Controlled access is provided to a shared resource 23 such as an ontology (knowledge database) in order to maintain its quality without restraining the ability of users 21a, 21b, 21c . . . to contribute to that resource.

It is important that the relationships between parts of the ontology are defined and applied consistently. However, the ontology must also be adaptable if it is to remain useable as circumstances change. For instance, new technical developments, or commercial or regulatory requirements, may require modification of a technical standard, or the definition of new relationships between its elements. For example, a mobile telephony standard originally developed to ensure interopability between handsets and fixed network components will require considerable adapation if a new requirement is introduced requiring a first network to support handsets of subscribers of a second network. In another example, classification systems for technical literature such as patents have to be kept abreast of developments in the technologies that are the subject of the classification, and this involves considerable workload to co-ordinate the behaviour of all the users of the classification system, from reporting of the need for such changes through to their consistent implementation.
There is a difficult balance to be struck between on the one hand keeping an ontology internally consistent, which is best met by maintaining a tight change-control system, administered by a small group of people, and on the other hand maintaining the ontology's usefulness by allowing any user who has an interest to initiate changes. The result is generally that any proposals for change have to be submitted to a slow and cumbersome committee process, considerably delaying the introduction of any proposal.
Ontology servers exist which provide a facility to share vocabularies and versioning systems between a number of users who have access to a set of data resources. Such ontology resources provide information on data schema and relationships between data schema.
A mechanism for collaboratively developing ontologies is specified by Farquhar, A.; Fikes. R.; & Rice, J. in an article "The Ontolingua Server: a Tool for Collaborative Ontology Construction"; published in the Proceedings of the Tenth Knowledge Acquisition for Knowledge-Based Systems Workshop; (Banff, Canada; Nov. 9-14, 1996). This provides tools that make use of the world-wide web to enable wide access and provide users with the ability to publish, browse, create, and edit ontologies stored on an ontology server. An individual user can therefore assemble a new ontology from a library of modules. However, there would be problems of consistency and validity of the ontology if a number of users were to attempt to collaborate in order to generate a common ontology that they can all use. If every user were given complete freedom to amend the common ontology, inexperienced or inconsiderate users might make changes which would cause considerable detriment to the usefulness of the ontology to the other users. If the reliability of the inputs is unknown, contradictory information or contradictory results of inference cannot be evaluated against each other. Therefore some moderation of the process is required. However, no individual human user, or group of such individuals, can be expected to have a full understanding of the needs of all the other users of the ontology, especially in a user group that is open to any user wishing to make use of it. A consultation process with all users, such as that proposed by Farquhar, Fikes, and Rice, delays implementation of any changes required, and would be very difficult to arrange, especially in the context of a real business environment, except with a closed community of relatively small size. There is therefore a need to control access to a shared data resource in order to maintain its quality without restraining the ability of users to contribute to that resource.

Abstract: An edit and query function 26 is used to determine the validity and consistency of individual contributions. The results of these checks and the level of contribution made by individual users to the information resource is used to produce a rating for each user of the resource, which is stored (24a, 24b . . . ) for use in prioritise and manage future contributions to the resource 23, provide metadata on the resource and to prioritise access control 28 to the resource.

Abstract: When a new contribution is made by a user a threshold of approval can be set before it is accepted into the main database 23. This threshold is based on the sum of the ratings points of the original contributor and of users that give their assent to the inclusion of that contribution.

British Telecommunications public limited company


One embodiment relates to a solid-state charged-particle detector. The detector includes a PIN diode and a conductive coating on the front-side of the PIN diode, wherein the front-side receives incident charged particles to be detected. In addition, the detector includes a metal layer on the backside of the PIN diode and electrical connections to the metal layer and to the conductive coating. Other embodiment are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to electron beam detection.
2. Description of the Background Art
One type of electron beam apparatus is a scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEMs obtain an image of a sample by scanning a primary electron beam over the sample and detecting secondary electrons emitted from the sample. The image may be used, for example, for inspection or measurement of a micropattern in a semiconductor device, or for other purposes.
SEMs typically employ scintillator-type detectors for detecting secondary electrons emitted from the object being observed. When electrons impact material within the scintillator-type detector, the material emits light. The light is detected by a photon detector, such as a photomultiplier tube, which converts the light into an electric signal.
It is highly desirable to improve electron detectors for scanning electron microscopes and other apparatus.

High-speed high-efficiency solid-state electron detector


A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a gate line and a data line defining a unit pixel. A thin film transistor (TFT) is connected to the gate line and the data line. A common electrode and a pixel electrode is connected to the TFT. The pixel electrode includes a plurality of shaped slits exposing the common electrode. One or more of the slits include at least one curved end or shaped in the form of two curvilinear sides joined to form pointed ends defined by a predetermined acute angle. A middle portion of the unit pixel defines an axis of symmetry around which slits are symmetrically disposed in either a first domain or a second domain. A common line, electrically connected to the common electrode, may define the axis of symmetry. The LCD device can reduce disclination line generation and can provide improved brightness, contrast ratio and image quality.

Cathode ray tubes (CRTs) have been widely used in display devices to display image information on a screen. However, because CRTs are heavy and bulky, their use is being increasingly supplanted by slim, lightweight, low power-consuming liquid crystal display devices (LCDs) providing high brightness and large screens at low prices. Compared to other display devices, including CRTs, LCDs provide high resolution and rapid response times when displaying moving images.
An LCD relies on optical anisotropy and polarizability of liquid crystal molecules to produce an image. Liquid crystal molecules are aligned with directional characteristics resulting from their long, thin shapes. These directional characteristic can be artificially controlled by applying an electric field to the liquid crystal molecules. By changing the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules as light is transmitted therethrough, an appropriate image can be displayed.
Twisted nematic (TN) mode LCDs are among the most widely used LCDs. In a TN mode LCD, electrodes are installed on each of two substrates and a director of liquid crystals is twisted at 90°. When a voltage is applied, the director of liquid crystals is driven. A principal disadvantage of TN mode LCDs is that they often provide narrow viewing angles.
To address the narrow viewing angle problem, in-plane switching mode LCDs (IPS-LCDs) and fringe field switching mode LCDs (FFS-LCDs) have been developed. An FFS-LCD can provide a wide viewing angle and improved transmittance compared to an IPS-LCD. In an FFS-LCD, common electrodes and pixel electrodes are formed from a transparent conductive material. A narrower gap is formed between the common electrodes and pixel electrodes than in the top and bottom substrates. Therefore, a fringe field is formed between the common electrodes and the pixel electrodes, driving the liquid crystal molecules at upper portions of the electrodes.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a related art FFS-LCD depicting a gate line 102 intersecting a data line 104 to define a unit pixel. A thin film transistor (TFT) is formed at a crossing between the gate line 102 and the data line 104. A common electrode 105 is formed from a transparent conductive material and is disposed on an entire surface of the bottom substrate. The common electrode 105 is electrically connected to a common line 107 and can continuously receive common signals therefrom. The pixel electrode 108 is also formed of a transparent material and is overlapped by the common electrode 105 and an insulation layer (not shown). The insulation layer is interposed between the pixel electrode 108 and the common electrode 105. The pixel electrode 108 includes a plurality of slits 108a spaced from one another at a predetermined distance. The common electrode 105 is exposed by the slits 108a.
Although not shown, the top substrate facing the bottom substrate has a broader gap therebetween compared to the gap between the pixel electrode 108 and the common electrode 105. A liquid crystal layer is interposed between the top and bottom substrates. The electrode structure pattern formed from the transparent conductive material in the pixel electrode 108 of an FFS-LCD is designed to reduce color shift.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of another related art FFS-LCD, identifying common or similar features according to the reference numbers identified in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a plurality of slits 108a is arranged in a comb pattern on the pixel electrode 108 forming two domains of equidistant-spaced slits 108a.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view illustrating an end portion A in the pixel electrode 108 of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a picture illustrating brightness of the end portion A in the pixel electrode 108 of FIG. 2.
As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, when power is applied to the common electrode 105 and the pixel electrode 108, a multi-directional electric field is generated at the end portion A of the pixel electrode 108. The multi-directional electric field produces a reverse twist region, characterized by multiple rotational directionalities among the liquid crystal molecules. This generates a disclination line. As a result of the disclination line, there is reduced brightness in an end portion of the pixel electrode, as well as reduced contrast ratio. Accordingly, the disclination line results in a reduced aperture ratio in the pixel area and reduced image quality.

Liquid crystal display device with slits in the pixel electrode having a curvilinear shape


A camera is locked in either a multiple-exposure photography state or a normal photography state in association with the initial movement of charge of a shutter to prevent overlapping of frames. When a multiple-exposure/normal photography changeover mechanism (50) is in a normal photography state, a film-advance drive system (20) and a shutter charge drive system (30) are actuated in association with the actuation of a film-advance lever (10). When the multiple-exposure/normal photography changeover mechanism (50) is in a multiple-exposure photography state, a film-overadvancing prevention mechanism (40) is actuated so as to operate only the shutter charge drive system (30) in association with the actuation of the film-advance lever (10). When the multiple-exposure/normal photography changeover mechanism (50) is in a multiple-exposure photography state or a normal photography state, a lock mechanism (60), which operates in association with the commencement of operation of the shutter charge drive system (30) to be actuated with the actuation of the film-advance lever (10), locks the multiple-exposure/normal photography changeover mechanism (50) in either the multiple-exposure photography state or the normal photography state.

The present invention relates to a manual film-advance device for a camera, and more particularly to a manual film-advance device for enabling multiple photography in a camera, such as a Brownie film camera, which includes a manual film-advance mechanism and a shutter charge mechanism to be actuated in conjunction with the film-advance operation of the manual film-advance mechanism.
Brownie film cameras usually employ a manual film-advance mechanism, and a focal plane shutter is charged in conjunction with the action of this film-advance mechanism. In addition to this manual film-advance mechanism, the cameras are provided with a multiple-exposure photography mechanism.
When an operation member (hereinafter referred to as a multiple-exposure photography member) provided on a camera body is set to a multiple-exposure photography mode, a conventional multiple-exposure photography mechanism of this Brownie film camera causes a film-advance lock mechanism to lock the film-advance mechanism. If the film-advance lever is actuated in this state, a film will not be advanced, and only the shutter charge mechanism is actuated, whereby the focal plane shutter is charged.
Accordingly, if a shutter release button is pressed, the focal plane shutter is actuated to expose an already once-exposed film, thereby enabling multiple-exposure photography.
However, in the aforementioned conventional manual film-advance device, if the multiple-exposure photography operation member is erroneously actuated during the course of actuation of the film-advance lever at the time of a normal photography operation in which the shutter is charged in conjunction with the advancement of the film, the advancement of the film is interrupted, thereby resulting in overlapping of frames. Further, if a finger is released from the multiple-exposure photography operation member during the course of actuation of the film-advance lever at the time of multiple-exposure photography operation, the multiple-exposure photography operation member returns to its original position, whereby the film-advance lock mechanism releases the film-advance mechanism from a locked state. Consequently, the film is further advanced during the course of actuation of the film-advance lever, thereby resulting in overlapping of frames.

Manual film-advance device for a multiple-exposure and normal photography camera


An emissive display device, including: a reflective electrode and a transparent electrode. One or more light-emitting layers are formed between the reflective and transparent electrodes. A scattering layer is positioned in the emissive display device to scatter light trapped in the one or more light-emitting layers; and a circular polarizer is located on the side of the scattering layer opposite the reflective electrode.

Flat-panel displays, such as organic light emitting diode (OLED) and inorganic emissive displays, of various sizes are proposed for use in many computing and communication applications. In particular, such displays are proposed for use in both indoor and outdoor applications under a wide variety of ambient lighting conditions. Indoor applications have relatively low ambient illumination and require lower levels of display luminance. In contrast, outdoor applications can have a high ambient luminance and may require higher levels of display luminance together with low display reflectance. Moreover, most emissive displays are proposed for use in conditions that can be high, or low, or even non-existent ambient illumination; for example, illumination from outdoor use during the day to night-time use in a dark room.
Current illumination and display visibility standards cite 75,000 lux as a standard for outdoor illumination on a bright and sunny day. Cloudy bright days have an illumination of 16,000 lux, cloudy dull days have an illuminance of 6,000 lux, and a cloudy very dull day has an illuminance of 1,000 lux. Indoor illumination ranges from 0 to 1000 lux. Viewability standards for display devices set the minimum display contrast ratio standard for reading text on a display at three. Other sorts of displayed information, such as images, require a higher contrast ratio, for example, ten.
Given the wide variety of viewing conditions proposed for emissive displays, it is difficult to design a display having suitable contrast ratio. For example, OLED displays rely on the use of conductive electrodes, typically some form of highly reflective metal, to provide current to an emissive layer of organic material. The reflective metals reflect ambient light towards a display viewer, thereby, making the display difficult to view.
An OLED display device includes both light-emitting areas and non-light emitting areas. In an active-matrix display, the non-light emitting areas are typically composed of circuitry such as thin-film transistors, capacitors, drivers, and signal lines. In a passive-matrix display, the non-light-emitting areas are typically composed of signal lines.
One way of improving contrast in emissive display devices is to use a circular polarizer over the display. The circular polarizer includes a polarizer and a quarter-wave plate. The polarizer polarizes ambient light falling on the display, and the quarter wave plate circularly polarizes the linearly polarized light by 45 degrees. Any polarized light that is subsequently reflected back through the quarter wave plate is further rotated by 45 degrees so that its direction of polarization is orthogonal to the polarizer, and hence is substantially completely absorbed by the polarizer. Circular polarizers absorb approximately 50%-60% of the light that passes through the polarizer once. Up to 99% of the ambient light that is specularly reflected back through the circular polarizer may be absorbed. Hence, about 50%-60% of the light emitted by the emissive display device through the circular polarizer is lost, while up to 99% of the ambient light that falls on the surface of the display device is absorbed. Suitable circular polarizers are commercially available, for example, from 3M and are described in the patent literature. See, for example, WO/0210845, entitled "High Durability Circular Polarizer for Use with Emissive Displays", by Trapani et al., published Feb. 7, 2002, which describes a high durability circular polarizer including an unprotected K-type polarizer and a quarter-wavelength retarder that is designed for use with an emissive display module such as an organic light emitting diode or a plasma display device. However, in darker, indoor surroundings it may be advantageous to have improved luminance rather than reduced display reflectance.
A second means of improving contrast in an emissive display device is to place an absorptive layer such as a light absorbing material or a destructive interference layer within a cavity at the back of the device, for example, on the substrate or an electrode. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,411,019, entitled "Organic Electroluminescent Device" issued Jun. 25, 2002 to Hofstra et al. The absorptive layer absorbs the ambient light in addition to any light emitted from the emissive layer of organic materials. However, this approach has the difficulty that most of the light emitted from the emissive layer toward the absorptive layer is lost, thereby, severely reducing the luminance of the display.
A third means of improving contrast in an emissive display device is to provide a matrix of light absorbing material called a black matrix between the light emitting elements and around the edges of the display device. See for example, US Patent Application 2002/0050958, entitled "Contrast Enhancement for an Electronic Display Device by Using a Black Matrix and Lens Array on Outer Surface of Display", by Matthies, et al., published May 2, 2002. This black matrix approach is capable of significantly reducing the reflectance of the display, but still allows substantial ambient light to be reflected from the display by reflection from the reflective anodes of the light emitting elements. Neutral density filters are also known to improve the contrast of a display device.
The use of louver films comprising alternating light-transmissive and light-absorbing portions as privacy-securing films for display devices has been suggested, e.g., as described in US Patent 2004/0191548, entitled "Sheets for Plasma Display Panels", by Takemoto, published 30 Sep. 2004, and in WO 2005/092544, entitled "Privacy Securing Film", by Hwang, published 6 Oct. 2005. Such louver films are typically employed on the top surface of a display device, and while effective at reducing viewing angles, typically have not been suggested for use in displays to improve light output and ambient contrast.
Applicants have determined through experimentation that the image quality of the display device as perceived by a viewer depends not only on the ambient contrast, but also on the luminance of the display; hence there is a need for an emissive display that simultaneously improves both ambient contrast and luminance.

Emissive displays having improved contrast


Disclosed are methods of treating skin with topical skin compositions comprising at least one plant extract.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to compositions that include one or any combination of plant extracts selected from the group consisting of: Ficus tikoua; Polygonum hydropiper; Pistacia chinensis; Zizyphus mauritiana; Garuga forrestii; Michelia figo; Populus davidiana; Sabina chinensis; Cuphea balsamona; Setaria palmifolia; Polygonum lapathifolium; Artemisia parviflora; Camptotheca acuminate; Washingtonia filifera; Machilus longipedicellata; Geranium nepalense; Ipomoea obscura; Cedrus deodara; Quercus aliena; Loropetalum chinensis; carqueja; condurango; catuaba; Carex baccans; Trema angustifolia; Chrysalidocarpus lutescens; Gnaphalium pensylvanicum; Lonicera maackii; Tsoongiodendron odorum; Celtis sinensis; Cassia siamea; Glochidion lanceolaris; Catalpa yunnanesis; Potamogenton perforliatus; and Cinnamomum japonicum; and any combination of extracts thereof. In particular aspects, the compositions include an extract selected from the group consisting of: Camptotheca acuminate extract; Loropetalum chinensis extract; Chrysalidocarpus lutscens extract; and Potamogenton perforliatus extract; and any combination thereof. The compositions can be formulated as topical skin compositions, edible compositions, injectible compositions, oral compositions, hair care compositions, etc.
B. Description of Related Art
Ageing, chronic exposure to adverse environmental factors, malnutrition, fatigue, etc., can change the visual appearance, physical properties, or physiological functions of skin in ways that are considered visually undesirable. The most notable and obvious changes include the development of fine lines and wrinkles, loss of elasticity, increased sagging, loss of firmness, loss of color evenness or tone, coarse surface texture, and mottled pigmentation. Less obvious, but measurable changes which occur as skin ages or endures chronic environmental insult include a general reduction in cellular and tissue vitality, reduction in cell replication rates, reduced cutaneous blood flow, reduced moisture content, accumulated errors in structure and function, alterations in the normal regulation of common biochemical pathways, and a reduction in the skin's ability to remodel and repair itself. Many of the alterations in appearance and function of the skin are caused by changes in the outer epidermal layer of the skin, while others are caused by changes in the lower dermis.
Previous attempts to improve the visual appearance of skin with known skin active-ingredients have been shown to have various drawbacks such as skin irritation and prolonged recovery periods.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Topical skin care formulations comprising plant extracts


A method of removing a metal sleeve from a bore formed in one or more elements is disclosed. The sleeve may be a cold-expanded sleeve secured within the bore by an interference fit. The method includes removing material from the internal surface of the sleeve by a cutter along a line to a depth less than the thickness of the sleeve, and subsequently urging the sleeve from the bore.

The present invention concerns a method of removing a metal sleeve from a bore and to a device for the same. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a method of removing a metal sleeve from a bore in an aircraft structure, the sleeve being secured within the bore by means of an interference fit, especially by means of a cold-worked sleeve-expansion method. The invention also concerns a method of replacing a fixing received within a sleeve and a device for removing a metal sleeve from a bore.
When fixing elements together with a bolt or other fixing that passes through a bore through the elements, particularly when the elements are made of differing materials, it is common to provide a sleeve, for example in the form of a bushing or a bearing arrangement, to line the bore within one or more of the elements. One method of securing the sleeve within the bore is to insert the sleeve in the bore and then cold expand the sleeve within the bore. Such a technique is utilised in the GromEx™ system provided by "FTI" (Fatigue Technology, Inc of Seattle, USA). Briefly, a sleeve received in a bore in a part is expanded by means of a hydraulic puller unit (for example the "Big Brute" Puller—Part No. 2720-008, also from FTI), which exerts a pulling force that pulls a mandrel through the sleeve, whilst the puller unit reacts at least some of the pulling force by means of a nose cap of the unit that butts against the surface of the part that defines the bore. A bolt may then be accommodated within the sleeve to fix the part to another element or part. In some cases, the bolt may form a friction fit or an interference fit with the sleeve.
If a bolt received in such a sleeve is damaged with consequent wear or damage to the sleeve then it is desirable to be able to remove the sleeve from the bore without causing damage to the surrounding material such that a replacement sleeve and bolt may be inserted into the bore. In some circumstances it is possible to remove both the bolt and sleeve simultaneously. In other cases, where the bolt and sleeve are more securely fitted in the bore, it may be better to remove the sleeve and bolt one at a time. In such cases, the bolt may often be readily removed by conventional pulling or pushing units that are able to exert sufficient forces (often in excess of 10 kN in some, for example aerospace, applications). The sleeve may then be removed, but the force required may prove to be higher, for example greater than 50 kN in some applications. It has been found that in certain circumstances the force required to remove a sleeve is too high to be practical to use the methods employed with existing equipment. Examples of such circumstances include, for example, attempting to remove long sleeves or attempting to remove sleeves that have been expanded in a bore that extends through multiple elements, each made from a different material having a different hardness.
The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned problem(s). Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved method of removing a metal sleeve from a bore, the sleeve being secured within the bore by means of an interference fit.

Method and device for removing a sleeve from a bore


An apparatus for reproducing images recorded on a photographic filmstrip wound on a film spool contained in a cartridge, the photographic filmstrip having machine-readable frame numbers associated with the images recorded thereon and the photographic filmstrip being associated with a device for storing film related data including frame numbers identifying selected images to be reproduced. The apparatus characterized in that a control device includes determining whether a frame number of a first available frame on a photographic filmstrip removed from a film cartridge is equal to one or is greater than one; searching first for a highest of the respective frame numbers of the selected images on a photographic filmstrip removed from the cartridge and then in succession the next lowest frame number of the selected images until all of the frame numbers of the selected images have been found if the frame number of the first available frame of a photographic filmstrip is equal to one, or for searching first for a lowest of the respective frame numbers of the selected images on a photographic film strip removed from the cartridge and then in succession the next highest frame number of the selected images until all of the frame numbers of the selected images have been found if the frame number of the first available frame of a photographic filmstrip is greater than one, and printing each one of the selected images in response to its frame number being found.

Very often only selected images on a photographic filmstrip are to be reproduced by a photofinishing laboratory. This generally occurs when photographic prints need to be made over due to under- or overexposure during the printing process or when a customer requests reprints of selected images.
A method to reproduce selected images from the filmstrip generally includes such steps as the photofinishing lab or dealer recording the frame numbers of the images to be reproduced and printing the selected images.
Conventionally, a roll of photographic film is cut into short lengths of filmstrips containing, for example, four frames after the roll of film has been developed and printed. In a wholesale photofinishing laboratory when reprints or make overs are requested, the short lengths of filmstrips would be spliced together to form a reel of various filmstrips having images to be reproduced. The reel of filmstrips is sent to a printer where the frame numbers from the filmstrips can be read and the selected images associated with the recorded frame numbers are reproduced onto photographic paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,686 issued Mar. 3, 1992 discloses an alternative method for reproducing images recorded on a photographic film which eliminates the need to splice together short lengths of photographic filmstrips during a printing process. The photographic film can be subjected to the printing process with one end fixed to a spool of a film cassette.

Method and apparatus for reproducing an image recorded on a photographic filmstrip


A sample holder for an electron microscope has multiple sample stands, can allow at least one sample stand to move, and enables multiple samples for a transmission electron microscope to be prepared by a focused ion beam apparatus. A holder tip opening is provided in a tip of the sample holder. A back end of the sample holder has a knob, a rolling mechanism, a coarse adjustment mechanism, and a connector. By pressing the knob, fixation of the rolling mechanism is canceled, and the back end from the rolling mechanism and the tip of the sample holder will rotate. This rolling mechanism enables arrangement of the samples to be rotated in both the observing of a sample and the preparing of a sample for a transmission electron microscope with the focused ion beam apparatus. Moreover, the sample stand is movable by the coarse adjustment mechanism and the fine adjustment mechanism.

Processing sizes such as of a semiconductor device, a magnetic device, etc. have become minute and they are highly integrated, and deterioration of device characteristics and degradation of reliability have become important problems more than before. In recent years, in order to analyze failures of semiconductor devices in nanometer regions and ascertain causes of the failures fundamentally to solve them in processes of a development of a new process and mass production, there have become indispensable analysis means not only image observation by (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) but also crystallography by electron diffraction, spectrum analysis and two-dimensional element distribution analysis both of which use electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), etc.
Moreover, in materials for energy conversion and environmental protection such as a positive electrode material of the lithium ion battery, rapid improvement in material characteristics more than before is desired. In order to improve the material characteristics, control of a structure in a nanometer level and a chemical bonding state hold important keys. Therefore, needs of the above-mentioned analysis technology are increasing.
Here, a measuring method for measuring an electron energy loss spectrum will be explained in detail out of the above-mentioned analysis means.
The electron energy loss spectra can be divided roughly into a zero loss spectrum that no energy is lost when passing through a sample, a plasmon loss spectrum obtained by exciting electrons in a valence band to lose energy, and an inner shell electron excitation loss spectrum obtained by exciting inner shell electrons to lose energy. In the inner shell electron excitation loss (core loss) spectrum, a fine structure is observed near an absorption edge.
This structure is called an absorption edge fine structure (Energy Loss Near-Edge Structure: ELNES), and has information reflecting an electronic state and a chemical bonding state of the sample. Moreover, since the energy loss value (an absorption edge position) is inherent to an element, qualitative analysis is possible. Moreover, since information relevant to coordination surrounding an attention element can also be acquired from a shift of the absorption edge position called a chemical shift, simple state analysis is also possible.
Conventionally, in the case of acquiring the electron energy loss spectra in different places on the sample, by combining a scanning transmission electron microscope that is made to scan a narrowly focused electron ray on the sample by a scanning coil and an electron spectrometer capable of conducting spectroscopy depending on an energy quantity that the electron ray has, electrons having penetrated the sample were subjected to spectroscopy and the electron energy loss spectrum was continuously acquired.
However, in the case of this technique, since aberration and an origin point of the electron energy loss spectrum vary by a drift of an acceleration voltage of the electron ray and variations of a magnetic field and an electric field that accompany a disturbance variation in a circumference of the apparatus, it is difficult to compare shapes of the absorption edge fine structures of the electron energy loss spectra and slight chemical shifts at measuring positions.
Then, for example, Patent Literature 1 describes that while a normal transmission electron microscope obtains a transmission electron microscope image such that focal positions of both the x-axis and the y-axis are set on the same plane, the above-mentioned transmission electron microscope includes an electron spectrometer and, by differentiating the focal positions of the x-axis and the y-axis, acquires a two-dimensional image such that the focal position of the x-axis is set on the spectrum plane and, on the other hand, the focal position of the y-axis is set on an image plane with the image detector.
As a result, the electron energy loss spectrum in a y-axis direction of the sample can be separated and observed. That is, an image obtained by an image detector can be observed as a spectral image whose x-axis represents an energy loss amount, i.e., is an energy dispersion axis, and whose y-axis has position information of the sample as shown in FIG. 2(b). The spectral image is observed in a belt-like shape corresponding to each layered film of the transmission electron microscope image shown in FIG. 2(a). Moreover, if the intensity profile of the spectral image is extracted in each place corresponding to each layered film from FIG. 2(a), it will be possible to simultaneously observe the electron energy loss spectra at different positions of the sample as show in FIG. 2A, which will make it possible to compare in detail the absorption edge fine structures of the electron energy loss spectra at different positions and slight chemical shifts.
A spectral image whose x axis has an energy loss amount and whose y-axis has position information of the sample that is described in the patent Literature 1 is a two-dimensional image obtained with an image detector by altering a lens action of the electron spectrometer, etc. and differentiating focal positions on the x-axis and the y-axis, that is, it is possible to simultaneously observe the electron energy loss spectra of multiple points at different positions of the sample. This technology discloses a technology by which the spectral images, i.e., the electron energy loss spectra are acquired from multiple different points in one sample, and the chemical shifts caused by differences in chemical bonding states are discussed.
Moreover, Patent Literature 2 discloses a sample holder for a transmission electron microscope by which spectral images can be acquired simultaneously from multiple samples, and electron energy loss spectra and chemical shifts can be measured.
The sample holder for a transmission electron microscope disclosed in Patent Literature 2 has a sample stage on which multiple sample stands can be arranged. Moreover, at least one sample stage can be moved by a moving mechanism, and multiple sample stands can be brought closer together.
The sample holder for a transmission electron microscope disclosed in the abovementioned Patent Literature 2 enables the Spectral images to be acquired from multiple samples simultaneously, which makes it possible to measure electron energy loss spectra and chemical shifts.
With the above-mentioned technology, it is possible to acquire the spectral images from the multiple samples simultaneously. However, in a holder of the above-mentioned technology, although an opening through which an electron ray passes is provided in a sample tip, an opening by which an ion beam is irradiated on the sample is not provided in a focused ion beam (FIB) apparatus used of preparation of a TEM sample, etc.; therefore, a thin sample for TEM cannot be prepared in the FIB using the holder of the above-mentioned technology. Therefore, after preparing a TEM sample by the FIB using another sample holder, it is necessary to reinstall it in the above-mentioned sample holder.
Patent Literature 3 discloses TEM sample preparation by the FIB and a sample holder that enables TEM observation.
With the above-mentioned disclosed technology, although sample preparation and TEM observation by the FIB is possible using the same sample holder, only one sample stand can be installed. Moreover, since the sample stand is unmovable, it is difficult to acquire EELS's simultaneously from the samples mounted on multiple sample stands.


A process for making phenol and/or cyclohexanone comprises: (A) oxidizing a cyclohexylbenzene feed to obtain an oxidation product comprising cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide and phenol; (B) separating at least a portion of the oxidation product to obtain a first fraction comprising cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide and a second fraction comprising cyclohexylbenzene and phenol; (C) removing at least a portion of the phenol from at least a portion of the second fraction to obtain a third fraction; (D) recycling at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene in the third fraction to the oxidizing step (A); and (E) contacting at least a portion of the cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide in the first fraction with an acid catalyst in a cleavage reactor under cleavage conditions to obtain a cleavage product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone.

Phenol and cyclohexanone are important compounds in the chemical industry and are useful in, for example, the production of phenolic resins, bisphenol A, ε-caprolactam, adipic acid, and plasticizers.
Currently, a common route for the production of phenol is the Hock process. This is a three-step process in which the first step involves alkylation of benzene with propylene to produce cumene, followed by oxidation of cumene to the corresponding hydroperoxide, and then cleavage of the hydroperoxide to produce equimolar amounts of phenol and acetone. However, the world demand for phenol is growing more rapidly than that for acetone.
Thus, a process that uses higher alkenes instead of propylene as feed and coproduces higher ketones, such as cyclohexanone, rather than acetone may be an attractive alternative route to the production of phenols. There is also a growing demand for cyclohexanone.
It is known from, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,513, that cyclohexylbenzene can be produced by contacting benzene with hydrogen in the presence of a bifunctional catalyst comprising a molecular sieve of the MCM-22 type and at least one hydrogenation metal selected from palladium, ruthenium, nickel, cobalt, and mixtures thereof. This reference also discloses that the resultant cyclohexylbenzene can be oxidized to the corresponding hydroperoxide which can then be decomposed to produce phenol and cyclohexanone.
The oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene to produce cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and the cleavage of cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide to produce phenol and cyclohexanone are much more complex than the cumene oxidation and cumene hydroperoxide cleavage in the Hock process. For example, the oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene is conducted at low conversion per pass to reduce the formation of undesirable by-products and optimize process yields. The residual cyclohexylbenzene is then typically separated from the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide product and recycled to the oxidation reaction.

Process for making phenol and/or cyclohexanone


A combined battery and device apparatus and associated method. This apparatus includes a first conductive layer, a battery comprising a cathode layer; an anode layer, and an electrolyte layer located between and electrically isolating the anode layer from the cathode layer, wherein the anode or the cathode or both include an intercalation material, the battery disposed such that either the cathode layer or the anode layer is in electrical contact with the first conductive layer, and an electrical circuit adjacent face-to-face to and electrically connected to the battery. Some embodiments further include a photovoltaic cell and/or thin-film capacitor. In some embodiments, the substrate includes a polymer having a melting point substantially below 700 degrees centigrade. In some embodiments, the substrate includes a glass. For example, some embodiments include a battery deposited directly on the back of a liquid-crystal display (LCD) device.

Electronics have been incorporated into many portable devices such as computers, mobile phones, tracking systems, scanners, etc. One drawback to portable devices is the need to include the power supply with the device. Portable devices typically use batteries as power supplies. Batteries must have sufficient capacity to power the device for at least the length of time the device is in use. Sufficient battery capacity can result in a power supply that is quite heavy or large compared to the rest of the device. Accordingly, smaller and lighter batteries (i.e., power supplies) with sufficient energy storage are desired. Other energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors, and energy conversion devices, such as photovoltaic cells and fuel cells, are alternatives to batteries for use as power supplies in portable electronics and non-portable electrical applications.
Another drawback of conventional batteries is the fact that some are fabricated from potentially toxic materials that may leak and be subject to governmental regulation. Accordingly, it is desired to provide an electrical power source that is safe, solid-state and rechargeable over many charge/discharge life cycles.
One type of an energy-storage device is a solid-state, thin-film battery. Examples of thin-film batteries are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,314,765; 5,338,625; 5,445,126; 5,445,906; 5,512,147; 5,561,004; 5,567,210; 5,569,520; 5,597,660; 5,612,152; 5,654,084; and 5,705,293, each of which is herein incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,625 describes a thin-film battery, especially a thin-film microbattery, and a method for making same having application as a backup or first integrated power source for electronic devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,906 describes a method and system for manufacturing a thin-film battery structure formed with the method that utilizes a plurality of deposition stations at which thin battery component films are built up in sequence upon a web-like substrate as the substrate is automatically moved through the stations.
FIG. 1A shows a prior art thin-film battery 20 formed on substrate 22. The battery includes a cathode current collector 32 and an anode current collector 34 formed on the substrate 22. A cathode layer 38 is formed on the cathode current collector 32. An electrolyte layer 42 is formed on the cathode layer 38. An anode layer 44 is formed on the electrolyte layer 42, the substrate 22 and the anode current collector 34. The current collectors 32 and 34 are connected to external circuitry to provide electrical power to the same. In a discharge operation, ions in the anode layer 44 travel through the electrolyte layer 42 and are stored in the cathode layer 38. Thereby, creating current flowing from the anode current collector 34 to the cathode current collector 32. In a charge operation, an external electrical charge is applied to the current collectors 32 and 34. Thereby, ions in the cathode layer 38 are forced through the electrolyte layer 42 and are stored in the anode layer 44.
FIG. 2A shows a prior art method for fabricating the thin-film battery 20. First, the substrate is prepared for deposition of the thin-film battery (step 215). The cathode current collector is deposited on the substrate using DC-magnetron sputtering (step 217). The cathode is deposited on the cathode current collector by RF-magnetron sputtering (step 219). In this method, the magnetron source provides sputtered material having energy of about 1 to 3 eV, which is insufficient to crystallize the cathode material to form desirable crystal structures that encourage ion movement into and out of the cathode material. The cathode must be annealed to produce a crystalline lattice structure in the cathode, which is necessary to produce an energy-storage device that has the required electrical performance characteristics. In some embodiments, a desired electrical characteristic of a battery is a discharge curve that has a relatively constant voltage (small delta) over a range of capacity and then the voltage decreases rapidly as remaining capacity is exhausted (large delta). Accordingly, the stack of the substrate, cathode current collector and the cathode are annealed at a temperature of 700 degrees Celsius (step 221 of FIG. 2A). The anneal step 221 complicates and adds cost to the fabrication of this type of solid-state battery. Further, the anneal step 221 precludes the use of any material as the substrate or other part of the battery thus formed that is unable to withstand the high anneal temperature. The anode current collector is deposited on the substrate by DC-magnetron sputtering (step 223). The electrolyte layer is deposited by RF-magnetron sputtering (step 225). The anode is deposited by thermal evaporation (step 227).
A conventional battery-powered device typically has the battery fabricated as a separate unit and then assembled to the rest of the device. Conventional batteries typically have an expected lifetime that is shorter than the rest of the device. The batteries have manufacturing steps that are incompatible with the rest of the device, or the batteries are not compatible with the manufacturing steps need for the rest of the device. Thus, it is conventionally expedient to fabricate the batteries and the rest of the device using separate manufacturing steps that do not affect the other part, and then later to unite the parts into the whole device.
Battery-powered devices are widespread and include, for example, flashlights, cordless drills and other electric-powered mechanical tools, laptop computers, CD players, MP3 players, pagers, personal data assistant devices (PDAs), radios, automobiles (whether the type that uses a battery to power the starter motor and lights, etc., or the type that uses batteries to power a main electric motor or electric-hybrid motor system), hearing aids, pacemakers, implantable drug pumps, identification tags for warehouse tracking and retail theft prevention, smart cards used for financial transactions, global positioning satellite location-determining devices, remote controllers for televisions and stereo systems, motion detectors and other sensors for security systems, talking and singing greeting cards, and many other devices.
What is needed is a long-lasting, high-reliability, low-cost, low-volume, light-weight, conformable, and/or rechargeable battery system of a desired shape that is integrated with some or all of the rest of a device.

Method and apparatus for integrated-circuit battery devices


A drive device for an industrial truck includes a pivoted bolster rotatable around a vertical axis (V), two drive wheels (4, 5) mounted on the pivoted bolster and a device located axially between the drive wheels (4, 5) to generate a differential action between the drive wheels (4, 5). A vertically oriented motor (6) can be provided above the drive wheels (4, 5) and a mechanical differential (7) can be coupled with the motor (6) and the drive wheels (4, 5). Alternatively, each drive wheel (4 or 5) can be coupled with its own motor (8 or 9). Alternatively still, a double rotor electric motor (10) having two rotors (10c, 10d) and a common stator (10b) can be located between the drive wheels (4 or 5) and coupled with a neighboring drive wheel (4 or 5).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drive device for an industrial truck, the drive device having a pivoted bolster that can rotate around a vertical axis, two drive wheels that are mounted on the pivoted bolster parallel and in mirror symmetry with respect to the vertical axis, and a device that is located between the drive wheels to generate a differential action between the drive wheels.
2. Technical Considerations
Drive devices with a pivoted bolster are used, for example, in industrial materials handling equipment. In such equipment, there is generally a single drive wheel. This type of construction has the disadvantage that high wear occurs to the wheels, particularly when the wheels are steered while the vehicle is stopped. Moreover, the steering forces that an operator must apply by means of a towbar are high.
DE 199 54 590 A1 describes a generic drive device that does not suffer from this disadvantage because it has two parallel drive wheels. In that case, the two drive wheels are coupled with a common electric motor that is located in the wheel hubs, into which a differential is integrated. Also installed in the wheel hubs are two reduction gearsets, each of which is connected to one of the outputs of the differential. As a result of the small amount of space available, this known configuration requires a very tightly packed and therefore complicated arrangement of the individual components of the drive device.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a drive device of the general type described above but that has a simplified construction.


The present invention provides crystalline forms and three-dimensional atomic structure coordinates of Synagis Fab. The present invention further provides methods of using such three-dimensional atomic structure coordinates for designing and identifying Synagis binding agents. The present invention also provides machine readable media embedded with the three-dimensional atomic structure coordinates of Synagis Fab and methods of using them.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus ("RSV") is the most important respiratory pathogen in infancy and early childhood. Studies estimate that RSV causes up to 90% of brochiolitis and approximately 90% of all pneumonia in infancy. These conditions result in over 90,000 hospitalizations and 4500 deaths annually in the United States alone (Hall, 1998, Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 2084-2111). RSV infection in early childhood might be an important risk factor for subsequent development of recurrent wheezing and asthma (Eigen, 1999, J. Pediatr. 135:S1-S50; Stein et al., 1999, Lancet 354:541-545).
Current methods for treatment and prevention of RSV infection are limited. For instance, vaccination against RSV has not been successful to date. Vaccination of infants with an inactivated RSV actually increased the severity of RSV infection and pulmonary pathology when vaccinated infants were later challenged with RSV (Groothius, 1994, Antiviral Res 23:1-10; Hall et al., 1995, Principles and Practice of Infectious Disease, 1501-1519; Wyde, 1998, Antiviral Res. 39:63-79).
Direct administration of antibodies against RSV has had some prophylactic effect. A human immunoglobulin against RSV ("RSVIG") was approved in 1996 for the prevention of serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in premature infants and infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (PREVENT study group, 1999, Pediatrics 99:93-99). Recently, Synagis (or palivizumab), a humanized monoclonal antibody against the surface fusion glycoprotein ("F protein") of RSV, was approved for similar indications (Meissner et al., 1999, Pediatrics 18:223-31; Johnson et al., 1997, J. Infect Dis. 176:1215-1224; Impact-RSV Study Group, 1998, Pediatrics 102:531-537). In studies on test animals, Synagis was twice as potent as RSVIG in inhibiting the RSV-induced potentiation of inflammation when administered before or in the early phase of RSV infection (Piedimonte et al., 2000, Pediatric Research 47:351-356).
Although Synagis provides safe and effective prevention of RSV infection, improved therapeutics, such as small molecule therapeutics, are needed to treat and/or prevent RSV infection. Small molecule therapeutics are easier and less expensive to manufacture and also easier to administer orally. In addition, a small molecule therapeutic such as an antigen that mimics the epitope recognized by Synagis could be administered to generate an immune response against RSV. A composition comprising an antigen that mimics RSV would provide a safer method of preventing RSV infection. An effective antigen mimic of RSV could be administered, to persons with a functioning immune system, as an immunoprophylactic to raise an immune response against the virus with minimal or no danger of infection caused by the immunoprophylactic itself.
The three-dimensional structure coordinates of crystalline Synagis would enable the design or selection of such an antigen mimic. Synagis is effective in preventing RSV infection in vivo, and a mimic of an antigen bound specifically by Synagis could raise an immune response that is as effective or even more effective than Synagis in preventing infection. The structure coordinates of the antigen binding region of crytalline Synagis and/or the structure coordinates of a crystal complex of Synagis and an antigen would elucidate the atomic requirements of binding between Synagis and the antigen. This atomic resolution information could then be used to design and/or select a mimic of the antigen to be used as an immunoprophylactic against RSV.
Furthermore, the atomic structure coordinates of crystalline Synagis would enable the design of an antibody with improved virus binding and/or neutralizing properties. The atomic structure coordinates of crystalline Synagis would identify those residues of Synagis that are involved in antigen-antibody binding. These residues could then be selectively altered to generate mutant Synagis molecules that could be screened for binding and/or virus neutralizing effects. These improved Synagis molecules would provide more and perhaps improved options for prevention of RSV infection.
Until the present invention, the ability to obtain the atomic structure coordinates of Synagis has not been realized.


An anti-stiction method is proposed in an inertial micro-electro-mechanical device. The device includes: a mobile mass, suspended to an armature via a spring, and having at least one mobile electrode; and at least one fixed electrode rigidly attached to the armature, each fixed electrode cooperating with one of the at least one mobile electrode to form a pair of electrodes. The anti-stiction method carries out a step of detecting, for at least one stuck pair of electrodes, a stiction associated to a stiction force and a step of applying, during a predetermined time period, a predetermined voltage between the electrodes of at least one of the pair or pairs of electrodes, so as to create an electrostatic force which generates a displacement of the mobile mass according to the direction of the stiction force.

MEMS are very small integrated systems that combine mechanical and electrical components, which traditionally range in size from the micrometer to the millimeter level.
The difficulty in controlling surface forces existing inside inertial MEMS devices is a critical obstacle to their fabrication and using. In particular, surface phenomena such as stiction of two micro-surfaces facing one another frequently restrict the operational environment and limit the lifetime of these devices.
By definition, stiction phenomenon occurs when surface adhesion forces (or stiction forces) are higher than mechanical restoring forces of the micro-surfaces.
In addition, with the decrease in the dimension of MEMS microstructures over recent years, this surface phenomenon has become more and more effective.
A well-known problem is in-use stiction that appears during operation and handling of inertial MEMS devices when micro-surfaces, such as conductive electrodes, come into contact and permanently adhere to each other, causing MEMS failure. In-use stiction may be caused by the following stiction forces: capillary, electrostatic (or Van Der Walls) and chemical bonding forces. Those stiction forces essentially depend upon nature of the used materials in the inertial MEMS device, surface topography and surface treatment method.
One particular structure of such an inertial MEMS device, as illustrated in FIG. 1, consists for example of a mobile mass 150 comprising one mobile electrode, suspended by springs means 115 to an armature (not shown), said mobile electrode comprising a plurality of conductive fingers 155. The inertial MEMS device further comprises two sets of two fixed electrodes 120a, 120b, rigidly attached to the armature, each fixed electrodes comprising two conductive fingers 125a, 125b. Each conductive finger 125a, 125b faces one of the mobile mass fingers 155 to form a pair of conductive fingers (with associated capacitance value) that is used to move down or up the mobile mass along a sensitive axis 130.
Here below, "spring means" (also called "flexible beam") is understood to be every flexible connection means for elastically relying the mobile mass to the armature.
The technical problem of reducing probability of finger stiction in-use of an inertial MEMS device is a problem known by a person skilled in the art and several techniques have been provided to solve it.
A first known technique consists in rising restoring forces of springs 115 by rising spring stiffness and/or mobile mass excursion. But to obtain higher spring stiffness, inertial MEMS developers are forced to conceive more massive springs, which makes the inertial MEMS device less compact. Also, if spring stiffness increases, sensitivity of the inertial MEMS device and so signal-to-noise ratio (or SNR) are reduced.
Furthermore, even for an inertial MEMS device comprising such massive springs, in-use stiction phenomenon still persists.
A second known technique consists in reducing stiction forces by means of a suitable coating of surfaces of the conductive fingers which are susceptible to come in contact, such a coating—as known as "anti-stiction coating"—being made of a low-energy surface material and/or a high-roughness surface material.
However, low-energy surface coatings require a surface treatment process, which has the well-known drawbacks of complexity of implementation, manufacture and of cost.
In addition, even for conductive finger surfaces treated with an anti-stiction coating, in-use stiction phenomenon is still of concern.
Therefore, one common drawback of these two aforesaid prior-art techniques is that they are not sufficiently effective, since they do not ensure that the problem of MEMS in-use stiction is totally eliminated. It therefore becomes impossible to ensure to a user that his inertial MEMS device will not be in a non-functioning state.
To overcome this drawback, it may be a common practice to apply one or several mechanical shock(s) to the MEMS device according to its sensitive axis, for example by means of a vibration system, in order to add an additional force component to the restoring force of springs so as to generate a restoring force higher than the stiction forces. This practice can be complex to implement and cost a lot.
A third known technique, as illustrated in the patent document US 2007/075942, consists in applying a predefined voltage between the conductive electrodes of the MEMS device, so as to create an electrostatic force that generates a displacement of the mobile mass according to a direction opposite to the direction of the stiction force, thereby leading to a separation of the stuck conductive electrodes.

Anti-stiction method in an inertial MEMS, corresponding computer program product, storage means and device


A keyboard has a base plate, a membrane sheet, a housing, a key-top, a link mechanism disposed between the housing and the key-top, and a switch operating member disposed under the key-top and operated by the key-top. The housing, the membrane sheet and the base plate have slits at a position corresponding to a surrounding portion of the key-top. Consequently, the distance between the key-top and the housing can be decreased even if the skirt part of the key-top is long. Furthermore, the slit of the housing is formed as a discontinuous annular shape to surround the link mechanism, and the surrounding portion of the key-top has a slit corresponding to the bridge shaped portion of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is well-known a keyboard comprising a base plate, a membrane sheet disposed on the base plate, a housing disposed on the membrane sheet, a key-top, a link mechanism disposed between the housing and the key-top, and a switching operation unit (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-213806 and No. 2001-229764).
The key-top has a horizontal top portion, and a skirt portion obliquely hanging down from the horizontal top portion. A pivotal support portion of the link mechanism is disposed on an internal surface of the top portion of the key-top and an upper surface of the housing, and the link mechanism guides the key-top to drop down, keeping the horizontal state thereof, when the key-top is pushed. In the case of pushing the key-top, the key-top pushes down the switching operation unit made of a rubber and, thereby, the switching operation unit makes contact a pair of opposite connecting pieces of the membrane sheet.
In accordance with the recent requirements, a distance between the key-top and the housing is required to be short so as to realize a thin keyboard. However, when the key-top is pushed and the skirt portion of the key-top is long, a lower end of the skirt portion of the key-top (surrounding portion of the key-top) interferes with the housing. Therefore, the distance between the key-top and the housing cannot be short.


Apps are secured or security-wrapped either before they are downloaded onto a device, such as a smart phone or tablet device, or after they are downloaded but before they are allowed to access the device operating system and cause any potential damage to the device. The app is secured before it is allowed to access the operating system of the device, thereby preventing the app from malicious behavior. App object code is substituted with security program object code, thereby creating a security-wrapped app. The app is provisioned with a geo-fencing policy which prevents execution of an app outside a pre-defined geographical area. If the device is within the defined area, the app is allowed to execute. The geographical area, such as a building or company campus, is defined using longitude and latitude coordinates and a location accuracy value. Device location is obtained using location/GPS services on the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to software apps and mobile devices. More specifically, it relates to software for controlling the use of apps on mobile devices based on geographical location of the device and other location data.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is now known in the computing and mobile handset and smart phone industries, a new computing paradigm is emerging and is being driven by the proliferation of software applications now commonly known as apps for handheld or mobile devices. This proliferation is directly tied to consumer adoption of smart phones and tablets. Enterprises are now creating their own unique apps and distributing them to employees, customers, and partners. Companies are now writing their own apps for their employees and partners to use. However, with this growth another problem is arising, namely, the security and management of these apps on handset devices. Apps can cause significant damage to a handheld device and can cause loss of data or unintended transmission of data. They pose vulnerabilities for the device and a security risk for the user.
Traditional anti-virus approach, such as provided by MyLookOut, does not remove damage done by an app on a handset device. While black listing of apps is partially adequate for protecting devices (not only apps on the list to be downloaded), it would be better if there was a method to contain damage that a malware-infected app has done on a mobile device. It would be preferred if the kernel of the operating system software for the mobile device did not have to be altered. It would also be preferred if the app author did not have to be trained in the art of secure programming, or write anything special or customized for security when writing the app—they should be able to simply continue writing apps as they are currently doing. It would also be desirable if a policy for app usage was tied to geographical location of the device such that the user of the device could not use a specific app if outside a certain physical area, such as a building, company campus, city, and the like.

Geographical restrictions for application usage on a mobile device


Methods of treating inflammation, pain or both inflammation and pain in a subject are provided. The method includes the step of administering a human birth tissue material composition on or within an affected site of a body. The methods are particularly suitable for treatment of inflammation, pain or both inflammation and pain arising from a viral infection.

Neurogenic inflammation can be triggered by activation of nociceptive and thermal-sensitive nerve endings in tissues. Such activation can be caused by tissue injury, viral infection, or innate conditions, such as autoimmune disease. For example, once an individual has been infected with the herpes virus, the virus will thereafter remain latent in the body. In the latent state, the virus can settle in nerve cell bodies in the ganglia. Stimuli, such as influenza infection, other respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal infections, stress, fatigue, menstruation, pregnancy, allergy, sunlight, or fever, can activate the latent virus, which may then travel from the ganglia to the skin surface and multiply, causing various symptoms. Exemplary symptoms include pain, neurogenic inflammation, blistering, and other somatosensory system manifestations such as, for example, pain, itch, tickle, tingle, and numbness.
At the onset of such symptoms, conventional methods for the treatment of pain and inflammation are often initiated, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antidepressants, and antiviral medications (e.g., acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir). Such conventional methods often fall short of true treatment by only providing temporary relief, masking symptoms and/or causing serious side effects from prolonged use. Thus, there remains a need for a safe and effective treatment of inflammation and pain which can be used without the side effects associated with long-term use of conventional treatments.

Methods for the treatment of inflammation and pain using human birth tissue material composition


A method or system for constructing a non-slip ramp having at least two sloped ramp stringers and a starter wedge having a sloped side and an open side. A non-slip deck board is slid into the open side of the starter wedge and at least two tread plates, each providing spacing between two adjacent non-slip deck boards, each tread plate having a flat top section with a substantially L-shaped section attached perpendicular to the flat top section, with the bottom of the L fitting below one of the adjacent deck boards. The at least two tread plates are attached to the at least two sloped ramp stringers and an end-cap attached to a last non-slip deck board.

Building ramps is currently a difficult, complicated and time consuming process. What is needed is a way a convenient, reliable and safe way of creating ramps. The components included with the inventive system allow you to quickly assemble ramps that integrate your chosen composite, PVC, wood or similar decking material of choice and using appropriate off the shelf hardware assemble with fewer steps, hardware or measurements needed.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention, below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.


In a magnetic resonance tomograph having a continuous channel for inserting from one end a stretcher with a female patient lying thereon in a prone position during magnetic resonance mammography, the tomograph is provided with a manipulator by which instruments for the diagnosis and surgical treatment of such patients breasts can be introduced into the channel from the other end and positioned in relation to the breasts which are disposed in the isocenter of the magnetic resonance tomograph. The manipulator has a support arm with a recess for receiving the various instruments which can be installed and exchanged from the other, that is, the proximal end. The support arm with the recess can be pivoted horizontally and vertically about a fixed point located outside the recess and beyond the tip at the distal end of the manipulator adjacent to a breast of the patient.

The invention relates to a magnetic resonance tomograph without access to the measurement area during a measurement, comprising a continuous channel for inserting from one side a stretcher for use by female patients during magnetic resonance mammography.
In the conventional closed magnetic resonance tomographs (MRT), the MRT mammography with the resulting additional treatment steps such as biopsy and, if necessary, subsequent therapy is performed in a multitude of steps during which the patient needs to be moved several times into, and out of, the channel of the apparatus. Any surgery on the patient can be performed with such a closed magnetic resonance tomograph only outside the apparatus. The procedure is therefore time consuming and results in high physical and psychological stresses of the patient and involves the risk that the position of the patient""s breasts changes during the long period of the procedure. The long time required for the procedure also results in high costs for the therapy.
EP-A-0 534 607 discloses a magnetic resonance tomograph with two annular magnets within which the patient rests and between which a mechanical device for the heat treatment of tumors of the patient by laser energy is arranged at one side of the patient. A preceding biopsy is not provided with the MRT according to this publication. It would have to be performed outside the apparatus in some other way. There is no suggestion offered in EPA-0534607 how this situation could be improved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5 443 068 discloses a system for a non-invasive treatment of tumors by local magnetic resonance tomography-supported ultrasonic heating. The system includes a magnetic resonance tomograph (MRT) with a continuous channel into which a stretcher can be introduced from one end thereof. The stretcher includes a manipulator with an ultrasound transducer arranged directly below the support surface of the stretcher. The manipulator has a tub-like support arm, that is, a semi-circular support arm supporting the ultrasonic transducer such that it is movable in all three spatial directions. At the same time, the ultrasonic transducer remains so oriented that it always radiates upwardly. The tub-like support arm also includes a coupling medium, which is necessary for the transmission of the ultrasound waves. For the transmission of the ultrasound waves to a patients body a membrane is disposed on the coupling medium on which membrane the patient is disposed and which conforms to the body of the patient. Lateral movement of the ultrasound transducer in the coupling medium is achieved for each of the spatial axes separately by individual cardanic drive shafts by electric motors, which are arranged outside the MR magnetic field so that they have no influence on the field.
It is the object of the present invention to improve a magnetic resonance tomograph of the type as initially described in such a way that the various diagnosis and treatment steps of the MR mammography can be performed in the apparatus while the patients position remains essentially unchanged and to perform such procedures within a short period of time. The positions of the patient relative to the support and the MR apparatus should remain the same as set up before the start of the procedure for the whole duration of the procedure.
In a magnetic resonance tomograph comprising a continuous channel for inserting from one end a stretcher with a female patient lying thereon in a prone position during magnetic resonance mammography, the tomograph comprises a manipulator by which instruments for the diagnosis and surgical treatment of such patients breasts can be introduced into the channel from the other end and positioned in relation to the breasts which are disposed in the isocenter of the magnetic resonance tomograph. The manipulator comprises a support arm, which has a recess for receiving the various instruments which can be installed and exchanged from the other, that is, the proximal end. The support arm with the recess can be pivoted horizontally and vertically about a fixed point located outside the recess and beyond the tip at the distal end of the manipulator adjacent to a breast of the patient.
The invention will be described in detail below on the basis of the accompanying drawings.


Various implementations for managing, monitoring, and promoting user development and effectiveness are described. In one example implementation, a system includes a management module, an assessment module, a content module, and a reporting module. The management module determines a goal for a plurality of users of an organization to meet and a workflow for achieving the goal. The assessment module determines an assessment of a first performance of the first user based on the workflow and personalizes an electronic resource to a need of the first user based on the assessment of the performance. The content module provides the first electronic resource to the first user for interaction and the reporting module generates a report describing the electronic resource and the assessment of the first performance.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to computing, and more particularly to managing, monitoring, and promoting user development and effectiveness.
Description of Related Art
In recent years, some educational systems have been implementing increasingly rigorous educational standards defining what students are expected to competently learn in order to be considered acceptably educated. However, these educational systems can be limited in reliably determining how their educators are performing relative to these standards or providing the educators that are struggling to meet the standards with the targeted assistance and resources they need to improve. For instance, these educational systems may be slow or unable to identify and address the specific needs and deficiencies of their educators, and thus fail to maximize their students' potential and negatively affect their students' achievement, such as level of knowledge, testing performance, and actual student learning. In some cases, these educational systems are slow to act due to the use of obsolete legacy systems and resources to manage their educators. For instance, these educational systems may use paper-based observation and evaluation assessment methods that can be misplaced, lost, or forgotten about. Additionally, even when eventually entered into a central human resource management system, the assessment results may require further manual processing and interpretation before any action is taken to address any needs or deficiencies revealed by the results.
Furthermore, these educational systems often use various combinations of disparate systems, some manual, some computerized, to manage various aspects of their organizations. In some cases, each of these disparate systems may provide a separate tool for evaluating employees formally or informally, providing training, providing evidence, managing human resources, managing student achievement, etc. However, due to the lack of integration between these systems, it is often difficult for the administrators to tell how their organizations are performing, either as a whole, or by grade, department or individual, which can result in considerable amount of time passing before any action is taken to address the needs of their organizations or employees. Moreover, actions taken by these administrators are often ineffective as the administrators lack the information they need to target their actions to the needs of their organizations or members.


A solar cell includes a first layer having a first-layer lattice parameter, a second layer having a second-layer lattice parameter different from the first-layer lattice parameter, wherein the second layer includes a photoactive second-layer material; and a third layer having a third-layer lattice parameter different from the second-layer lattice parameter, wherein the third layer includes a photoactive third-layer material. A transparent buffer layer extends between and contacts the second layer and the third layer and has a buffer-layer lattice parameter that varies with increasing distance from the second layer toward the third layer, so as to lattice match to the second layer and to the third layer. There may be additional subcell layers and buffer layers in the solar cell.

A solar cell is a photovoltaic (PV) device having one or more photovoltaic junctions. Each junction is formed by a photovoltaic semiconductor layer. At each junction, incident light energy, and specifically solar energy, is converted to electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect.
The interest in solar cells has been increasing due to concerns regarding pollution and limited available resources. This interest has been for both terrestrial and non-terrestrial applications. In space applications, the use of nuclear or battery power greatly increases a spacecraft's payload for a given amount of required power to operate the satellite. Increasing the payload of a spacecraft in this manner increases the cost of a launch more than linearly. With the ready availability of solar energy in space for a spacecraft such as a satellite, the conversion of solar energy into electrical energy may be a good alternative to an increased payload.
The cost per watt of electrical power generation capacity of photovoltaic systems inhibits their widespread use in terrestrial applications. The conversion efficiency of sunlight to electricity may be critically important for terrestrial PV systems, since increased efficiency usually results in a reduction of related electricity generation system components (such as cell area, module or collector area, support structures, and land area) for a required power output of the system. For example, in concentrator solar cell systems which concentrate sunlight from around 2 to around 2000 times onto the solar cell, an increase in efficiency typically results in a proportionate reduction of an area comprising expensive concentrating optics.
To increase the electrical power output of such cells, multiple subcells or layers having different energy bandgaps have been stacked so that each subcell or layer can absorb a different part of the wide energy distribution in the sunlight. This arrangement is advantageous, since each photon absorbed in a subcell corresponds to one unit of charge that is collected at the subcell operating voltage, which is approximately linearly dependent upon the band gap of the semiconductor material of the subcell. Since the output power is the product of voltage and current, an ideally efficient solar cell would have a large number of subcells, each absorbing only photons of energy negligibly greater than its band gap.
The most efficient and therefore dominant multijunction (MJ) PV cell technology is the GaInP/Ga(In)As/Ge cell structure. Here the use of parentheses in the Ga(In)As middle subcell material indicates that the incorporation of indium in the middle cell is optional, so that the composition of the middle cell may be either GaAs or GaInAs. These monolithic cells may be grown lattice-matched to GaAs or Ge, and may have only the top two junctions active with an inactive Ge substrate (2-junction or 2J cells), or all three junctions may be active (3-junction or 3J cells). While variations on this material system, such as AlGaInP or lattice-mismatched GaInP top cells, might provide a more ideal match of band gaps to the solar spectrum, practical considerations have indicated that lattice-matched GaInP is preferred for large-scale production.
In monolithic, series-interconnected, 2-junction and 3-junction GaInP/Ga(In)As/Ge solar cells, it is desirable for the GaInP top subcell to have nearly the same photogenerated current density as the Ga(In)As subcell. If the currents are different, the subcell with the lowest photogenerated current will limit the current through all of the series-interconnected subcells in the multijunction (MJ) cell, and excess photogenerated current in other subcells is wasted. Limiting the current in this manner results in a severe penalty on the MJ cell efficiency.
At the lattice constant of Ge (or of GaAs) substrates, GaInP grown under conventional conditions has an ordered group-III sublattice and therefore has a band gap which is too low to achieve the desired current match between subcells in the unconcentrated or concentrated AM0 space solar spectrum, the unconcentrated or concentrated AM1.5D and AM1.5G terrestrial solar spectra, and other solar spectra, unless the top subcell is purposely made optically thin, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,043.
Whether in the multiple junction or single junction PV device, a conventional characteristic of PV cells has been the use of a window layer on an emitter layer disposed on the base of the PV cell. The primary function of the window layer is to reduce minority-carrier recombination (i.e., to passivate) the front surface of the emitter. Additionally, the optical properties of the window material must be such that as much light as possible is transmitted to lower cell layers where the photogenerated charge carriers can be collected more efficiently, or if there is substantial light absorption in the window, the minority-carrier lifetime in the window must be sufficiently long for the carriers to be collected efficiently at the p-n junction between the emitter and base of the PV cell. Similarly, a back-surface field (BSF) structure below the PV cell base has been used to reduce minority-carrier recombination at the back surface of the base. As for the window, the BSF structure (referred to here simply as a BSF, for brevity) must have optical properties which allow most of the light that can be used by the subcells beneath the BSF to be transmitted by the BSF, and/or the minority-carrier properties in the BSF must be such that electrons and holes which are generated by light absorption in the BSF are efficiently collected at the p-n junction of the PV cell.
For the multiple-subcell PV device, the efficiency may be limited by the requirement of low-resistance interfaces between the individual cells to enable the generated current to flow from one cell to the next. Accordingly, in a monolithic structure, tunnel junctions have been used to minimize the blockage of current flow. In addition to providing the lowest resistance path possible between adjacent subcells, the tunnel junction should also be transparent to wavelengths of light that can be used by lower subcells in the MJ stack, because of the poor collection efficiency of carriers photogenerated in the tunnel junction region.
These properties are all dependent on the bandgap, doping levels, optical properties, and minority-carrier recombination and diffusion properties of the base, emitter, window, BSF, and tunnel junction layers employed in the device. The semiconductor properties of these cell layers may be enhanced or degraded for a MJ PV device by the choice of substrate orientation.
There exists a need for multijunction solar (photovoltaic) cells with improved power output, efficiency, performance, and cost effectiveness.

Solar cells having a transparent composition-graded buffer layer


The present invention is an automated toilet lid and toilet seat actuating system for toilets that enables the user to raise and lower a toilet lid and toilet seat by electrical switches, remote control, voice command or motion sensors incorporating a horizontal mounted linear actuator, an electromagnet attached to a toilet lid or toilet seat, a piece of ferrous metal attached to a toilet lid or toilet seat, a toilet lid bracket with a bore of different diameters mounted to a toilet lid, an adapter rod of different diameters, a removable lid bracket cap, an electronic control with off delay timer circuit and a power supply or battery. The removal of the lid bracket cap from the toilet lid bracket facilitates the manual operation of the toilet lid and toilet seat.

The present invention relates to the raising and lowering of a toilet lid and toilet seat by electromechanical, or other, means thus eliminating the raising and lowering of a toilet lid and toilet seat by hand.
A number of systems have been developed for the automated raising and lowering of toilet lids and toilet seats as in the following examples, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,643,852, 5,307,524, 7,788,741, 8,910,320 and 10,791,888.
These earlier designs incorporated multiple motors, multiple gear assemblies, multiple clutching mechanisms, multiple counterbalance springs, motion sensors as well as various other approaches both electrical and mechanical none of which resulted in an affordable automated toilet lid and toilet seat raising and lowering system. These earlier designs also located their lifting points of attachment at, or behind, the toilet lid and toilet seat hinges which put their lifting mechanisms at a severe mechanical disadvantage.

Automated toilet lid and toilet seat actuating system


A method is provided for the electrolytic production of magnesium metal. The method is highly economical in that the method permits the use of magnesium oxide as a feed stock for the electrolytic process. The method uses a rare earth chloride as a constituent of the electrolyte bath. The rare earth chloride spontaneously reacts with the magnesium oxide to form magnesium chloride. The magnesium chloride can then be electrolyzed using standard electrolysis methods. The avoidance of using magnesium chloride as the feed stock to the process eliminates the substantial costs involved with producing and purifying magnesium chloride from natural sources. In addition, the rare earth chloride continuously reacts with any magnesium oxide from any source which may form during the process to prevent a sludge from forming within the electrolyte, such that the process efficiently produces magnesium metal with no losses attributable to sludge formation.

As a structural metal, magnesium is a highly attractive alternative to other structural metals, such as aluminum and steel, in both the aerospace and automotive industries. In particular, magnesium is light weight, has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any structural metal, is machinable, and is dimensionally stable. However, an impediment to the widespread use of magnesium is that it is relatively expensive to produce.
It is known in the art to electrolytically produce magnesium metal through the use of a molten salt bath containing magnesium chloride (MgCl.sub.2) and various other salts, such as calcium chloride (CaCl.sub.2) and sodium chloride (NaCl). Conventionally, the magnesium chloride is electrolytically decomposed to produce magnesium metal (Mg) on a steel cathode and chlorine gas (Cl.sub.2) on a graphite anode at temperatures between about 700.degree. C. and about 740.degree. C.
While the particular processes employed to produce magnesium metal vary within the relevant industry, a primary difference in the processes is the purity of the magnesium chloride used and the techniques employed for preparing the magnesium chloride. As an example, partially dehydrated magnesium chloride is used in one well known process, while anhydrous magnesium chloride is used in another. Natural resources of magnesium include seawater, salt lakes and underground brine and salt beds, as well as minerals such as magnesite (MgCO.sub.3), dolomite (CaMg(CO.sub.3).sub.2), carnallite (KCl.MgCl.sub.2.6HOH or KMgCl.sub.3.6HOH) and brucite (Mg(OH).sub.2), each of which requires different processing procedures to procure substantially pure magnesium chloride.
While the purity or source of the magnesium chloride may differ, it is the preparation of the magnesium chloride feed stock which forms the economic burden to the electrolytic process. The U.S. Department of Energy, Final Report EX-76-A-01-2295 (1981), entitled "An Assessment of Magnesium Primary Production Technology", M.C. Flemings et al., reported that about fifty percent of the total cost and energy consumption for the production of magnesium is consumed in the preparation of the magnesium chloride. The high cost of using "pure" magnesium chloride as a feed stock is substantially a result of the numerous processing steps necessary for its preparation, which include, depending on the method adopted, precipitation, filtration and calcination, pelletization, chlorination, and alternatively neutralization and dehydration processes. Accordingly, a significant economic impediment to the production and use of magnesium would be removed if the process did not rely on the use of magnesium chloride as the feed stock.
In the preparation of magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide (MgO) is a common impurity that is highly undesirable in the electrolyte bath. Because magnesium oxide is only slightly soluble in the conventional electrolytes known in the art, it remains suspended throughout the process, causing a sludge to form within the electrolyte. As a result, some elemental magnesium is lost during the process as sludge, which must be periodically removed from the electrolytic cell.
Even if magnesium oxide is substantially removed as an impurity by the manner in which magnesium chloride is conventionally refined, the undesirable sludge still forms because magnesium chloride reacts with the water and/or moisture present in the other constituents of the electrolyte bath to form magnesium oxide. Accordingly, the formation of sludge is likely to occur regardless of the purity of the magnesium chloride used as the feed stock to the electrolytic process.
From the above, it is readily apparent that presently known electrolytic methods for producing magnesium metal entail an involved process for procuring and purifying magnesium chloride from natural sources. Furthermore, a primary impurity, magnesium oxide, is highly undesirable within known electrolytic processes in that it results in the loss of some elemental magnesium through the formation of a sludge. Finally, this sludge has a tendency to form even when highly pure magnesium chloride is used as the feed stock to the process because of the ability for magnesium oxide to form by the reaction of magnesium chloride with water and/or moisture present in the other constituents of the electrolyte bath.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a more economical method for producing magnesium metal which does not require pure magnesium chloride as the feed stock for the electrolysis process, and prevents the formation of suspended magnesium oxide in the electrolyte during the electrolysis process.

Method for producing magnesium metal from magnesium oxide


A folding top for a vehicle includes a cover, a frame assembly having rear and front top bows, a light, and a securing device. The cover has a top cloth and an interior covering which are spaced apart from one another. The bows extend through the spacing between the top cloth and the covering. The top cloth and the covering are stretched over the bows with the opening of the covering being rearward of the rear bow. The bows are movable between a closed position in which the cover is raised and an opened position in which the cover is lowered. The light is positioned within the opening of the covering. The securing device extends through the spacing between the top cloth and the covering between the front bow and rearward of the rear bow. The securing device tensions the light against the rear bow when the cover is raised.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding top for a vehicle.
2. Background Art
A known folding top is borne by front and rear convertible top bows. The top bows are movably supported on a vehicle and extend transverse to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A housing having an interior light is mounted on a side of the front top bow facing the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
DE 101 13 100 A1 describes a folding top having a flexible covering and a convertible top bow. The top bow holds the covering taut when the folding top is closed over a vehicle. The top bow has a rigid profile partly enclosing a hollow space. An opening in a boundary wall of the hollow space runs in the longitudinal direction of the top bow. An interior light is inserted into the opening to illuminate the passenger compartment of the vehicle.