using a threshold adapted for characterizing the interfaces of the structure under analysis.
However, since the different anatomical structures may be very different from each other, a simple threshold may not allow to conveniently segment a structure in a single pass. Indeed, soft tissues, bones and fat tissues have different densities.
In order to take into consideration this great variability of the structures, different techniques have been used. For example, PCT international applications published under publication numbers WO2008/089492, WO2007/064980 and WO02/029764 and US patent applications published under publication numbers 2008/0118133 and 2008/0008367 teach various methods for electronic cleansing of medical images. However, they still use a threshold for structure segmentation and the resulting segmentation may still remain approximated for a plurality of unitary image elements. The interfaces between the different structures may then still be smoothed. This may lead an operator to a wrong diagnosis, which is a major issue.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,800 describes a method for automatic analysis in virtual endoscopy. This method however also relies on segmentation techniques and the resulting segmentation may still remain approximated.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved method for electronic cleansing of medical images that will reduce at least one of the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Method and system for filtering image data and use thereof in virtual endoscopy


A radar device includes a beat signal generation unit, a first signal processing unit, a second signal processing unit, and a speed determination unit. The first signal processing unit observes beat signals by performing a first number of observations during a first observation time and calculates a first speed from a time series of the beat signals of which number is equal to the first number of observations. The second signal processing unit observes the beat signals by performing a second number of observations during a second observation time and calculates a second speed from a time series of the beat signals of which number is equal to the second number of observations. The second observation time is longer than the first observation time. The time ratio is the ratio of the second observation time to the first observation time. The second number of observations is smaller than the first number of observations multiplied by the time ratio.

A chirp wave is a radar wave having a continuously increasing or decreasing frequency. A radar device utilizing the chirp wave performs frequency analysis on beat signals obtained by transmitting and receiving the chirp wave a plurality of times, to calculate a distance to an object and the speed of the object. The calculated speed is such that a maximum detectable speed increases with decreasing intervals between observation points for the chirp wave and that a speed resolution increases consistently with observation time during one observation cycle.