A load port includes a door and a mapping sensor. The door moves upward and downward between a closing position for closing an opening connected into a container with multiple stages for placing a plurality of substrates and an opening position for opening the opening. The mapping sensor is disposed integrally with the door and detects a state of the substrates. The mapping sensor includes a light emitting portion and an imaging portion. The light emitting portion emits an imaging light toward the substrates. The imaging portion captures an image of a reflected light of the imaging light.

The present invention relates to a load port.
In semiconductor factories, substrates (e.g., silicon wafers) are transported and stored using a container containing the substrates. In the field of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, a so-called mini-environment system (local cleaning system) is generally applied, and the inside of the container can thereby have a high cleanliness.
In the mini-environment system, an interface between the container and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses is normally referred to as a load port, and this is well known. The load port is generally provided with a mapping sensor, and a housed state of the substrates (whether or not the substrates are overlapped, whether or not the substrates are arranged obliquely, and the like) can be confirmed by the mapping sensor.
As the mapping sensor, for example, a transmission-type light sensor is used. In this case, the mapping sensor is attached to a tip of a mapping device (a mapping arm, a mapping frame, or the like) capable of moving forward and backward in the front-back direction and moving upward and downward in the vertical direction with an optical axis facing the horizontal direction. When the mapping sensor is inserted into an opening of the container by a forward movement of the mapping device and is moved downward, a housed state of the substrates contained in the container can be confirmed by the mapping sensor.
Patent Document 1: JP2002164411 (A)


In general, techniques are described for selectively invoking graceful restart procedures when a route reflector member of a redundant route cluster fails. In one example, a method is provided that includes determining, by a provider edge router that supports graceful restart procedures, that a first router forms a redundant group with at least a second router. The method also includes detecting a failure of the first router and determining that at least the second router in the redundant group is operating approximately while the first router is failed. The method further includes overriding graceful restart procedures with respect to the failed first router when at least the second router is operating. The method also includes forwarding one or more data packets according to route information provided via the second router.

A computer network is a collection of interconnected computing devices that exchange data and share resources. In a packet-based network, such as the Internet, computing devices communicate data by dividing the data into small blocks called packets, which are individually routed across the network from a source device to a destination device. The destination device extracts the data from the packets and assembles the data into its original form. Dividing the data into packets enables the source device to resend only those individual packets that may be lost during transmission.
Certain devices within the network, such as routers, maintain routing information that describes routes through the network. Each route defines a path between two locations on the network. From the routing information, the routers may generate forwarding information, which is used by the routers to relay packet flows through the network and, more particularly, to relay the packet flows to a next hop. In reference to forwarding a packet, the "next hop" from a network router typically refers to a downstream neighboring device along a given route. Upon receiving an incoming packet, the router examines information within the packet to identify the destination for the packet. Based on the destination, the router forwards the packet in accordance with the forwarding information.
Some computer networks, such as the Internet, an administrative domain or network, often include many routers that exchange routing information according to a defined routing protocol. Examples of the defined routing protocol may include, among others, the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), the Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) Protocol, and the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) Protocol. When two routers initially connect, the routers exchange routing information and generate forwarding information from the exchanged routing information. Particularly, the two routers initiate a routing communication "session" via which they exchange routing information according to the defined routing protocol. The routers continue to communicate via the routing protocol to incrementally update the routing information and, in turn, update their forwarding information in accordance with changes to a topology of the network indicated in the updated routing information. For example, the routers may send update messages to advertise newly available routes or to inform that some routes are no longer available.
A computer network utilizing BGP directs data packets between network nodes based on addressing information with the data packets. A BGP network may include one or more routers, nodes, and end point devices (e.g., servers, printers, and computers). Some of the routers within the BGP network may be grouped together into redundant clusters. Each router within the BGP network typically forwards packets according to routes stored at the router and the destination address of the data packets.
In the event of a routing communication session failure from a failed router, i.e., the session faults or "goes down," a surviving router may select one or more alternative routes through the computer network to avoid the failed router and continue forwarding packet flows. In particular, the surviving router may update internal routing information to reflect the failure, perform route resolution based on the updated routing information to select one or more alternative routes, update its forwarding information based on the selected routes, and send one or more update messages to inform peer routers of the routes that are no longer available. In turn, the receiving routers update their routing and forwarding information, and send update messages to their peers. This process continues and the update information may propagate outward until it reaches all of the routers within the network. Routing information in large networks may take a long period of time to converge to a stable state after a network fault due to temporary oscillations, i.e., changes that occur within the routing information until it converges to reflect the current network topology. These oscillations within the routing information are often referred to as "flaps," and can cause significant problems, including intermittent loss of network connectivity, increased packet loss, and latency.
As one technique for reducing the impact of failures, some routers support "graceful restart," which refers to the capability of preserving forwarding information while restarting a routing communication session with a peer router that may have failed. When establishing a routing communication session, a router that supports graceful restart may advertise the capability to the peer router and may specify a restart time. The restart time is the estimated time for the router to reestablish the routing communication session after failure of the previous session. Upon failure of the routing communication session, the surviving router preserves any forwarding information currently in its forwarding plane from a failed router based on the expectation that the failed router will shortly reestablish the routing communication session. In other words, the surviving router will maintain the failed router within a forwarding path of the surviving router for a "grace period" in the event of a failure of the routing communication session. During the grace period, the failed router preserves forwarding information in a state that existed prior to the failure and may relearn the network topology and recalculate its routing information and forwarding information. Consequently, the surviving router does not need to find alternative routes unless the failed router does not reestablish the routing communication session within the advertised restart time. Moreover, the surviving router does not propagate a change in the state of the failed router to the network during a graceful restart interval. As a result, the routing instability caused by routing flaps within the network may be reduced.

Selective BGP graceful restart in redundant router deployments


A polish is provided for cleaning metallic and fiberglass surfaces, such as an automobile, truck and boat bodies, and for providing a protective film on the surface. The polish comprises water in an amount between about 40.0 to about 75.0 percent, a solvent in an amount between about 12.0 to about 35.0 percent, a rheological additive in an amount between about 0.30 to about 1.0 percent, an ultraviolet absorber in an amount between about 0.05 to about 0.50 percent, a dye in an amount between about 0.0005 to about 3.0 percent, a first silicate in an amount between about 5.0 to about 15.0 percent, dimethylpolysiloxane in an amount between about 0.50 to about 6.0 percent, a silicone resin solution in an amount between about 0.10 to about 3.0 percent, oleic diethanol amide in an amount between about 0.50 to about 2.0 percent, a second silicate in an amount between about 0.10 to about 3.0 percent, and a bactericide in an amount between about 0.05 to about 0.20 percent, by weight of the total polish.

The present invention relates generally to a polish and a method for formulating same and, more particularly, to a polish that is used to enhance the original color of the treated surface and provide longlasting high gloss polymer protection.
Polishes have been employed to clean dirt, dust and grime from a surface, such as an automobile, truck, boat and other metal and fiberglass surfaces. These polishes have not, however, been known to enhance the original or true color of the automobile's body. These polishes have merely added dye to an ordinary wax. Accordingly, as the wax wears off the treated surface so does the dye.
In recent years, there has been an increased concern over the damage done to surfaces that are exposed to the sun and ultraviolet rays. Compositions have been known to include ultraviolet ray resistant ingredients in their products, such as sunscreen lotions. Heretofore, few, if any, polishes have included sun and ultraviolet ray resistant properties. Furthermore, such polishes have not provided the adhesion to the surface and the enhancement of the surface's color as provided for by the present polish. Moreover, such polishes have not provided the high gloss polymer protective layer or film coat of the present polish.


A method for determining an electrical torque of an electrical machine includes determining an electrical torque in a first speed range with a first algorithm, and determining the electrical torque in a second speed range with a second algorithm which differs from the first algorithm. An upper limit of the second speed range is slightly higher than a lower limit of the first speed range. An apparatus is provided to determine the electrical torque of the electrical machine with the aforedescribed method.

The present invention relates to a method for determining an electrical torque of an electrical machine, wherein the method includes a first step of determining an electrical torque in a first speed range with a first algorithm.
The invention further relates to an apparatus for determining an electrical torque of an electrical machine.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
In the case of variable-speed electrical three-phase drives for industry (for example in production machines, machine tools and electric vehicles), safety technology is used to protect people and machines by implementing, for example, functions such as "safely limited speed", "safe stop" and "safe operation stop." These functions in accordance with the prior art are not sufficient to cope with all hazard situations.
This is explained using the following example: a machine component consists of driven rollers (similar to a mangle). The material is transported or processed via the rollers. For maintenance purposes, repair purposes and cleaning or for removing trapped material the operator has to reach into the machine component. It is also necessary for the rollers to move for the maintenance, repair or cleaning operation. To this end the rollers are operated at 'safely reduced speed'. However, despite the reduced speed a potential hazard still exists. If for example a finger is caught between the rollers, it is injured. Or the person is no longer able to move away from the machine component in the event of danger. Other examples are window raising systems in cars or elevator doors.
Hence in addition to safely limiting the speed, a way of safely limiting the torque is required. The torque should be limited sufficiently so that when a finger gets between the rollers, the maximum torque generated by the rollers is such that there is still no risk of injury or that the counter-torque of the finger brings the rollers to a standstill. This "safe torque limiting" function, known as 'Safely Limited Torque' (SLT), now forms part of IEC61800-5-2 (CD).
In the case of electric vehicles, no dangerous situation should likewise occur in the event of an error. In electric vehicles the drive is given a desired torque value (with a gas pedal). The actual torque of the drive may differ only slightly from the desired value, or at least may exceed the desired value only very slightly, as in the event of larger deviations the vehicle can, under certain circumstances, no longer be controlled. Hence reliable detection of the torque with appropriate monitoring is necessary. In the prior art clutches, slip clutches, rupture joints or torque sensors are used for this.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to obviate prior art shortcomings and to provide an improved method and an apparatus with which an electrical torque of an electrical machine can be determined more accurately over a wide range of speeds.

Method and apparatus for determining an electrical torque of an electrical machine


Low molecular weight conjugated nitrogen compounds having linear conjugated chains, and devices fabricated using the conjugated nitrogen compounds as organic semiconductor materials, hole conducting materials, or light-emitting materials. The conjugated nitrogen compounds can be spin-coated at room temperature, are stable, and has superior electrical conductivity.

1. Field of the Disclosure
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to low molecular weight conjugated nitrogen compounds and devices fabricated using the conjugated nitrogen compounds. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to low molecular weight conjugated nitrogen compounds having linear conjugated chains, and devices fabricated using the conjugated nitrogen compounds as organic semiconductor materials, hole conducting materials, or light-emitting materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent research has been concentrated on low molecular weight organic materials, such as pentacene, as organic semiconductor materials, and some research groups have paid attention to high molecular weight organic materials.
Although low molecular weight organic materials, e.g., pentacene, have been reported to have a high charge carrier mobility and a high on/off current ratio (Ion/Ioff ratio), they necessitate the use of expensive vacuum deposition apparatuses for fabricating devices and have a difficulty in forming fine patterns. Accordingly, low molecular weight organic materials are not attractive for the manufacture of large-area displays at low costs.
Unlike low molecular weight organic materials, polythiophene-based high molecular weight organic materials are easily formed into solutions, and can be formed into thin films by screen printing, ink-jet and roll printing techniques. For these reasons, it is reported that the high molecular weight organic materials have advantages in the manufacture of large-area displays at low costs.
However, since the high molecular weight organic materials have different oxidation potentials depending on their molecular weight distribution, which is a cause of instability, their application to the fabrication of devices presents considerable difficulties. In contrast, since the low molecular weight organic materials have a constant oxidation potential, they have been found to be advantageous in terms of stability.
Additionally, low molecular weight materials, e.g., tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq), and high molecular weight materials, e.g., polyphenylenevinylene (PPV) and polyalkylthiophene (PAT), have been known as light-emitting materials. Like the above-mentioned organic semiconductor materials, low molecular weight light-emitting materials cannot be spin-coated at room temperature, while high molecular weight light-emitting materials can be coated by spin coating at room temperature. High molecular weight light-emitting materials still have the problem of instability.

Low molecular weight conjugated nitrogen compounds and devices fabricated using the same


A gear transmission assembly for transferring a drive torque from at least one power input to a primary user has at least one drive pinion carried by a respective power input shaft and meshing with a pair of facing coaxial counter-rotating ring gears having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the drive pinion and engaging between facing face teeth at least one transmission pinion having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the ring gears. The at least one drive pinion floats in the direction of the axis of the ring gears, while the at least one transmission pinion is supported by elements flexible in a circumferential direction with respect to the ring gears.

The present invention relates to a gear transmission, in particular for aircraft, featuring face gears, i.e. ring gears with face teeth, meshing with cylindrical pinions with axes perpendicular to the axes of the ring gears.
Face gears have the advantage of enabling the power input pinion to be defined by a straight or helical spur gear, so that meshing of the gears is unaffected by any axial movement of the pinion or, within reasonable limits, by displacement of the pinion in a direction parallel to the axis of the ring gear.
This enables the formation of transmissions in which the pinion meshes with and distributes torque to each of two coaxial ring gears, thus enabling compactness even in high-power applications with high transmission ratios.
To distribute the torque equally, transmissions are used, for example, in which the drive gear is defined by a floating pinion carried by the power input shaft, and which meshes with two coaxial counter-rotating ring gears facing each other and in turn meshing with one or more fixed transmission pinions rotating about respective axes substantially coplanar with the axis of the drive gear. The ability of the floating pinion to move in a direction parallel to the axis of the two ring gears enables the torque transmitted by the pinion to be distributed equally between the two ring gears regardless of inevitable dimensional tolerances of the gearing.
The above is a valid solution for transmissions with a single power input, as in single-engine helicopters.
In transmissions with more than one power input, however, as in multiple-engine helicopters, the need (for structural reasons) to provide more than one transmission pinion makes it difficult to distribute loads equally to transmission pinions with fixed axes of rotation. This balance depends on various factors involving the tooth thickness and position of the pinions; load dissymetry caused, for example, by nonsymmetrical drive pinions; and operating conditions with one engine excluded.

Face-gear transmission assembly with floating balance pinions


A ceramic support capable of supporting a catalyst comprising a ceramic body having fine pores with a diameter or width up to 1000 times the ion diameter of a catalyst component to be supported on the surface of the ceramic body, the number of the fine pores being not less than 1×1011 pores per liter, is produced by introducing oxygen vacancies or lattice defects in the cordierite crystal lattice or by applying a thermal shock to form fine cracks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceramic support for supporting a catalyst component for cleaning an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine of an automobile, etc., a catalyst-ceramic body using the ceramic support, and processes for producing these.
2. Description of the Related Art
A widely used conventional catalyst support for a catalyst component used to clean an exhaust gas is a honeycomb structure of cordierite, which is excellent in thermal shock resistance, the surface of which is coated with γ-alumina. This is because a cordierite honeycomb structure has a relatively small specific surface area such that a sufficient amount of a catalyst component cannot be supported thereon. Therefore, γ-alumina having a large specific surface area is coated on the surface of a cordierite honeycomb structure, to support a catalyst component such as Pt thereon.
Because recent changes in the exhaust gas regulation, a quick activation of a catalyst is required to reduce hydrocarbons from an exhaust gas generated immediately after the starting of an engine. To satisfy to this requirement, a reduction of the thermal capacity of a catalyst support, in order to increase the temperature elevating rate of a catalyst to an activated state has been considered. Reduction of the thermal capacity of a catalyst support can be made by decreasing the thickness of cell walls of a cordierite honeycomb structure. However, even if the thickness of cell walls of a cordierite honeycomb structure is reduced, to have a small thermal capacity, the amount of a coating of γ-alumina does not decrease, resulting in lowering the effect of reducing the thermal capacity of the honeycomb structure as a whole.
In reducing the thickness of cell walls of a cordierite honeycomb structure, a reduction in pressure loss can be expected but this effect is also reduced by a coating of γ-alumina. Further, although a cordierite honeycomb structure itself has a small thermal expansion coefficient, about 0.5×10−6/° C., the thermal expansion coefficient of a honeycomb structure with a coating of γ-alumina increases to about 1.5×10−6/° C., by which the thermal shock resistance of the honeycomb structure significantly decreases.
In order to solve the above problems, an increase in the specific surface area of a cordierite honeycomb structure to eliminate the necessity of a coating of γ-alumina has been considered. For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 5-50338 discloses a method of carrying out acid and heat treatments of a cordierite honeycomb structure to increase the specific surface area thereof. Although it is mentioned that this method allows increase in the specific surface area from 1 m2/g to about 30 m2/g, this method disadvantageously decreases the strength of the cordierite honeycomb structure. Since the acid treatment selectively dissolves MgO and Al2O3 from the cordierite to increase the surface area, the crystal lattice of cordierite itself is destroyed and the strength of the cordierite honeycomb structure decreases.
A honeycomb structure should have a compressive strength in the direction of the flow channel as a high as 10 MPa or more to be installed in an exhaust gas cleaning catalyst converter. In the method disclosed in JPP'338, a compressive strength, in the direction of the flow channel, of 10 MPa or more cannot be attained if the treated cordierite honeycomb structure has a cell wall thickness of less than 150 μm at a cell density of 400 cpsi (cells per square inch). However, a cordierite honeycomb structure having a cell wall thickness of 150 μm at a cell density of 400 cpsi has a thermal capacity equivalent to that of a cordierite honeycomb structure having a cell wall thickness of 120 μm at a cell density of 400 cpsi and coated with γ-alumina at 180 g/l. Therefore, the above method in JPP'338 does not provide an improved effect in reducing the thermal capacity of a catalyst support, considering the fact that a cordierite honeycomb structure having a cell wall thickness of 85 μm at a cell density of 400 cpsi can be produced at present.
It is therefore required that a cordierite honeycomb structure for cleaning an exhaust gas has a compressive strength in the direction of the flow channel of 10 MPa or more with a cell wall thickness of 120 μm or less at a cell density of 400 cpsi and can support a required amount of a catalyst component without a coating of γ-alumina.
Thus, the object of the present invention is to make a ceramic support itself which can support a required amount of a catalyst component, by which the necessity of coating with γ-alumina is eliminated, and to thereby provide a ceramic support to be used to support a catalyst component for cleaning an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine of an automobile, etc., which has a reduced thermal capacity and pressure loss as well as a lower thermal expansion coefficient. Also, the object of the present invention is to provide a catalyst-ceramic body and processes for producing the ceramic support and the catalyst-ceramic body.

Ceramic support capable of supporting a catalyst, a catalyst-ceramic body and processes for producing same


A rotary lawn mower blade has a plurality of shredders with cutting edges affixed to the blade. The shredders provide additional cutting edges for fine shredding of vegetation. These shredders may be bolted, welded or cut out of the blade. A ridge is provided for aiding the grass clippings to drop to the ground.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an improved rotary mower blade having a plurality of small cutters, hereinafter referred to as shredders, affixed thereto for shredding vegetation such as grass, leaves or brush, to fine pieces. More particularly, this invention relates to a solid rotary mower blade having affixed thereunder, thereabove or a combination thereof, a plurality of cutter blades, arranged along the length of the rotary blade, to provide additional cutting edges which accomplish fine shredding of vegetation.
Power rotary lawn mowers, ordinarily used for cutting grass, have been recognized as a convenient means of collecting leaves and thin twigs. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), from 18% to 20% of landfill volume is used for the disposal of grass and leaves. It costs municipalities as much as $200 per ton to dispose of grass and leaves. The EPA further states that landfill disposal of grass and leaves will be prohibited in December 1993.
Fine shredding and composting of the finely-shredded vegetation in private gardens and on municipal compost piles is therefore desirable, yielding valuable humus for soil enrichment.
2. Prior Art
Many improvements have been made on rotary lawn mower blades to facilitate mowing or shredding, such as filaments and plastic discs with serrated peripheries. Some of the improved blades are disclosed in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,446 discloses a rotary lawn mower having double cutting units, the upper one rotary and the lower one stationary. The two units are concentrically mounted and provided with cutting blades in the adjacent planes of the units such that the blades of the upper rotating unit act as shears against the lower stationary blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,826 discloses a disc of a lawn trimmer having pocket-like attachments with sharp edges, for edging grass along a side walk or flower bed while the disc is held with its edge perpendicular to the soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,605
relates to a multipurpose disc cutter having sharp saw teeth around its periphery, pointing upward and downward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,271 discloses a trimmer having two discs concentrically held apart from each other so as to accommodate pivotally mounted and removable blades therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,274 relates to a floor scraper having a disc and a plurality of leaf spring strips having the shape of a Z, each mounted on the disc circumference at one end, the other end of the Z strip being equipped with a flat metal cutter having a front cutting edge facing in the direction of rotation of the disc, the rear side of the cutter being at a slight angle with respect to the plane of the disc.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,577,382 and 3,176,455 disclose rotary disc blades or bar blades with saw teeth with different orientations and additional apertures on the disc having one lateral edge as cutting edge so as to increase the cutting rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,731 relates to brush and tree cutter blades having three spring loaded teeth or slicing blades mounted on the periphery of the hinged blades such that if the teeth hit a hard surface, the teeth will retract within their cages and the blades will deflect upward or downward to avoid damage to the blades and saw teeth.
It is evident that the prior art has not addressed the problem of shredding vegetation into fine pieces during the mowing of lawns so as to speed the decomposition of the cuttings in contact with soil or in a compost pile.


A broadcast transistor includes an amplifier transistor, and a negative feedback circuit connected to the amplifier transistor. A collector bias current in the amplifier transistor is switched to high and low within a range larger than a range of a current exhibiting the minimum noise figure, and the amount of feedback performed by the negative feedback circuit is changed in association with the switching of the collector bias current. When the collector bias current is switched to high, the amount of feedback becomes large; when the collector bias current is switched to low, the amount of feedback becomes small.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to broadband amplifiers for use in, e.g., television tuners.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 11 shows a broadband amplifier of the related art (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 08-274548, FIG. 1). An input terminal RFin is coupled to a ground via a coupling capacitor Cin and an input resistor r1. A node a between the coupling capacitor Cin and the input resistor r1 is connected to a gate of a field-effect transistor (FET) Q1. The source of the FET Q1 is coupled to the ground via a resistor r2 or a capacitor C1. The drain of the FET Q1 is connected to an output terminal RFout via an output capacitor Cout. The drain of the FET Q1 is also connected to a drain power supply VDD via a bias choke coil L1.
A feedback resistor section 11 is connected between the node a and a node b between the drain of the FET Q1 and the bias choke coil L1. The feedback resistor section 11 includes a DC (direct current) cut capacitor C2, a PIN diode D1, a variable resistor r3, and a DC cut capacitor C3, which are connected in series from the node b. A node between the PIN diode D1 and the DC cut capacitor C2 is connected to a gain control power supply VC via a bias choke coil L2. A node between the PIN diode D1 and the variable resistor r3 is coupled to the ground via a choke coil L3.
In this structure, the resistance of the PIN diode D1 is changed by controlling the voltage of the gain control power supply VC, thereby changing the amount of feedback and therefore changing the gain. Specifically, when the voltage of the gain control power supply VC increases, the resistance of the PIN diode D1 decreases and the amount of feedback becomes large, resulting in a reduction in the gain. When the voltage of the gain control power supply VC decreases, the resistance of the PIN diode D1 increases and the amount of feedback becomes small, resulting in an increase in the gain.
The broadband amplifier shown in FIG. 11 changes only the amount of feedback to change the gain, and does not control the noise figure (NF) characteristic and the distortion characteristic depending upon the application of use.

Broadband amplifier with improved noise figure and distortion characteristics


Derivatives of 1-(2-fluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-alkyl carboxylic acid are capable of stabilizing the tetrameric native state of transthyretin for the prophylaxis and treatment of amyloidosis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to therapies of amyloidosis. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of 1-(2-fluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-alkyl carboxylic acid derivatives as agents capable of stabilizing the tetrameric native state of transthyretin for the prophylaxis and treatment of amyloidosis.
2. Discussion of the Background
Amyloidosis is a serious disease caused by extracellular deposition of insoluble abnormal fibrils. Systemic amyloidosis, with deposits in the viscera, blood vessels, and connective tissue, is usually fatal, causing about one per thousand deaths in developed countries.
Amyloid is deposited when there is: (i) sustained exposure to either normal or increased concentrations of a normal, potentially amyloidogenic, protein; (ii) when an abnormal amyloidogenic protein is produced as a consequence of an acquired disease; or (iii) when a gene mutation encodes an amyloidogenic variant protein. Fibrillogenesis results from reduced stability of the native fold of the fibril precursor protein, so that under physiological conditions it populates partly unfolded intermediate states which aggregate as stable amyloid fibrils.
Wild type-transthyretin (WT-TTR) is the normal plasma protein, synthesized by hepatocytes and by the choroid plexus, which transports thyroid hormone and retinol binding protein. TTR is inherently amyloidogenic and forms microscopic amyloid deposits of uncertain clinical significance in all individuals aged over 80 years. Massive deposits in the heart can also occur, causing fatal senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA). The inherent amyloidogenicity of wild type transthyretin is markedly enhanced by most of the reported >80 different point mutations which encode single residue substitutions in the transthyretin sequence. These mutations cause autosomal dominant adult onset hereditary amyloidosis, a universally fatal condition affecting about 10,000 patients worldwide. Said diseases are mainly grouped into two broad groups: familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) and familial amyloid cardiomiopathy (FAC).
Amyloidogenic mutations occur in all ethnic groups, but by far the most common, V30M, clusters in three geographical foci: Northern Portugal, Northern Sweden, and parts of Japan. Other common amyloidogenic variants are T60A, L58H, L55P, I84S, and V112I. Among the pathogenic variants of TTR so far identified, the V 122I variant is of particular importance as is carried by 3-4% of African Americans: 1.3 million people, including 13,000 individuals homozygous for the mutation. It is the second most common pathogenic mutation in that population after sickle cell haemoglobin.
The variant V122I is particularly associated to cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis which presents as progressive, ultimately fatal, heart failure due to restrictive cardiomyopathy. Said pathology is rarely suspected and is usually misdiagnosed as coronary heart disease.
So far there is only a treatment available for FAP, i.e. gene therapy mediated by surgical replacement of the patient's liver, the organ secreting TTR subject to misfolding into the blood stream. The disadvantages of this approach include its invasiveness for the donor and recipient, the requirement for life-long immune suppression, and the limited effectiveness for some mutations for reasons that are not yet clear. Currently, there is no effective treatment either for SSA associated with WT-TTR deposition or for FAC. Therefore, a small molecule therapeutic strategy for all TTR-based amyloid diseases would be highly advantageous.
The most common approach to the potential treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis has been to identify small molecule ligands able to stabilize the native TTR tetrameric structure and thereby to prevent the dissociation of TTR into monomers which are in turn prone to misassembly leading to fibrillogenic aggregation. Ideally, good fibrillogenesis inhibitors should bind with high affinity, dissociate slowly, and exhibit high binding selectivity to TTR in the blood.
For example, several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as diclofenac, flufenamic acid, diclofenac, flurbiprofen, and diflunisal have been shown to act as stabilizers of the tetrameric structure of TTR, inhibiting the formation of TTR amyloid fibrils in vitro. However, because said drugs are cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, their long-term administration could lead to gastrointestinal side effects.
Polyphenols such as trans-resveratrol are known to bind specifically to thyroxine binding sites of TTR (see Klabunde et al., Nat. Struct. Biol., 2000, 7, 312). However said kind of drugs are also known to be very aspecific, they might have low bioavailability, and may be endowed with several ancillary effects.
Further derivatives enabling for TTR binding are described in WO 2004/056315, WO 2006/086517, WO 2007022138, and WO 2009/040405.
In view of the above considerations, there is still the need for more effective products with an established safety profile in humans that binds to TTR and hence can be useful for treating TTR amyloidosis.
WO 2004/074232 and WO 2004/073705 disclose therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

1-(2-fluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-alkyl carboxylic acid derivatives for the therapy of transthyretin amyloidosis


In an image down-sampling transcoding method, by reducing an MPEG SP (simple profile) video bit stream having a CIF (Common Intermediate Format) size into a half in image size in a pixel domain, the video bit stream is converted into a H.264 BP (Baseline Profile) video stream having a QCIF (Quarter CIF) size. Accordingly, it is possible to down-sample an image from MPEG-4 to H.264 at a high speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image down-sampling coding method and device, and more particularly, to method and device for performing an image down-sampling process from MPEG-4 to H.264 at a high speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thanks to development of computers and networks, a variety of data can be transmitted from a transmission party to a reception party. There have been developed multimedia standard compression formats for transmitting large-capacity multimedia data through networks. There have been introduced various video transcoding methods of performing conversion processes suitable for circumferences of the transmission party and the reception party by considering QoS (Quality of Service) of both parties Such video coding methods are roughly divided into a transcoding method in a pixel domain and a transcoding method in a DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) domain.
The best transcoding method in view of image quality is a cascaded pixel-domain transcoding method of decoding input bit streams of images and encoding the decoded images again. However, since the encoding process is performed once more, such a conventional method has a problem with increase in complexity. Therefore, in order to decrease the complexity of calculation, efficient transcoding methods for down-sampling an image in the DCT domain have been studied and developed.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an H.264 encoder according to a related art.
The conventional H.264 encoder includes a loop filter 110. When the transcoding process of down-sampling an image from MPEG-4 to H.264 is performed, there is a problem that a direct transcoding in the DCT domain is impossible due to the H.264 non-linear loop filter 110.
Therefore, an efficient transcoding method which can reduce the complexity while maintaining the image quality is required.

Image down-sampling transcoding method and device


The invention relates to a device for winding a screen (10) which comprises a tubular winder (12) defining a reference axis (100); a first wall attachment (18A) for fastening a first axial end portion (14A) of the tubular winder (12) to a first wall (16A) in a use position of the screen-winding device (10); and a second wall attachment (18B) for fastening a second axial end portion (14B) of the tubular winder (12) to a second wall (16B) in the use position of the screen-winding device (10). The first wall attachment (18A) comprises at least one tab (54) for fastening to the first wall (16A) and at least one first hinge (58) supported by the fastening tab (54) in order to guide a pivoting of the tubular winder (12) about a first axis of articulation (200) that does not intersect with the reference axis (100) and, in the use position, orthogonal to the reference axis (100). The first wall attachment (18A) comprises a second jointed hinge (66) supported by the fastening tab (54) in order to guide the first hinge (58) so as to rotate about a second axis of articulation (300) that does not intersect with the reference axis and is not parallel to the first axis of articulation (200).

In order to facilitate the replacement of battery cells for a screen winder, it has been proposed in document U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,192 to provide, in the winder, a housing closed by an access hatch situated on a planar upper wall of the box of the winder. However, access to this wall is not always easy when the winding device is fastened at a small distance from the lintel in the upper part of an opening in a building. It is then necessary to completely disassemble the winder to access the access hatch.
To resolve this problem, it has been proposed in document US 2013/0153162 to fasten the box of the winder to the walls of the opening by attachments allowing the box to pivot around a pivot axis parallel to the rotation axis of the winder. Thus, it is possible to pivot the box around this pivot axis in order to access the access hatch of the battery cell housing without difficulty, which is located on a front face or an upper face of the box. However, these solutions are not transposable to a winder whose ceils are positioned inside the winding tube.

Device for winding a screen having a hinged wall attachment


A security infrastructure and methods are presented that inhibit the ability of a malicious node from disrupting the normal operations of a peer-to-peer network. The methods of the invention allow both secure and insecure identities to be used by nodes by making them self-verifying. When necessary or opportunistic, ID ownership is validated by piggybacking the validation on existing messages. The probability of connecting initially to a malicious node is reduced by randomly selecting to which node to connect. Further, information from malicious nodes is identified and can be disregarded by maintaining information about prior communications that will require a future response. Denial of service attacks are inhibited by allowing the node to disregard requests when its resource utilization exceeds a predetermined limit. The ability for a malicious node to remove a valid node is reduced by requiring that revocation certificates be signed by the node to be removed.

Peer-to-peer communication, and in fact all types of communication, depend on the possibility of establishing valid connections between selected entities. However, entities may have one or several addresses that may vary because the entities move in the network, because the topology changes, or because an address lease cannot be renewed. A classic architectural solution to this addressing problem is thus to assign to each entity a stable name, and to "resolve" this name to a current address when a connection is needed. This name to address translation must be very robust, and it must also allow for easy and fast updates.
To increase the likelihood that an entity's address may be found by those seeking to connect to it, many peer-to-peer protocols allow entities to publish their address through various mechanisms. Some protocols also allow a client to acquire knowledge of other entities' addresses through the processing of requests from others in the network. Indeed, it is this acquisition of address knowledge that enables successful operation of these peer-to-peer networks. That is, the better the information about other peers in the network, the greater the likelihood that a search for a particular resource will converge.
However, without a robust security infrastructure underlying the peer-to-peer protocol, malicious entities can easily disrupt the ability for such peer-to-peer systems to converge. Such disruptions may be caused, for example, by an entity that engages in identity theft. In such an identity theft attack on the peer-to-peer network, a malicious node publishes address information for IDs with which it does not have an authorized relationship, i.e. it is neither the owner nor a group member, etc. A malicious entity could also intercept and/or respond first before the good node responds, thus appearing to be the good node.
A malicious entity could also hamper PNRP resolution by flooding the network with bad information so that other entities in the network would tend to forward requests to non-existent nodes (which would adversely affect the convergence of searches), or to nodes controlled by the attacker. This could also be accomplished by modifying the RESOLVE packet used to discover resources before forwarding it along, or by sending an invalid RESPONSE to back to the requestor which generated the RESOLVE packet. A malicious entity could also attempt to disrupt the operation of the peer-to-peer network by trying to ensure that searches will not converge by, for example, instead of forwarding the search to a node in its cache that is closer to the ID to aid in the convergence of the search, forwarding the search to a node that is further away from the requested ID. Alternatively, the malicious entity could simply not respond to the search request at all. The PNRP resolution could be further hampered by a malicious node sending an invalid BYE message on behalf of a valid ID. As a result, other nodes in the cloud will remove this valid ID from their cache, decreasing the number of valid nodes stored therein.
While validation of an address certificate may prevent the identity theft problem, such is ineffective against this second type of attack that hampers PNRP resolution. An attacker can continue to generate verifiable address certificates (or have them pre-generated) and flood the corresponding IDs in the peer-to-peer cloud. If any of the nodes attempts to verify ownership of the ID, the attacker would be able to verify that it is the owner for the flooded IDs because, in fact, it is. However, if the attacker manages to generate enough IDs it can bring most of the peer-to-peer searches to one of the nodes controlled by him. At this point the attacker can fairly well control and direct the operation of the network.
If the peer-to-peer protocol requires that all new address information first be verified to prevent the identity theft problem discussed above, a third type of attack becomes available to malicious entities. This attack to which these types of peer-to-peer networks are susceptible is a form of a denial of service (DoS) attack. If all the nodes that learn about new records try to perform the ID ownership check, a storm of network activity against the advertised ID owner will occur. Exploiting this weakness, an attacker could mount an IP DoS attack against a certain target by making that target very popular. For example, if a malicious entity advertises Microsoft's Web IP address as the IDs IP, all the nodes in the peer-to-peer network that receive this advertised IP will try to connect to that IP (Microsoft's Web server's IP) to verify the authenticity of the record. Of course Microsoft's server will not be able to verify ownership of the ID because the attacker generated this information. However, the damage has already been done. That is, the attacker just managed to convince a good part of the peer-to-peer community to attack Microsoft.
Another type of DoS attack that overwhelms a node or a cloud by exhausting one or more resources is perpetrated by a malicious node that sends a large volume of invalid/valid PACs to a single node, e.g. by using FLOOD/RESOLVE/SOLICIT packets). The node that receives these PACs will consume all its CPU trying to verify all of the PACs. Similarly, by sending invalid FLOOD/RESOLVE packets, a malicious node will achieve packet multiplication within the cloud. That is, the malicious node can consume network bandwidth for a PNRP cloud using a small number of such packets because the node to which these packets are sent will respond by sending additional packets. Network bandwidth multiplication can also be achieved by a malicious node by sending bogus REQUEST messages to which good nodes will respond by FLOODing the PACs, which are of a larger size than the REQUEST.
A malicious node can also perpetrate an attack in the PNRP cloud by hampering the initial node synch up. That is, to join the PNRP cloud a node tries to connect to one of the nodes already present in the PNRP cloud. If the node tries to connect to the malicious node, it can totally be controlled by that malicious node. Further, a malicious node can send invalid REQUEST packets when two good nodes are involved in the synchronization process. This is a type of DoS attack that will hamper the synch up because the invalid REQUEST packets will initiate the generation of FLOOD messages in response.
There exists a need in the art, therefore, for security mechanisms that will ensure the integrity of the P2P cloud by preventing or mitigating the effect of such attacks.

Peer-to-peer name resolution protocol (PNRP) security infrastructure and method


A method for aligning wafer includes selecting a nun-defective wafer alignment mark of a first wafer loaded in an exposure apparatus, and storing non-defective wafer alignment marks as a gray level reference image. A plurality of wafer alignment marks of a loaded second wafer are stored. Each of the plurality of wafer alignment mark images of the second wafer are respectively compared with the reference image of the first wafer pixel by pixel to obtain matching value for each of the plurality of the wafer alignment mark images. Each of the plurality of values of the matching values are compared with a set minimum value. The wafer alignment mark image having the matching value smaller than the minimum value with the reference image is replaced. The alignment information for an underlying layer using a wafer alignment information for an underlying layer using a wafer alignment sensor is obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method for aligning wafer, and more specifically to a method for aligning wafer wherein a non-defective wafer alignment mark which is used as a reference image is compared to wafer alignment marks and a defective wafer alignment mark image is replaced with the reference image to obtain alignment information of an underlying layer, thereby improving the overlay accuracy for an underlying layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In accordance with a conventional wafer alignment method, alignment information such as an offset, a wafer scale, orthogonality and wafer rotation to an underlying layer are calculated from a plurality of arbitrary wafer alignment marks on each die of a wafer, i.e. from alignment marks selected from a job file by a wafer alignment sensor in an exposure process.
In accordance with the conventional method for aligning wafer, even when only one of the selected alignment marks has a defect, the overlay accuracy of a lithography process may be degraded severely. As a result, detection of alignment signal by the wafer alignment sensor was not possible.
In addition, as long as the calculated alignment information for the underlying layer, such as the offset, the wafer scale, the orthogonality and the wafer rotation does not exceed the limit set in the exposure apparatus, the measured wafer alignment value was not reflected n wafer alignment even though the value was sufficient to affect the alignment accuracy. As a result, the overlay accuracy was deteriorated.


A wireless communication device includes a processor. The processor estimates a quality of a received signal that is transmitted from a source device. The processor determines a communication parameter for a next communication transaction based on an evaluation value that indicates a result of subtracting a second value from a first value, the first value being determined based on a coding rate and a data length of a data signal received from the source device, the second value being determined based on the data length, a modulation scheme and a quality of the data signal. The processor reports the communication parameter to the source device.

Proposed algorithms for maximizing a throughput of an application in a wireless communication system include, for example, auto rate fallback (ARF) and receiver-based auto rate (RBAR). According to ARF, a source device selects a transmission rate in accordance with the number of successful transmissions in the past and/or the number of unsuccessful transmissions in the past. According to RBAR, a destination device determines a transmission rate based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a received signal. The determined transmission rate is reported from the destination device to a source device by using a control frame. The source device performs a data transmission at the reported transmission rate.
ARF and RBAR are disclosed by, for example, S. Biaz et al., "Rate Adaptation Algorithms for IEEE 802.11 Networks: A Survey and Comparison", IEEE, 2008. Adaptively varying a modulation scheme and a coding rate according to a reception quality is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2014-131298. Selecting a modulation parameter based on a data length and the status of a propagation path is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-019729.
According to ARF, as described above, a transmission rate is selected in accordance with the number of successful transmissions in the past and/or the number of unsuccessful transmissions in the past. For example, the rate may be increased when a frame transmission consecutively succeeds a specified number of times, and the rate may be decreased when a frame transmission consecutively fails a specified number of times. Hence, when, for example, a wireless environment is varied, a long time may be required to select the maximum rate. That is, the capability to follow rate control may be low.
According to RBAR, as described above, a new transmission rate is reported from a destination device to a source device by using a specified control frame. However, some of existing wireless communication devices may be incapable of transmitting such a control frame. For example, a procedure for reporting a transmission rate by using the "Duration" area in a Clear to Send (CTS) frame may be proposed for wireless LAN systems. In particular, the transmission rate is reported by changing the definition of the "Duration" area. Hence, an existing wireless LAN device may be incapable of identifying a transmission rate determined by a destination device.

Wireless communication device and communication parameter report method


Carbon monoxide gas is provided in a ruthenium-deposition apparatus to clean undesired ruthenium-containing deposits from apparatus surfaces. Carbon monoxide gas is mixed with reactant gases in apparatus tubing and in a ruthenium-deposition reaction chamber to inhibit formation of undesired ruthenium deposits on apparatus surfaces and to remove ruthenium deposits.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of thermal reactors in integrated circuit fabrication, in particular, to the cleaning and purging of thermal reactors used for deposition of ruthenium metal and ruthenium compounds.
2. Statement of the Problem
Thin films of ruthenium, Ru, and ruthenium oxide, RuO2, are useful in integrated circuit devices and in fabrication of integrated circuits. Ruthenium and ruthenium oxide are generally useful as electrical contact materials. They have good electrical conductivity and show good environmental stability. They are useful for contact metallizations, diffusion barriers, and gate metallizations. Ruthenium oxide electrodes have shown utility as working electrodes in non-aqueous solvents. Ruthenium and ruthenium oxide are useful as capacitor electrodes that remain electrically conductive even after exposure to oxidizing conditions.
A thin film of ruthenium metal deposited on a wafer substrate is useful as a seed layer on which copper is deposited by electrochemical or electroless chemical plating techniques. Deposition of copper wiring in integrated circuits involves a number of processes. Typically, a trench or hole is etched into dielectric material located on a substrate wafer. The hole or trench then is typically lined with one or several adhesion layers, for example, with tantalum nitride, TaN. The hole or trench then is lined with a thin layer of copper, Cu, that acts as a seed layer for electroplated copper. Thereafter, the hole or trench is filled with copper, typically by an electroplating process. In the past, adhesion layers and copper seed layers lining holes and trenches were deposited using conventional physical vapor deposition techniques. As the design density of integrated circuits increases, resulting in smaller dimensions of holes and trenches, it is generally more difficult to use physical vapor deposition to line holes and trenches with uniform and conformal thin films of integrated circuit material.
Thus, as the design density of integrated circuits increases, resulting in smaller design features and dimensions, deposition of ruthenium and ruthenium oxide thin films, as well as thin films of other materials, by physical vapor deposition techniques is often unsatisfactory for obtaining good quality, continuous, and conformal thin films. As a result, deposition of ruthenium metal, ruthenium oxide, and other metal compounds by chemical vapor deposition ("CVD") and atomic layer deposition ("ALD") is important for achieving good circuit quality and acceptable manufacturing yields.
Techniques for depositing ruthenium metal, ruthenium oxide, and other ruthenium compounds by CVD and ALD have been developed for forming thin films on a surface of a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly, such as a silicon wafer, having significant surface-area topology, such as high-aspect-ratio openings. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,945, issued Jun. 13, 2000, to Vaartstra et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,849, issued Dec. 13, 1994, to McCormick et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2003/0037802 A1, published Feb. 27, 2003, naming Nakahara et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference, disclose methods and precursors for CVD deposition of ruthenium and ruthenium oxide on integrated circuit substrates. CVD techniques for depositing ruthenium or ruthenium oxide typically utilize a hot-substrate hot-wall reactor apparatus to avoid condensation of reactant precursors prior to their decomposition at the substrate surface. Nevertheless, various suitable reaction apparati also include cold-wall/hot-substrate reactors, radiation beam reactors, and plasma-and photo-assisted CVD reactors.
A common problem in CVD and in ALD reactor apparati, especially but not only in hot-wall reactors, is the undesired formation of a CVD film deposit on reactor walls, tubing walls, and other apparatus surfaces. As a result, periodic in situ cleaning of apparatus surfaces to remove the undesired deposits is necessary. If these chamber cleans are not performed, then solid deposits typically delaminate from the apparatus walls, leading to particle contamination of wafer surfaces. The presence of particles decreases circuit integrity and lowers manufacturing yields. In situ cleaning of CVD and ALD reaction chambers and apparatus surfaces typically is accomplished by introducing gas-phase species that react with an undesired film deposit to form a volatile product. For example, fluorine atoms generated in a remote plasma source react with solid TiN and solid TaN to form volatile TiFx and TaFx species, respectively, which desorb from a surface and are pumped away. In the case of Ru, however, Ru does not form volatile fluorides, chlorides, bromides, or iodides. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2003/0037802 A1, published Feb. 27, 2003, naming Nakahara et al., discloses a method for removing a deposit of ruthenium metal or an oxide of ruthenium from the surfaces of a CVD apparatus by combining etching techniques using an oxygen-atom donating gas to clean a low-temperature surface, and a halogen-containing gas to clean high-temperature surfaces. The oxygen-atom donating gas is preferably ozone, and a halogen-containing gas is, for example, hydrogen fluoride or chlorine fluoride. Activated oxygen species, such as O-radicals and ozone, react with Ru metal deposits to form RuO4, an oxide of Ru that is volatile at room temperature. Nevertheless, RuO4 is a highly reactive, toxic, and carcinogenic compound.
The problem of toxic byproducts is not unique. Many byproducts of chamber cleaning processes are toxic; for example, hydrogen fluoride, HF. Nevertheless, readily available techniques for detecting common toxic byproducts exist and are used. In the case of RuO4, however, the toxicity problem is exacerbated because there is no practical and readily available method to detect this compound.

Method for preventing and cleaning ruthenium-containing deposits in a CVD apparatus


A new cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata plant named ‘HPOPR018’ that is characterized by its compact plant habit, its early blooming season, and its compact panicles of primarily white sterile and fertile flowers with the fertile flowers clearly visible.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'HPOPR018'. 'HPOPR018' represents a new Hydrangea, a perennial shrub grown for landscape use and as a potted plant.
'HPOPR018' was derived from a breeding program conducted by the Inventor at a nursery in Merksplas, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to select new cultivars of Hydrangea with a compact plant habit and desirable flowers.
'HPOPR018' was selected in August of 2015 by the Inventor from amongst seedlings in a trial field that had been planted with seed collected from open pollination of numerous plants in the Inventor's breeding program in August of 2012. The exact parentage is therefore unknown.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings by the Inventor in September of 2015 in Merksplas, Belgium. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


In embodiments of route event mapping, a device has a display device that displays a map of a region, which includes a location of the device. A route event mapping service can receive an input of an athletic event course as a user input to the device, and obtain course data of the athletic event course, such as a course route, a course length, environmental conditions, and/or elevation data. The route event mapping service can then determine a training course within the region that includes the location of the device based on the course data. The route event mapping service can also map training segments of the training course that approximate segments of the athletic event course, where the training segments are mapped within the region that includes the location of the device. The mapped training segments can then be displayed in the map of the region.

Competitive and even casual runners may train for several months or years for running and/or biking events, such as the marathons in Boston and Chicago, as well as the many triathlons and bike racing events throughout the United States and the World. Many runners and bicyclists that participate in these events travel hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to participate. Many participants train specifically for a running and/or biking event that they have entered, however, most participants are not able to travel and train on the actual course for the running and/or biking event. For example, if a runner residing in Spokane Wash. was to enter the marathon in San Francisco Calif., he or she could expect to encounter significant and frequent elevation gains and losses during the event. However, the runner would have a difficult time emulating the San Francisco marathon route for training purposes in Spokane because the topography in Spokane differs from San Francisco, particularly over the twenty-six mile marathon route.


The present document describes an apparatus and method for identifying and characterizing a problem of a knee joint. In accordance with an embodiment, the method comprises receiving biomechanical data from sensors and generating a biomechanical profile based on the biomechanical data, the biomechanical data being representative of a movement of the knee joint. The method also involves, in a processing device, classifying the biomechanical profile of the knee joint in one of multiple classes of knee joint problems by applying a pattern recognition technique to a normative biomechanical profile associated to the one of the multiple classes, each one of the multiple classes corresponding to at least one knee joint problem; based on the classifying, identifying the problem as comprising the at least one knee joint problem of the one of the multiple classes; and archiving the problem identified in a storing device to make the problem accessible during consultation.

Studies have shown that musculoskeletal disorders represent the second most important health-related costs in almost all industrialized countries, close behind cardiovascular diseases, and ahead of cancer and neurological diseases. By musculoskeletal disorders, it is intended to refer to disease of cartilage, bone, muscle, ligaments and tendons. With the current progressive increase in life expectancy, musculoskeletal problems have become more prevalent in the population, resulting in an increase in the number of available pharmacological treatments and therapeutic devices. With the emergence of new treatment modalities came the development new instruments for the detection, evaluation and monitoring of knee joint injuries and pathologies.
The knee is an extremely complex joint necessitating a perfectly coupled three-dimensional range of movement for proper function. Knee joint functions are thus better evaluated via analysis of their three-dimensional components, using a quantified functional approach reflective of movements of bones of the knee joint in one of the three-dimensional planes.
Current methods involve the use of radiological examinations (such as X-rays, MRI, CT-Scans). Such exams however typically remain limited in terms of their capacity to evaluate various functional aspects of the knee joint, and typically cannot be performed while the knee joint is moving (i.e. they are static in nature).
Other existing methods used to evaluate knee joints function typically involve static imaging combined with manual testing (ligament laxity). Since these tests rely on manual testing and patient compliance, they are tainted by a certain amount of subjectivity.
Some existing methods permit the quantification of anteroposterior movement of the tibia with respect to the femur (such as the KT-1000). These methods however do not permit precise and reliable evaluation of the knee joint as they are typically limited to performing a static evaluation of a translation movement. Such methods are typically not suitable for performing an evolution as a movement is being performed by the knee joint.
There is therefore a need for an improved apparatus and method for evaluating knee joint function and disorders or pathologies, which addresses shortcomings associated with the prior art, or at least provides a useful alternative.

Method and system for knee joint evaluation and diagnostic aid in normal and pathologic state


The invention includes methods for forming a retreaded tire and treads there for. Particular embodiments of such methods include providing a tire carcass configured to receive a tire tread along an annular tread-receiving area and a pre-formed tread comprising a tread body and a submerged void arranged along a bottom side of the tread and extending into the tread thickness to a top end located below the top side of the tread, the submerged void having a length and an opening arranged along the bottom side when the tread is in an uninstalled configuration, where the opening of the submerged void extends in a direction of the submerged groove length along an alternating, non-linear path. Further steps include assembling a retreaded tire by arranging the tire tread atop a bonding layer arranged between the tire tread and the tire carcass and comprising uncured bonding material.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to retreaded tires and methods for forming the same, and more particularly, to retreaded tire treads having one or more closable submerged voids, such as grooves or sipes.
Description of the Related Art
It is known to form retreaded tire treads having one or more submerged voids arranged along a bottom side of any such tread, each submerged void being open to the bottom side and recessed or submerged below the outer, ground-engaging surface such that the submerged void is substantially hidden from view in the new state of the tread but which becomes exposed when a predetermined thickness of tread has been worn away. In such instances, any such submerged void may provide additional tread void and/or traction edges for enhanced tire performance at worn stages of the tire tread.
It is also known that these submerged voids may be pre-formed prior to applying the tread to a tire carcass, such as by a tread molding operation or by removing tread material from a pre-formed tread, such as by any machining, cutting, or abrading operation. A pre-formed tread cured prior to application to a tire carcass is referred to as a pre-cured tread.
When a tread is pre-formed, the submerged tread voids may be formed along and into or through the bottom side (that is, underside) of the tread, the bottom side being the side of the tread that will later be bonded to the tire casing. In such instances, the submerged void is open to the bottom side of the tread, and therefore, the submerged void is also open to a bonding surface of the tire carcass.
In cold retreading operations, a layer of bonding material (referred to herein as a bonding layer) is commonly arranged between the tire carcass and the pre-formed tread to facilitate bonding of the tread to the tire carcass. The bonding material generally comprises uncured elastomeric material, which includes natural and synthetic rubber. In such instances, after the pre-formed tread is applied to a tire carcass and overtop the bonding layer, the assembled retreaded tire is cured to bond the tread to the tire carcass. In hot retreading operations, during curing operations, the assembled retreaded tire is exposed to heat and pressure. Under these conditions, uncured bonding material may be forced into the submerged void through the bottom side. In effect, this material at least partially fills the void, which may reduce the depth of the void and thereby reducing the skid depth—and ultimately the effectiveness of the submerged feature. For example, when the feature is a groove, the groove provides a void to consume or absorb water for improved wet performance. When the groove is at least partially filled with the displaced uncured bonding material, the loss in void volume reduces the effectiveness of the groove. In another example, the tread feature comprises a sipe, which generally comprises a slit or narrow groove. The sipe provides an additional traction edge for improved tire traction, but also has the effect of reducing local tread stiffness due to the discontinuity that it forms. When the sipe, however, becomes at least partially filled with displaced material, the sipe may operate less than optimally as a traction edge, and/or less reduces the local stiffness of the tread. Accordingly, there is a need to substantially limit and/or prevent the influx, flow, or entry of material into a submerged tread void from the underside of the tread during a curing operation.

Retreaded tire treads having improved submerged voids and methods for forming the same

Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin


An electric cutting tool has a body, a chuck at an end of the body for attaching a cutting implement having a rear end including a recess, and a drive mechanism for driving the chuck to slide in reciprocation for operating the cutting implement. The chuck has a gap for receiving the rear end of the implement, an internal multi-part fixing mechanism for engaging the recess of the cutting implement in the gap, and an outer cylinder having an inner cam surface for acting upon the fixing mechanism. The cylinder is manually rotatable between a locked position in which the cam surface presses the fixing mechanism tight against the recess in the gap to fix the cutting implement in place and an unlocked position in which the fixing means is released from the cutting mechanism. The fixing mechanism includes two discrete balls.

Conventional power tools and in particular electric drills and cutters usually incorporate a chuck for releasably attaching an implement i.e. a drill bit or cutting blade. The chuck ought to be reasonably tight for holding the implement whilst quick to facilitate release and re-attachment of the implement. The design of chucks for drill bits have been well developed but that for cutting blades is found to be unsatisfactory in one way or another.
The subject invention seeks to provide an electric cutting tool that incorporates an improved chuck.

Choon Nang Electrical Appliance Mfy., Ltd.


Novel cyclic compounds and salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, and methods of using such compounds in the treatment of protein tyrosine kinase-associated disorders such as immunologic and oncologic disorders.

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are enzymes which, in conjuction with ATP as a substrate, phosphorylate tyrosine residues in peptides and proteins. These enzymes are key elements in the regulation of cell signaling including cell proliferation and cell differentiation. PTKs comprise, inter alia, receptor tyrosine kinases (RPTKs), including members of the epidermal growth factor kinase family (e.g., HER1 and HER2), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), and kinases that play a role in angiogenesis (Tie-2 and KDR); and, in addition, non-receptor tyrosine kinases, including members of the Syk, JAK and Src (e.g. Src, Fyn, Lyn, Lck and Blk) families (see Bolen, J. B., Rowley, R. B., Spana, C., and Tsygankov, A. Y., "The src family of tyrosine protein kinases in hemopoietic signal transduction", FASEB J., 6, 3403–3409 (1992); Ullrich, A. and Schlessinger, J., "Signal transduction by receptors with tyrosine kinase activity", Cell, 61, 203–212 (1990); and Ihle, J. N., "The Janus protein tyrosine kinases in hematopoetic cytokine signaling", Sem. Immunol., 7, 247–254 (1995)).
Enhanced activity of PTKs has been implicated in a variety of malignant and nonmalignant proliferative diseases. In addition, PTKs play a central role in the regulation of cells of the immune system. PTK inhibitors can thus impact a wide variety of oncologic and immunologic disorders. Such disorders may be ameliorated by selective inhibition of a certain receptor or non-receptor PTK, such as Lck, or due to the homology among PTK classes, by inhibition of more than one PTK by an inhibitor.
A PTK of particular interest is Lck which is found in T cells where it is involved in phosphorylating key protein substrates. It is required for productive antigen receptor signaling and cell activation. In the absence of Lck activity, the T cell receptor (TCR) zeta chain is not phosphorylated, the kinase ZAP-70 is not activated, and Ca2+ mobilization essential for T cell activation does not occur (see Weiss, A. and Littman, D. R., "Signal transduction by lymphocyte antigen receptors", Cell, 76, 263–274 (1994); Iwashima, M., Irving, B. A., van Oers, N. S. C., Chan, A. C., and Weiss, A., "Sequential interactions of the TCR with two distinct cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases", Science, 263, 1136–1139 (1994); and Chan, A. C., Dalton, M., Johnson, R., Kong, G., Wang, T., Thoma, R., and Kurosaki, T., "Activation of ZAP-70 kinase activity by phosphorylation of tyrosine 493 is required for lymphocyte antigen receptor function", EMBO J., 14, 2499–2508 (1995)). Inhibitors of Lck are thus useful in the treatment of T-cell mediated disorders such as chronic diseases with an important T cell component, for example rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and lupus, as well as acute diseases where T cells are known to play an essential role, for example acute transplant rejection and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cyclic protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors


Disclosed are methods and apparatus for classifying defects based on X-ray spectrum obtained from the defects. In general terms, the present invention provides pattern recognition techniques for accurately and efficiently classifying a defect based on an X-ray spectrum obtained from such defect and its surrounding substrate and structures, no matter the complexity of such substrate and structures. A pattern recognition technique generally includes training a pattern recognition process to recognize particular types of X-ray spectrum obtained from specimens as belonging to a particular defect type or other specific characteristic of a specimen. Once a pattern recognition process is set up to recognize or classify particular X-ray spectrum, the pattern recognition process can then be utilized to automatically classify specimens as having a specific characteristic or defect type.

The present invention relates generally to inspection of semiconductor devices for the purpose of identifying defects thereon. Additionally, it relates to techniques for classifying defects found on integrated circuit devices.
Semiconductor defects may include structural flaws, residual process material and other surface contamination which occur during the production of semiconductor wafers. Defects are typically detected by a class of instruments called inspection tools. Such instruments automatically scan wafer surfaces and detect, and record the location of optical anomalies using a variety of techniques. This information, or "defect map," is stored in a computer file and sent to a defect review station.
Using the defect map to locate each defect, a human operator observes each defect under a microscope and classifies each defect according to class (e.g., particle, pit, scratch, or contaminant). Information gained from this process is used to correct the source of defects, and thereby improve the efficiency and yield of the semiconductor production process. Problems with this classification method include the technician's subjectivity in identifying the defect class, and the fatigue associated with the highly repetitive task of observing and classifying these defects.
One type of inspection or review tools that may be used to classify a defect are electron beam (ebeam) induced X-ray tools. An ebeam induced X-ray tool directs an e-beam towards the defect and X-rays are emitted from the defect as well as any surrounding material in response to the e-beam. The X-rays may then be analyzed to determine a composition of the defect. Typically, the X-rays are compared to X-rays emitted from a substrate having no defect. The X-ray spectra for the substrate without a defect is subtracted from the substrate having the defect to obtain the X-ray spectra for the defect. Although one can easily determine a composition of a defect when the substrate is formed from a single material, such as silicon, it becomes rather difficult to identify a defect's composition when the substrate is complex and formed from several different structures and materials. This technique would require obtaining reference X-ray spectra from multiple substrate specimens having no defects to thereafter compare to defects on such complex substrates. Additionally, one would have to determine the substrate type for each type of defect and then use the appropriate reference X-ray spectra to determine the defect's composition.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved mechanisms for classifying defects using an e-beam induced X-ray inspection or review system or the like.

Automatic classification of defects using pattern recognition applied to X-ray spectra


An MRI RF coil is shielded from extraneous noise sources using an extremely thin conductive shield interposed between the RF coil and the static magnetic structure of an MRI system. To control eddy currents induced in such conductor by the changing magnetic flux of MRI gradient coils, the RF shield conductor thickness is less than three skin depths at the MRI RF operating frequencies of the RF coil. Preferably, the RF shield conductor thickness is on the order of only one skin depth or less.

This invention relates to the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) phenomena. It is particularly directed toward the shielding of RF coils in an MRI system from extraneous noise sources.
This patent application is related to commonly assigned issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,252--Kaufman and to commonly assigned copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/546,112 filed Jul. 2, 1990 naming Kaufman et al as inventors and entitled "MRI Magnet with Robust Laminated Magnetic Circuit Member and Method of Making Same," now abandoned. The entire contents of this related issued patent and of pending U.S. patent application are hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
MRI systems from many different sources are now well-known and commercially available. Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) systems are also known and are hereinafter intended to be included within the terminology "MRI" system.
MRI systems typically include a relatively massive static magnet structure for creating a static magnetic field B.sub.o. The static magnet may include a solenoidal cryogenic super-conducting electromagnet or may be of a permanent magnet design. Whatever form of static magnetic is used, it is also typically used in conjunction with a plurality of magnetic gradient coils which are sequentially pulsed to create a sequence of controlled gradients in the static magnetic field during an MRI data gathering sequence. Such controlled sequential gradients are effectuated throughout a patient imaging volume that also is coupled to at least one MRI RF coil. As a part of a typical MRI data gathering sequence, MRI RF signals of suitable frequencies are transmitted into the imaging volume and NMR responsive RF signals are then received from the imaging volume via one or more RF coils or antennae. Information encoded within the frequency and phase parameters of the received RF signals is then processed to form visual images representing the distribution of NMR nuclei within a cross-section or volume of the patient within the imaging volume of the MRI system.
The above-noted related U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,252 describes an MRI system using permanent magnets with open access to the patient image volume and is particularly suited for use in the exemplary embodiment of this invention. To reduce imaging artifacts caused by eddy currents induced in the static magnet structure from changing magnetic flux of the gradient coils, the above-referenced related copending application proposes lamination of the static magnet pole tips. As will be described below, such lamination has been discovered to increase RF noise sources and thus to provide increased need for its shielding from the MRI RF coil(s).
The generation of high quality MRI depends strongly upon the quality of the RF receiving antenna used in the data gathering procedure. There are some RF noise sources inherently present in the process (e.g., within the patient body being imaged) but it is important that care be taken to avoid introduction of any additional unnecessary noise sources into the received RF signals.
Recalling the reciprocity theorem, it will be recognized that one way to assess sources of received RF noise is to measure the power absorbed when the RF antenna is used as a transmitter. Anything which absorbs power in the transmitting mode will also be a source of noise when the same antenna is used as a receiver.
There are three general sources of such power absorption. One is in the antenna itself and that is typically minimized through careful design and use of high quality materials. Another non-avoidable source of noise is in the patient tissues being imaged (albeit surface coils or other techniques can be use for minimized coupling to areas of the patient not actually of image interest). The third category of possible RF power absorption (and therefore a noise source during the RF reception mode) is in the static magnet and/or other structures surrounding the RF coil.
The degree of RF power absorbed in the static magnet or other surrounding structures can be strongly dependent upon the details of magnet design and construction. For example, as above-noted, it has been discovered that adding laminations to the static magnet pole tip (as described in related copending application Ser. No. 07/546,112), now abandoned greatly increases RF power absorption in the static magnet structure.
Generally located closest to the RF receiving antenna is the set of magnetic gradient coils and their associated structure. Although this is a possible source of power loss due to the presence of conducting wires throughout the gradient coil structures, experience has indicated that such losses are typically not an excessive problem.
However, as briefly noted above, experience has now indicated that the static magnet structure itself (typically located outwardly of the gradient coil structures) may be a source of significant power absorption and therefore a source of significant RF noise during the receiving process. For example, when a laminated pole tip structure for the static magnet is used, it has been noted that a receiving coil having a Q of approximately 800 when located outside the magnet may have its Q cut to approximately one-half that value when situated in its operational position between the laminated magnetic pole pieces.
Of course it is well-known in the literature that one can shield an RF antenna from external influences by surrounding the antenna with a good conductor. However, in the context of MRI, such shielding itself produces still further potential imaging artifacts since a conductive surface gives rise to eddy currents generated by changing magnetic flux of the gradient coils (the magnetic field of such eddy currents in turn causing undesirable changes in the magnetic field distribution in the imaging volume). Better conductivity of the shield makes it a better shield--but also causes such eddy currents to take longer to decay to zero and therefore causes greater potential imaging artifact.
The traditional approach to limitation of eddy currents in a conductive member is to create laminations or cuts in the conductor.

Apparatus and method for shielding MRI RF antennae from the effect of surrounding objects

The Regents of the University of California


Provided is an estimation device including: an acquisition unit that acquires measurement data on an energy storage device; an estimation unit that estimates the amount of deterioration for each deterioration mechanism of the energy storage device based on the acquired measurement data; and an output unit that outputs information based on an estimation result of the estimation unit.

In recent years, energy storage devices have been widely used in uninterruptible power systems, DC or AC power supply devices included in regulated power supplies, and the like. The energy storage devices are expanding their uses in large-scale systems for storing renewable energy or electric power generated by existing power generating systems.
Energy storage devices are known that their deterioration progresses by repeating charge and discharge, i.e., capacity decreases. JP 2019-148537 discloses a method for estimating remaining capacity by using an equivalent circuit model of an energy storage device. JP 2019-168453 discloses a method for estimating deterioration of an energy storage device by machine learning using a neural network.
In JP 2019-148537 A and JP 2019-168453 A, the deterioration of the entire device is only approximately estimated using the equivalent circuit model or machine learning without considering a deterioration mechanism of the energy storage device. Thus, the methods disclosed in JP 2019-148537 A and JP 2019-168453 A cannot estimate the amount of deterioration for each deterioration mechanism, and thus, for example, cannot propose a method for reusing an energy storage device based on the amount of deterioration estimated for each deterioration mechanism. The methods also cause difficulty in providing feedback to determine a subsequent action, such as improving product design or an operation method.

Estimation device, energy storage device, method for estimation, and computer program


The present invention provides a curvature-adjustable backplane and a liquid crystal display device having the backplane. The curvature-adjustable backplane includes a bottom plate (1). The bottom plate (1) is made of a material of thermal bimetal. The bottom plate (1) includes a plurality of openings (11) formed therein to extend in a lengthwise direction or a widthwise direction thereof, whereby the plurality of openings (11) helps increase a localized length-to-width ratio (L1/W1) of the bottom plate (1) so that when the curvature-adjustable backplane undergoes curving deformation, the extent of curving thereof in a lengthwise direction of the openings is far greater than the extent of curving thereof in a widthwise direction of the openings to realize precise adjustment of the curvature of the backplane and help release the stress of the backplane resulting from deformation and thus making the deformation of the backplane easy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of liquid crystal displaying, and in particular to a curvature-adjustable backplane and liquid crystal display device having the backplane.
2. The Related Arts
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have a variety of advantages, such as thin device body, low power consumption, and being free of radiation, and are thus of wide applications, such as liquid crystal televisions, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, computer monitors, and notebook computer screens.
A liquid crystal display generally comprises an enclosure, a liquid crystal panel arranged in the enclosure, and a backlight module mounted in the enclosure. The principle of operation of the liquid crystal panel is that liquid crystal molecules are arranged between two parallel glass substrates and a plurality of vertical and horizontal tiny electrical wires are arranged between the two glass substrates and electricity is applied to control the liquid crystal molecules to change direction in order to refract light emitting from the backlight module to pass through a pixel structure formed on the glass substrates to generate a color image. The backlight modules can be classified in two types, namely a side-edge backlight module and a direct backlight module, according to the site where light gets incident. The direct backlight module comprises a light source, such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or a light-emitting diode (LED), which is arranged at the backside of the liquid crystal panel and light is homogenized by a diffusion plate to form a planar light source supplied to the liquid crystal panel. The side-edge backlight module comprises an LED light bar, serving as a backlight source, which is arranged at an edge of a backplane to be located rearward of one side of the liquid crystal panel. The LED light bar emits light that enters a light guide plate (LGP) through a light incident face at one side of the light guide plate and is projected out of a light emergence face of the light guide plate, after being reflected and diffused, to pass through an optic film assembly so as to form a planar light source for the liquid crystal panel.
Recently, with the progress of the displaying technology, major manufacturers have marketed curved display devices, such as curved televisions, one after another. Generally speaking, the curved display devices allow for the best viewing effect from edge to edge, while a regular display device has poor capability of displaying at edges of a screen. The curved display devices have a screen that is entirely of a curved design to provide a wide full-view image, allowing for the same visual enjoyment at both the central portion and the circumferential portion of the screen and also reducing distortion of off-axis viewing for viewing at a short distance. Further, the curved display devices allow a viewer's viewing distance to be extended, achieving better experience of viewing. Thus, compared to the regular display devices, the curved display devices have advantages, including: (1) brand differentiating, (2) wider viewable angle, and (3) reducing distortion for short distance viewing.
The conventional ways of forming a curved liquid crystal display generally include: (1) mounting a support rack having a specific curve to a backplane to force the backplane to deform into a curve consistent with that of the rack; and (2) directly forming a structure of a curved surface on the backplane. However, a backplane formed with either one of these ways is generally curved with a fixed curvature and thus the curvature of a display device obtained with the two ways is fixed. No adjustment of the curvature is available to suit users' need of watching or to allow for switching between a planar display device and a curved display device, whereby the view angle is subjected to undesired constraint.
A thermal bimetal is a composite material composed of two (or more) metal layers or alloy layers having different thermal expansion coefficients that are securely bonded together. One of the layers has a lower thermal expansion coefficient and is a passive layer. The other layer has a higher thermal expansion coefficient and is an active layer. The active layer and the passive layer both have relatively high internal resistances. When electricity is applied to the thermal bimetal, the active layer and the passive layer generate a great amount of heat quickly, leading to a rise of temperature. The deformation of the active layer resulting from thermal expansion is apparently greater than the deformation of the passive layer resulting from thermal expansion and this makes the thermal bimetal to curve toward the side of the passive layer. Due to the thermal bimetal being sensitive to temperature and showing a characteristic that the amount of curving deformation can be controlled through controlling the temperature, the thermal bimetal can be used to make a backplane of a liquid crystal display device, wherein adjustment of the curvature of the liquid crystal display device or switching between a planar display and a curved display can be achieved through controlling the curvature of the backplane. However, as shown in FIG. 1, a conventional curvature-adjustable backplane made of a thermal bimetal suffers certain drawbacks, which are that since the lengthwise and widthwise dimensions of a liquid crystal display device are relatively great and a backplane 10 made of a thermal bimetal has a relatively small aspect ratio L′/W′, in the process when the backplane 10 is subjected to heating and thus deformation, obvious curving and deformation occurs in all the directions so that it is not possible for the liquid crystal display device to achieve a precise adjustment of the curvature thereof and thus it is not possible to achieve a desired curved condition.

Curvature-adjustable backplane and liquid crystal display device having same

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd