The present invention relates to a method of generating neurons from stem cells which comprises culturing neurons in a medium and culturing the stem cells in the resultant mixture. The present invention also relates to a medium for culturing stem cells prepared by culturing neurons in a base culture medium.

Many clinically common chronic neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, are resulted from the degeneration and death of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). Neurons, unlike epithelial and liver cells, cannot regenerate quickly. Although there are indeed stem cells present in the CNS, which can replicate and differentiate either under normal conditions or when neurons are damaged, their replication is quite slow and the proportion of neuronal differentiation is very low. Most of the stem cells in the CNS differentiate into glial cells and thus cannot rescue the neurodegenerative diseases.
Neuron transplantation has provided a direction for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers have been trying to generate neurons from various stem cells both in vitro and in vivo. Stem cells are believed to possess certain characteristics, including self-renewal, pluripotency, proliferation, longevity and differentiation. Fetuses, umbilical cord blood and bone marrow are the most common sources of human stem cells for clinical applications. In fetuses, stem cells applicable in treating pathological changes of the central nervous system were mainly embryonic stem cells of blastocyst and neural stem cells (R. L. Rietze et al., 2001, Nature 412: 736-739). Researches have shown that after transplantation of embryonic stem cells (J. W. McDonald et al., 1999, Nature Medicine 5: 1410-1412) or neural stem cells (Q. L. Cao et al., 2001, Experimental Neurology 167: 48-58) for repairing a spinal trauma, these cells mainly differentiated into astrocytes and oligodendrocytes and only extremely few cells turned into neuronal cells. Apart from the difficulty in retrieving, the low survival rate after transplantation, and the extremely low rate for turning into neural cells, transplantation of fetus tissues is also hindered by disputes in the aspects of religion, law and ethic and therefore is not available to all.
The repair of damaged neural cells by direct implantation of haematopoietic stem cells of umbilical cord blood has yet to be studied. However, in vitro model showed that haematopoietic stem cells of umbilical cord blood cultured in 0.001% of β-mercaptoethanol (BME) could be transformed into precursors of neural cells, and then 10% of these cells could be further induced to differentiate into neural cells and glial cells (J. R. Sanchez-Ramos et al., 2001, Experimental Neurology 171: 109-115; and Y. Ha et al., 2001, Neuroreport 12(16): 3523-3527). Since the conversion rate of umbilical cord blood stem cells into neuronal cells was relatively low, the research and application of umbilical cord blood mainly focused on haematological diseases.
Bone marrow contains hematopoietic stem cells that provide a continuous source for progenitors of red cells, platelets, monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes. Moreover, bone marrow also contains cells that meet the criteria for stem cells of nonhematopoietic tissues. Hematopoietic stem cells from adult bone marrow have been reported to be able to differentiate into both microglia and macroglia in the brains of mice (M. A. Eglitis et al., 1997, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 94: 4080-4085). Nonhematopoietic stem cells from bone marrow stroma have been referred to as bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) or bone marrow mesenchymal cells. BMSCs are capable of differentiating into osteogenic, chondrogenic, adipogenic, myogenic and other lineages in vitro (M. F. Pittenger et al., 1999, Science 284: 143-147 and B. E. Petersen et al., 1999, Science 284: 1168-1170). Recently, BMSCs (S. A. Azizi et al., 1998, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 95: 3908-3913; and G. C. Kopen et al., 1999, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 96: 10711-10716) have been reported to be able to differentiate into neurons in vivo.
All the above methods of generating neurons from multipotent cells have one common problem: most of the multipotent stem cells differentiate into glial cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes etc.) instead of neurons. Only for in vitro culture of BMSCs, it has been observed that BME has a significant effect on neuronal differentiation, which induces about 80% of the cultured BMSCs to differentiate into neurons (D. Woodbury et al., 2000, Journal of Neuroscience Research 61: 364-370). However, BME is toxic for proteins and thus unsuitable for use in human bodies (K. White et al., 1973, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 62: 237-241). Therefore, there is still a need for an efficient method to transform stem cells into neurons.

Method of generating neurons from stem cells and medium for culturing stem cells


In one embodiment, an actuator has a roller, a helical track, and at least one track follower. The roller has a cylindrical body that has a first end, a second end that is offset from the first end along a central axis, and a cylindrical outer surface that extends from the first end to the second end. The helical track is disposed around the cylindrical outer surface in a helical pattern. The at least one track follower can be attached to a load, and rides along the helical track when the roller is rotated about the central axis so as to translate the load along an axial direction that is substantially parallel to the central axis. In some embodiments, the roller has an internal motor that is disposed within the cylindrical body.

Actuators are mechanical or electro-mechanical devices that are commonly used to move or control an object or part of a machine. For example, linear actuators are actuators that create motion in a substantially straight line. Actuators receive energy such as an electric voltage, electric current, pneumatic pressure, or hydraulic pressure from an energy source, and convert the energy into mechanical motion.


A drive control method for an image pickup device is disclosed. The image pickup device includes two-dimensionally arranged light receiving elements to photoelectrically convert incoming light, vertical transfer paths to transfer charges, which have been generated through the photoelectric conversion by the light receiving elements, in the vertical direction, and a horizontal transfer path to transfer the charges, which have been transferred by the vertical transfer path, row by row in the horizontal direction. In the method, the charges, which have been horizontally transferred by the horizontal transfer path, are directed and outputted in more than one directions, and the directed charges are respectively transferred and are added by temporarily stopping the transfer of the charges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus provided with an image pickup device such as a CCD, and a drive control method for an image pickup device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a CCD (charge-coupled device) has widely been used as an image pickup device in imaging apparatuses such as digital still cameras. The CCD has light receiving elements such as photodiodes, each light receiving element stores a charge corresponding to an amount of received light, and the stored charges are read out through vertical transfer paths and a horizontal transfer path.
In the above-described type CCD, horizontal pixel addition has been achieved, for example, by temporarily stopping horizontal transfer to add adjacent pixels (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6 (1994)-078101), by providing a transfer path serving as a buffer between the vertical transfer paths and the horizontal transfer path (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,002,630), or by providing a line memory and gradually driving the horizontal transfer path during blanking periods of vertical transfer (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030169355 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-112119).
However, there is a problem in the conventional horizontal pixel addition schemes that only horizontally adjacent pixels can be added, and if the horizontally adjacent pixels have different colors, the colors are mixed. On the other hand, in CCDs that are designed to prevent mixing of colors, the number of added pixels in the horizontal direction and a positional relationship between added pixels are fixed, and there is little flexibility in outputted images. Further, such CCDs necessitate a complicated driving method to achieve the horizontal addition.

Image apparatus and drive control method for image pickup device with horizontal addition of pixel data


A method and apparatus for transmitting a user's intention using a captured image, the method including: if a signal for selecting an article category is received from a terminal, capturing articles belonging to the article category and transmitting the captured image of the articles to the terminal; receiving from the terminal tag information indicating user's intention generated based on the captured image; and mapping the received tag information to a predetermined position on the captured image and transmitting the captured image with the mapped tag information to the terminal.

1. Field
A method and apparatus relate to a user's intention transmission system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting user's intention using a captured image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, speed of the data networks in mobile communication terminals have increased as the mobile communication systems further develop. The increase of speed in the data networks including the wireless Internet speeds has caused an increased number of users to use an online shopping service or an online market shopping service via wireless Internet using various devices including the mobile communication terminals.
According to the online shopping service, when a purchaser accesses an online shopping mall via a web browser built into a mobile communication terminal, for example, and selects articles, an online seller transmits article information including a price, a size, and a status of the articles to the mobile communication terminal of the purchaser in a text format.
According to the online market shopping service, when a user terminal accesses an online market shopping mall via a user terminal and logs in, the user terminal is connected to a nearby delivery shop, and the delivery shop delivers articles selected by the user to the user.
However, in the online shopping service or the online market shopping service, it is impossible to check the actual articles in real-time and to represent a user intention.

Method and apparatus for transmitting user intention using captured image


In order to make it possible to also mount an original exhaust system (10) substantially leading away from the internal combustion engine (2) below the output axle (7) parallel to the extension thereof in a test rig for internal combustion engines (2), the driving engine or load generator (4) is mounted in a suspended manner at a certain vertical distance from the pedestal (1) on a support arrangement (6) mounted thereon, with the input axle (8) being substantially aligned with the output axle (7) of the internal combustion engine (2) that is to be tested, whereby the space from below the interference contour (9) of the driving engine or load generator (4) to the pedestal remains free for the passage of the exhaust system (10).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a test rig for internal combustion engines which includes a pedestal upon which is arranged the internal combustion engine that is to be tested, on the one hand, and at least one rotationally connected driving engine or load generator, on the other hand, that is arranged opposite to the former on the output side.
2. The Prior Art
Test rigs of the type referred to above allow via the presetting of certain engine speed and/or torque processes of the driving engine or load generator for the simulation of the influence and/or retroactive effect of the ambient operational conditions on the output of the combustion engine that is to be tested. This is of great advantage particularly, for example, during the development phase of a combustion engine when the vehicle that is to be powered by the engine, including all of the components of the power train, does not yet exist in reality because, via the already very highly dynamically controllable driving engine or load generators, it is nowadays possible to thereby achieve nevertheless advance simulations that are very close to the reality of the later actual conditions of use.
In the context of known test rigs of the type referred to above problems always arise with regard to the space that is available on the pedestal if the testing is to be done using the mounted original exhaust system, for example, in order to test a piston internal combustion engine with several serially arranged cylinders that is to be installed with the crankshaft in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, whereby it normally has an exhaust system that extends underneath the crankshaft axis essentially toward the back in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. More and more frequently, this is the desired option in order to test as closely to reality as possible. In this instance, the exhaust pipes and possibly also catalytic converters and mufflers come to lie in relation to the pedestal at the location where, normally, otherwise the driving engine or load generator is arranged on the pedestal. This is why for known apparatuses to date the driving engine or load generators for such test rigs are most of the time mounted on a support frame with an open bottom on the pedestal; this, however, requires the arrangement of a transmission, a belt drive, etc., that bridges the correspondingly emerging axial displacement between combustion engine output and/or driving engine or load generator.
Also known in the art are solutions that provide for the driving engine or load generator to be connected via a bevel gear system causing the driving engine or load generator to be arranged as perpendicular next to the internal combustion engine. Furthermore, also known in the art is the use of a correspondingly long connecting shaft (often the original cardan shaft) between internal combustion engine and driving engine or load generator. In all cases, additional inertias, elasticities, tooth play etc. result in negative effects, in particular during highly dynamic operation, as well as in additional service and installation complexities and, specifically for transmission solutions, elevated noise levels at the test rig.
The object of the present invention consists therefore in providing test rigs of the type outlined in the introduction, in particular, in such a way that they can easily be used also for testing internal combustion engines with mounted original exhaust systems that substantially lead away from the internal combustion engine beneath the input axle parallel to the extension thereof without the disadvantages that afflict the known solutions.

Test rig for internal combustion engines


A projection apparatus and a light condensing module are provided. The light condensing module condenses and deflects an incident beam. The light condensing module includes a curving incident surface, a curving outgoing surface and a reflection surface. The curving incident surface receives the incident beam. The curving outgoing surface is disposed on a transmission path of the incident beam from the curving incident surface. The reflection surface is disposed on the transmission path of the incident beam, and located between the curving incident surface and the curving outgoing surface. A ray of the incident beam propagates through the curving incident surface along the optical axis of the curving incident surface, and emits out from the curving outgoing surface along a direction inclined to the optical axis of the curving outgoing surface.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a display apparatus and an optical device. More particularly, the invention relates to a projection apparatus and a light condensing module.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, when a projection apparatus is projecting an image, a light valve would convert an illumination beam into an image beam and reflect the image beam to a projection lens. After then, the image beam is projected onto a screen by the projection lens to form the image.
To let the illumination beam emitted from a light emitting device be uniformly incident onto the light valve, before the illumination beam entering the light valve, several prisms are disposed in front of the light valve in the conventional manner to average the optical path lengths to the light valve for the illumination beam entering at different positions of the prisms. In addition, a gap is reserved between these prisms so as to generate an effect of total reflection and the image beam from the light valve can propagate along a specific direction and transmit through the prisms and then reach to the projection lens. In this manner, the conventional projection apparatus generally needs a larger volume to dispose the prisms. When the developing trend for the projection apparatus is to have smaller volume and even further to be adapted in a portable or hand-held electronic device, it is one of essential issues to be solved by the manufacturers about how to reduce the volume of the projection apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,920 has disclosed a compact projection apparatus, which includes a light source, a condensing lens, a color wheel, a light integrator rod, a total internal reflection (TIR) device with a lens surface, a light valve, and a projection lens, wherein the total internal reflection device with a lens surface includes a first prism and a second prism. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 7,483,216 has disclosed an optical module, in which one of the total internal reflection prisms has a curving surface. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,188 has also disclosed a projection apparatus.

Projection apparatus and light condensing module


An apparatus for validating a non-invasively obtained estimate of LVEDP includes a non-invasive system for non-invasively obtaining a first estimate of the LVEDP; an invasive system for invasively obtaining a second estimate of the LVEDP concurrent with the first estimate; and a processor for comparing the first and second estimates of the LVEDP.

In the diagnosis of many conditions, for example heart disease, it is useful to recognize perturbations in intravascular fluid volume. For example, an increase in intravascular volume may indicate decompensated heart failure. A decrease in intravascular volume can indicate dehydration. Both of these conditions are potentially dangerous. In some cases, these conditions are life-threatening.
An important parameter for the recognition and quantification of such perturbations is the left-ventricular filling pressure. This pressure is best quantified by measurement of left-ventricular end-diastolic pressure, "LVEDP."
A particularly accurate way to measure the LVEDP is to catheterize the left ventricle of the heart. This provides a direct measurement of the LVEDP. Because of its accuracy, this method is often said to provide the "gold standard" for LVEDP measurement.
However, catheterizing the left ventricle is highly invasive and dangerous, with complications that include stroke and death. Consequently, it is undesirable as a routine diagnostic test. Because of the danger inherent in catheterizing the left ventricle, a direct measurement of LVEDP is generally available only when a catheter has been placed in a patient's aorta for some other reason, for example during diagnostic coronary angiography to document the presence and severity of coronary artery disease. In this setting, LVEDP is measured by moving the coronary angiography catheter tip below the coronary artery and across the aortic valve so that the tip of the catheter is in the patient's left ventricle. Once the catheter tip is in the left ventricle, LVEDP can be measured directly.
A more common approach is to indirectly measure LVEDP. This is done by passing a pulmonary-artery catheter through the right ventricle of the heart and into the lungs, where it is positioned to measure the pressure in the capillary bed of the lungs. This pressure, which is referred to as the "pulmonary capillary wedge pressure" (PCWP), provides a clinically useful estimate of the filling pressure of the left ventricle of the heart. While the insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter comes with its own set of complications, it is much less dangerous than catheterizing the left ventricle of the heart.


In a manifold apparatus having a plurality of functions including a printer function, facsimile function and copier function, facsimile data from a host computer are transferred to a system controller via a printer controller. Information on the destinations for facsimile communication are registered at an image memory. The system controller searches the image memory on the basis of destination data contained in the facsimile data, thereby determining whether the destination has a G3 function or a G4 function. If the destination has a G3 function, the system controller transforms the facsimile data to image data and transmits the image data via a facsimile controller. If a G4 function is available at the destination, the system controller transmits the facsimile data, or code data, without transforming them.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manifold apparatus having a plurality of functions including a printer function, facsimile function, and copier function.
2. Discussion of the Background
While G3 facsimile apparatuses using subscriber lines have heretofore been predominant, there is an increasing demand for G4 facsimile apparatuses available with an integrated services digital network (ISDN). ISDN is expected to promote high speed, low cost, and error free facsimile communication. For example, when a facsimile apparatus at a desired destination has only a G3 function, only images can be transmitted to the apparatus. In contrast, not only images but also texts can be transmitted if the other apparatus at the destination has a G4 function. It is a common practice to transmit only images without determining the function particular to the other apparatus. Hence, even if the other facsimile apparatus has a G4 function, it is impossible to reduce the communication time and cost by text transmission.
A manifold apparatus having a plurality of functions, including a printer function, facsimile function and copier function, is a recent achievement which further enhances the user's convenience. However, conventional manifold apparatuses have various problems left unsolved, as follows.
(1) Although image data to be transmitted can be transferred from the printer function to the facsimile function, all of them are transmitted at a time as a single document, i.e., it is impossible to transmit only the desired pages of a document. Hence, it is impossible to transmit only desired pages without printing such pages, causing a scanner to read them, and transmitting them by use of the facsimile function only, or without retransmitting the whole document.
(2) The printing function and the facsimile transmitting function are independent of each other and, therefore, prevent the apparatus from printing only desired pages while performing facsimile transmission. Specifically, when a person desires to send part of a document by facsimile and print another part of he document, the person must send the whole document by facsimile, print all the pages of the document, and then pick up desired pages out of the resulting printings. This wastes time, communication cost, and papers. This is also true when part of a document should be printed while being sent by facsimile at the same time.
(3) Because the facsimile transmitting function is independent of a host computer, the result of facsimile transmission cannot be confirmed without using the facsimile function. Specifically, a person operating a host computer is required to examine the result of transmission by manipulating the apparatus or to check a report printed by the facsimile function. Moreover, because the actual transmission time is not definite, the operator occupies the apparatus for confirmation repeatedly, obstructing the efficient use of the apparatus.
(4) The facsimile receiving function is also independent of a host computer. Hence, the operator of a host computer cannot see the result of facsimile reception without using the facsimile function, resulting in a problem similar to the above problem (3).
(5) When the facsimile function is accessed by a computer, the transmission of given document data and the print-out of the data for storage are implemented as independent functions. Hence, facsimile transmission and printing are not practicable unless the respective functions are designated.
(6) Received facsimile data are automatically deleted as soon as they are printed out on a paper, and therefore they cannot be used later.
(7) While the printer function can perform overlay alone, it cannot perform it in combination with the facsimile function.
(8) Received facsimile data are printed out without exception and must be printed out to see the result of reception. The apparatus, therefore, wastes paper, i.e., limited natural resources, and is apt to run out of paper when they are necessary. In addition, the apparatus increases the user's expenses.
(9) After data to be sent by facsimile have been transferred from a host computer to the apparatus, they cannot be cancelled or deleted except on the facsimile body.
(10) Generally, the actual top-and-bottom orientation of received facsimile data cannot be known. To confirm such an orientation, the operator must again get into communication with the person who sent the data.
(11) It is generally impossible for a person transmitting facsimile data to freely designate an orientation in which they should be output at a receiving station. Therefore, the data are output at the receiving station simply in the orientation and order in which they were sent to a scanner at the transmitting station.
(12) It has been customary to provide a facsimile apparatus and a printer with a millimeter-based resolution and an inch-based resolution, respectively. Hence, inch-to-millimeter conversion must be effected at an adequate stage in the event of transmitting a print output image by facsimile.
(13) Assume that the receiving station, receiving facsimile data, lacks a paper of the same width as or greater width than the document at the transmitting station. Then, the received image is output in a reduced scale and, therefore, apt to suffer from deterioration. Further, assume that when print codes are received, the resulting image is printed on a paper of a size smaller than the size expected at the transmitting station. Then, the image on the paper will be a disturbed image.
(14) The image process command of print code data has non-compressed image data. Hence, should the image process command of the printer and the image data are directly converted to facsimile data and transmitted, the facsimile data would be extremely great in amount.
(15) Generally, when a plurality of documents are sequentially sent by facsimile, the resolution is maintained constant. However, the first document to be sent by facsimile is often a cover page which does not need a high resolution.
(16) A manifold apparatus having a printer function and a facsimile function is available today, but it lacks a function which implements the combined use of a printer and a facsimile function, e.g., converts data delivered from a host computer to a printer to facsimile data and transmits the facsimile data.
(17) As to a manifold apparatus having a facsimile function, the user is required to effect various kinds of settings, including the registration of a telephone directory, by walking up to the apparatus.
(18) A conventional manifold apparatus having a facsimile function lacks a function of converting printer data and transmitting the converted data by facsimile.
(19) A conventional manifold apparatus having a facsimile function cannot inform a printer controller of the condition of the facsimile function.
(20) A conventional manifold apparatus having a facsimile function lacks a function of reporting the result of communication and other information to a host computer. This prevents the operator of the host from knowing the result of communication while communication is under way.
(21) A conventional manifold apparatus having a facsimile function lacks a function of providing a host computer with information on the other party every time facsimile communication occurs.
(22) The data transfer from a host computer to a manifold apparatus is limited to print data matching a printer, because the printer function and the facsimile function are independent of each other, as stated earlier. Hence, the apparatus and the host computer should only be connected by an interface of the kind dealing only with print data. However, if the facsimile function is capable of transmitting and receiving print data, remote control from the host computer is desirable.
(23) Data sent by the facsimile function are deleted as soon as they are printed out on a paper, as stated earlier. Therefore, documents received by facsimile cannot be managed as data files.
(24) The data transfer from a host computer connected to a manifold apparatus is limited to print data matching a printer, because the printer function and the facsimile function are independent of each other.
(25) The printer function and the facsimile function independent of each other require the user to operate the facsimile function on the operation panel of the manifold apparatus.
(26) Assume that two or more host computers are connected to the manifold apparatus, and that the printer function is occupied by a certain job. Then, another job cannot be executed by the printer function without waiting until the job under way ends.

Manifold apparatus with bidirectional interface for connection to a host computer


The present invention provides a CCD image sensor capable of suppressing the anomalous increase of the quantity of electric charges to be dealt with by sensor elements when a large quantity of light falls thereon without reducing the quantity of electric charges to be dealt with by vertical transfer registers and without increasing the amplitude of a pulse to be applied to the substrate when an electronic shutter operation is performed. The CCD image sensor is provided with sensor elements (1) of a HAD construction each having a hole accumulating layer (13) and arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, and heavily doped HCS regions (19) of the same type of conduction as that of the hole accumulating layers (13), formed in areas between the adjacent sensor elements of each vertical row to secure passages having a sufficient capacity for holes produced by photoelectric conversion so that the resistance against the hole current is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a solid-state image sensor and, more particularly, to the structure of the sensor elements of a hole accumulation diode construction (HAD construction) of a charge coupled device image sensor (CCD image sensor).
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 3 shows the structure of a CCD image sensor of an interline transfer system. Referring to FIG. 3, the CCD image sensor has an image sensing unit 3 comprising a plurality of sensor elements 1 arranged in vertical and horizontal rows in a two-dimensional arrangement to accumulate electric signal charges corresponding to the quantity of incident light, and a plurality of vertical shift registers (vertical transfer units) 2 each connected to the sensor elements 1 in each vertical row to transfer electric signal charges read from the sensor elements 1 of the corresponding vertical row.
The electric signal charges produced by the sensor elements 1 through photoelectric conversion are read instantaneously in a vertical blanking interval by the vertical shift register. The electric signal charges corresponding to one scanning line among those read by the vertical shift register 2 are transferred to a horizontal shift register 4 in each horizontal blanking interval. The electric signal charges corresponding to one scanning line are transferred sequentially in a horizontal direction by the horizontal shift register 4. An output circuit 5, such as a floating diffusion amplifier (FDA) or the like, is connected to the output end of the horizontal shift register 4. The output circuit 5 detects the electric signal charges obtained by the sensor elements 1 through photoelectric conversion and transferred by the vertical shift registers 2 and the horizontal shift register 4, and converts the electric signal charges into corresponding electric signals and provides television signals.
As shown in FIG. 4, holes produced in the sensor element 1 by the light received by the sensor element 1 are discharged through a channel stop region 6 to the ground (GND) of the CCD image sensor. Since a p-type region serving as the channel stop region 6 has a low impurity concentration and a small width, the resistance against the the hole current is relatively high. Accordingly, when a large quantity of light falls on the sensor element 1, the surface potential of the sensor element 1 varies and the operating characteristics of the sensor element 1 change because the potential of the channel stop region 6 is caused to change by the hole current. Consequently, an extraordinarily large quantity of electric charges is accumulated in the sensor element 1, causing electric signal charges to overflow the vertical shift register 2 (vertical CCD).
A prior art CCD image sensor is provided with sensor elements 1 having channel stop regions 6 formed in a high impurity concentration to reduce the resistance against the hole current produced through photoelectric conversion. As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), a p.sup.+ -type channel stop region 7 having a high impurity concentration higher than that of the channel stop region 6 is formed in the inner portion of the channel stop region 6 to reduce the resistance against the hole current. However, when the CCD image sensor is subjected to heat treatment in a semiconductor device fabricating process, the anomalous diffusion of the impurity contained in the p.sup.+ -type channel stop region 7 occurs to spoil the vertical shift register 2 (vertical CCD). Consequently, the effective width of the vertical shift register 2 is reduced and the quantity of electric charges to be dealt with by the vertical shift register 2 is reduced.
The sensor elements 1 are spoiled likewise by the anomalous diffusion of the impurity contained in the p.sup.+ -type channel stop region 7. Consequently, when an electronic shutter operation is performed to discharge the electric signal charges accumulated in the sensor elements 1 into the semiconductor substrate, capacitive coupling is produced to increase the capacitance of the channel stop region 6. Therefore, the overflow barrier will not readily collapse even if the amplitude of a voltage pulse applied to the semiconductor substrate is increased and hence a voltage pulse having a still larger amplitude must be applied to the semiconductor substrate.


According to one aspect, a magnetic resonance (NMR or MRI) phantom includes a spherical or quasi-spherical casing enclosing an internal chamber, and an internal phantom structure situated within the internal chamber. The casing includes alignment features allowing the sequential alignment/orientation of the phantom along three orthogonal axes. In some embodiments, the casing is shaped as a quasi-spherical intercyl having an outer surface defined by the intersection of three orthogonal cylinders. In some embodiments, the casing may be shaped as a sphere having orthogonal registration holes or channels sized to accommodate a corresponding protrusion or ridge in a phantom holder; the casing may also include protrusions or ridges sized to fit into a matching hole or channel defined in a holder. One or more internal phantom plates may include air bubble transfer apertures allowing air bubbles to flow between opposite sides of a plate as a liquid-filled phantom is rotated.

Magnetic resonance phantoms are relatively-complex structures used to evaluate and/or calibrate magnetic resonance (MR) devices such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices. During a calibration/evaluation process, a phantom is inserted into a cylindrical measurement space within a MR device in order to perform a number of calibration and/or evaluation steps such as performing a gradient calibration, and/or measuring device resolution, gradient distortion/linearity, and slice gap and thickness.
In a common configuration, a MR phantom includes a cylindrical casing enclosing a fluid-filled chamber containing a number of phantom spatial features. For examples of MR phantoms having cylindrical casings see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,036,280, 5,888,555, 4,777,442, 4,719,406, 4,692,704, 4,618,826, and 4,613,819.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,276, Sierocuk et al. describe an NMR phantom including three mutually-orthogonal test plates, each configured to enable testing NMR scanner performance in each of the planes containing the plates. The plates are arranged to be simultaneously positionable at the isocenter of the NMR scanner to permit testing NMR scanner performance in each plane without repositioning the phantom.

Magnetic resonance phantom systems and methods


An electrophoretic display device includes a spacer layer sandwiched between two conductive film substrates, the spacer layer defining a multiplicity of individual reservoirs within the display device which are filled with a display liquid. The spacer layer preferably is one of (a) a screen in which holes within the screen define the individual reservoirs, (b) a laser punched spacer layer comprised of a sheet having holes laser punched therein in which the laser punched holes define the individual reservoirs, (c) a pocket spacer layer comprised of sheets joined together and containing a pattern of pockets within the sheets in which the pockets define the individual reservoirs, (d) an etched photoresist layer formed upon one of the conductive film substrates in which holes etched in the photoresist layer define the individual reservoirs, and (e) a composite etched layer comprised of a composite of two photoresist layers sandwiching a conductive film in which holes etched in the composite define the individual reservoirs. The device can display both monochrome and color images.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to spacer layers for an electrophoretic display device, and methods for making such spacer layer.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrophoretic displays, also more commonly referred to as electronic paper, are well known in the art. An electrophoretic display generally comprises a suspension of charged pigment particles colloidally dispersed in a liquid of matching specific gravity contained in a cell comprising two parallel and transparent conducting electrode panels. The charged particles are transported between the electrode panels under the influence of an electric field, and can therefore be made to display an image through appropriate application of the electric field on the electrodes. The advantages of electrophoretic displays as a means for providing information has been well appreciated in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,596, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, illustrates a typical electrophoretic display structure. The electrophoretic display device comprises a pair of electrodes associated so as to form a cavity therebetween, which cavity is filled with an electrophoretic suspension layer comprising a colored suspending medium containing colloidal sized particles in an electrically insulating liquid and finely divided electrophoretic particles suspended in the suspending medium. A source of electrical potential is coupled to the electrodes and with an electric field applied, the marking particles form an image as they follow the field. See especially FIG. 1 therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,106, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes an electrophoretic display and/or recording device in which an electrophoretic suspension layer including a dispersion of at least one electrophoretic material in a finely divided powder form suspended in a suspending medium is interposed between a pair of electrodes. An electric field is imposed across the electrophoretic suspension layer to change the optical reflective property of the suspension layer by changing the spatial distribution of the electrophoretic material in the suspending medium electrophoretically.
One of the major issues still needing to be addressed in the field of electrophoretic displays is resolution of the images displayed. The present invention improves upon the resolution achievable with an electrophoretic display through design of a spacer layer used to form the individual cells of the display device.

Spacer layer for electrophoretic display device


Conductive nonwoven webs are disclosed. The nonwoven webs contain pulp fibers combined with conductive fibers. In one embodiment, the webs are made in a wetlaid tissue making process.

Absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, incontinence products, feminine hygiene products, swim undergarments, and the like conventionally include a liquid permeable body-side liner, a liquid impermeable outer cover, and an absorbent core. The absorbent core is typically located in between the outer cover and the liner for taking in and retaining liquids (e.g., urine) exuded by the wearer.
The absorbent core can be made of, for instance, superabsorbent particles. Many absorbent articles, especially those sold under the tradename HUGGIES™ by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, are so efficient at absorbing liquids that it is sometimes difficult to tell whether or not the absorbent article has been insulted with a body fluid.
Accordingly, various types of moisture or wetness indicators have been suggested for use in absorbent articles. The wetness indicators may include alarm devices that are designed to assist parents or attendants identify a wet diaper condition early on. The devices can produce an audible signal.
In the past, for instance, wetness indicators have included an open circuit incorporated into the absorbent article that is attached to a power supply and an alarm device. When a conductive substance, such as urine, is detected in the absorbent article, the open circuit becomes closed causing the alarm device to activate. The open circuit may comprise, for instance, two conductive elements that may be made from a metal wire or foil.
Problems have been experienced, however, in efficiently and reliability incorporating wetness indicators into absorbent articles at the process speeds at which absorbent articles are produced. Thus, a need exists for improved wetness sensors that can be easily incorporated into absorbent articles.
In addition, a need also exists for conductive elements for use in a wetness indicator that are made from non-metallic materials. Incorporating metallic components into an absorbent article, for instance, may cause various problems. For instance, once the absorbent articles are packaged, the absorbent articles are typically exposed to a metal detector to ensure that no metallic contaminants have accidentally been included in the package. Making the conductive elements of a wetness indicator from a metal, however, may cause a metal detector to indicate a false positive. The incorporation of metal conductive elements into an absorbent article may also cause problems when the wearer is attempting to pass through a security gate that also includes a metal detector.


A portable video camera and recording apparatus is comprised of a video camera section and a recording section. The video camera section is comprised of a CCD, analogue-to-digital converters for converting signals from the CCD into digital form. The digital signals are then processed, converted into analogue form, processed in analog form, and then output as the composite video signal. A digital luminance signal and either a digital composite color signal or a plurality of digital color difference signals are received as inputs into the recording section. If the digital composite color signal is received, then the signals are time-base-compressed, converted into analogue form, the composite color signal is frequency converted and filtered and the luminance signal is frequency modulated and filtered. Next, the signals are added together and recorded onto a recording medium. If the digital color difference signals are received, the digital color difference signals are multiplexed together, converted into analogue form, frequency modulated, filtered and then recorded onto one track on the recording medium. The digital luminance signal is time-base-compressed, converted into analogue form, frequency modulated, filtered, and then recorded onto a second track on the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to video tape recorders and, more particularly, is directed to a video tape recorder having a built-in type camera in which a video camera section and a recording section are integrally formed as one body on the same chassis completely and mechanically.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional video tape recorder having a built-in type camera, a video camera section and a recording section are integrally formed as one body on the same chassis, and its signal processing system processes a signal in the form of an analogue signal. Although the signal processing system can process the signal in the form of a digital signal, a so-called digital video tape recorder in which an input signal is recorded on and/or reproduced from a record medium such as a magnetic tape or the like in the form of the digital signal becomes large in size. Therefore, such digital video tape recorder is not suitable for portable use unlike the video tape recorder having a built-in type camera which is usually carried by the cameraman.
For this reason, a video tape recorder having a built-in type camera is proposed, which is formed by the combination of a camera section in which, for example, a signal processing is performed in a digital fashion and a video tape recorder section in which a signal is processed in an analogue fashion and a signal is recorded and/or reproduced in an analogue fashion.
This previously-proposed video tape recorder having a built-in type camera will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
It will be seen in FIG. 1 that an image pickup section, i.e., a camera section 1 is comprised of an image pickup element and a signal processing section while a recording section, i.e., a video tape recorder section is provided, which is generally represented by reference numeral 2. The camera section 1 and the video tape recorder section 2 are integrally formed as one body by some suitable mechanical coupling means, though not shown, to form a video tape recorder having a built-in type camera. Alternatively, a video tape recorder having a built-in type camera might be such that a camera section and a video tape recorder section are perfectly formed within the same chassis.
An image of an object 3 is focused on an image pickup element such as a charge coupled device (CCD) 5 or the like via a lens 4. The CCD 5 is formed as a single plate type in which, for example, R (red), G (green) and B (blue) optical filters, though not shown, are arranged on its front in a checkered pattern. The CCD 5 is scanned by a drive signal from a CCD driver circuit 6 which is supplied with a reference frequency from a reference signal generator 7. The CCD 5 derives the three primary color signals R, G and B. These R, G and B signals generated from the CCD 5 are all in the form of analogue signals and are respectively supplied through R, G and B amplifiers 8R, 8G and 8B to analogue-to-digital (A/D) converters 9R, 9G and 9B, thereby converted to digital signals.
The R, G and B data thus converted to digital signals are supplied to a digital processor circuit 10, in which they undergo digital processings, such as, gamma correction, white clip processing, matrix processing and the like, thus the R, G and B data are converted to a digital component luminance signal Y.sub.D and digital color difference signals (R-Y).sub.D and (B-Y).sub.D. The digital luminance signal Y.sub.D is directly supplied to an adder 12, while the digital color difference signals (R-Y).sub.D and (B-Y).sub.D are supplied to a digital encoder 11, in which they are encoded to a digital chroma signal CD similar to I and Q signals and are interpolated in bit synchronization with the digital luminance signal Y.sub.D. The resultant signal is supplied to the adder 12. The adder 12 is supplied with a vertical synchronizing (sync.) signal and a burst signal from a digital synchronizing signal generator 14 to which the reference signal is supplied from the generator 7 and generates a digital composite signal (composite video signal) CS.sub.D. A sampling clock generator 13 which is supplied with the reference signal from the generator 7 is adapted to generate a sampling clock fc=4 fsc which is used to obtain a subcarrier (referred to hereinafter as fsc). The digital composite signal CS.sub.D from the adder 12 is supplied to a digital-to-analogue (D/A) converter 15 and is thereby converted to an analogue composite signal in response to a clock 2 fsc supplied thereto from a terminal T.sub.3.
While the digital luminance signal Y.sub.D and the digital chroma signal C.sub.D from the digital encoder 11 are digitally added together by the adder 12 as described above, such a variant is also possible that these data are converted to analogue signals by a digital-to-analogue converter and are then added by an adding circuit in an analogue fashion, though not shown.
The analogue composite signal from the digital-to-analogue converter 15 is fed through a video output circuit 16 to an output terminal T.sub.1 as, for example, an NTSC analogue composite signal. It is needless to say that the analogue composite signal may be a PAL or SECAM analogue composite signal.
The camera section 1 is provided with a terminal T.sub.2, and the terminal T.sub.2 is supplied with an analogue composite signal CS from the video output circuit 16.
The video tape recorder section 2 and the camera section 1 are integrally formed as one body as earlier noted and the video tape recorder section 2 will be described next.
As FIG. 1 shows, the analogue composite signal CS from the terminal T.sub.2 of the camera section 1 is supplied to a Y/C separating circuit 17 of the video tape recorder section 2, in which it is separated to provide an analogue luminance signal Y and an analogue chroma signal C. The analogue luminance signal Y is supplied to an FM (frequency modulation)-modulator 18, in which it is FM-modulated and fed through a high-pass filter (HPF) 19 to an adding circuit 20. The analogue chroma signal C from the Y/C separating circuit 17 is supplied to a frequency converting circuit 24. The frequency converting circuit 24 is supplied with a local oscillation output of, for example, 4.268 MHz from an oscillator 25 and converts the analogue chroma signal C of 3.58 MHz into the analogue chroma signal C of low frequency,, i.e., 688 kHz. The thus frequency-converted low frequency analogue chroma signal C is supplied through a low-pass filter (LPF) 26 to the adding circuit 20, in which it is frequency-multiplexed with the analogue luminance signal Y. The resultant signal from the adding circuit 20 is supplied through a recording amplifier 21 to a rotary head 22, thereby recorded on a recording tape 23 as an analogue video signal.
An arrangement of the rotary head 22 is illustrated in FIG. 2A, and as shown in FIG. 2A, the recording tape 23 is obliquely wrapped around a tape guide drum 27 in a tape wrapping angle of about 300 degrees in an ohm-shape via a pair of tape guide members 28a and 28bin order to miniaturize the rotary head 22 or the video tape recorder section 1. This rotary head 22 is rotated at a field frequency to horizontally scan the tape 23 at a frequency higher than a normal horizontal scanning frequency.. thereby recording an output signal of the video camera on tracks 29 of the tape 23 as shown in FIG. 2B.
Incidentally, according to the most popular arrangement of the aforementioned rotary head 22, the tape 23 is wrapped around a tape guide drum in an angular extent slightly larger than 180 degrees and a pair of rotary heads 22, mounted on the tape guide drum with an angular distance of 180 degrees, are rotated at a frame frequency, whereby the two rotary heads 22 are alternately brought in contact with the tape that is transported at a predetermined speed. This type of rotary head is utilized in a portable type video tape recorder which is separately provided from a camera section and it is very difficult to use this type of rotary head in the video tape recorder having a built-in type camera because a tape guide drum and a tape loading mechanism cannot be made light in weight and small in size.
Further, FIG. 3 shows a professional video tape recorder (e.g., Beta Cam, MII, et cetera) which is proposed as an alternative of the arrangement of the video tape recorder section 2. In FIG. 3, like parts corresponding to those of FIG. 1 are marked with the same references and therefore need not be described in detail.
In FIG. 3, it will be seen that the analogue composite signal CS from the terminal T.sub.2 of the camera section 1 is separated to provide the analogue luminance signal Y and the analogue chroma signal by the Y/C separating circuit 17 in the video tape recorder section 2. This analogue luminance signal Y is independently recorded on Y signal recording tracks of the tape 23 by a Y signal recording head 22. To this end, the analogue luminance signal Y is FM-modulated by the FM-modulator 18 and is supplied through the high-pass filter 19 and the recording amplifier 21 to the Y signal recording head 22, thereby being recorded on the Y signal recording tracks of the tape 23 by the Y signal recording head 22. This arrangement can solve the aforementioned problems, such as, low band of luminance signal and cross modulation which are encountered with the low band converted recording system shown in FIG. 1. Red and blue color difference signals R-Y and B-Y involved in the analogue chroma signal are supplied to a 1/2 time base compressor 30. This 1/2 time base compressor 30 is of an analogue type and compresses the red and blue color difference signals R-Y and B-Y by 1/2 under the control of a control circuit 30. Further, according to the 1/2 time base compressor 31, the analogue color difference signals R-Y and B-Y are alternately arranged in that order and the thus time-base-compressed color difference signals are FM-modulated by an FM-modulator 32. In that case, the time-base-compressed color difference signals are supplied through a low-pass filter 33 and a time-base-compressed color difference signal recording amplifier 34 to a time-base-compressed color difference signal recording head 35, thereby being recorded on a time-base-compressed color difference signal recording track adjacent to the luminance signal recording track.
An arrangement of the analogue time base compressor 30 is represented in FIG. 4.
As shown in FIG. 4, the time base compressor 30 is comprised of a delay section 30a formed of four delay elements 30c, 30d, 30e and 30f and a switch section 30b formed of three switches 30g, 30h and 30i. A delay time of each of the delay elements 30c, 30d, 30e and 30f is selected to be 1 H (H is the horizontal scanning period). The first and third delay elements 30c and 30e are supplied with the analogue color difference signal R-Y through a terminal T.sub.9, and the second and fourth delay elements 30d and 30f are supplied with the analogue color difference signal B-Y through a terminal T.sub.10. The switch section 30b is provided at the rear stage of these delay elements 30c to 30f in order that the color difference signals R-Y and B-Y are selected and alternately arranged in the sequential order. In this example, the switch section 30b is formed of the first switch 30g which selects the outputs of the first and second delay elements 30c and 30d, the second switch 30h which selects the outputs of the third and fourth delay elements 30e and 30f and the third switch 30i which further selects these selected outputs. The delay section 30a and the switch section 30b are controlled by the control circuit 31 which is supplied with read and write clocks from a reference clock generator 29.
In the above-described analogue 1/2 time base compressor 30, the delay elements which are placed in the write mode at every line are selected such that the first and second delay elements 30c and 30d are utilized in the case that the odd line is in the write mode and that the third and fourth delay elements 30e and 30f are utilized in the case that the even line is in the write mode. During the period in which the third and fourth delay elements 30e and 30f are set in the write mode, the first and second delay elements 30c and 30d are set in the read mode. At this time, the frequency of the read clock becomes twice the frequency of the write clock by the control circuit 31 so that the input analogue color difference signals R-Y and B-Y are time-base-compressed by 1/2. The first switch 30g is switched in position such that the first half 0.5 H of one line is assigned to the read mode of the first delay element 30c and the second half 0.5 H of one line is assigned to the read mode of the delay element 30d in order to prevent the read modes of the first and second delay elements 30c and 30d from overlapping each other. With respect to the third and fourth delay elements 30e and 30f, the second switch 30h is switched so as to prevent the read modes from overlapping each other similarly as described above. Thus, when the third switch 30i is switched as shown by a broken line in FIG. 4, the reading operation in the odd line is performed and analogue color difference signals with time base compressed by 1/2 are obtained. When the switch 30i is switched as shown by a solid line in FIG. 4, analogue color difference signals with time base compressed by 1/2 are obtained in the even line.
The compressed color difference signals with the time bases thus compressed by 1/2 are alternately arranged in the sequential order and fed through the FM modulator 32 to the color difference signal recording head 35.
According to the video tape recorder having a built-in type camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the diameter of the tape guide drum 27 can be decreased by the amount corresponding to the increase of the tape wrapping angle of the tape 23 around the tape guide drum 27 (e.g., 180/300 if the tape wrapping angle is 300 degrees). According to this system, the video signal of duration in which the rotary head 22 is rotated by 360 degrees must be time-base-compressed by the time-base-compressing ratio corresponding to 300 degrees in which the rotary head 22 is brought in contact with the tape 23. To this end, the scanning speed of the CCD 5 must be increased. More specifically, since the scanning speed of the CCD 5 must be increased under the control of the CCD driver circuit 6 thereby to time-base-compress the video signal of one field to 5/6, this signal does not become the standard NTSC composite signal. There is then the substantial disadvantage that, even when this signal is supplied to a color monitor receiver as it is, the synchronization is disabled.
Further, in the conventional video tape recorders having a built-in-type camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the analogue composite video signal CS of the camera section 1 is supplied to the video tape recorder section 2 as the input signal. This analogue composite video signal CS is frequently utilized by many video tape recorders such as a home video tape recorder and the like so that, when a signal is transmitted from the camera section 1 to the video tape recorder section 2 as the composite signal CS, the video tape recorder section 2 side needs the Y/C separating circuit 17. When such Y/C separating circuit 17 is utilized, if the luminance signal Y and the chroma signal C are not separated positively, a so-called cross color in which the chroma signal C is mixed into the luminance signal Y occurs. Conversely, the luminance signal Y is mixed into the chroma signal C so that a dot interference occurs in the picture at its portion in which the picture is changed rapidly.
Further, in the video tape recorder in which, as shown in FIG. 3, the luminance signal Y is FM-modulated and recorded on one track and the color difference signals are time-base-compressed by 1/2 for the luminance signal, FM-modulated and then recorded on the different recording track so that a video image of high quality can be obtained, the color difference signals R-Y and B-Y are time-base-compressed by 1/2 for the luminance signal Y, which requires the analogue 1/2 time-base-compressor 30 and the control circuit 31 which controls the analogue 1/2 time-base-compressor 30. Also, the arrangement of the 1/2 time-base-compressor 30 and the control circuit 31 needs the reference clock generator 29 or the like and needs a complicated IC circuit.
Furthermore, it is proposed that such time-base-compressor is formed of a digital memory or the like. In that case, such proposal requires an analogue-to-digital converter for converting a composite signal into a digital signal in the video tape recorder section 2, which provides a large and expensive apparatus. There is then the substantial disadvantage that the conventional video tape recorder having a built-in type camera unavoidably needs a large power source in spite of the requirements in which this type of apparatus should be miniaturized and driven by a battery power source.

Portable video camera and recording apparatus


A solar heating and evaporation plant is described which can be used to either produce distilled potable water from salty water or to heat water for industrial or domestic purposes. The plant includes a plurality of substantially equally spaced solar stills mounted on a black colored solid metallic heat conducting plate, each said solar still including: (a) a vertical, cylindrical container having a diameter of about 2 to 4 feet for holding a body of salty water in which the salty water has an exposed upper surface, said container having thin side walls with the inside and outside faces thereof being colored black; (b) a floating cover layer on said body of salty water including a black colored floating perforate plate or black colored floated particles; (c) an annular trough surrounding the top periphery of said cylindrical container, said trough for holding a transparent cover for the container and to collect condensed water; and (d) a transparent plastic cover including a lower vertical cylindrical portion which merges into a semi-spherical top portion, the transparent cover having a height greater than its diameter and for condensing water vapor and causing the condensed water to flow down the vertical cylindrical portion for collection in the annular trough.

This invention relates to solar heating and evaporation plants and, more particularly, to such plant comprised of a plurality of relatively small solar stills or heaters.
The art of producing drinking water from salt water by means of solar distillation is well known, particularly in arid, coastal regions. Many designs of solar stills are known which use conventional materials such as wood, metal, concrete, plastic, glass, etc. Typically, a material transparent to solar radiation is supported over a pool of salt or brackish water in such a manner as to allow the radiant energy to heat and vaporize the water. The vapor thus produced then condenses and the condensate coalesces into a body of distilled potable water.
Since the solar energy used to provide the heat of vaporization of the impure water is free, the economy and productivity of a solar still is tied primarily to the cost of construction and material.
As examples of prior solar heating systems, there may be mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,213,894, issued Sep. 3, 1940, which shows a solar water heater having a transparent dome-shaped top. This is used to heat a coil mounted within the dome.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,351, issued Nov. 21, 1995, shows a system with a tapered glass or plastic roof mounted over a liquid reservoir and associated with a liquid recovery member. The transparent roof has on its inner surface a saponified cellulose-based film.
Another solar evaporator is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,282,327, issued Nov. 1, 1966, having an inclined glass roof and collection troughs for potable water. The surface of the impure water has particles of plastic material floating on the surface which serve to increase the evaporation rate of the water being heated by solar radiant energy.
Yet another solar distillation system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,474, issued Apr. 2, 1974. This includes a rectangular container for salt water and a transparent plastic inclined roof portion sitting over the body of salt water. Potable water is collected in troughs around the perimeter of the roof section. Cellular glass nodules float on the surface of the salt water to enhance the evaporation efficiency.
It is the object of the present invention to provide further improvements to the general efficiency of solar heating and evaporation systems.


An apparatus for controlling a heat source of a hot water system includes a power circuit for selectively providing power to the heat source, the power circuit having an ON state wherein power is provided to the heat source and an OFF state wherein power is not provided to the heat source; a sensor for sensing water temperature of water in the hot water system and for operating the power circuit in the ON state when the water temperature is below a set desired temperature; and elements, operatively associated with the power circuit for modulating the power circuit whereby overshoot of the water temperature above the set desired temperature is inhibited.

The invention relates to a solid state thermostat and control apparatus, especially for hot water heaters and water heating systems.
Conventional temperature controls for water heaters have been utilized for controlling the heating of water in residential and commercial heaters utilized for heating water and storing the heated water in both commercial and residential sites. Conventional controls typically use electromechanical devices which, although functional, are subject to mechanical failure.
A further limitation on conventional water heater systems is the tendency to overheat water to a temperature beyond the desired temperature, thereby entailing the use of additional energy.
In accordance with the foregoing, it is clear that the need remains for a water heater thermostat and controller which addresses the foregoing disadvantages.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling the heating of a hot water system to avoid over heating water to a temperature above the desired temperature.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling a water heater system which avoids the mechanical failure problems commonly associated with electromechanical devices.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus which can be used to remotely turn off the heating element of a hot water heater when hot water is not needed.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a controller for a hot water system which includes safety features responsive to overheating and temperature detector failure.
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinbelow.


A sensor for measuring yaw rate or roll rate of an automotive vehicle comprises a freely rotating inertial disk and an angular rate sensor responsive to the rotation of the inertial disk relative to a housing. In one embodiment the inertial disk presents an alternating magnetic field at its circumference. The rate and direction of rotation of the inertial disk relative to its housing is determined by three magnetic field sensors such as linear Hall Effect sensors responsive to the field presented by the inertial disk. In another embodiment electronic cameras measure movement of fiducial marks on the inertial disk. Air surrounds the inertial disk and air viscosity gradually brings rotation to a stop. For yaw rate measurement the disk axis is oriented vertically and the inertial disk is supported in the radial direction by low friction bearings such as ball bearings or magnetic bearings and in the axial direction by substantially frictionless bearings such as magnetic bearings. In certain embodiments two magnetic poles operate as both axial and radial bearings. For the purpose of sensing incipient or actual vehicle rollover, the axis of the inertial disk is oriented in the direction of the roll axis of the vehicle. The angle of a recent rotation and rate of rotation of the inertial disk relative to the housing indicate the angle through which the vehicle has recently rotated about its roll axis and the roll rate of the vehicle.

Certain automotive vehicles are presently equipped with yaw rate sensors fixed to the structure of the vehicle for sensing rotation of the vehicle about the yaw axis. The yaw rate is combined with other information to determine, for example, that the vehicle is sliding on the road. These systems sense when the vehicle is not pointing in the direction it is moving and assist the driver in restoring correct vehicle orientation by such means as selectively activating wheel brakes.
There are many ways that knowledge that a vehicle is about to roll over or has rolled over may be applied. Examples are that preventive action can be taken, fuel delivery can be stopped, electricity to any location where it might start a fire can be turned off and automatic attempts to summon help can be initiated.
Yaw rate sensing is presently accomplished by gyroscopic devices. These may comprise such as rapidly rotating wheels driven by an electric motor, rotating light beams, or vibrating elements such as the tines of a tuning fork. Yaw rate is determined from a vibrating element by measuring forces resulting from the Coriolis Effect which is the underlying basis for the Focault Pendulum.
Current production yaw rate sensors for automobiles are based on the Coriolis effect and are able to sense yaw rates under one degree per second. Measuring Coriolis forces is technically challenging. Currently available designs are considered expensive in spite of considerable efforts to reduce their cost.
It is well known to support a flywheel by magnetic force to achieve substantially zero friction as the flywheel rotates. Many designs exist for supporting rotating flywheels with approximately zero energy loss in the bearings.
Very low coefficients of friction are achieved by coatings comprising diamond like carbon. It has been reported that friction coefficients as low as 0.001 are achieved by these coatings in a dry nitrogen environment. This is similar to and possibly less than the rolling friction encountered by a steel ball bearing ball rolling on a smooth hard surface. Such very low bearing frictions and air viscosity operate to stop rotation of a wheel relative to its housing after a period of time.
Many known sensors can measure the rate and direction of rotation of a disk. Certain of these sensors apply little or no force to the disk as the rotation is sensed. This is commonly accomplished by optical sensors responsive to a pattern in the disk and by magnetic field sensors responsive to a magnetic field that rotates with the disk. Other sensors also measure rate and direction of rotation.
CMOS active pixel image sensors are integrated circuits similar to the integrated circuits used for many years for computer memories. CMOS image sensors are made in large numbers for sensing optical images in electronic digital cameras. CMOS image sensors comprise arrays of light sensing cells and may contain more than a million cells on a single piece of silicone. Sensors having tens of thousands of cells are available at low cost. CMOS active pixel image sensors have the advantage of including both light sensing cells and logic for processing the resulting digital images on a single piece of silicone. This enables a low cost sensor to record and analyze digital images and report the results of the analysis.
Low cost CMOS active pixel image sensors have the further advantage that the small number of cells can be read quickly which enables a sensor incorporating a CMOS active pixel image sensor to analyze images and report results at a high repetition rate such as one thousand readouts and analyses per second. The high rate enables unambiguous motion detection.
Motion sensors responsive to movement of features of a digital image are well known. An example is optical "mice" used for operator input to computers which are available from several suppliers.
A general object of this invention is to provide a yaw rate or roll rate sensor for a vehicle which also overcomes certain disadvantages of the prior art.


When a rod extending out of the bottom of a hollow rigid plastic trunk encasing a collapsible basketball backboard is pushed up, the backboard comes out of the top of the trunk and opens and a rim rotates 90 degrees to an “up” position perpendicular to the trunk. A pulley system inside the trunk, one end of which is connected to the push rod, controls rotation of a hinge attached to a rim, the hinge sitting in an opening in the top of the trunk. When the rod is pulled, the planar segments of the backboard fold to a point one behind the other and go downward to fit into the trunk and the hoop moves to a “down” position. In open position the backboard segments fan out. The rod has a V-shaped attachment piece connecting the top of the rod to the common bottom border of the backboard.

During basketball games, fans use thunder sticks to wave at players of the opposing teams during free throw attempts. The fans sit behind the areas facing the player doing a free throw and wave two air filled cylindrical balloons made of canvas in order to distract the player. These thunder sticks, as they came to be called, are simple and limited in value. They do not extend width-wise much more than the width of the fan's body.


The invention relates to an interference-protected method and arrangement for supplying power, wherein the power supply between main devices and a masthead preamplifier of a base station in a cellular radio system takes place through an antenna line, and overvoltage formed on the antenna line is conducted to the ground by means of an overvoltage protector adapted for radio frequencies. The use of separate cables and separate overvoltage protector for the supply cable is thus avoided.

A base station of a cellular radio system comprises an antenna, and transmitter and receiver means. Since radio frequencies are rapidly attenuated, distorted and disturbed in conductors, the received signal is usually amplified as close to the antenna as possible. For this purpose, a masthead preamplifier, which is a peripheral device of a base station, is employed in the immediate vicinity of an antenna which is included in a base station of a cellular radio system and which is usually located in terrain. The main devices of a base station comprise, for example, one or more power supplies for supplying power to the devices included in the base station. The power supply of a masthead preamplifier is typically implemented with low-frequency alternating current or with direct current by means of a separate power supply cable between a power supply included in the main devices of a base station and a masthead preamplifier. The power supply cable is protected by a separate, conventional overvoltage protector. It is laborious to mount a power supply cable between the main devices of a base station and a masthead preamplifier. Costs result from both the installation work and the cable itself. In addition, the overvoltage protector required by the power supply cable often cannot be sufficiently well implemented and causes extra work and costs.

Method and arrangement for interference-protected power supply


A basket-style carrier for packaging bottles or other articles on opposite sides of a center handle panel. The carrier is formed from an elongated blank including a partial end panel section at one end and a handle panel section at the other end. A handle reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the upper edge of the handle panel. The reinforcement flap of one blank abuts the lower edge of the handle panel section of an adjacent blank in a web layout, allowing the blanks in the layout to be nested.

Basket-style carriers are commonly employed to package beverage bottles. They typically include a central handle panel located between spaced parallel side panels, a bottom panel connected to the side panels and end panels connected to both the side panels and the handle panel. Typically, basket-style carriers of this type are fabricated from blanks in which the side panel sections are spaced from each other by handle forming sections, and each side panel section is flanked by two end panel flaps. The end panel flaps and one of the handle panel sections typically are connected to riser panels which connect the handle panel to the end panels in the carrier. Bottom panel flaps for forming the bottom panel are connected to the side panel sections.
A problem with this arrangement is that substantial amounts of paperboard stock are required to form the blank, not only because of the size of the blank but because the blank layout does not lend itself to tight nesting in the web from which the blanks are cut. Further, gluing of the carrier elements cannot be carried out with a straight line gluer, which is a more economical way to apply glue to a blank during the carrier forming process.
An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a basket carrier which can be formed from a more efficient layout with respect to material usage and the required gluing pattern. Another object is to provide such a carrier which not only possesses adequate strength and rigidity, but also presents a pleasing design appearance.


A thermoplastic elastomer composition possessing a good combination of elastic recovery, tear strength at 25° C., stress relaxation and reduced (improved) anisotropy, which is based on a hydrogenated block copolymer (A), a thermoplastic resin (B), a rubber softener (C) and a polyolefin elastomer (D), of specified types and proportions, and which is suitable for use in a variety of film and sheet applications.

Among hydrogenated block copolymers, hydrogenated styrenic thermoplastic elastomers are thermoplastic elastomers excellent in weather resistance, heat resistance, impact resistance, flexibility and elastic recovery. Compositions containing hydrogenated block copolymers are used in a wide range of fields such as automotive, consumer electronics, medical, construction, toys, daily necessities and sundries to provide excellent mechanical strength, flexibility, weather resistance, ozone resistance, thermal stability and transparency.
Especially in applications such as films and sheets, elastic recoverability, tear strength at 25° C. and stress relaxation properties are required, and in order to satisfy these physical properties, a method of using a mixture of a hydrogenated styrenic thermoplastic elastomer, a plasticizer and various thermoplastic resins has been proposed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,321,874B2 generally discloses a thermoplastic elastomer composition that contains a hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer, a thermoplastic resin and a rubber softener. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 9,056,975B2 discloses a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing 55-60% by weight of a hydrogenated SEEPS block copolymer having a specified number-average molecular weight and mass ratio of isoprene/1,3-butadiene, 7-12% by weight of a polystyrene (thermoplastic resin), 15-30% by weight of an oil (rubber softener) and 5-20% by weight of an aliphatic hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin (tackifier).
The elastomer compositions described in the above-incorporated documents can satisfactorily satisfy the elastic recovery, tear strength, and stress relaxation properties required for applications such as films and sheets; however, the disclosed compositions may have a problem of anisotropy.
Generally anisotropy is the orientation of the molecules in a material during processing. This orientation causes a difference in properties of the finished good depending on the direction in which the article is stressed. This can cause easy activation of tearing in the oriented direction or weaker properties opposite the orientation. These orientation effects can be overcome with design processes but these added processes can add unneeded extra cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermoplastic elastomer composition having a good combination of elastic recovery, tear strength at 25° C., stress relaxation and reduced (improved) anisotropy.


Provided according to embodiments of the invention are thermoplastic gel compositions that include a block copolymer; a hydrocarbon tackifier resin; and a hydrocarbon oil. Further, in some embodiments, such compositions may include at least one antioxidant. Also provided are connectors that include a composition according to an embodiment of the invention.

Quality and durability are important factors in the design of systems for providing electrical connections, especially such systems utilized in the telecommunications and automotive industries. One criterion affecting the quality of such connections is the extent of effective electrical insulation surrounding the connection. Another important criterion is the maintenance of the connection in a moisture-free environment. The invasion of water at the connection site may be detrimental in several respects. For example, the "noise," "static" and "cross-talk" which frequently plague telecommunication systems are sometimes caused by signal leakage due to moisture at the connection site. Maintaining the connection and preventing signal loss or attenuation may be critical for high speed data transmission of up to about 100 MHz, or frequencies commonly used by high speed data transmission such as digital subscriber line (DSL) services. This type of data transmission is commonly used to transmit large quantities of data or high definition video signals. Disruptions to the connections made to transmit this type of data can have a strong negative impact on the bit error rate of the data and the distance the data is able to travel on the network. The intrusion of water may also have the obvious disadvantage of fostering corrosion and thus negatively impacting the durability of the connection.
While noise resistance, durability and moisture resistance in the face of environmental variations and other stresses is desirable in most electrical connecting devices, there are also many commercial and military applications in which electrical connections are repaired and/or modified in the field. It is desirable that such repair and/or modification be accomplished in the shortest period of time, in an economically efficient fashion and/or with a minimum of inconvenience to the field craftsperson or technician. In fact, such characteristics may also be highly desirable from the standpoint of the initial manufacture of the electrical connecting device.
Sealants that have been found to be useful in electrical connecting devices include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,354,210, 5,360,350, 5,580,265, 5,691,399, 5,741,843 and 5,844,012, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. These sealants may have significant tack, which has been thought to contribute to desirable sealant properties. However, the tack may cause the sealants to be somewhat difficult to work with both at the point of manufacture and in the field. Therefore, it would be desirable for sealants to have the desirable properties of these sealants but also have less tack and therefore better release properties.


This invention relates to the interconversion of separate crystal forms of (aminosulfonyl)pyridinecarboxamides. The compounds of this invention and their agriculturally suitable salts are useful as agricultural chemicals, and in particular, as herbicides which may be selective to corn.

This invention relates to the interconversion of separate crystal forms of (aminosulfonyl)pyridinecarboxamides. The compounds of this invention and their agriculturally suitable salts are useful as agricultural chemicals, and in particular, as herbicides which may be selective to corn.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,401 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,206 disclose herbicidal pyridinesulfonylureas.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,776 (Swiss priority Jul. 19, 1982) and EP-A-101,670 (Swiss priority Aug, 23, 1982, published Feb. 29, 1984) disclose, in part, a process for the preparation of the compounds of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,776 generically discloses the compound of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,597 discloses, in part, a process for the preparation of the compound of the invention.

Process for the interconversion of two seperate crystal forms of a herbicidal pyridine sulfonamide


A scanning tunneling microscopy based potentiometry system and method for the measurements of the local surface electric potential is presented. A voltage compensation circuit based on this potentiometry system and method is developed and employed to maintain a desired tunneling voltage independent of the bias current flow through the film. The application of this potentiometry system and method to the local sensing of the spin Hall effect is outlined herein, along with the experimental results obtained.

The technology disclosed herein relates to a system and method for taking measurements of a current-carrying sample based on scanning tunneling spectroscopy. In certain embodiments of this technology, the non-contact surface potential measurement (potentiometry) method utilizes a constant tunneling gap voltage scanning tunneling microscope (STM) system employing a custom voltage compensation circuit. In certain embodiments, the voltage compensation circuit can be used to maintain a desired tunneling voltage independent of the bias current flow through a film. The flexibility of this disclosed system and method makes them suitable for use with nearly any standard STM. In certain embodiments, this system is capable of fully characterizing the resistivity of conducting films and the uniformity of resistivity at the nanoscale. In other embodiments a system such as the one described herein is indispensable for the application of STM to the measurement of a current-carrying sample. One example application of this disclosed system and method is to sense the spin Hall effect.
Recent technological progress has resulted in the reduction of the dimensions of electronic and magnetic devices to the nanoscale. One of the many challenges associated with this nanoscale reduction is to develop reliable techniques for the measurement of local electrical properties of materials. To handle this problem, various techniques have been proposed to measure the local surface potential at the nanoscale and used in studies of graphene and other materials.
Scanning tunneling potentiometry (STP) is a non-contact technique to detect the local surface potential on a current-carrying sample. A technique for using a scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) for STP has opened up opportunities to simultaneously study the electron transport properties and topographic information at a nanoscale level. Due to that capability, the development and the use of STP has attracted much attention in recent years.
In this disclosure, there is described a non-contact surface potential measurement (potentiometry) method by employing the scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) function of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Since the STS is usually an embedded function in common STM systems, this potentiometry method requires no further modification of an STM system electronics, only the addition of a second contact to the sample and a bias current source connected thereto. This makes the technique readily accessible for virtually all STMs. It is demonstrated herein that this potentiometry technique has a sub-millivolt resolution of surface potential measurements and nanometer resolution in positioning. As a result, the resistivity of conducting films (and its uniformity) can be fully characterized at the nanoscale. Additionally, a voltage compensation technique based on the potentiometry, which is able to maintain a desired tunneling voltage independent of the applied bias current, is additionally disclosed herein. This technique is further applied to the STM based study of the spin Hall effect (SHE) in tungsten films.

System and method for performing scanning tunneling microscopy on current-carrying samples

Government of the United States of America as Represented by the Director, National Security Agency


The base plate of a robotic or manually propelled tank or pool cleaning apparatus includes a transverse conduit positioned on the interior surface of the base plate and is in fluid communication with a source of pressurized water that is also located within the pool cleaner's housing, which pressurized water is discharged from the bottom or lower portion of the transverse conduit through a plurality of openings that extend along a line that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pool cleaner's direction of travel, to produce downwardly-directed water jets that are discharged through and below the base plate towards the surface of the pool or tank over which the pool cleaning apparatus is moving to dislodge and suspend dirt and debris that is then drawn into and retained by the pool cleaner's filter.

It is now well known in the art to equip robotic and other types of tank and pool cleaners with means for discharging water jets under the cleaner body that are directed toward the surface over which the cleaner is passing in order to agitate and lift debris towards one or more vacuum or low water pressure intake openings to enhance the cleaning ability of the apparatus. The suspended dirt and debris created by the water jet turbulence renders the material temporarily buoyant so that it can be drawn into the interior of the pool cleaner housing and eventually entrained or captured by the pool cleaner filter system. For example, a number of different systems and pool cleaning apparatus are described in related U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,751. In most of the embodiments described in that patent, the water jet emanates from the ends of conduits that are mounted, at east in part, on the exterior of the pool cleaner housing. The open ends of these conduits from which the water jets emanate are shown positioned below the base plate, that is, they are closer to the surface over which the pool cleaner is passing than the generally planar exterior surface of the base plate. This positioning of the ends of the high pressure water delivery conduits is necessary in order to direct the water jets towards the water inlet openings in the base plate into which the water to be filtered is drawn.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 12-15 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,751, the pressurized water delivery conduits (4) are positioned within the pool cleaner housing. A single nozzle is apparently permanently attached to the base plate on either side of a single longitudinal inlet opening (11) in the base plate. As depicted in FIG. 12, the outlet opening is oval, representing a section taken at an acute angle through the end of the conduit (70).
In the embodiments of FIGS. 17-19 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,751, external manifolds are positioned across the opposite ends of the pool cleaner transverse to the direction of movement. Each manifold has a plurality of water jets, described as being directed either downwardly or at an angle in order to discharge the water jets towards the underside of the base plate in the direction of the water inlet opening(s). In the description of FIG. 17, it is indicated that each of the discharge openings (102) is provided with a low-friction fitting to minimize the back pressure, presumably to reduce the adverse effect on the forward movement of the apparatus, although this is not stated. It is noted that in addition to being on the exterior of the pool cleaner, the transverse manifolds of FIG. 17 are positioned at some distance outward of the ends of the housing making them vulnerable to impact while in use in the pool and when they are placed in storage; and also locating them in a position that a user might naturally treat as a convenient handle while lifting the unit to or from the pool or carrying the unit to a storage location.
Although the various configurations and arrangements of water jets directed below the base plate disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,751 can serve to effectively raise dirt and debris to facilitate its capture and passage through the one or more openings in the base plate for filtering, those configurations in which the high pressure water delivery tube and water jet nozzles or manifolds are on the exterior of the housing create a problem of potential damage from mishandling by the user, or contact with those in the pool with the pool cleaner, as well as damage from impact with obstacles such as pool ladders, stair steps and other obstacles that project from the pool surface or its walls. Furthermore, the cost in materials and labor, both in the manufacture and assembly stages, associated with providing multiple pressurized water delivery tubes to individual water jets, is significant.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and system to resolve these problems in a cost effective manner and to provide a solution in which the water jet delivery system is protected from potential damage by mishandling and/or impact. It is also an object of this invention to provide a solution which can be readily adapted for use in manufacturing new pool cleaners and in retrofitting existing pool cleaners by providing an improved base plate that is configured to replace existing base plates in prior art cleaners.
For convenience, the term "pool cleaner" or "cleaner" as used in describing the invention will be understood to encompass both pool and tank cleaners.

Pool cleaner base plate with high pressure cleaning jets